Crossing Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge: The world's longest fixed sea crossing

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This was published 2 years ago

Crossing Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge: The world's longest fixed sea crossing

By Craig Platt
Updated
Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge stretches across 55 kilometres joining China's two former European territories.

Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge stretches across 55 kilometres joining China's two former European territories.

Halfway across the world's longest sea bridge, I hear a roar behind us. From the volume, I assume a large truck is about to overtake our bus.

Instead, a few seconds later, a sports car tears past at incredible speed. What type of sports car? I've no idea. All I know is that it was probably doing more than 200 km/h and shot past in a blur.

But when you're crossing a bridge that's 55 kilometres long, I guess it's OK to want to do it in a hurry.

The bridge is not open to private vehicles unless a special permit is obtained.

The bridge is not open to private vehicles unless a special permit is obtained.Credit: Getty Images

This is the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge, joining China's two former European colonies in an epic feat of engineering that sees three long expanses connected by an underwater tunnel. At the western end, it forks to join both Macau and the mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai. It's the world's longest fixed sea crossing and, along with the three cable bridges and tunnel, it features four artificial islands.

The $26 billion project took almost nine years to complete and opened to the public in October 2018 , though "public" is something of a misnomer. Private cars aren't allowed on the bridge unless the driver has been issued with a special permit (the blurry sports car must have had one). The rest of us have to take a bus, which depart 24 hours a day from the Passenger Clearance Building near Hong Kong International Airport.

This terminal is an engineering feat in itself. A giant, cavernous space, it resembles an airport in both size and design. On the evening I check in after flying into Hong Kong (several months before the global outbreak of COVID-19), it's largely empty.

One of the crossing's four artificial islands.

One of the crossing's four artificial islands.Credit: Getty Images

It's an impressive building and I start snapping a few photos before I'm told off (via a wave and crossed arms) by a security guard. With so few people here, the process for going through to our vehicle is quick and easy, merely requiring the purchase of our tickets and the flash of a passport.

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Soon after, our bus is making our way out of the terminal and on to the sea bridge. It's early evening and the sun has gone down, so I can't really see the waters of the South China Sea to either side. Instead the only entertainment to be seen through the windows is the changing colours of the bridge lights, which flash by in waves of blue, red, purple and green.

Despite three lanes in either direction, there is virtually no other traffic on the bridge. This lack of usage has become a sore point, with some criticising the project as a white elephant. The time it takes to cross the bridge from Hong Kong to Macau is comparable to taking the ferry, which remains the most popular option for people travelling between the two cities (the ferry also has the advantage of departing from downtown Hong Kong, rather than the having to get out near the airport to catch the bus across the bridge).

The Hong Kong Passenger Clearance Building is an architectural marvel in itself.

The Hong Kong Passenger Clearance Building is an architectural marvel in itself.Credit: iStock

We soon find ourselves descending beneath the water's surface to the seven-kilometre stretch of tunnel. This is where we're overtaken by the speed demon driver, before we emerge again to traverse the remaining 23 kilometres to Macau.

The lights of the Las Vegas of the East come into view well before we reach the former Portugeuse territory, with the enormous casinos' neon displays beckoning.

Despite reported downturns in the number of Chinese visiting Macau (even before the pandemic hit), the territory shows no sign of slowing down. Where previously there was flat, empty, land during my last visit, giant new complexes have sprung up.

The main entrance to the Parisian in Macau.

The main entrance to the Parisian in Macau.Credit: Getty Images

I'm staying at the Parisian, featuring its own replica Eiffel Tower (half size) which lights up a night in myriad colours, while inside the casino, the hotel and shopping complex has all the ostentatiousness of the Palace of Versailles. The giant property houses about 3000 hotel rooms and more than 180 shops, cafes and restaurants.

It's located on the Cotai Strip - an area of reclaimed land that has been slowly expanding over the past two decades to house more and more developments.

The latest, still under construction during my visit, is the Londoner. As the name suggests, it's a London-themed casino complex, featuring a faux Big Ben and British Houses of Parliament facade. There's staff dressed as Beefeaters or royal guards (complete with bearskins), bright red phone booths and black cabs. It's all being promoted by soccer superstar David Beckham. The first phase of the $2.7 billion complex opened in December, with additional phases opening throughout this year.

It hasn't been great timing, as Macau has had to close its borders to mainland China repeatedly over the last 18 months due to COVID-19. Gaming revenue is estimated to have dropped 80 per cent below pre-pandemic levels and visitors from many mainland provinces currently face mandatory quarantine.

It's a tough situation for a city that has bet heavily on gambling as its main source of income. While there's plenty to marvel at in Macau without hitting the tables or slot machines, it's all built on gaming revenue.

However, during my three-day visit I manage to avoid spending a cent on gambling, preferring instead to explore the mind boggling complexes of the Cotai strip and marvel at the architecture.

I'll leave the risk-taking to those who drive expensive sports cars at high speed.

The writer travelled as a guest of TravMedia and the Macao Government Tourism Office.

Rooms at the Parisian Macau start from about $HK640 per night but are set to increase to about $HK1000 as borders are expected to reopen. See parisianmacao.com

VISIT

Public buses cross the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge 24 hours a day, departing from the Passenger Clearance Building near Hong Kong International Airport. Regular fares cost $HK65 during the day and $HK70 at night (midnight to 6am). See https://www.hzmb.gov.hk/en/

Australia's borders are currently closed under the federal government's COVID-19 restrictions. You can only leave the country after obtaining special permission from Border Force. See smartraveller.gov.au

See also: The world's 10 most extraordinary tunnels

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