Macau’s walkability is an asset – its air quality should be too

Lynzy Valles

Few cities make walking as convenient as Macau. Within minutes, residents and visitors can move between shops, offices, landmarks, and tourist spots without relying on vehicles. 

A quick walk from one destination to another can often turn into a productive journey.

For many residents, a short walk is often enough to move from one appointment or errand to the next, with distances across the city easily estimated on foot.

Residents know that walking from Leal Senado to ZAPE area, from the Ruins of St. Paul’s to Praça Ferreira do Amaral, or from Taipa Village to the Cotai Strip is a practical option, often avoiding the delays caused by traffic.

This is why Macau’s recognition as one of the world’s most walkable cities should come as no surprise.

According to Time Out’s “The world’s most walkable cities in 2026, according to locals,” Macau scored 78% in a survey of thousands of residents worldwide who evaluated how easy it is to explore their cities on foot.

While it did not break into the top 10, Macau ranked alongside some of the world’s most walkable destinations. Seoul and Edinburgh tied for first place with scores of 93%, followed by New York City at 91%, Copenhagen at 90%, and Oslo at 89%. Other cities in the top 10 included Stockholm, Paris, Singapore, Helsinki, and Kraków, Poland.

A walkable city is not defined only by short distances. It is also defined by the quality of the walking experience. A city can be compact and convenient, but if walking through it means constantly inhaling cigarette smoke, the experience becomes far less enjoyable.

For many pedestrians, this is a familiar problem.

A walk from ZAPE toward MGM, Wynn, Grand Lisboa, and the city center can sometimes feel like passing through a corridor of cigarette smoke.

The combination of heavy tourist foot traffic, humid weather, and crowded sidewalks can make exposure to cigarette smoke particularly uncomfortable. For people with asthma, allergies, or sensitivity to smoke, a simple walk can become more challenging.

As Macau transforms into a family-friendly destination by expanding its non-gaming attractions, a premium tourism city should not allow cigarette smoke to become one of visitors’ strongest impressions.

This makes the government’s move to introduce the city’s first official outdoor no-smoking zones a welcome step. The designated areas at Dr. Carlos d’Assumpção Park, Border Gate Square, and the Ruins of St. Paul’s precinct follow a successful pilot program, with smoking areas positioned away from schools and busy pedestrian routes.

The initiative aligns with the “Healthy Macau Blueprint,” a long-term public health strategy launched by the Health Bureau in 2024 with the goal of creating a healthier city by 2030. Tobacco control is a key pillar of this plan, focusing on legislation, enforcement, public awareness, and smoking cessation support.

Further strengthening these measures is necessary. A recent amendment to the tobacco control law proposed banning smoking within 10 meters of the entrances and exits of hospitals, health centers, nurseries, childcare facilities, and primary and secondary schools. Similar protection should continue expanding to other high-density pedestrian areas.

A “healthy Macau” should not only be a slogan. It should be something residents and visitors can physically experience – through cleaner air, healthier streets, and more comfortable public spaces.

Macau has already built the foundation of a walkable city. The next challenge is making it a breathable one.