Guangzhou: Kicking Off My Guangdong Adventure!

[Lucille Borer]

Hey everyone, just got back from a quick two-day trip to Guangzhou!

• Late October marks the peak season, which means a whole lot of people everywhere.

• The weather was approximately 30 degrees Celsius (86°F) – definitely hot, yet still manageable for wandering around.

• Haixin Bridge (海心桥)

  • Arriving around 6 PM, it's a lengthy pedestrian-only bridge. Your ride (be it a taxi or DiDi) will drop you at the entrance.
  • On this Saturday, it was exceptionally packed.
  • Upon crossing, you'll land in Haixinsha (海心沙).
    • Home to the Asian Games Park—from the 2010 games.
    • Sporting a big screen broadcasting news, along with a fountain (inactive during my visit), and fish-filled waters.
    • Continuing on, you’ll stumble upon Huacheng Square (花城广场), a spacious public square.

• Pearl River Night Cruise (珠江夜游)

  • You can easily locate Haixinsha West Pier (海心沙西区码头) from Haixin Bridge.
  • Tip-off: Purchase tickets via their WeChat account (popular social app), although I found them slightly cheaper on third-party travel apps.
  • Boarding the “Guangzhou Red Boat” (广州红船) – the open-air second deck's view was impressive.
  • Set sail, pass under Haixin Bridge then turn to showcase the opposite bank. The entire cruise lasts about an hour.

• Claypot Rice (煲仔饭) and "Bowl Fin" Soup (碗仔翅)

• These made a tasty dinner. Claypot rice, cooked in clay pots with toppings, bowls of imitation shark fin soup.

• They were pretty fine but paled compared to my Shunde favorites (nearby city renowned for Cantonese cuisine).

• Day 2:

• Chen Clan Ancestral Hall (陈家祠) – Opened Day 2 here, an old family temple complex.

  • Its architectural style stands out – mostly black, with vividly painted decorative ridge lines and eaves. Cool indeed!

*   **Morning Tea (早茶 - 'Yum Cha')**
    *   Enjoyed at Tao Tao Ju (陶陶居) main branch, embracing ‘Yum Cha’ – tea combined with delicious dim sums.
    *   Selections made: durian pastry, char siu bao (BBQ pork buns), har gow (shrimp dumplings), white cut chicken, chicken feet, choi sum (a vegetable), and certainly, Pu'er tea.
    *   Tasty yet slightly pricey but the ambience makes up for it. Five floors tall yet elevator agonizingly slow!

*   **Shamian Island (沙面岛)** – A small historical island with European-style buildings, a former foreign colony.
    *   Spied a charming cat, tucked away in a 'tree cave', formed by intertwined banyan branches.
    *   A surprise reveal – right there stood a Shamian Island local government office (街道办).

*   **Sacred Heart Cathedral (圣心大教堂)** – From Shamian Island, a leisurely bike ride led us to the Cathedral.
*   **Guangzhou Traffic Warning:** ***Be Extremely Cautious** (road crossings might feel unsafe). Cars, e-scooters, pedestrians often overlook traffic rules.***
    *   Without warning, cars change lanes. E-scooters frequently bypass red lights, navigate intersections swiftly, and travel against traffic. This congestion makes navigation challenging and unsafe for newcomers.
    *   ***Your best option may be using metro (subway) to avoid heavy street traffic.***
    *   Sacred Heart Cathedral, a Gothic Catholic church, was undeniably magnificent, even though Mass precluded entering to see its stunning stained glass windows firsthand.

*   **Xihua Road (西华路)** – A local suggested Xihua Road's bustling food scene.
    *   Packed with street food stalls and shops, providing an immersive city vibe.
    *   Lanfangyuan’s durian mango double-skin milk, both delectable and packed with sweetness! Also sampled the red bean variant.
    *   Lastly, at Fang Jie Snack Shop (芳姐小吃店), a simple, traditional establishment. Ordered at entry, received a number, hunted down an empty seat.
    *   “Yuan yang” steamed rice noodle rolls and congee featuring beef and pork were exceptionally appetizing!

#CityVibes #Guangzhou #PearlRiverCruise #TravelTips #ChinaTrip

[Ms. Beatrice Abernathy]

Any recommendations on where to stay?

[Hugo Witting]

I'm staying near Kecun Metro Station. It's close to the Canton Tower, but quite far from the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, as they're in opposite directions.