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Hangzhou (杭州 Hángzhōu; [1]) is in Zhejiang Province, China.
View over West Lake
View over West Lake
[edit] Understand

Famed for its natural scenery, Hangzhou and its West Lake (西湖 Xī Hú) have been immortalized by countless poets and artists. The city was the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty from 1127 until the Mongol invasion of 1276, during which time the city's population is estimated to have been as high as one million, making it the largest city in the world. Even Marco Polo claimed to have passed through, calling it "beyond dispute the finest and the noblest in the world".

With the gradual silting up of its harbor much of the city's trade and industry passed to nearby Shanghai, but the city still has a bustling population of 1.7 million and ranks as one of China's most popular tourist attractions.
[edit] Get in
[edit] By plane

Despite the name, Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH) generally services domestic Chinese flights. There are frequent services to Beijing and Hong Kong, but using Shanghai's domestic Hongqiao or international Pudong airports and connecting by bus or train is also a viable option. International flights are possible. International cities that have service to Hangzhou include Tokyo, Osaka, Bangkok, Seoul, and Singapore.

The airport is approximately 45 minutes - one hour away from the city by taxi. A taxi to or from the airport is around Y80-90; on the wayback, you should ask if the driver is willing to take you that far before just jumping in the car with all your bags. A cheaper route would be to buy tickets for the shuttle service (15 RMB) to/from the Xiaoshan Bus ticket office on Tiyuchang Road next to the KFC just west of Wulin Square. The Shangri-La Hotel also has a shuttle service to/from the airport for Y50, inquire within.

Alternatively, if flying into Pudong Airport in Shanghai, there are direct buses to Hangzhou. They leave from the 2nd floor parking lot across from Gate 15 of Pudong Airport, departing every 1.5 hours from 10:30am until 5:00pm. It costs Y100 (Summer 2005 price). These buses arrive at the Hangzhou Yellow Dragon Sports Center (soccer stadium).
[edit] By train

A train from Shanghai is the easiest way to get to Hangzhou. Frequent trains run from Shanghai Zhan (Main) Railway station and from the new Shanghai South Station, both on Metro line 1. Check the train schedule for the duration of the trip as some trains are considerably faster than others. In general, the train will take between 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours and 30 minutes, but "local" trains can take over 3 hours. Also, it is better to arrive in Hangzhou at the main Hangzhou station, rather than the East Hangzhou Railway station as the main station is right in town.

In addition to Shanghai, Hangzhou Train Station serves trains from Guangzhou, Beijing, Chengdu, and everywhere in between. For destinations further away, such as Kunming and Urumqi, you would first want to go to Shanghai or some halfway-point train station. There is an East Train Station as well, but it is not a very nice part of town. Recently there is a new train started which takes 2 hours from Hangzhou to Shanghai and its quite convenient. - Utkarsh
[edit] By bus

Hangzhou has 4 bus stations (N, E, W, and S). Usually, your destination corresponds to the bus station, eg if you are going to Shanghai, try the north or east bus station. If you are going to Huangshan, buses leave from the West Bus Station, etc.

For travel to or from Shanghai, the bus has become at times more convenient than the train, as it can be more comfortable if only hard seater train tickets exist, and the buses depart more frequently than trains. From Shanghai, buses depart from the north bus station (Hengfen Lu), the PuDong bus station (Bailianjing, PuDong Nan Lu), and from Xujiahui Bus Station, ticket cost Y58 (Dec. 2005 price). These buses arrive at the north bus station of Hanzhou.
[edit] By boat

There are overnight boats to Wuxi and Suzhou along the Hangzhou-Beijing Grand Canal. Tickets can be purchased at the wharf ticket window one block north of Wulin Square (208 Huancheng North Road). The mid-range and upper level tickets are worth the splurge (tickets are between 70 and 130 renminbi). Bear in mind that the overnight voyage is mostly in darkness, so don't expect much scenery.
[edit] Get around
[edit] By bus

Hangzhou has an extensive bus network, but you must be able to read Chinese to ride the crowded buses with ease. However, any bus that has a "Y" before the bus number (Y2, Y5, etc) are always "youke" - tourist buses, and are guaranteed to take you to a tourist site for ¥3 - ¥5. Therefore, if you want to just ride Y buses around all day, you will save money and still see the sites without having to tell the taxi drivers where you want to go in Chinese.

Otherwise, a bus with just a number will cost you ¥1, and a bus with a "K" before the number (air conditioned) is ¥2. Night buses are usually ¥2.5. Don't take those prices as regular, since buses in Hangzhou are operated by different companies, which means different prices. But even if you don't understand Chinese, don't worry about this, since the fare is written at the bus line station, so you can prepare your coins in advance. (Better have the exact fare, because they don't give change money). You can also give them the 1 RMB-bill instead of some coins, even when the system says "just coins". Payage is directly with the driver, buses in Hangzhou don't have a salesperson inside as they have in Shanghai.
[edit] By taxi

Like most major world cities, Hangzhou has a large number of taxis which allow for quick and convenient travel within the city proper. Most of the city's taxis are green in color and easily identifiable by the word "Taxi" printed in both English and Chinese on the vehicles. Taxis for hire are marked by the green (or sometimes yellow-orange) light-up signs above the dashboard on each car.

Hangzhou taxi drivers always use the meter as required by law. All routes under four kilometers are charged a flat rate of 11 RMB (addition of a 1 RMB gas increase mandated by the government as of August 1, 2006). There is no time-cost in Hangzhou for the taxis; it's just for the distance. It is advisable to take a receipt each time use you a taxi, should you wish to contact the taxi company or driver at later time to dispute a fee, recover a lost article, etc.

Few, if any, of they city's taxi drivers speak English or other foreign languages. It is therefore important that you be able to point out your destination on map, present the driver with the name of the destination (in written Chinese), or properly pronounce the name of the destination in spoken Mandarin Chinese. If you have a Chinese acquaintance whom you can reach by cell phone, you can allow him or her to speak to your driver through the phone to convey the desired information.

Hangzhou taxis are not allowed to carry more than four passengers, although you may be able to convince or bribe a driver to allow you to "hide" an extra passenger in the backseat. This can be worth if the trouble or expense if it saves your group from needing to take two taxis.

Taxis, like all public transportation, are difficult to come by during the tourist weeks (Chinese New Year, May Golden Week, and October National Week); also, taxis between 7:30 and 8:45am and 5:30-7:00pm are difficult to flag, as they are always full or in the middle of a shift change. A good rule of thumb is that if you need a taxi, there won't be any, but if you don't need one, they will be driving extremely slow in the right lane disrupting traffic and honking and flashing their brights at you. Being familiar with areas that taxis frequent or places where taxi passengers are likely to be dropped off at will aid you in finding a ride.
[edit] By subway

Line 1 is scheduled to be completed in 2008, and line 2 shortly thereafter; a total of 8 lines covering over 200km have been planned. The opening dates of the lines are "last", it means they can open earlier in case they pass the security checks quicker. For example, Nanjing's new subway system was opened ahead-of-time, after safety checks were passed, and the same happened in Shanghai. Don't be surprised to take the subway as early as 2007.
[edit] By "water bus"

This ferry down the Grand Canal takes 30 minutes but only makes 4 trips per day, the first at 7:30am and the last at 6:00pm. It starts at Wulin Gate/West Lake Culture Plaza and ends at Gongchen Bridge, with one stop at Xingyifang Grand Canal Culture Plaza. Cost is 3 RMB. While rarely worth taking the trip, Hangzhou now has plans to connect a series of canals and streams throughout the city with the Grand Canal, West Lake, Yuhang River, and Qiantang River, making for increased water transport and a Venetian feel. When this will be completed (if it even happens) is anyone's guess.
[edit] By "water bus"

For just getting to the islands on West Lake, you get to choose between tourist trap Dragon or "Gaily-painted" pleasure boats (¥45 and ¥35). There are also medium-sized power boats (¥25), or for ¥160 you can hire a driver to paddle you around for about an hour. The boats are available in Hubin #X (1, 3, 6) parks and other obviously marked areas all over the lake.
[edit] Maps

Buy maps near the Train Station or Bus Station from street vendors or stalls when you arrive. Price is often marked on the maps themselves, if you are wondering how much to pay (under 10 RMB -- well worth it and hard to find maps elsewhere in town!). Street-bought maps are usually written in simplified Chinese with no pinyin. You can find pinyin maps at foreign language bookstores.
[edit] See
[edit] West Lake (西湖 Xī Hú)

Hangzhou's most famous scenic sight. Technically, there are "10 Scenes of the West Lake" and "10 New Scenes," but they are overrated, and often seasonal (Snowfall Over Broken Bridge, etc). Rather than make a checklist and walking back and forth looking for them, simply spend a clear day wandering the circumference of the lake and the causeways, take a ferry to the islands, and you will probably cover most of the sites anyway. The "West Lake" itself can be divided into countless smaller sites, from Mr. Guo's villa to "Orioles Singing in the Willows".

The "West Lake Scenic Area" itself is very large. This section only covers areas in the immediate vicinity of the lake. Other spots are covered in later sections.

* Lesser Yingzhou Isle (Three Pools Mirroring the Moon) "Built" in the early 1600s, this is the largest island on the lake. When there is a full moon, candles inside the pagodas are lit, and in the candle light it appears as though you see the moonlight (if you are romantic enough to see it). Hence the name.

* Mid-Lake Pavilion From 1552, it is the oldest island. There is a Chinese inscription on the Qing Dynasty-era stone arch in which the Qing Emperor wrote "Chong Er", or "Enless Love".

* Lord Ruan's Mound This is a mound they made from piling up dirt after dredging the lake 200 years ago. However, it is not just a dirt mound. At night (summer), entertainment activities are going on in the garden on the island.

* Hubin #X Park Hubin Parks 1, 3, 6 and probably the numbers in between are the parks between Hubin Road and the West Lake. Relatively newly-designed as the West Lake Tunnel that goes underneath was being built in early 2004, these parks are good to sit for a bit, buy ice cream or a newspaper, and most importantly hire a boat from the cluster of boat docks at each park.

* Su Causeway Almost 3km long, this causeway dates from the year 1189 and has a bunch of willows and peach trees. It is long north-south causeway that starts by the Shangri-La on Beishan Road and goes all the way down to Nanshan Road.

* Bai Causeway Starting at the eastern end of Beishan Road, this cause way leads to Solitary Hill and cuts off the distances between, say, Hubin Road and the Shangri La.

* Solidary Hill And Zhongshan Park Where Loud Wai Lou restaurant is located, this is the only natural island on the lake. At least 3 emperor's constructed palaces here. Besides an expensive restaurant, the popular area is the home of the Xiling Seal-Engravers' Society, and the seals, calligraphy, engraving-masters, and relics that go along with it.

* Yang Causeway This one is more than 3km long and one road west of the Su Causeway. It starts at the intersection of Beishan and Shuguang Road (which becomes Yang Causeway once you are south of this intersection); the causeway runs north-south. Yang Causeway includes Quyuan Garden (aka Qu Garden aka Qu Courtyard), which is the most popular spot to see tons of lotus blossoms (late spring > summer). The water area to the west of the top of Yang Causeway is Maojiabu Scenic area, with orchids blended into the water scenery. Another tourist spot on Yang Causeway is Mr. Guo's Villa, is was built in 1907 and is considered one of the most "classical" gardens in Hangzhou. At the southern end of the causeway, just before Nanshan Road, is a fish-viewing pond.

* King Qian's Memorial (Qian Wang Ci) 5 kings of the Wuyue Kingdom are buried here in this memorial on the south end of the lake off Nanshan Road.

* Wushan Square (吴山广场 Wu Shan Guang Chang) Wushan Square and Wushan Hill is a major town center in Hangzhou. The view from the top is excellent on a clear day, and there are also trails around the hills from behind the pagoda. The pagoda itself has been modernized with an elevator and nice open-air teahouse at the top, but the original bell is still intact and in use. This area also features easy access to Hefang Jie shopping street at the base of the hill, full of small pedestrian streets and shopping stalls. It is also extremely close to the West Lake itself.

* Jade Emperor Hill (玉皇山公园 Yuhuang Shan Gong Yuan) One of the least-visited sites in Hangzou despite its somewhat central location, this hill does not feature any prominent pagodas or temples, but can still provide a quiet escape and a nice walk. It is located directly south of Leifeng Pagoda. If you are playing along with the "10 Scenes of the West Lake" scavenger hunt still, the one that applies to the top of this hill is "clouds flying over Jade Emperor Hill".

[edit] Temples and pagodas

* Six Harmonies Pagoda (六和塔 Liùhé Tǎ). Down by the Qiantang River, about a 15 minute cab ride from the lake in light traffic, but it is a pretty road to drive down through all the tunnels and tea fields. Besides the pagoda itself, which is arguable the most prominent of all the temples and pagodas in Hangzhou, there is an adjacent park with hundreds of realistic replicas of the world's most famous pagodas, complete with mini-sized trees in front of the pagoda models.

* Lingyin Temple (灵隐寺 Língyǐn Sì) Meaning "heart of the soul's retreat", this temple west of the West Lake is an active Buddhist temple at the bottom of a hill. Nearby you can take a chairlift to the top of the hill where there is another temple (walking up is also an easy set of stairs below the chairlift). This is one of the 3 oldest and most famous temples in China. There are hundreds of Buddhist stone statues carved into the cliffs in the "Peak Flying from Afar" section next door.

* Leifeng Pagoda Located on the shores of the southeast side of the lake and originally built in the year 977, all that remains of the original pagoda is the crumbling foundation, viewable from outside the glass case that it is housed in (Pagoda Remains Memorial Museum at the bottom floor of the pagoda). With escalators, elevators, and a totally new pagoda places on top of the foundation, there is not much to see within the pagoda itself; it was most recently rebuilt in 2000. However, the view of the city skyline is one of the best from here, and some of the smaller seating areas around the perimeter of the pagoda have a nice breeze and view of the structure. One of the 10 Scenes of the West Lake is "Leifeng Pagoda in Evening Glow", but this is best viewed from a distance (across the lake) just after sunset. Keep in mind that the entry fee for the Leifeng Pagoda is very expensive (40 RMB/person, Dec 2005) and it's not original, just rebuilt, so if your budget is not that huge, consider to not enter the Pagoda. You can still take pictures in front of it.

* Baochu Pagoda (保俶塔 Bǎochù Tǎ) and the surrounding temples on this hill on the north side of the lake. You cannot climb the pagoda, but the view and surrounding Baoshi Hill are awesome.

* Jingci Temple Off Nanshan Road, built in 954, this has a huge 10-ton bell inside. Located on Nanping Road, they ring the bell 108 times here to ring in Chinese New Year. It is also rung every evening for much fewer times.

[edit] Gardens, forests, nature

* Longjing (Dragon Well) Tea Fields (龙井茶园 Long Jing Cha Yuan) and other tea fields further west. These are best visited during the harvest period, usually from the first week of March till after May Holiday, when everyone is out in the field picking tea and the tea that you can purchase is of the best quality (tea crops from later in the year have had their leaves damaged by the rain).

* Guo's Villa (Guo Zhuang) is the best existing traditional private garden in Hangzhou. It is one of the garden masterpieces of Jiangnan (the lower region of the Yangtze River) thanks to its incomparable surroundings and the smartly managed garden space. The garden develops as you enter further into it with regular switches between tight, closed spaces and sudden, open ones. The key feature, or spirit, is water. Cleaverly juxtaposing shade and light, curved and straight, yin and yang, the garden of Guo Zhuang is a wonderful embodiment of the Chinese wisdom of Tao and the Way of Nature. The teahouse, Liang Yi Xuan (Belevedere of Both Good) sits in a prime viewing sopt within the garden between two superb water "yards", one large and the other small. While there are plenty of "old villas" in China to visit-- and many are similar-- this one is also on the shore of the West Lake. The 10 yuan entry fee keeps many people away, and you can have some tea (40 yuan) on the lakeside pavilions of the villa while avoiding the tourists.

* Hangzhou Botanical Gardens (植物园 Zhi Wu Yuan) and flower nursery as well nearby. If you can't make it to Suzhou, these gardens aren't bad, especially in the spring and during the brief period when the leaves change in the fall. There is also a peacock farm, some nice ponds, and basically a wide range of plants and ecosystems to walk through. The redwood tree that Nixon donated during his visit has since died (in 2001).

* Xixi National Wetlands Park Opened in May 2005, this wetlands park is located in the extreme west part of the city past the west bus station. One of the easiest ways to get there would be to take a bus from Huanglong Soccer Stadium. While it may be somewhat out of the way and the road signs have the English translation as an uninviting "Xixi Swamp", this area is not to be missed, as currently the tourists are not too many, and it is a great way to see birds and other wildlife. The birds are especially beautiful and varied.

* Dreaming of the Tiger Spring (虎跑梦泉 Hǔpǎomèngquán) is a spring as well as a scenic and historic destination. The area includes wooded pathways, streams, bamboo groves, tea houses, historic structures, as well as the spring itself and other sights. Admission is ¥15. Tea brewed with the high-quality Tiger Spring water may be purchased for about ¥20 a glass.

* Hangzhou Zoo (杭州动物园 Hángzhōu Dòngwùyuán) It has pandas and everything and is conveniently located just south of the lake, but it is not recommended to visit most zoos in China, as the animals are exploited and treated poorly (generally speaking). At least stay away from the dog exhibit. This zoo is definitely one of the worst ones in China. Besides a few animals which have good cages (mostly water-animals) it has terrible conditions for the Panda, most Bears and other larger animals like the Elephants. Still, they made improvements compared to a few years ago, and it seems it's mostly the missing support of larger investments that seems to hinder further development in a better zoo. The entrance fee includes a circus-style animal show with tigers, lions, bears and elephants that is particularly entertaining for children (if a little depressing for adults).

Lesser panda in Hangzhou Zoo
Lesser panda in Hangzhou Zoo

On the northern side of Baochu hill near the soccer stadium is Huanglong Cave (For "Scenes of The West Lake", this cave covers "Yellow Dragon Cave Dressed in Green").
[edit] Do

* Early morning bikeride Start on the north side of the lake, and head west towards Zhejiang University, then down Lingyin Road past the Botanical Gardens and into Longjing Village. Keep heading West and south through the tea villages, bamboo forest, and scenic valleys to the river and cut over towards Six Harmonies Pagoda. Go back to the south end of the lake via the road right next to Six Harmonies, past the zoo, through the tunnels.

* Walk around the lake You can also hire small non-motor powered boats (¥80/hour for personal boat with driver, or use the ferry services) to take you around the lake and to the two islands, which feature some interesting sites.

* Visit the temples and pagodas The most popular ones are Baochu pagoda, which is the tower-like one on a hill on the north side of the lake. This hill is a great hike, with excellent views of the lake and city, several smaller temples of a variety of religions, and Huanglong Cave on the northern slope of the hill. 6 Harmonies Pagoda, located on the river, is the largest and most imposing. A fun hike after the pagoda leads from the shores of the river, behind the pagoda, and into the Longjing tea fields near the tea museum. Lingyin Temple, on the west side of the lake, is also a large complex with a surprisingly devout crowd of worshipers. This area also has many excellent hikes, as well as a cable car to the top of Beifeng Hill (with another temple at the top). Finally, Leifeng Pagoda has recently been rebuilt and has escalators and elevators, while all that remains of the foundation is on display on the main level. Despite its lack of ancient Chinese beauty, the benches and gazebo-like structures surrounding the area make for a nice place to sit in the breeze, and it also has an excellent view looking in the opposite direction as the Baochu area.

* Spend an afternoon at a tea house

* Shopping -- see the "Buy" section for more info.

* The West Lake Golf Club near Six Harmonies Pagoda and Songcheng was designed by Jack Nicklaus.

* Boating along the Hangzhou-Beijing Canal is becoming more popular.

[edit] Learn

* Zhejiang University, Yuquan Campus, [2]. This university is the product of combining four formerly individual universities: Zhejiang University, Hangzhou University, Zhejiang Agricultural University and Zhejiang Medical University. The university offers 110 undergraduate, 264 masters and 181 doctoral degree areas. Tuition is extremely affordable from a Western perspective. Courses in Chinese language and culture are ¥18,000 (~$2,250 USD) a year, ¥9,000 a term, or ¥800 (~$100 USD) a week and are taught mostly in Chinese (with occasional English).
* English Corner, an informal gathering of Chinese interested in learning English and English-speaking foreigners every Sunday morning. It is located in the park on the northeastern shore of West Lake by the Korean War Memorial (a statue of a soldier with a long, flowing overcoat).

[edit] Buy

* Silk Market on Tiyuchang Road. You can also get silk at other places in the city, but most of it will just be the fabric.

* Night market off Yan'an Road near Pinghai Road (right near Wushan) every night. Here you can find Mao memorabilia, jewelry, paper fans, pipes, luggage, handicrafts and other items that most Chinese cities have. Pirated DVDs and counterfeit handbags are for sale as well. You can also find a lot of those silk-screen printed paintings/embroidery things that the silk market also has. Bargain hard unless you really want something.

* Electronics Market in northern Hangzhou is an indoor, multistory electronics shopping center offering all manner of electronics including desktop computers, laptops, computer software, cellphones, mp3 players, and hundreds of peripherals and storage media. Pirated DVDs and computer games are offered as well, and if you are obviously a foreigner, vendors will shout "DVD! DVD!" at you to urge you to browse their selection.

* Tea Dragon Well/Longjing tea is famous throughout China and worth getting if you like green tea. If you are staying with a Chinese host somewhere else in China after Hangzhou, bringing them a small box (or two) of higher-end Longjing Tea would make a great gift; however, bear in mind that these usually cost around ¥300/box (more at tourist stands). The Longjing village and tea fields area of Hangzhou (southwest of West Lake) is where Longjing tea is grown. Besides being worth a visit for the scenic sights alone, tea can be purchased here as well - fresh from the harvesters' bags if so desired. Many places across the city also sell tea, such as informal vendors and small shops easily identifiable by the boxes displayed inside or store names such as "西湖龙井茶" (West Lake Dragon Well Tea), as well as grocery stores and supermarket chains. Because of the fame of Longjing tea, fake and low-grade varieties exist. If you have no experience buying tea, purchase from a reputable-looking establishment or ask the advise of a knowledgeable native.

* Clothes Hangzhou has literally hundreds of clothes and shoes stores. The largest concentration of these are on Yan'an Rd and especially Wulin Rd, making a straight line of clothes shops stacked on top of each other between Wushan and Wulin Squares. Another popular clothing spot is "Song Mu Chang" (松木场) just north of the lake on Shuguang Road. All of these places require bargaining and often have a lot of fake ripoff clothes. For the real thing, try the department stores (ie Hangzhou Tower across between Yan'an and Nanshan Roads). You can certainly find cheaper clothes stores scattered throughout the city as you get farther from the lake if you really like to buy clothes.

* Landscape paintings There are several places to buy Chinese landscape paintings in the city, especially near Wushan Square and around the south/east side of the lake.

* Groceries can usually be found without having to go far - hundreds of small grocery stores, convenience stores, and fruit and meat markets are scattered across Hangzhou. Use your own best judgment when deciding if the food sold at such places is sanitary enough for consumption.

* Carrefour have a supermarket in the downtown area east of West Lake. In addition its large selection of groceries, it carries a wider variety of Western foods such as cheeses and bread than most other locations in the city.

* Trust-Mart (好又多) is a superstore chain Westerners may recognize as being similar to Wal-Mart. Located in the shopping center near the Yellow Dragon Sports Stadium north of West Lake and the Baochu Pagoda area, the store has a large grocery section that boasts fresh meats, seafood, and produce as well as the normal selection of packaged food.

* Bicycles of low to medium quality are available from small bike shops scattered across Hangzhou. The indoor Electric Bike Market near the corner of Wener and Xueyuan Lu offers a huge assortment of electric bikes/scooters and batteries, and Trust-Mart (see above) also has a reasonable selection of bicycles and a small selection of electric bikes/scooters.

[edit] Eat

Hangzhou is one of the premier places to eat in China, and its food consists more of pork and seafood rather than the beef and lamb of the north and west. If you do not like Hangzhou food, you can find plenty of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Xinjiang restaurants throughout the city. Typical Hangzhou specialties include dongpo rou, an extremely fatty chunk of pork in a syrupy sauce, and cuyu, which is fish with a vinegar sauce.
[edit] Budget

For budget restaurants, even near the lake, just head into an alley and get some food from a small restaurant or street-side stand. You should judge for yourself how sanitary the food is, but Hangzhou is generally fairly civilized in this respect relative to other Chinese cities. These restaurants are all quite similar.

If you like dumplings and have just come down the north side of Baochu hill (past the cave and in view of the soccer stadium), one option is to continue across Shuguang Road and up Hangda Road (0.5 blocks east and 1 block north) to Tianmushan Road. At the corner of Tianmushan and Hangda Roads are 2 decent dumpling restaurants with English menus available (one is upstairs from the other). They have many of varieties of dumplings, including all-vegetable.
[edit] Mid-range

Hangzhou has many KFCs, several McDonalds, and an increasing number of Pizza Huts throughout town, especially near the lake.

Other restaurants that are good and aren't as tourist-trappy can as Lou Wai Lou are located near the West Lake, usually to the East past Hubin Road in the Yan'an Road area.

For Xinjiang, try the restaurant inside Tiandu Hotel on Zhongshan Bei Road near Wulin Square. The Xinjiang restaurant on the 5th floor of Sanrui Tower (三瑞大厦) is better and more authentic, but more out of the way as well.

* Chuan Wei Guan. For Hot Pot, this city-wide chain (5 restaurants throughout town) is best, and this hotpot place also has several good Sichuan dishes.

* Grandma's Kitchen (外婆家) has at least 5 locations in Hangzhou, including one on Yugu Road near the soccer stadium and Zhejiang University. It has efficient service, a comprehensive picture menu, and is popular among just about everyone.

* Paradise Cafe, Hubin Road. "American" food including the best burgers in town (besides the Hyatt, arguably) are at Paradise Cafe. It has nice outdoor/patio seating on the 3rd floor with a large tree overhanging and a great view of the lake and the tourists below. With bacon and cheese, a burger will run around Y50. You can find most other Western food in the hotels.

* Zhang Sheng Ji (张生记), 33 East Qingchun Road. Out of the way but is also huge and now has branches all over China.

[edit] Splurge
[edit] Chinese

* Lou Wai Lou (楼外楼), right on the lake on an island off Beishan Road. The most famous restaurant in Hangzhou. Lou Wai Lou also has a second establishment called "Shan Wai Shan" right on the Botanical Gardens.
* Oriental Favorites Restaurant, Beishan Road (just past the Broken Bridge). A good replacement for Lou Wai Lou and has an equally good view with slightly cheaper prices (but it's still expensive).
* Hyatt Hotel, Hubin Road. Opened January 2005, the buffet here has everything you could ever want for about Y148 lunch and Y198 dinner with no drinks.

[edit] Japanese

There are lots of Japanese restaurants, many of which offer the "all you can eat and drink" deal for between 120 and 200 renminbi, which is a good deal when you consider the Sake and plum wine are included, and is a good way to start off a weekend night.

* Fu Gang, Tiyuchang Road (near Wulin Square). Hangzhou's most famous Japanese restaurant, although it does not offer an all-you-can-eat deal. It does have a sushi train and set meals though.

* Mu Zhi Lan, Nanshan Rd (next to the Bernini coffee shop). One of the best, especially location-wise. The all-you-can-eat deal is around Y180, but the seating and views are excellent, as is the food.

[edit] South-East Asian

* Banana Leaf, Xueshi Rd (next to the Hyatt on the east side of the lake). South-East Asian. Reservations are recommended on weekends. Although there is a pleasant atmosphere, many customers find that the food is untraditional and difficult to stomach. A nicer alternative is Curry Bistro near the Wenyi Lu Wumei shopping center.

* Liu Lian Piao Piao, Gaoyin Rd (just off Hefang Jie by Wushan Square). A newer Thai Restaurant. The food is more authentic than Banana Leaf, and if you are unable to find it, there are plenty of interesting restaurants on this street and it is worth taking a walk down.

[edit] Western

* Caribbean BBQ, Yan'an Road (near Wushan Square). It is not very authentic, but is a buffet-style restaurant that will probably at least leave you with a full stomach.

* La Tour, Hubin Rd. The oysters and some other buffet dishes are good, but the odd restaurant layout and lack of "take off" have made the dishes arrive cold, not taste very authentic, and are rather overpriced.

* Peppino, Shangri-La Hotel. Expensive but does have an authentic brick oven, great bread, and huge calzones.

* La Belle, situated across the street at the Lake, it offers real authentic, high-class Italian food. Especially recommended for lunch, where you can spend less then 50 RMB for getting excellent food. Dinner is usually a little bit more expensive, but you get a real great experience, usually with live music as well. I don't have a clue how this restaurant survives, since it's almost always empty, but instead of meaning "bad food" which is usually the reason to have an empty restaurant, it's more the place in the second floor (having stairways) that could hinder people to find it. Great to spend your evening in a lovely place, especially for couples.

[edit] Indian

* Haveli, 77 Nanshan Rd . Excellent Indian food, though not cheap. Indoor and outdoor dining.
* Indian Kitchen, 63 Nanshan Road, All you can eat/all you can drink buffet on Saturday & Sunday nights. ¥78, excellent service & excellent food.

[edit] Drink

The drink of choice in Hangzhou is tea, as the local Longjing (龙井, also Lung Ching, literally "Dragon Well") is the most famous green tea in China. Longjing is divided into seven grades, the two top being Superior (旗枪 qiqiang) and Special (雀舌 queshe), and the rest numbered from 1 down to 5. Prices for the very best stuff go into the stratosphere — in 2005, a mere 100g plucked from Qing Dynasty emperor Qian Long's personal trees sold for over US$17,000 — but a few cups in a local teahouse shouldn't cost you more than a few dozen yuan.

Traditionally, tea from Longjing is best served with spring water from Hupao (虎跑, "Tiger Run"), which is located next to the West Lake. You might have to purchase the tea from the tea shop in Hupao, instead of bringing your own. It's about 20 yuan per cup, but you get a thermal full of hot water with the purchase.

* Linglong Town, located on Nanshan Road to the west of most of the bars. Has large smoothies that are excellent for hot days. The restaurant also has many types of tea and good-tasting Taiwanese fare.

For bars, Nanshan Road all night every night should keep any visitor occupied. There are also a few bars (Reggae, Travellers, You Too, and Maya) on Shuguang Road due east of Zhejiang University. The "Cool Bar" on West Lake Ave by Wushan Square has Budweiser for as low as Y5/bottle (the Wushan Square area also has several other bars, including the popular expat hangout Shamrock Irish Pub). The Huanglong soccer stadium is full of bars around the perimeter of the building, as well as a "Huanglong Bar City" set behind the stadium.
[edit] Sleep
[edit] Budget

* Hangzhou International Youth Hostel, Nanshan Road (right on the south end of the lake and just off "bar street"). Run by Hosteling International and has a friendly staff. Y40 w/membership, Y50 without membership, per night, 6 people to a room (you can get doubles as well for about Y200, including a lakeview double for Y250). All rooms and toilet/shower are extremely clean. Despite being literally a few paces from the clubs of Nanshan Road, this hostel is set back far enough to be relatively noise free and features a comfortable courtyard/patio with a pond. The lobby also has a boring bar and an all-right breakfast.

* Green Tea Youth Hostel, Lingyin Road (near Lingyin Temple). Not affiliated with Hosteling International, this hostel is much quieter and set back in the hills, but the staff is not as helpful. Also, beware that the bar next door, "31 Bar", often has live music during the summer which can make this hostel even louder than the Nanshan Road one.

* Hangzhou Garden Youth Hostel opened in 2006 on ZhaoGong Causeway near the Hangzhou Botanic Gardens on the western shore of West Lake. It is part of Hostelling International and consists of a a beautifully restored historic courtyard building. Dorm rooms have very clean, upmarket ensuite bathrooms with 24 hr hot water. The hostel is very convenient for walking and sightseeing around West Lake but its biggest drawback is the distance to restaurants and nightlife. It is a 15 minute walk to the bar/tea house/restaurant strip on Shuguang Road.

[edit] Mid-range

You can find mid-range hotels all over the city, most of which will take foreigners. Try to bargain for a room. Ask how much they want for one night's stay, then say "what if I stay for 3 nights?" or something to that extent and it will become cheaper.

* SouthLine Hotel (Nanxian Dajiudian), tel. +86-571-8777-3939, e-mail southline@vip.163.com. A small but clean, well-located and reasonably well-appointed mid-range hotel one-half block off the lake and right next to the Zhejiang Art Academy on Nanshan Rd. Prices range from US$40 per night to over $100. The friendly staff speaks some (although limited) English.

* Jinhui Hotel (金汇大酒店), 7 Moganshan Road. A large hotel far enough away from the main sites to be a bit cheaper, but close enough to be a quick bike ride/taxi ride or even a 20-30 minute walk to the city side of the lake (all on the same street, just walk due south past the provincial government). One benefit of this hotel is that an English-speaking CYTS office is on the 3rd floor.

[edit] Splurge

* Shangri-La while the Hyatt may have better service, especially for business travelers, the Shangri-La has an ideal location, forested grounds, and is essentially a self-contained luxury village; a great place for a holiday.
* Radisson right on Wulin Square.
* Ramada (Haihua Binguan), Qingchun Road (near the West Lake). Located between Wulin Road and the West Lake, although lake-view rooms are somewhat limited and not very intimate.
* Hyatt, Hubin Road (right on the eastern shore of the lake). New and awe-inspiring.
* Wang Hu/Lakeside Hotel, Hubin Road, cnr Qingchun Rd, has a great location and fabulous international buffet breakfast.
* Huachen-Tang Palace (25. Pinghai Road) is a new four star hotel only 5 minutes walk to the West Lake and with a fabulous international buffet breakfast. Excellent money value. Link

[edit] Get out

* Shanghai — less than two hours away by train
* Suzhou
* Wuxi

written by

garisti on May 1, 2008 from Hangzhou, China

from the travel blog: Viaje por Asia

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Guangzhou (广州 Guǎngzhōu or just simply GZ) is the capital of Guangdong Province in Southern China and has a population of over 10 million (The official registered population is 7.3 million, with over 3 million unregistered residents). It is adjacent to Hong Kong and Macau. In the era of tea clippers, Guangzhou was known in the West as "Canton". The food and the language of the area are still known as "Cantonese", and the airport code is CAN.

While Guangzhou is not usually high on the list of Asian tourist destinations, it is amazing how much the city actually has to offer.
Locals on the run outside the Grandview Plaza in Tianhe District. In the background is the 80-story CITIC Plaza.
Locals on the run outside the Grandview Plaza in Tianhe District. In the background is the 80-story CITIC Plaza.
Nightlife at Shangxiajiu in Liwan District.
Nightlife at Shangxiajiu in Liwan District.
[edit] Districts
Guangzhou Maps
Layout of Guangzhou
Layout of Guangzhou
Western central Guangzhou in detail (Liwan)
Western central Guangzhou in detail (Liwan)

Eastern central Guangzhou in detail (Yuexiu and Tianhe)
Eastern central Guangzhou in detail (Yuexiu and Tianhe)

The official list consists of the following 10 districts:

* Liwan (荔湾 Lìwān) - This is the old Guangzhou, and is combined with the old Fangcun (芳村 Fāngcūn) area in the southwest. Tourist highlights include the colonial Shamian Island, Xiguan Old Houses, and Shangxiajiu Shopping districts.
* Yuexiu (越秀 Yuèxiù) - This is the political and cultural center, including the old Dongshan (东山, Dōngshān) area. Highlights include Yuexiu Park, Beijing Lu Shopping District, and Huanghuagang Martyrs Memorial Park.
* Haizhu (海珠 Hǎizhū) - Located south of the Pearl River, the district is becoming more business focus, especially in the areas of Real Estate and trading. Locals refer to this part of Guangzhou as Henan, meaning south of the river. Highlights include the Canton Fair Pazhou Exhibition Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, and Pearl River Harbor Walk along the river.
* Tianhe (天河 Tiānhé) - This is the new city center. It is an area with many new developments, including skyscrapers like the Citic Plaza. Highlights include Dongzhan Square and many shopping centers.
* Baiyun (白云 Báiyún) - The district has a big rural touch, but is slowly taken over by new developments, including the new airport. Highlights include the Baiyun Mountain.
* Huangpu (黄埔 Huángpǔ) - Not well known for foreign tourists, the district is the secondary center of eastern part of the city. Highlights include the former Huangpu Military Academy.
* Panyu (番禺 Pānyú) - This is the new area focusing on technology and economic development. Highlights include the Lianhua Mountain, two wild animal theme parks and the new University City.
* Huadu (花都 Huādū) - This is a developing industrial area. Highlights include the Huadu Square.
* Nansha (南沙 Nánshā) - This is an industrial area at the southern tip of the city. It offers little to tourists.
* Luogang (萝岗 Luógǎng) - This is the designated center of the eastern part of the city, famous for its plum forest. It is not a popular tourist destination, but it has some historical sites.

In addition to the 10 districts, two nearby cities have been drafted into Guangzhou's jurisdiction:

* Zengcheng (增城 Zēngchéng) - This city is famous for its lychee fruit, which are picked in the months of June and July.
* Conghua (从化 Cónghuà) - This city is known for its hot springs and Tian (Heavenly) Lake Recreation area.

The main tourist areas and metropolitan areas are in the northern part of the city, including Liwan, Yuexiu and Tianhe. (see Maps)
[edit] Understand
Location of Guangzhou in China

At first sight, Guangzhou appears less a city that's developing than one that's about to explode. Every corner seems packed with high-rise buildings, overpasses, and people running a marathon. It can be overwhelming, and the initial instinct of many travelers is to get out as soon as possible. However, those that overcome this urge and stay longer will discover a gentler and more personable side to the city.

As a major entry point for overseas culture for many centuries, foreigners are not the anomaly here that they are in other Chinese cities. Consequently, travelers are afforded more personal space and freedom. In addition, tucked away in the back streets, the old Guangzhou of traditional neighborhoods still moves at an age-old pace, with families and friends often sitting outdoors enjoying tea and banter.

Guangzhou also boasts the largest urban park in China, an island of refurbished colonial buildings and some world class galleries and exhibition spaces. In addition, possibly due to the distance from the country's political centers, the citizens of Guangzhou have developed a laid-back and play-hard approach to life.

Today, Guangzhou is recognized as one of China's most prosperous, liberal, and cosmopolitan cities. However, despite being an international trading hub, there is a lack of English signs, and outside the business districts and tourist spots, very few locals converse well in English.
[edit] History

Formerly known as Canton in the West, the city of Guangzhou has a history dating back around 2,500 years.

Although the actual origins of the city are lost in the mists of time, the most popular legend tells of five celestial beings riding into the area that is now Guangzhou on five rams and carrying sheaves of rice. The celestials bestowed blessings on the land and offered the sheaves to the people of the city as a symbol of prosperity and abundance. After the celestials left, the rams turned into stone, and Guangzhou quickly developed into an affluent and influential city. Due to this legend, Guangzhou has gained several popular nicknames: Yangcheng (City of Rams), Suicheng (Sheaves of Rice City) and Wuyangcheng (City of Five Rams). In addition, due to the abundance of flowers along the city's main thoroughfares, Guangzhou is often referred to as Huacheng (City of Flowers).

According to historical records, the city was built in 214BC and was known as Panyu (番禺). The name Guangzhou actually referred to the prefecture in which Panyu was located. However, as the city grew, the name Guangzhou was adopted for the city itself.

As a major sea port, Guangzhou's history is full of color. In 786 the city was sacked by the Persians, while in 1711 the British East India Company established a trading post there. In 1842 the Treaty of Nanjing was signed, which designated the city as one of the five ports that allowed business transactions with foreign nations.

Guangzhou was also part of the so called "Maritime Silk Road" that linked southern China with India, South-East Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. As a result of the links with the Middle East, a mosque was established in the city in 627, and a small Muslim community continues to this day. Furthermore, because the sixth patriarch of Zen Buddhism was born in Guangzhou, taught the famous Platform Sutra there, and established a monastery to the north of the city, Guangzhou has maintained a strong connection with this school of Buddhism.
[edit] When to visit

Climate wise, the best time to visit Guangzhou is in October and November. Alternatively, April and May are also good months. Guangzhou has a sub-tropical climate with humidity levels at their highest in the summer, so unless you enjoy Turkish steam baths, this is a season to avoid! Typhoon season is from June to September. Please note that the Canton Fairs take place annually in October and April, so finding accommodation at these times can be difficult (See the warning section under Sleep).
[edit] Get in
[edit] By plane

The New Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (广州白云国际机场, IATA: CAN, ICAO: ZGGG, [1]) is a major hub in Southern China, second only to Hong Kong. The airport is the base of China Southern Airlines [2] and has not only an extensive range of domestic flights, but some international connections, including Air France to Paris, China Southern / Delta to Los Angeles, Thai Airways to Bangkok, Singapore Airlines to Singapore and Finnair to Helsinki. Other direct international destinations include Amsterdam, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Frankfurt and Osaka.

The airport is 28 km north from downtown Guangzhou, and should not be confused with the former Baiyun Airport which was closed in 2004. A metro line to the airport is under construction but won't be ready until around 2009. In the meantime, taxi is the fastest option. See the airport fare table [3] for approximate fare cost. A taxi ride to downtown should cost no more than ¥120, inclusive of a ¥15 toll fee. As of the end of 2005, there is a ¥1 fuel surcharge that is not shown on the fare meter.

Alternatively, 9 Airport Express bus lines are available to take you to major destinations in Guangzhou. Line 1 (¥16) departs every 15 minutes from 7 AM until the last flight and takes 45 minutes to reach the train station and Central Hotel. The ticket prices range from ¥10 to ¥36. Lines 1 to 6 are traveling within the metropolitan area, while lines 7-9 go to outer districts. There are also direct Airport Express buses to some cities in the vicinity, including Zhuhai (¥90). Routes to Dongguan and Zhongshan will be in operation soon.

Do not accept solicitations for rides to the city. Those are illegally operated and use unmarked vehicles. They may cost more than taxis since many travelers do not know the cost of airport transportations.
[edit] By train
Guangzhou-Kowloon (Hong Kong) through train timetable Train no. Hung Hom
(departure) GZ East
(arrival)
T824* 07:30 09:27
T826 08:25 10:15
T828* 09:25 11:22
T812* 11:00 12:57
T802 12:15 14:06
T814* 13:25 15:20
T362* 14:20 16:18
T816* 15:26 17:24
T818* 16:38 18:35
T804 17:15 19:06
T820 18:06 19:48
T822* 19:15 21:12
Valid from 11 Mar to 17 Apr 2007

denotes a stop-over in Dongguan (Changping)

Trains cover the 182 kilometers from Hong Kong in one and a half hours or less. Guangzhou-Kowloon Through Train from Hong Kong (Hung Hom station) to Guangzhou East station is operated by KCR [4].

A project is underway to link the entire Pearl River Delta area with high speed (200+ km/hr) train network. The Zhuhai-Guangzhou section is due to open in 2008, and the journey will take just 56 minutes. Shenzhen and other major cities will be connected at a later date.

A new express line connecting Guangzhou with Lhasa, Tibet is now open. The 4,980 km journey will take 58 hours. (¥869 and up)

Bear in mind there are two major train stations in Guangzhou. The Guangzhou East Station (火车东站) services routes to Hong Kong, and other popular tourist destinations. The Guangzhou Station (广州火车站) is one of the biggest in the country and services routes that go all the way to Harbin. Countless travelers have gone to the wrong station and missed their scheduled trips. So be sure to know which train station to go to, which is specified on the tickets. Metro line 1 ends at Guangzhou East Station, and line 2 has a stop at the main station.
[edit] By bus

Coach services are available to bring passengers from Hong Kong International Airport to several locations in Guangzhou. Among the destinations are recognizable landmarks like Jinan University (暨南大学) on Huang Pu Da Dao (黄埔大道), Garden Hotel (花园酒店) and China Hotel (中国大酒店) (see hotel section). The trip takes about 3+ hours and costs 250 HKD. There are also cross border bus terminals throughout Hong Kong. One of the Stations is at Austin Road and Canton Road near Kowloon Park. A one way ticket costs about 100 HKD.

Domestically, it is possible to hop on a bus from any corner of Guangdong province and get to Guangzhou. There are also many options from nearby provinces like Guangxi, Hubei and Fujian. The main stations are the Provincial Station (省汽车站), Tianhe Dasha Station (天河大厦站), Liuhua Station (流花站) and Yuexiu Nan Station (越秀南站).
[edit] By boat

There is a frequent ferry and hovercraft service from Hong Kong, Macau, and Haikou (Hainan Island) at the Zhoutouzui Ferry Pier (洲头咀码头). There are boats from other mainland cities, such as Xiamen, Shanghai, and Qingdao at the Dashatou Pier (大沙头码头). New Nansha Pier (新南沙客运港) is now open with 6 lines daily traveling between Hong Kong and Guangzhou. The trip takes 75 minutes (¥116-230). However, Nansha is very far from the city center, although there is a bus route available from White Swan Hotel, running three times a day.
[edit] Get around
Yang Cheng Tong card
Yang Cheng Tong card

Guangzhou has a fairly efficient and rapidly expanding public transportation system.

If you intend to stay in Guangzhou for an extensive period of time, it is highly advisable to purchase a multi-purpose Yang Cheng Tong (羊城通) stored value card, similar to the Octopus Card in Hong Kong. It can be used not only for public transportation (bus, subway, parking meters and some taxis), but also for public phones and designated shops, places of interests and certain vending machines. The card includes a ¥30 refundable deposit. While you can purchase the cards in many places, returning your card at the end of the trip is a hassle, since service locations are limited. The best place to do so is at the service center at the metro Gong Yuan Qian station. It may be worth it to simply keep it as a souvenir.
[edit] By subway
Guangzhou Metro
Guangzhou Metro

Guangzhou's metro system opened in 1999. The network covers much of the city center and is growing rapidly outward. The fare ranges from ¥2 to ¥12. Most of the signs and announcements are also in English. Tickets are bought from vending machines in the stations. Bills or coins from ¥1 - ¥20 are accepted at ticket vending machines. You can change smaller bills at the customer service counter. The ticket is a small plastic token, which you use at the gate entering the platform, and at the exit. Multi-Pass and Yang-Cheng-Tong are also accepted and can be purchased at the customer service counter.[5]
[edit] By bus

There is also a comprehensive public bus service that covers Guangzhou from end to end. By far, it is the cheapest way to move around. Bus fares are ¥1 for the older buses and ¥2 for the air-conditioned ones, although the older buses are slowly being retired.

There are also 3 tourist bus lines, passing through many scenic spots in the city.
[edit] By taxi

This is the most popular way for foreigners to get around, and it is very affordable. The starting charge is ¥7 for the first 2.3 kilometers, or about 1.4 miles. After that is ¥2.6 for each kilometer. The cost may be slightly different, depending on the taxi operators. ¥1 fuel surcharge is now added. Although widely publicized, many of them actually do not accept Yang Cheng Tong as payment. The taxi hot line is 96900. This comes in handy when you forget your valuables in a taxi. Save your receipt because it contains the taxi's identification number.

Tip: Business names and addresses on this guide are also in Chinese. Print them out and show them to the taxi drivers. Most drivers do not speak English; many not even Cantonese.
[edit] By car

While driving in Guangzhou is an option, drivers unfamiliar with the driving conditions in China's large and densely populated cities should be aware that the experience can be a extremely daunting and even potentially dangerous.

Car rental companies in Guangzhou:

* Avis 9 Huali Lu + 86 20 3758-5080
* Hertz 89 Linhe Xi Lu + 86 20 8755-1608

See also Driving in China.
[edit] By motorcycle

Although a convenient way to navigate the city's back alleys and lanes, motorcycles are totally banned from the downtown area of city, and riding a motorcycle into these prohibited areas can lead to fines and possible confiscation of the bike.

In addition to the downtown motorcycle ban, electric bicycles are banned from the city road. [6]
[edit] Talk

The primary language of Guangzhou is Cantonese, although standard Mandarin, or Putonghua, is fast becoming the lingua franca due to the large influx of migrants. English is not common, but is still better understood here than other Chinese cities, especially in restaurants and bars. Be sure to check out the Cantonese phrasebook and Chinese phrasebook.
[edit] See
[edit] Landmarks
Sun Yat Sen Memorial
Sun Yat Sen Memorial
Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral, on Shamian Island
Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral, on Shamian Island

* Guangxiao Temple (光孝寺 guāng-xiào-sì) 109 Guangxiao Lu (光孝路). As the sixth patriarch of Zen Buddhism, Hui Neng, trained at this temple in the 7th Century, it is a popular pilgrimage site for Zen Buddhists. The temple has been destroyed several times by fire, and the current buildings date only from the mid 19th century. (Admission ¥4) [Metro 1 Xi Men Kou - Exit C]
* Liurong Temple (六榕寺 liù-róng-sì) 87 Liurong Lu (六榕路). The Temple of Six Banyan Trees, which includes the 17 story, eight-sided Hua Ta, or Flowering Pagoda, is one of the most popular attractions in Guangzhou. The temple dates back to the 6th century, while the pagoda predates it by about 300 years. (Admission ¥5; Flower Pagoda: ¥10) [Metro 1 Gong Yuan Qian - Exit I]
* The buildings and streets of the former British and French concession on Shamian Island (沙面岛) have been beautifully renovated, creating an oasis of tranquility in an otherwise bustling and hectic metropolis. One of the old structures is Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel, located at 14 Shamian Street. Attractions on the island are all free. As an island, Shamian is not particularly spectacular, but what makes it special that for several hundred years this tiny spit of land was the only place in all of China that Europeans could establish settlements. The architecture reflects that era, and it has a very unique atmosphere. [Metro 1 Huang Sha - Exit D]
* Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall (中山纪念堂 zhōng-shān-jì-niàn-táng), located on Dongfeng Zhong Lu, is dedicated to the founder of the Republic of China and local hero Dr. Sun Yat-Sen. It was constructed in 1931 and built on the original site of Sun Yat-sen's presidential office on Yuexiu Hill. (8AM-6PM; Admission ¥5 to the park; ¥20 to go inside the hall) [Metro 2 Ji Nian Tang - Exit C]
* Chen Clan Temple (陈家祠 chén-jiā-cí) [7] Zhongshan 7 Lu (中山七路) This is a very well preserved architecture from the 19th century. It used to belong to a wealthy family by the name of Chen and now houses many articles including ivory sculptures and artistic statues. (Admission ¥10) [Metro 1 Chen Jia Ci - Exit D]
* Shishi Sacred Heart Catholic Church (石室圣心大教堂 shí-shì-shèng-xīn-jiào-táng) 56 Yide Lu (一德路旧部前). It is one of the oldest church structures in the city, and the largest of its kind of Southern China. It is currently in use for worship. Visiting hours are limited to Sunday morning only from 7AM-10AM. (Admission: Free) [Metro 2 Hai Zhu Guang Chang]
* Huangpu Military Academy (黄埔军校旧址 huáng-pǔ-jūn-xiào-jiù-zhǐ) is located on Changzhou Island. It was founded in 1924 by Sun Yat-sen, along with the Chinese Communist Party at the time. Many famous Chinese war heroes were trained here. (Admission ¥15)
* Wu Xian Guan Temple (五仙观 wǔ-xiān-guān) Weifu Xi Lu (惠福西路). (Admission ¥5) [Metro 1 Xi Men Kou Exit C]
* Huaisheng Mosque (怀圣寺 huái-shèng-sì) 56 Guangta Lu (光塔路) It is one of the oldest Muslim mosques in China, built in 627. The mosque is not open to the public, but you can take a peek outside. [Metro 1 Xi Men Kou Exit C]
* Sanyuan Temple (三元宫 sān-yuán-gōng) Yingyuan Lu. This is the largest and oldest Taoist temple in the city. [Metro 2 Ji Nian Tang - Exit C]
* Xiguan Residence (西关大屋 xī-guān-dà-wū) See the traditional Cantonese architectures from ancient Guangzhou, used to be occupied by the upper class. [Metro 1, Chang Shou Lu]
* Hualin Temple (华林寺 huá-lín-sì) [Tour Bus No. 2; Metro 1, Chang Shou Lu]

[edit] Museums and galleries

* Guangzhou City Art Museum (广州美术馆 guǎng-zhōu-měi-shù-guǎn), located near the Zhehai Building in Yuexiu Park, this impressive gallery has more than 10,000 pieces of art work, including calligraphy, traditional Chinese paintings, sculptures and Tibetan Buddhist art (Thangka). [Metro 2 Yue Xiu Gong Yuan]
* Guangdong Museum of Art (广东美术馆 guǎng-dōng-měi-shù-guǎn), 8 Yanyu Lu, Er-sha Island [8]. 9AM-5PM, Tu-Su. The museum is located on Er-Sha Island focusing on contemporary Chinese art, with particular emphasis on Guangdong artists. (Admission ¥15; under 18: free with paying parents) [Tour Bus No.2]
* Nanyue Royal Tomb Museum (南越王墓 nán-yuè-wáng-mù), 867 Jiefang Bei Lu (解放北路867号) - across from Yuexiu Park. This is a tomb of a king of ancient South China. (9AM-5:30PM; ¥12, 20 8666 0885) [Metro 2 Yue Xiu Gong Yuan]
* Guangzhou Sculpture Park (广州雕塑公园 guǎng-zhōu-diāo-sù-gōng-yuán), Tongxin Lu at the foot of Baiyun Mountain. [Tour Bus No. 1, 3]
* President Sun Yat-Sen Museum (孙中山大元帅府纪念馆) [9] 18 Dongsha Jie, Fangzhi Lu (纺织路东沙街18号). +86 20 3428-1366. (Admission ¥6; 9am-5pm; closed Monday)
* Guangzhou Uprising Museum (广州起义旧址纪念馆) 200 Qiyi Lu (起义路200号). The Museum is at the site of the first Communist government building. (9am—12pm; 1:30pm-4:30pm; closed Monday). [Metro 1, 2 Gong Yuan Qian Exit J]
* Guangdong Revolutions History Museum (广东革命历史博物馆) 2 Lingyuan Xi Lu [b8907[p (陵园西路2号大院之2) in the martyrs memorial park. Sun Yat-Sen was sworn in here in 1921 as the president of Republic of China. The museum tells stories from the Opium War to the founding of the new China. [Metro 1 Lie Shi Ling Yuan Exit D]
* Peasant Movement Institute (农民运动讲习所 nóng-jiǎng-suǒ) 42 Zhongshan 4 Lu (中山四路42号). This is the original site of Communist training center founded by Mao Tse-tong in the 1920s. Now it is a museum covering the recent China revolutionary history. (9am-4:30pm; closed Monday) [Metro 1, Nong Jiang Suo Exit C]

[edit] Parks
Yuntai Garden
Yuntai Garden
Communist monument in Martyrs' Memorial Garden
Communist monument in Martyrs' Memorial Garden

* Huanghua Gang Commemoration Park (黄花岗公园 huáng-huā-gǎng-gōng-yuán) [10] 79 Xianlie Zhonglu. This is a park set in a poignant mood. The main attraction is the monument built to commemorate the 72 martyrs who died during the 1911 uprising. (6:00AM-8:30PM; Phone: +86 20 3758-8321; Admission ¥8) [Tour Bus No. 1]
* Yuexiu Park (越秀公园 yuè-xiù-gōng-yuán) [11] the largest urban park in China, is a lush green area that flows over acres of hills and includes several lakes, the Ming Dynasty Zhenhai Tower (镇海楼 zhèn-hǎi-lóu), now home to the City Museum with relics dating back to the 15th century, and an up-to-date miniature of Guangzhou. Also here in this park is the Stone Statue of the Five Rams (五羊石像), the symbol of Guangzhou (For more details, see 'History' section of Understand).(6AM-9PM; Admission: ¥5; Zhenhai Tower: ¥10) [Metro 2 Yue Xiu Gong Yuan Exit B1]
* Yuntai Garden (云台花园 yún-tái-huā-yuán) is situated at the foot of Baiyun (White Cloud) Mountain, famous for its wide variety of rare flowers and trees. From now to January 8, 2007, there is a beautiful 3-D flower exhibit. During this period, admission is ¥20, but it is well worth it. (Admission ¥10) [Tour Bus No. 1, 3]
* Huadu Square (花都广场 huā-dū-guǎng-chǎng) is a park-cum-recreation square located in the north part the city and near the government office buildings of Huadu District (花都区). The square incorporates, among other attractions, an outdoor theater, large fountain, outdoor dance area and statues. There is a large grass area that is similar to a Western style meadow, and also an area of subtropical forest and ornamental flower beds.
* Xiangjiang Wild Animal Safari Park (香江野生动物世界 xiāng-jiāng-yě-shēng-dòng-wù-shì-jiè) is in Panyu district.
* Guangzhou Martyrs' Memorial Garden (广州起义烈士陵园 guǎng-zhōu-qǐ-yì-liè-shì-líng-yuán) Zhongshan 2 Lu (中山二路). The park was dedicated to those who fought and died in the Communist Uprising in 1927. [Metro 1 Lie Shi Ling Yuan Exit D]
* Grand World Scenic Park (广州世界大观 guǎng-zhōu-shì-jiè-dà-guān) [12] 888 Daguanyuan Nan Lu (天河东圃大观园南路888号). 8:30AM-5:30PM. [Bus 548, 224, 245]

[edit] Mountains

* The Baiyun Shan (White Cloud Mountain) (白云山 bái-yún-shān) [13] is a great place to relax and enjoy a day among lush, rolling hills. It also offers great views over the city. The road to the top is restricted to park trams and pedestrians. To get to the top lookout point, you can use the main roads or trails. There are many places to rest and refreshments are available along the way. It is a great place to see people enjoying nature and playing games, such as badminton, football (soccer) and even bungie jump. There are many bus routes to and from different parts of the city, as well as taxis usually available near the park gate. (6AM-7PM; Park entrance ¥5; Cable Car: ¥40 round trip; tram: from ¥20; other attractions ¥5-¥10) [Tour Bus No. 1, 3]
* Lianhua Shan (Lotus Mountain) (莲花山 lián-huā-shān) features an impressive quarry from which red sand stones were mined about 2,000 years ago, a pagoda from 1612, and a barrack from 1664. The obligatory statue of Guanyin, the Buddhist Goddess of compassion, at the side of the Buddhist temple is also not to be missed. From Guangzhou, take bus 308 or 302 and exchange bus at Panyu (番禺). The bus takes about 2 hours and costs ¥14. There is a ferry service from Guangzhou at Tianzi Pier (天字码头) at Beijing Lu Nan (北京路南) for ¥25. The boat leaves at 8:15AM and returns at 3:15PM (Admission ¥30).

[edit] Learn

* Sun Yat-Sen University [14] (中山大学 zhōng-shān-dà-xué) This is the most famous university in Guangzhou and Southern China, founded by Sun Yat-sen, the founder of the Republic of China. The school now has 3 campuses. The old campus is green and beautiful, and has many historical sites. The north gate has a great river view. [Metro 2 Zhong Da - Exit A]
* Chinese medicine and acupuncture (中医和针灸) is taught at Guangzhou University of Traditional Medicine (广州中医药大学 guǎng-zhōu-zhōng-yī-dà-xué) [15]. This is one of the main universities for traditional medicine in China and attracts many overseas students. [Metro 2 San Yuan Li - Exit B]

[edit] Buy
[edit] Street markets

If time and weather permits, walking is perhaps the best way to see the city as the back alleys are littered with antiquities that are not accessible by motorized vehicles. Most trades and goods categories are concentrated in a specific area or along one main street.

* Xiguan Antique Street (西关古玩城) near Liwan Park (荔湾湖公园).
* Flower Street (花卉水族街) Baohua Lu (宝华路).
* Jade Street (玉器工艺街/玉器街) Changshou Lu (长寿路) and Wenchang Lu (文昌路), near Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street. [Metro 1 Chang Shou Lu]
* Ivory and Sea products (象牙雕刻海味街) Daxin Lu (大新路).
* Toy Street (玩具街) and Dried goods and snacks Street (干果海味食品专业街) Yide Lu (一德路). [Metro 2 Hai Zhu Guang Chang]
* Bridal Street (婚纱专卖街) Jiangnan Bei Lu (江南大道北).
* Flowers, Aquatic and Lightings Street Danan Lu (大南街) near Beijing Lu (北京路). [Metro 1, 2 Gong Yuan Qian]
* Household Merchandise Street (日用百货街) Gaodi Jie (高第街). The street has become a shopping center selling everyday goods.
* Cultural Street (古玩字画街 / 文化商业街) Wende Lu (文德路). This is a good place to look for antiques and traditional Chinese artistic goods. [Metro 1 Long Jiang Suo]
* Qingping Market (清平市场) Qingping Lu (清平路). It is located North from Shamian Island. Cantonese are known to eat just about any animal, and the market is world famous for its wild animal trades, although it has been tamer since the SARS outbreak. It is still a great place to go for exotic goods. [Metro 1 Huang Sha]
* Haiyin Shopping District (海印专业购物区) is located at the northwest side of the Haiyin Bridge (海印大桥), selling appliances, sporting goods, cloth, fabrics, camera accessories, and eletronics.

[edit] Malls and shopping centers
Shangxiajiu pedestrian street
Shangxiajiu pedestrian street

* Beijing Lu Pedestrian Street (北京路步行街 běi-jīng-lù). This is the main shopping thoroughfare, a pedestrian street where most stores are open from 9am to 10pm. Avoid touts who solicit pirated DVDs and imitation goods, and whomever you have to follow into the small dark alleys in between buildings to see the goods. Remember to visit Mayflower Plaza (五月花广场 wǔ-yuè-huā-guǎng-chǎng) at 68 Zhongshan 5 Lu (中山五路68号), at the northern end of the Pedestrian Street. This is a place where young people hang out and shop. [Metro 1, 2 Gong Yuan Qian - Exits C, D]
* Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street (上下九商业步行街 shàng-xià-jiǔ) This shopping area is also a showcase of traditional Cantonese architecture, especially pretty at night when it's lit up. Prices here are generally lower than Beijing Lu's, but prepare to bargain a fair bit. Remember to visit Liwan Plaza (荔湾广场 lì-wān-guǎng-chǎng), located at 9 Dexing Lu (德星路9号), the east end of the street. You will find a good selection of crystal here. [Metro 1 Chang Shou Lu - Exits D1, D2]
* Grandview Plaza / Zhengjia Plaza (广百正佳广场 zhèng-jiā-guǎng-chǎng) [16] 228 Tianhe Lu (天河路228号). +86 020 3833-0098. This is the largest Western-style shopping mall in China. [Metro 1, 3 Ti Yu Zhong Xin]
* China Plaza (中华广场 zhōng-huá-guǎng-chǎng). 33 Zhongshan 3 Lu (中山三路33号). Located on top of a metro station, this is another large shopping mall with brand name department stores, clothing and electronics stores, restaurants, etc. [Metro 1 Lie Shi Ling Yuan]
* Tee Mall (天河城 tiān-hé-chéng) [17] (Chinese) 208 Tianhe Lu (天河路208号). This is probably the busiest and most popular shopping mall in the heart of the city. It is located right above the metro station. [Metro 1 Ti Yu Xi Lu]
* Zhong Tian Shopping Plaza (中天购物城 zhōng-tiān-gòu-wù-chéng) Located at Zhongxin Square near the East Train Station (天河北路 233号中信广场), it's more than a place to shop and eat. The plaza has great one-stop services to meet your banking, dry cleaning, grooming and transportation ticket needs. [Metro 1 Guangzhou Dong Zhan]
* Friendship Store (广州友谊商店 yǒu-yí-shāng-diàn) 369 Huanshi Dong Lu (环市东路369号). 9:45AM-9:45PM. It is one of the oldest department stores targeting foreigners in Guangzhou. You will also find its branches in Zhengjia Plaza and Times Square on 28 Tianhe Beilu (天河北路28号).
* Zi You Ying Outdoor Travel Goods (自由营户外旅游用品店) 229 Jiangnan Dadao Zhong, Xin An Plaza Suite 180 (江南大道中229号新安大厦180号地铺) This is a great place to replenish your travel supplies.
* Wang Fu Jing (王府井百货 wáng-fǔ-jǐng) 40 Long Lin Xia Lu (农林下路40号). The famous department store in Beijing opened a branch in Guangzhou with the same name, featuring mid to high-end products.

[edit] Do
Pearl River Dinner Cruise
Pearl River Dinner Cruise

* Pearl River dinner cruise (珠江夜游) Dashatou Pier (大沙头码头), Tianzi Pier (天字码头), and Xiti Pier (西堤码头). A one to two hour cruise in the evening and a great way to see the Guangzhou skyline along the Pearl River, including a light show at Bai-E-Tan. Tickets for the deluxe dinner cruise can be bought from most high-end hotels, such as the White Swan on Shamian Island. (From ¥50)

[edit] Festivals

* Chinese New Year/Spring Festival (春节 chūn-jié) on 1st day of 1st lunar month, usually in January or February. This is a 15 day celebration, and some districts can be quite deserted as many migrant workers return to their home provinces. The flower fair is popular during the days before New Year.
* Dragon Boat Festival (端午节 duān-wǔ-jié) on 5th day of 5th lunar month, usually in May or June. This festival commemorates the sacrifice of Qu Yuan (屈原), a famous poet who drowned himself in the river by way of making a statement against government corruption during the Warring States Period. The highlights are dragon boat racing along the Pearl River, and eating rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves (粽子).
* Mid-autumn Festival (中秋节 zhōng-qiū-jié) on 15th day of 8th lunar month, usually in September or October. Cantonese moon cakes are enjoyed during this holiday. Lian Xiang Lou and Tao Tao Ju's moon cakes are especially famous (see "Eat" section). Kids' favorites are paper lanterns. Many locals also enjoy riding ferries and watching the full moon on the Pearl River.
* Tomb Sweeping Day (清明节 qīng-míng-jié) around the spring equinox, usually on April 5th. Involves visits to the family tombs for cleaning and making offerings.
* Chinese Valentines Day (七夕 qī-xī) on 7th day of 7th lunar month, usually in August or September. According to legend, a heavenly fairy Zhi Nu (织女) fell in love with a mortal farm boy Niu Lang (牛郎). It's forbidden of course, so as punishment, they are only allowed to meet once a year on this day. This is the Chinese equivalent of Valentine's Day, but it is steadily losing its appeal among the locals, especially to the young.
* Winter Solstice (冬至 dōng-zhì - literally, the Coming of Winter) on December 22nd. Traditionally, Cantonese people observe the day with a family feast, which often includes preserved duck and sausages. However, the highlight of the day's festive dishes is hot soup served with flour dumplings (汤圆).

[edit] The Canton Fair

Twice a year, in Spring and Fall, Guangzhou hosts the China Export Commodities Fair (中国出口商品交易会)[18], also known as the Canton Fair. It has been running since 1957 and for many years was almost the only way foreign businesses could make contacts in China. It is still very important. Anyone who is doing or wants to do business with China should consider visiting.

If you are going to the fair, book a hotel well in advance. Hotels tend to be full and expensive during the Fair. China Hotel and Dongfang Hotel are probably the best places to stay if you can afford it. It is right across the street from one of the main exhibit halls. Many good hotels provide shuttle services to the main exhibit centers during the fair. Taxis may not be your best option since there are traffic controls in the exhibit areas.

The two main exhibit halls are the Pazhou Complex at 380 Yuejiang Zhong Lu (阅江中路380号) [Metro 2 Pa Zhou], and the old Liuhua Complex at 117 Liuhua Lu (流花路117号) [Metro 2 Yue Xiu Gong Yuan].
[edit] Eat

Cantonese cuisine is well-known for its blend of color, fragrance, taste and presentation. In particular, dim sum the delicate Cantonese pastry is famous for being simple yet delicious. Cantonese cuisine is among the top four in the country. This said, there are a couple of points worth remembering. The sanitary standards, except in better restaurants, are generally low. Don't be fooled by all the rave about the cuisine, be careful about where you eat and what you order. A lot of restaurants have menus with pictures, which is essential if you don't speak the language.
[edit] Traditional

* Liuhua Congee House (流花粥城), Renmin Bei Lu (人民北路903号流花湖公园) (In Liuhua Park), ☎ +86 20 8668-0108. Excellent dim sum and beatiful surroundings. [Metro 2 Yue Xiu Gong Yuan]

* Panxi Restaurant (泮溪酒家), 151 Longjin Xi Lu (龙津西路151号), ☎ +86 20 8181-5718. Traditional Chinese restaurant famous for their dim sum. Menu in English is available, but the restaurant accepts only local credit cards.

* Lian Xiang Lou (莲香楼), 67 Dishipu Lu (第十甫路67号), ☎ +86 20 8181-1638. Founded in 1889, Lian Xiang Lou is known for it's tasty dim sum. [Metro 1 Chang Shou Lu]

* Tao Tao Ju (陶陶居), 20 Dishipu Lu (第十甫路20号), ☎ +86 20 8138-9632. Tao Tao's speciality is the Cantonese moon cakes [Metro 1 Chang Shou Lu]

* Guangzhou Restaurant (广州酒家), 2 Wenchang Nan Lu (文昌南路2号), ☎ +86 20 8138-0388. This Cantonese family-restaurant has several branches all over the city. Other convenient locations include 20 Binjiang Xi Lu (滨江西路20号) and 112 Ti Yu Dong Lu(体育东路112号). [Metro 1 Chang Shou Lu]

* Datong Restaurant (大同酒家), 63 Yanjiang Lu (沿江路63号), ☎ +86 20 8188-8988. This huge restaurant spans all the 8 eight floors of the old building. The place has been around for a long time and is a favourite among locals.

* Wenji Restaurant (文记壹心鸡), 10 Xuanyuan Qiao (荔湾区宝华路旋源桥10号), ☎ +86 20 8172-8887. As the place was established by the former chefs from Qingping restaurant, they have the original Qingping chicken on the menu. [Metro 1 Chang Shou Lu]

* Baifu Restaurant (百福酒家), 112 Tiyu Dong Lu (体育东路112号百福广场三楼) (3/F, Baifu Plaza), ☎ +86 20 3880-8268. [Metro 1 Ti Yu Zhong Xin]

[edit] Vegetarian

* Shui Yun Tian (水云天), 38-42 Jinghui Lu (净慧路38-42号首层) (next to the Guangxiao Temple), ☎ +86 20 8107-2463. 6:30AM-2:30PM, 4:30PM-9:30PM. Great buffet around noon. [Metro 1 Xi Men Kou]

* Cai Gen Xiang (菜根香), 167 Zhongshan 6 Lu (中山六路167号), ☎ +86 20 8334-4363. 6:30AM-2:30PM, 5PM-9PM. [Metro 1 Xi Men Kou]

* Fo Shi Jie (佛世界素食馆), Niu Nai Chang Jie (同福中路牛奶厂街二圣宫前2-8号) (by Tongfu Zhong Lu), ☎ +86 20 8424-3590. 7AM-9PM. A part of the profit from this humble Buddhist vegetarian restaurant is given to charity.

* Fo You Yuan (佛有缘素食馆), 12 Shi Lu Ji Zhongshan 8 Lu; 712 Shangjiu Lu (上九路712号), ☎ +86 20 8181-9188. 6:30AM-3PM, 5PM-10PM. [Metro 1 Chang Shou Lu] Interesting and new vegetarian dishes.

[edit] Southeast Asian

* Cow and Bridge Thai Restaurant (牛桥泰菜), 2/F, Xiang Long Garden, 181 Tianhe Bei Lu (天河北路181号祥龙花园二楼), ☎ +86 20 8525-0821. This famous Thai restaurant offers many varities of Thai dishes. Ask for the more fiery version of your meal, if you're used to Thai cuisine, as the dishes are somewhat localized. [Metro 3 Lin He Xi]

* Lan Kwai Fong (兰桂坊), 5 Shamian Nan Jie (沙面南街5号), ☎ +86 20 8121-6523. good curries and polite service in this Shamian Island favorite. It is tourist friendly and menus are available in English. [Metro 1 Huang Sha]

* Banana Leaf (蕉叶西餐厅), 28 Tianhe Bei Lu (天河北路28号时代广场2楼) (2/F, Times Square), ☎ +86 20 3891-0728, [19]. Traditional and established Thai restaurant chain in Guangzhou. They have also restaurants at GZTV Hotel (G/F, 8 Luhu Lu, +86 20 8359-7499) and World Trade Center (5/F, 371-375 Huanshi Dong Lu). [Metro 3 Lin He Xi]

[edit] Western

* The Italian Restaurant (小街风情意大利餐厅), 360 Huanshi Dong Lu (环市东路360号珠江大厦东座3楼) (3/F, East Tower, Zhujiang Building), ☎ +86 20 8386-3840. 10:30AM-2AM. Despite the unimaginative name, this is the place to come, if you're craving for Italian in Guangzhou. The pizzas are somewhat localized.

* The Mexican Restaurant. Just above the Italian Restaurant. OK but not great, fairly expensive.

* La Seine (塞纳河法国餐厅), 33 Qingbo Lu (G/F, Zinghai Concert Hall), ☎ +86 20 8735-2222. The best French restaurant in the city. Also, one of the most expensive restaurants.

[edit] Foreign Chains

Foreign fast food, ice cream and coffee chains are well established in Guangzhou. These include KFC (肯德基), Pizza Hut (必胜客), McDonald's (麦当劳), Starbucks (星巴克) and Häagen-Dazs (哈根达斯). All of these can be found in the Zhengjia Plaza (See "Shop").
[edit] Drink
[edit] Bars & Pub

When it comes to drinks, Guangzhou is one of the best cities in China to knock back a few. With a relatively large population of foreigners here, the city offers a wide variety of nightspots to cater to all tastes.

Tsing Tao and Zhu Jiang are the two major Chinese beer brands that are sold almost everywhere. Both are fairly standard light lagers. Carlsberg is also brewed in Guangzhou, which explains the reasonably huge amount of Carlsberg taps in the bars.

For latest reviews of restaurants, bars and night clubs pick up a free copy of That's PRD [20], a monthly English publication. It is available at several hotels and lounges.

* Overseas Chinese Village, next to Holiday Inn Guangzhou. This is a sort of bar street consisting of six or seven bars side by side, all two-storey buildings with a different theme on each floor. Prices are on the high side, costing about ¥40 for a small bottle of beer.
* Hill Bar, outside Baiyun Hotel and opposite Garden Hotel. Reasonable price for drinks (¥30 for a pint of beer, less at happy hour) Live band performance every evening.

Gipsy King Bar
Gipsy King Bar

* Tang Club, 1 Jianshe 6 Malu (建设六马路1号). This is one of the most expensive places to hang out in Guangzhou, featuring a live band that plays good old rock-and-roll as well as contemporary rock. This is the place to be seen. The crowd is a mixture of expats and local wannabes. A small bottle of beer costs ¥50.
* Strange Brew, 200m from the Ramada Hotel, 103 Ming Yue Xie. Three Canadians own this bar and burger joint. It is simply the best place in Guangzhou to get a great burger and put back some cheap draught beer. They are the only bar in Guangzhou serving German and Belgian draught beer and they host regular parties that rock out. This is a meeting place for Expats and Chinese and a good place to start your night. Directions/information: 13450227140
* The Cave (墨西哥餐厅酒吧) 360 Huanshi Dong Lu (环市东路360号珠江大厦东侧) +86 020 8386-3660. Located at the basement on the end of the Zhu Jiang Building (珠江大厦) nearer to the Garden Hotel, this is a favourite expat hangout. The resident DJ spins a wide range of music, from pop to disco to trance. Erotic dance performances, i.e. live-python dance, start late on the dance floor. ¥30 for a standard drink.
* Gipsy King Bar (大篷车酒吧) 360 Huanshi Dong Lu (环市东路360号珠江大厦西地下). +86 020 8387-5177. Located on the opposite end of the Zhu Jiang Building from The Cave, this is an underground bar on a similar theme. Many local "working" girls sashay around, looking for a good time. There are individual dance performances at one corner of the bar, while group performances start on the main dance floor from 10PM. ¥30 for a standard drink.
* Paddy Field Irish Pub & Restaurant, probably the only Irish Pub in Guangzhou, round the back of Garden Hotel. Serves pretty good western food. Drinks are at usual bar prices.

Bar Street at Bai-E-Tan
Bar Street at Bai-E-Tan

* Sleeping Wood Cafe, a nice cozy restaurant pub next to the Holiday Inn with friendly, English speaking waiters and waitresses. Serves western food and all kinds of alcoholic drinks. One-for-one pint-sized Tsingtao draft beer during happy hour (before 8PM). Good place to unwind and take it easy, especially in the open area. A drink costs ¥25-30. There's a separate branch along the Pearl River.
* Sky Bar, newly opened in June 2006, also next to the Holiday Inn. Serves Brazilian-style food and all kinds of drinks. Standard drinks start from ¥25.
* Lucy's (Cafe Bar) next to the White Swan Hotel, right by the Pearl River. Excellent western food and drinks for very reasonable prices. Very nice area in the open for al-fresco dining.
* Bai-E-Tan Bar Street (白鹅潭酒吧风情街) Changdi Street (长堤街) in the Fangcun area, across the river from White Swan Hotel. The street is packed with bars, but action is scarce until at least 10:30PM. It is recommended to have dinner in one of the nearby restaurants before heading out to the bars. Special promotions, such as a half dozen bottles of beer for ¥100, are common. [Metro 1 Fang Cun]

[edit] Tea houses

The culture of tea drinking, also known as Yum Cha (饮茶), runs deep in Guangzhou. After all, the city was at the center of the massive tea trade that existed between China and Europe during the 19th century.

* Simple Love Tea Shop, #102, 94 Tianhe Nan 1 Lu (Down from the south gate of Teem Plaza). 3PM-2AM.

* Tian Chang Di Jiu, 1 Zhengping Zhong Jie, Taojin Lu, ☎ +86 20 8358-1627.

* Chun Ya Yuan Teahouse, 19 Siyou Xin Ma Lu (4/F, Changcheng Hotel), ☎ +86 20 8761-2888 ext.6488. 7PM-1AM.

* Crystal Tea House, 6 Longkou Dong Lu, Tianhe (1/F, Yuan Yang Hotel), ☎ +86 20 8759-6988 ext.67. 10AM-2AM.

* Wong Chun Loong Herbal Tea. Several branches at 17 Wenchang Nan Lu, 109 Huagui Lu, 51 Dishipu Lu, 504 Xihua Lu, 859 Longjin Dong Lu, 25 Longjin Xi Lu, 142 to 144 Huanshi Xi Lu, 4-lst No.1 street, Xiwan Dong Lu, 320 Duobao Lu and 120 Shangjiu Lu.

[edit] Coffee

* People's Cakes & Coffee, #102, 17 Jianshe 6 Ma Lu (建设六马路17号102房), ☎ +86 20 8376-6677. Enjoy cakes and coffee at this Western coffee shop run by Koreans. There is another branch at 98 Taojin Nan Lu (Tel. +86 20 8348-8085).

[edit] Sleep

WARNING: The last two weeks of April and October (April 15-30 and October 15-30) coincide with the annual Guangzhou International Trade Fairs. Hotel room rates are unreasonably hiked up anything from 200% to 400%, including hostels! If you're not travelling to see the Trade Fair, you might want to consider another period of time.

This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room:
Budget Under ¥150
Mid-range ¥150-500
Splurge Over ¥500
[edit] Budget

* Guangdong Youth Hostel (广东省外事办招待所), 2 Shamian 4 Jie (沙面四街2号) (diagonally across the street from the landmark White Swan Hotel), ☎ +86 20 8121-8298. It is clean, convenient and reasonably priced for Guangzhou. English is spoken. There are 8 dorm beds in each room, and it only costs ¥50 per bed (¥200 to have your own room). It is probably the cheapest western-style accommodation in Guangzhou. Reservations are accepted and encouraged, since the hostel is usually at its capacity. This hostel was featured on the Globe Trekker. [Metro 1 Huang Sha]

* Tielu Tong Tong Hotel, 101 Guangyuan Xi Lu. A few blocks down from the train station has rooms at ¥100 for the first night, ¥80 for subsequent nights. It's on their business cards in English only. That's hot water, toilet, air-conditioned, spacious and noisy. [Metro 2 Guangzhou HuoCheZhan]

* City Youth Hostel (广州国际青年旅舍), 179 Huanshi Xi Lu (环市西路179号), ☎ +86 20 8666-6889. This youth hostel offers tiny single rooms for about ¥80 (¥270 Oct.)per night (¥60 for members). Located close to the train station it does not provide the nicest environment. [Metro 2 Guangzhou HuoCheZhan]

* Bin Jiang Hostel (滨江青年旅舍), 405 Yanjiang Dong Lu (大沙头沿江东路405号), ☎ +86 20 8383-4110. A little far from the center of the city, but the dorm bed rate is very cheap at around ¥60 (¥180 Oct). Having your own room and shower will cost you ¥170. There is no close Metro access.

[edit] Mid range

* Hotel Landmark (华厦大酒店), 8 Qiaoguang Lu, Haizhu Square (海珠广场侨光路8号), ☎ +86 20 8335-5988, [21]. [Metro 2, Hai Zhu Guang Chang]

* Guangzhou Hotel (广州宾馆), 2 Qiyi Lu, Haizhu Square (海珠广场起义路2号), ☎ +86 20 8333-8168, [22]. Currently there are heavy constructions taking place outside the hotel for the next year (2007) or so. [Metro 2, Hai Zhu Guang Chang]

* Guangdong Victory Hotel (广东胜利宾馆), 53 Shamian Bei Jie (沙面北街53号), ☎ +86 20 8121-6688, [23]. This rather upmarket hotel on Shamian Island offers good value rooms and nice service. English is spoken. Small travel agency handles plane, train and other tickets. There is also a recently renovated Annex building nearby, which offers cheaper rooms than the main building. (From ¥320) [Metro 1 Huang Sha]

* Hotel Canton (广州大厦), 374 Beijing Lu (广州市北京路374号), ☎ +86 20 8318-9888, [24]. This once a glorious hotel is now a bit outdated, but is superbly located in the northern end of Beijing Lu pedestrian shopping street. Metro station for both lines 1 and 2 is nearby for easy access. (From ¥390) [Metro 1, 2 Gong Yuan Qian]

* Baiyun Hotel (白云宾馆), 367 Huanshi Dong Lu (环市东路367号) (across from Garden Hotel), ☎ +86 20 8333-3998, [25]. Baiyun hotel is a member of Best Western hotel chain.

* Liuhua Hotel, 194 Huanshi Xi Lu (across from main train station), ☎ +86 20 8666-8800, [26].

[edit] Splurge

* White Swan Hotel (白天鹅宾馆), 1 Shamian Nan Jie (沙面南街1号), ☎ +86 20 8188-6968, [27]. Located on the banks of the Pearl River on the quiet Shamian Island, the White Swan is complimented by a charming park nearby where locals can be found doing Tai Chi along with various native dances. Surrounding the hotel are blocks of little shops run by locals willing to bargain. (Keep in mind that many of the shops carry identical items, so finding an item cheaper somewhere else is likely.) The White Swan offers a traditional Chinese restaurant and an American style restaurant to accommodate its visitors. (From ¥800) [Metro 1 Huang Sha]

* Holiday Inn City Centre Guangzhou (文化假日酒店), 28 Guangming Lu, Overseas Chinese Village, Huanshi Dong Lu(环市东路华侨新村光明路28号) (off Ouzhuang Intersection), ☎ +86 20 6128-6868, [28]. Not exactly the newest, biggest or cheapest hotel around, what the Holiday Inn offers is a convenient location and excellent staff service, thanks in part to its association with the Intercontinental Hotels Group, which places great emphasis on customer service. Rooms are clean, have comfortable beds and pillows, and a good selection of TV channels. Internet access is stable but costs ¥100 a day. Priority Club platinum members get automatic upgrades to executive rooms (based on availability) and access to the executive lounge. Airline ticketing office and Hertz car rental counter available. There's also another Holiday Inn at 188 Dishifu Lu.

* Garden Hotel (花园酒店), 368 Huanshi Dong Lu (环市东路368号), ☎ +86 20 8333-8989, [29]. Indisputably the most recognizable hotel in the heart of the city. It has both standard hotel rooms as well as apartments and offices for rent. Deluxe rooms are clean but basic. Elite rooms are newly renovated and attractive. Excellent dinner buffet at the revolving restaurant on the top level. This hotel is also complemented with shops and boutiques selling brand name goods, a HSBC branch, a Bank of China branch, and a bus station serving express buses to the Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, Hong Kong International Airport and nearby cities such as Zhuhai.

* Asia International Hotel (亚洲国际大酒店), 326 Huangshi Dong Lu, Sec 1 (环市东路326号), ☎ +86 20 6128-8888, [30]. This is one of a handful of hotels that feature separate bath and shower areas in a standard room. Internet access is free but slow. It also features Guangzhou's highest revolving restaurant on the top level.

* Guangdong International Hotel (广东国际大酒店), 339 Huanshi Dong Lu (环市东路339号), ☎ +86 20 8331-1888, [31].

* Dong Fang Hotel (东方宾馆), 120 Liuhua Lu (流花路120号), ☎ +86 20 8666-9900, [32]. [Metro 2 Yue Xiu Gong Yuan]

* China Hotel (中国大酒店), 100 Liuhua Lu (流花路100号), ☎ +86 20 8666-6888, [33]. It is a Marriott hotel in the heart of Downtown. Its ground level has direct access to Guangzhou Metro. (From ¥650) [Metro 2 Yue Xiu Gong Yuan]

* Oriental Resort (广州鸣泉居), 1068 Baiyun Dadao Nan (白云大道南1068号), ☎ +86 20 8663-2888, [34]. The hotel is located on Baiyun Mountain, quiet and away from the city. (From ¥600)

* China Mayors Plaza (广州市长大厦), 189 Tianhe Bei Lu (天河北路189号), ☎ +86 20 8755-3838, [35]. (From ¥600)

[edit] Stay safe

Firearms are banned in the country except for police and military use, but the streets can still be dangerous in its own way for the unwary. Due to the enormous number of people from other mainland provinces flocking to Guangzhou in the hope of finding jobs (often unsuccessfully), the area surrounding the main train station has gained a notorious reputation for being chaotic, unsafe and rampant with petty crimes. Pickpockets are especially active here. In recent years, armed (large blades, knives, and such) robberies in the open and abductions which resulted in first degree murders have been on the rise in the city. Just bear in mind, when people become desperate, they will do anything to get what they want. If you are getting robbed, do not expect the crowd to help. And if they are armed, do not fight back. The best defence, as always, is common sense. Do not flash your valuables in public, do not wander around by yourself late at night and remain alert at all times. Use only official taxis and get advice from the government-run tourist office.

With its vast, ever-increasing population, there will always be people (mostly from out of town) who just seem to be hanging around. Those unaccustomed to this may feel intimidated, especially Westerners who get stared at a lot. However, please remember that rural Chinese are not used to seeing a "Lao Wai" (a Westerner), so their stares are merely out of interest, and should not be taken as something rude or offensive. In this respect, it is important to be aware that 3 out of 10 people in Guangzhou are migrants from other provinces.

Traffic accident rates in Guangzhou (or China for that matter) are significantly higher than those of other countries. Use extra caution when crossing streets; use pedestrian bridges and tunnels whenever possible. Like everywhere else in China, cars do not yield to pedestrians. Instead, drivers automatically expect pedestrians to yield to them. So in most cases, they don't stop until it's too late. Due to the high number of traffic accidents and crimes involving motorcycles, they will be totally banned in Guangzhou starting in 2007. Once the most important mode of transportation in China, bicycles will be also limited to certain roads within the city.

Emergency numbers are: Police: 110; Fire: 119; Medical: 120; Traffic accident: 122.
[edit] Contact

* The area dialing code for Guangzhou is 020. From overseas, dial +86 20 XXXX-XXXX. Phone numbers are 8 digits.
* Tourism Administration of Guangzhou Municipality (广州市旅游局) [36] 180 Huanshi Xi Lu (环市西路180号). +86 20 8107-8291.
* Consulates
o U.S. Consulate, Guangzhou (美国驻广州总领事馆) [37] Note that the visa, passport and adoption sections of the Consulate have recently moved to 5th Floor Tian Yu Garden (Phase II) 136-146 Linhe Zhong Lu; Mailing address remains and other offices remain at: 1 Shamian Nan Jie, Guangzhou 510133. +86 20 8121-8000. This is the only U.S. Consulate in China that processes adoption visas. Over 7,000 were issued in 2005.
o Australia Consulate Guangdong International Hotel Suite 1509; +86 20 8335-5911.
o Canada Consulate China Hotel Office Tower Suite 801; +86 20 8666-0569.
o U.K. Consulate Guangdong International Hotel, Second and Seventh Floor; +86 20 8333-6520.
o Consulate General of Australia in GuangzhouA dd: Rm 1509, CITIC Plaza Tel: 83350909
o Consulate General of Canada in Guangzhou Add: Rm 801, China Hotel Tel: 86660569
o Consulate General of Finland in Guangzhou Add: Rm 803, CITIC Plaza Tel: 38770188
o Consulate General of France in Guangzhou Add: Rm 803, CITIC Plaza Tel: 83303405
o Consulate General of Germany in Guangzhou Add: 103 Shamian Bei Jie, Shamian Island Tel: 81922566
o Consulate General of Japan in Guangzhou Add: Garden Hotel, Huanshi Dong Lu Tel: 83343090
o Consulate General of Malaysia in Guangzhou Add: Floor 3,Ramada Pearl Hotel [38] Tel: 87395660
o Consulate General of Netherlands in Guangzhou Add: Unit 705, Main Tower, CITIC Plaza Tel: 83302067
o Consulate General of Philippines in Guangzhou Add: Floor 1, White Swan Hotel, Shamian Island Tel: 81886968
o Consulate General of Thailand in Guangzhou Add: White Swan Hotel, Shamian Island Tel: 81886968
o Consulate General of U.K .in Guangzhou Add: Floor 2, CITIC Plaza Tel: 83351354
o Consulate General of U.S.A. in Guangzhou Add: Shamian Nan Lu, Shamian Island Tel: 81888911
o Consulate General of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam in Guangzhou Add: Shamian Hotel Guangzhou Tel: 88888124
o Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Guangzhou Add: 63 Shamian Dajie Guangzhou Tel: 88861854, 88865009
* Internet cafes are common in major Chinese cities, though are often the target of government crackdowns. Popular ones in Guangzhou include:
o Worldwide Network on Jiangsu Lu
o the more up-market Sparkice in Central Plaza on Huai Hai Zhong Lu
o China Mayors Plaza (市长大厦). 189 Tianhe Bei Lu (天河北路189号)
o Budget Internet Cafe on Fuzhou Lu.
* Police: The Public Security Bureau is at 155 Jiefang Nan Lu (解放南路155号) +86 20 8311-5808 (Monday to Friday 8:50-11:30AM, 2:30-5PM.) You can get your visa extension done here if needed.

[edit] Cope
[edit] Banking

ATMs that accept foreign credit or debit cards are common in shopping malls and tourist areas. Withdrawal is available in Chinese currency only. Most banks also accept exchanges from your local currencies to RMB. Your passport is required for this service. However, they do not change it back to your local currencies.

* Bank of China (中国银行) [39] There is a branch inside Garden Hotel. ATM is available on the ground floor of White Swan Hotel, and over 100 locations in Guangzhou. Their ATMs are the best bet for using foreign cards.
* Bank of America [40] Rm 2506, 555 Renmin Zhong Lu. +86-20 8130-0888. The bank has alliance with China Construction Bank.
* Citi [41] Unit 101, Fortune Plaza No. 118 TiYu East Road Tian He district. +86-20-38981688. This bank has a full service branch, foreign currency exchange services, and a 24 hour International ATM Service.

[edit] Laundry

Few lower end hotels and hostels have coin-operated self-service laundry room. Self-service laundromats are not available on the streets, although dry clean and laundry stores are available to clean your clothes. Normally you can drop your clothes off and pick them up the next day. One laundry chain is TianTian (天天洗衣), which is conveniently located in all Metro stations. There are many stores on Shamian Island that have laundry service. An average load of laundry costs about ¥100.
[edit] Television

Guangzhou Television (GZTV) [42] has an English channel, offering entertainment and cultural programs. There are several English channels from Hong Kong, available in most hotels, offer a great selection of prime time shows from US and UK.
[edit] Places of worship

All the religious sites listed in the See section are open to worshippers.

* Christian: Guangzhou International Christian Fellowship [43] holds weekly service on Sundays at 10AM for expats from around the world in English. You must show your travel documents to enter since residents are not allowed there due to local laws. The meeting location is Star Hotel (景星酒店) near the East Train Station. Phone: 1366 234 6904. Hotel Address: 89 Linhe Xi Lu (林和西路89号). [Metro 1 Dong Zhan]

[edit] Gym

Guangzhou has several branches of Total Fitness. One of the locations is at the 8th floor of Zhengjie Plaza (正佳广场).
[edit] Health

* Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital is near the Garden Hotel. 106 Zhong Shan Er Lu. +86 20 8382-7812, 2062-2031.
* Kaiyi International Dental Care [44] Ice Flower Hotel, 2 Tianhe Bei Lu. +86 20 3886-4821, 3387-4278.

[edit] Mail

* Post Office There is a post office on Shamian (Shamian 3 Jie 沙面三街) 9AM-5PM, closed on Sunday.
* DHL There is a branch in Garden Hotel.
* UPS 1121 Guangyuan Zhong Lu. +86 20 8657-9898.

[edit] Get out

* Visit the peach orchards and canals at nearby Xinjiao.

* Yuanxuan Taoist Temple includes three Taoist temples in one complex: Sanqing Temple, Taihe Temple and Yuanchen Temple. Sanqing Temple is the most architecturally important of the three structures, while Yuanxuan Taoist Temple has carvings of divine beings. The central hall is covered by yellow glazed tiles and decorated with the bright images of Yuqing, Shangqing and Taiqing, the three authoritative deities in Taoism. The temple is located near Bi Village in southwest Xinhua Town. You can take the No. 9 bus from Hua Du Downtown. (Admission ¥2)

* The dwellings of overseas Chinese from the early 20th century in Kaiping (开平).

* Foshan (佛山) is only an hour away from Guangzhou. Famous for its Ancestry Temple (祖庙), it is also the home to legendary Wong Fei Hong, a martial art master.

* Hong Kong (香港) is 2-3 hours away, depending on the modes of transportation. It is so busy that some people call it "America on Steroid."

* Humen (虎门) in Dongguan (东莞) is famous for its Opium War era relics (虎门销烟). It is a bridge away from the Nansha District.

* Shenzhen (深圳) is a new city on the borders of Hong Kong, one of the first special economic zones set up in China. Check out theme parks such as Windows of the World, The China Folk Culture Villages and Splendid China. Frequent buses and trains are available (Tickets around ¥60 - ¥80). The trip will take 1 to 2 hours. Make sure you have your passport while traveling to Shenzhen, they check it when you enter Shenzhen, although you are still in Guangdong, China.

* Zhuhai (珠海) is another special economic zone to the south, at the border with Macau. You can get a bus ride from any of the major bus stations in the city.

written by

garisti on May 1, 2008 from Guangzhou, China

from the travel blog: Viaje por Asia

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