Usually I travel alone, but on June 1 (2010) I travelled with nine others. After a smooth touch-down at the Macao International Airport (MIA) around 10:30 then we proceeded to the bus stop where we waited for the AP1 shuttle bus. We waited for almost 30 minutes but the bus was yet to arrive. The fee was MOP4.20 instead of MOP3.30 but the luggage was still the same, MOP3 per every bag. Well I have not been to Macao for more than a year. The 10 of us decided to take a taxi instead of the shuttle bus, although it cost us more, especially with 3 taxis, but we didn't want my 2 Chinese nieces to wait for us in vain near the Gongbei Port.

From Gongbei we took a 15-seater coaster to Guangzhou. The cost of the van was RMB870. The journey was quite smooth until we reached Guangzhou. As it was raining while the roads were under repair to prepare for the coming Asian Games, the congestion was quite bad. We arrived at the hotel in Xiaobei almost at 17:00, that took us almost 5 hours from Gongbei to Guangzhou.

It is.indeed easier for us to rent a van rather than taking a public bus. The van sent us direct to the hotel doorstep and if we took a public bus, it will stop at the bus terminal then we have to take other busc or taxis.

With the introduction of low cost flights by AirAsia, many Malaysians and Mainland Chinese in particular, able to visit both Kuala Lumpur and cities in China. Besides Hong Kong and Macau, AirAsia flies to five (5) destinations in China, namely Guangzhou (CAN), Guilin (KWL), Haikou (HAK), Hangzhou (HGH), Shenzhen (SZX) and Tianjin (TSN). Malaysia Airlines (MAS) also flies to five (5) destinations in China, namely Beijing (PEK), Guangzhou (CAN), Kunming (KMG), Shanghai (PVG) and Xiamen (XMN).

True to its motto: “Everyone Can Fly” AirAsia has indeed enabled many low income group to travel, including me. I have never dreamt of travelling to China as cheap as RM600 to Shenzhen and back. I am not a representative of AirAsia nor its agent but just would like share this glad tiding because both countries have a lot to share from culture, business to health treatments. From Kuala Lumpur there are two flights daily to Guangzhou and Shenzhen while other destinations are only once.

Some destinations you can return on the same day, such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen but not Guilin, Hangzhou, Haikou and Tianjin. As for Guangzhou the first flight arrives at 0945 and the last flight to Kuala Lumpur is at 2035; first flight for Shenzhen arrives at 1045 and the last flight to Kuala Lumpur is 2045 but other flights are just enough for a touch down.

Those flying with AirAsia from Kuala Lumpur, the terminal is no longer at B Terminal. A new annex terminal before A terminal has been built for low cost carrier, for both departures and arrivals.

Coming out of the terminal, on the right will be taxis queueing for passengers. For those arriving ETA 2045, if you want to use bus either #330 or #K568 that stops at Luohu, proceed to your right towards B terminal. Bus service ends around 2200. Either bus costs 20RMB per person. As usual, at the arrival taximen will say there's no bus service.

Taking a bus from Luohu stop before A terminal. Usually K568 stops here then it will proceed to B terminal.

For Malaysians that want to go to Shenzhen from Macau has 3 options, by direct flight to Fuyong airport (Bao'an), ferry to Fuyong or Shekou, or by bus/taxi to Gongbei Port in Zhuhai. Airport bus AP1 costs MOP3.30 and every luggage deposited behid the driver will be charged MOP3. Some people take a free ride using buses provided by hotels that operate casinos. In Gongbei Port, traveller can either use bus (there are at least three bus terminals), and a free shuttle bus service to ferry terminal. Ferry from Macau takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes while from Zhuhai takes about one hour to Shekou. Express bus from Gongbei to Shenzhen takes about 2.5 hours that stops at Futian and Luohu. Beware of private car touts that ask for 600RMB to Shenzhen from Zhuhai where bus is only 80RMB and ferry is 110RMB.

City taxi in Macau starts at MOP11 while in Shenzhen is 12.50RMB. In Bao'an (SZ) there are two types of taxis, the usual maroon colour, and the green colour. The green one starts at 7RMB