How Can You Spend 3 Days in Zhuhai with a Macau Day? (2026)
Published 2026-09-24 · Updated 2026-09-24 · Itineraries
TL;DR
A: Three days works as ~1.5 days of Zhuhai plus one Macau day: Day 1 Chimelong Ocean Kingdom (intercity rail to Zhuhai Chimelong Station), Day 2 the seaside Lovers' Road and Fisher Girl, Day 3 walk into Macau at Gongbei or Hengqin. The key fact is Zhuhai has no metro — you move by the Zhuhai–Jiangmen intercity rail, bus and taxi.
What’s the short answer?
Zhuhai is Guangdong’s “City of a Hundred Islands” beside Macau — but the single most useful thing to know is that it has no metro. You move by the Zhuhai–Jiangmen intercity rail (which runs like a metro, scan your 12306 code), by bus and by taxi. Three days work as ~1.5 days of Zhuhai (Chimelong + the seaside Lovers’ Road) plus one Macau day on foot across the border.
Why does this Zhuhai route work?
- Day 1 is Chimelong Ocean Kingdom — Asia’s top marine park, reached by intercity rail to Zhuhai Chimelong Station.
- Day 2 is the seaside: Lovers’ Road, the Fisher Girl statue and the Sun and Moon Shell, all by bus or taxi.
- Day 3 crosses to Macau on foot (Gongbei or Hengqin) — or swaps to an outer island if you skip Macau.
Day 1 — How do you reach Chimelong without a metro?
| # | Stop | Cost | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zhuhai Station / Hengqin | — | Zhuhai–Jiangmen intercity rail (scan 12306 code) |
| 2 | Chimelong Ocean Kingdom | ¥395 (about $55) weekday / ¥450 weekend | Zhuhai Chimelong Station, 5-min walk |
| 3 | Whale Shark Aquarium & penguin hall | Included | Inside the park |
| 4 | “Ocean Defender” fireworks | Included | Show ~20:00, arrive early |
How the day flows: Take the intercity rail to Zhuhai Chimelong Station, walk in, hit the whale-shark aquarium first to beat crowds, and hold a spot for the ~20:00 fireworks. Foreign visitors buy the “overseas visitor” ticket tier on the platform or at the gate with their passport.
Three local shortcuts most visitors miss:
- Zhuhai has NO metro — the “train to Chimelong” is the Zhuhai–Jiangmen intercity rail; scan your 12306 ride code, no seat assignment.
- Buy the Chimelong ticket online in advance on the official platform; foreign passports use the overseas-visitor tier.
- Stay at a Hengqin park hotel if you want the 2-day pass — it pays off with kids, and you are already next to the gate.
Day 2 — What is the seaside Lovers’ Road loop?
| # | Stop | Cost | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lovers’ Road | Free | Bus / taxi along the coast (no rail) |
| 2 | Zhuhai Fisher Girl | Free | Xianglu Bay, Lover’s Middle Rd |
| 3 | Sun and Moon Shell (Grand Theatre) | Free outside | Ye Li Island, bus / taxi |
| 4 | Jingshan Park cable car | ¥64.5 (about $9) | Jida, bus / taxi |
How the day flows: Rent a bike or take the double-deck sightseeing bus along the 28 km coast, photo the Fisher Girl at sunset, then the lit Shell; add the Jingshan cable car for a hilltop view. Coastal sights have no rail station — use the ¥30 day-pass bus or DiDi.
Three local shortcuts most visitors miss:
- The Fisher Girl is ~3–4 km from Zhuhai Station — the double-deck bus or a taxi is the easy way, not a train.
- The Shell is free to view outside; only performances inside cost money.
- Xiazwan night market wakes up after 21:30 for late snacks — bring cash for the stalls.
Day 3 — Can you walk into Macau for the day?
| # | Stop | Cost | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gongbei Port | Free to cross | Walk from Zhuhai Station, ~5 min (06:00–01:00) |
| 2 | Hengqin Port (alternative) | Free to cross | Intercity to Hengqin Stn, 24h one-stop clearance |
| 3 | Macau: Senado / Ruins of St. Paul | Free | Free casino shuttle bus from the port |
| 4 | Back to Zhuhai | — | Same ports, evening |
How the day flows: Cross at Gongbei (walk) or Hengqin (faster one-stop clearance), take the free casino shuttle to the Cotai hotels, see the old town, then return for a Lovers’ Road sunset. The free casino shuttle (“fortune bus”) beats a taxi from the port to the Cotai strip.
Three local shortcuts most visitors miss:
- Foreign passports: use Gongbei or Hengqin MANUAL counters — NOT Qingmao, which is almost all self-service and will turn you back.
- Bring your passport and your Zhuhai accommodation proof; check Macau’s visa rule for your nationality before you go.
- Hengqin’s one-stop clearance is fastest for foreigners — one queue clears both sides, open 24 hours.
What to eat in Zhuhai (and where)
Zhuhai leans on oysters, seafood and Cantonese dim sum, with a Macau edge.
- Hengqin oysters — geo-tagged oysters, garlic-roast, about ¥120 (about $17) per person; Fazai stall near Hengqin.
- Doumen double-shell crab — steamed, about ¥150 (about $21) per person; Doumen restaurants (Sep–Oct peak).
- Cantonese dim sum — har gow, siu mai, about ¥60–120 (about $8–17); Ji Da / Gongbei / Xiangzhou.
- Tangjia tea cake — sweet glutinous snack, about ¥25 (about $3.50); Tangjiawan old street.
- Xiawan night market — pork-chop bun, beef offal, after 21:30; bring cash.
Practical notes
Zhuhai’s golden rule: there is no metro — intercity rail + bus + taxi, and a passport-aware Macau crossing. The rest:
- Payments: Alipay/WeChat with a foreign card work; keep cash for Xiawan night market and island shops. See our payments guide.
- Ports: Gongbei (walk, 06:00–01:00) and Hengqin (24h, one-stop) for Macau; foreign passports use manual counters only. See our Hong Kong & Macau page for the bigger picture.
- Rail: Zhuhai Station (Gongbei, intercity + Guangzhu line) and Hengqin Station (toward Chimelong) are your nodes; Guangzhou is ~1h by intercity. See the 12306 train guide.
- Hong Kong: Jiuzhou ferry (~70 min) or the HZMB bus; both need advance planning in typhoon season.
- Best season: Oct–Apr (avoid Jul–Sep typhoons); island swimming peaks May–Oct.
More on the city: the Zhuhai destination page. For the Macau half of the trip, start from our Hong Kong & Macau page — it explains the visa and port rules for foreign passports in full. If you need a hotel that accepts foreign passports, see hotels that accept foreign passports, and land with data using the eSIM guide.
Common questions
Does Zhuhai have a metro?
No. You move by the Zhuhai-Jiangmen intercity rail (it runs metro-style — scan your 12306 code, no seat assignment), city buses from ¥1 and taxis. To Chimelong, the intercity stops literally at Zhuhai Chimelong Station, a 5-minute walk from the gate.
Can I walk into Macau from Zhuhai?
Yes. Cross at Gongbei Port (a 5-minute walk from Zhuhai Station, 06:00-01:00) or Hengqin Port (24 hours, one-stop clearance). Foreign passports must use the manual counters at either — do not use Qingmao, which is almost all self-service gates.
How do foreigners buy Chimelong Ocean Kingdom tickets?
Buy online in advance on the official platform; foreign passports use the dedicated 'overseas visitor' ticket tier and enter with the passport itself. A park hotel on Hengqin with the 2-day pass pays off with kids.
How should I split 3 days between Zhuhai and Macau?
The balanced split is Day 1 Chimelong, Day 2 the seaside Lovers' Road and Fisher Girl, Day 3 Macau on foot. Zhuhai itself is a 1-1.5-day city; the Macau day is what fills the itinerary.
What is there to do on Lovers' Road?
The 28 km seaside promenade strings together the Fisher Girl statue, Xianglu Bay and the Sun and Moon Shell theatre. Cycle it or ride the double-deck sightseeing bus (¥30 day pass) — there is no rail along the coast.
How do I get to Hong Kong from Zhuhai?
Two ways: the Jiuzhou Port ferry to Kowloon (from about ¥150, roughly 70 minutes) or the HZMB bridge bus. Both need advance planning in typhoon season — check sailing and border schedules the day before.