Guangzhou travel guide

See

Guangzhou's long history can be experienced in the Liwan and Yuexiu districts. Traditional buildings are slowly disappearing due to the city's rapid growth, but they can still be found near Yide Road, Renmin Nan Road and Zhongshan Road. They make great photo spots. Shamian Island (Liwan) was the European settlement in Guangzhou in the 19th century, and colonial buildings can be seen there. The Chen Clan Academy (Liwan) is a famous example of traditional Cantonese architecture, and Yuexiu contains several temples which are popular destinations. Yuexiu is also home to 20th century historical sites like the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall.

Eat

Cantonese cuisine is well known for its blend of color, fragrance, taste and presentation, and it is ranked among the top four in the country. In particular, dim sum, a delicate pastry, is famous for being simple yet delicious. Local customs, as well as a long history of contact with the West compared to other regions in China, have played a major role in the development and diversity of Cantonese cuisine. "Chinese food" in Western countries is usually Cantonese food, albeit slightly adapted to Western tastes, meaning that many Western visitors will be familiar with Cantonese food to a certain extent.

Drink

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 that 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 large amount of Carlsberg taps in the bars. Pubs tend to be in Yuexiu and Tianhe district, while dance clubs are clustered in Yuexiu, particularly around the Garden Hotel (Metro 5 Taojin). The culture of tea drinking, also known as Yum Cha (饮茶), runs deep in Guangzhou.

Stay safe

Guangzhou, which was the first open port in China, is generally tolerant of different cultures. Despite its reputation among the Chinese for being crime-ridden during the 90s, Guangzhou's crime rate compares favorably with any Western city of similar size, and violent crime is very rare. Pickpockets are active in shopping areas and transportation hubs. The best defense, as always, is to avoid flashing your valuables in public. You should use only official taxis, and change money at banks instead of money changers in the street. Scam artists operate in the main tourist areas, so you should exercise prudence and remember that if something seems too good to be true, it usually is.