Guangzhou Trip: WTF You Need to Know

[Miss Alison Collier]

I give you this advice: don't go! This city has a knack for extinguishing the excitement of any trip in an instant!

If you must go, then pay close attention to the following points:

• ️ Important advice: Don't pin too much hope on the tourist attractions; try to keep level-headed!
  • Places of Interest:
    • Beijing Road:
      • It would be best to go down there after lunch, sample some local sweet soups (tángshuǐ, a popular sweet dessert consisting mostly of liquid) and snacks, then head over to Big Buddha Temple (Dàfó Sì / Dafo Temple) later at night.
      • My impression is that it feels like a commercial pedestrian street in some cities that the young enjoy shopping at.
      • Big Buddha Temple (Dafo Temple) stands within Beijing Road, and, at night, beautiful lights sparkle all around it, attracting many photographers who offer their services to tourists, who then transmit their photos via smartphones shortly afterwards.
    • Canton Tower / Guangzhou Tower:
      • It is suggested to visit in the latter part of the day, as this gives the opportunity to view both daytime scenes and nighttime scenery once the tower is illuminated; its presence in Guangzhou mirrors that of Shanghai's Oriental Pearl Tower.
      • Just opposite the tower, across a bridge above the Pearl River (Zhūjiāng), lies Haixinsha Island. It represents a scenic photo opportunity as everything can be seen clearly without obstruction; cruises too originate nearby.
      • River cruise: Buying first-floor tickets is sufficient; one is permitted to stroll the third floor after sailing begins.
      • ️ Be careful! Watch out for exploitation here! Photographers stationed on the third floor claim to offer their services free of charge but will provide tiny photos (hard to recognize any face) and a souvenir in exchange. Should one wish to receive a larger photo (10-inch), payment of 30 yuan will be required for each copy. Considering the price itself may not sound unreasonable, their sales techniques come across rather offensive; in line for the photos, visitors are handed a number and then hurried towards the end of the cruise, with people around urging them to make swift decisions.
    • Guangdong Provincial Museum:
      • Visitors can roam about for free for up to two to three hours. Truth be told, I find it rather dull, but it doesn't cost anything.
      • Reservation Notes: Starting at 10pm on any day, a reservation for the next seven days' tickets may be made through their WeChat Official Account (similar to Facebook Page).
      • VR glasses (50 yuan) and a smart guide (20 yuan) may be rented on-site.
      • When I paid it a visit, I was solely driven by a desire to see its famous 'boiled chicken' exhibit, which was just a model of a local favorite dish—turning out to be far less elegant in reality than depicted through pictures.
    • Nanyue King Mausoleum Museum:
      • Access costs 10yuan, approximately a 1-2 hour excursion. Personally, I think this offers much more interest than the Guangdong Provincial Museum does, with guided devices available for rent.
    • Shamian Island:
      • I don't know what to make of this place—primarily, it is for observing old European architecture left behind. Good angles and the use of filters may enhance photographs significantly; it served as a foreign residential area once, thus lending it a truly distinctive architectural character.
    • Yongqing Fang:
      • There is much resemblance to newly-renovated and reconstructed commercial walking streets seen across a range of places (an example being famed rural town Wuzhen). Many seek out traditional clothing here for photography reasons.
  • Food:
    • Sweet soups / desserts: Found throughout Beijing Road, I followed recommendations on a popular Chinese App—Instagram-like Xiǎohóngshū—and tried two old establishments known for their soups; despite the similarity in prices and taste, I recommend sticking to shops with more reputations; when randomly stopping at another restaurant, the quality wasn't quite up to mark.
    • Morning tea (also known as Dim Sum): Visited both "Diandude" (a famous chain teahouse) and a small store known for its obscurity; clearly, the latter did not offer the same level of taste and quality.
      • ️ Serving advice: Do not order too many dishes! Just a few more than necessary would be sufficient; 200 yuan per two people suffice for the average Dim Sum meal. Having chosen to order excessive quantities previously, too much food remained uneaten; moreover, any leftovers were rendered unpleasant upon consumption in the following meal with cooling.
    • Street stalls called 'Dàpáidàng':
      • A specialty dish at such place is shrimp stuffed with xiaogao (a creamy sauce) and known for a burst explosion in flavor as consumers take each bite.
      • Traveled to 'Wait for me' and 'yes also Dàpáidàng'.
      • Shrimp at the former tasted better and included more ingredients, although prices were slightly higher compared to the latter where more salt was added but ingredients felt mediocre.
  • Rice pot meals with vegetables on top (bāozǎifàn) and thin rice paper stuffed with ingredients (chángfěn):
    • These dishes were overall delightful, offering similar flavors and worthy attempts despite me only sampling twice.
  • Local specialties such as 'piăn' (similar to sweets):
    • None were found particularly appetizing on my personal exploration.
  • Little Tip:
    • ️ Important! Always bring along tissues for any eating trip outside; many restaurants do not provide them free of charge nor provide sufficient amounts.
  • P.S.:
    • Unfiltered photos aside from the last one are given as illustrations to reflect actual scenes encountered.

[Jeannie Parisian]

The Chen Clan Ancestral Hall is pretty good; in fact, it was the most enjoyable spot for me.

[Mattie Lockman]

What?! You're telling me I missed the only fun place? It's a disaster!

[Joanne Swift]

I just spent an afternoon exploring and I'm already regretting this trip. My travel buzz completely deflated.

[Ada Muller]

Exactly! I even regret booking my return ticket. Now I'm stuck here for five whole days.

[Beatrice Thiel]

Isn't the main point to go for the food, and just check out the sights incidentally?

[Arnold Predovic]

It's hard to describe... The food isn't bad, per se, but it's nothing special – just like what you'd get at any regular restaurant.

[Ms. Thelma DuBuque-Rolfson]

Any ladies looking for a travel buddy from March 17th to 22nd? I'm going solo.

[Brenda Shanahan]

I'm from Zhejiang too! I'm planning to go around the 13th. Want to grab a meal together?

[Mr. Ryan Hermann]

Guangzhou isn't ideal as a quick tourist destination. You need to live here for a while to truly appreciate its vibe.

[Howard Legros]

Also, when you visit attractions, remember to look up their history. Shamian Island isn't just about pretty buildings, for instance.

[Darren Sawayn]

My friend, I won't comment on your take on the sights, because even as a local, I find some Guangzhou attractions just okay – it's more a city for eating and strolling. But if you went to one of those internet-famous seafood stalls with long queues, like 'Deng Wo Song Shang Men' (Wait For Me To Deliver), then of course it wouldn't be great. There are so many ways to prepare seafood! In Guangdong, we prefer steaming or poaching, or even congee hotpot. Honestly, you'd be better off just ordering seafood directly at a proper restaurant than going to that place. I rarely write bad reviews, but 'Deng Wo Song Shang Men' is one I definitely gave a thumbs down to after eating there – the food wasn't good, and some of it was frozen and not fresh. I hope next time you visit, you get to try more authentic Guangzhou specialties.

[Danielle Purdy-Weimann]

Could you please recommend some good restaurants? I'm planning to visit Guangzhou in early March with my children and elderly parents. Thank you!

[Lindsey Jerde DDS]

Hey sis, quick question: are there usually photographers waiting around at all the popular photo spots in Guangzhou?

[Ada Muller]

It's not too bad. There are a lot around the Dafo Temple area, but in other places, you don't really get people coming up to you asking if you want photos taken.

[Joseph Thompson]

I'm tired of all the food here; everything seems to taste the same and I'm just over it.

[Candace McDermott]

Is it too oily or too sweet? What kind of food did you find particularly腻 (cloying/heavy)?

[Lucia Feest]

Anyone looking for a travel buddy from March 14th to 16th?! Female, great at taking photos, brings good vibes, and is easygoing with splitting bills!

[Roosevelt Reynolds]

I'm going on the 12th, haha!

[Reginald Ziemann]

At first, I was worried I wouldn't have enough time to see Guangzhou in two days and two nights, but now it seems I was overthinking it! Could you recommend where you stayed? I've been looking at guides for days but still can't decide. Thanks!