Guangdong · China
Houjie Town travel guide
Houjie Town is a city in Guangdong, China, home to about 551,000 people.
- Best months
- October to February
- Nearest airport
- SZX37 km · Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport
- Currency
- CNYrenminbi
- Time zone
- Asia/Shanghai
- Language
- Chinese, Putonghua, Standard Chinese
About
About Houjie Town
Houjie (simplified Chinese: 厚街镇; traditional Chinese: 厚街鎮; pinyin: Hòujiē Zhèn) is a town under the jurisdiction of the prefecture-level city of Dongguan, Guangdong, China. The town spans an area of 125.7 square kilometres (48.5 mi2), has a registered hukou population of 95,055 as of 2008, and a permanent population of 550,807 as of 2020.
While the town spans to the east, the city center is approximately Houjie Avenue and Kangle Road. Houjie Avenue is a six-lane divided highway running west to east (roads do not follow cardinal directions, it's more northwest to southeast). Going east on Houjie street will take you past the Haiyatt Garden Hotel and eventually to the Guangshen Expressway, which runs between Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Kangle Road is the town's main drag—a two-lane road that runs through the busy main shopping area towards the south. Houjie's large square is one block south of Houjie Avenue on Kangle Road.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Houjie Town
See
- Houjie Square
- Fang Family Ancestral Hall
- Guangdong Modern International Exhibition Center
Do
Massage is a terrific and relaxing way to spend extra hours in China. It's much more affordable than in the West, and the service is very good. Contrary to popular belief, it's very unlikely you will be offered any "special" service. A good word to know is "轻点" (qīngdiǎn) meaning "softer". Chinese massage can be a bit intense when not accustomed to it. Foot massage lasts about 60–90 minutes, and includes a back, neck, arm and leg massage, and foot washing. All while in a lazyboy recliner. Price is ¥40-70. Body massage lasts 90–120 minutes. There is often an option with or without massage oil, and the price is slightly higher with oil.
- Jinyi Foot Washing
- Sports Park
- Qiaodong Bowling Hall
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Houjie Town to stay in
Budget hotels have fair room prices posted usually. High end hotels post room rates that are significantly higher (up to 3 times) than a corporate rate. If you are working with a company in DongGuan or elsewhere in China, it is a good idea to see if they can get a corporate rate with the hotel. Budget and Midrange hotels often will not have English speaking staff, but with a basic understanding of Mandarin or a game of charades, you should be able to work out your arrangements. Hotels along Kangle South Street charge in the range of ¥130-170. Expect clean, but very basic private rooms. Hotels in this range generally compare to a three- or four-star hotel in a Western country.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Houjie Town
2 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Kande Club Hotel | 1.6 km | |
| Maison New Century Hotel Dongguan | 1.7 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Houjie Town
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Houjie Town are October to February. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; June is the wettest, with about 379 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Houjie Town: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (SZX), about 37 km from the city centre in a straight line; Foshan Shadi Airport (FUO, 62 km) and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN, 62 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
The majority of international visitors arrive via Hong Kong International Airport, or Guangzhou Airport (Baiyun). Shenzhen Bao'an Airport is also quite close.
Getting around
Dongguan metro line 2 is built under the central Guantai Road (next to the east and parallel to Kangla Road), is comfortable and cheap (¥5 for all the trips within the Houjie town, up to ¥10 for longer trips within Dongguan), and is highly recommended if your destination is not so far from the metro station. Taxis can usually be hailed on busy streets, though they are a bit harder to find on multilane divided highways. Drivers seldom speak English, and fares should be negotiated before getting in the cab. A short trip under a mile should be ¥10.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
SZX · Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport
FUO · Foshan Shadi Airport
CAN · Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Houjie Town
Eat
Places to eat fall into three distinct categories. Budget includes hawker stalls, alley barbeques with plastic chairs, and the like—most of which are outdoors. Midrange covers indoor sit down restaurants, that mostly cater to local Chinese. While splurge restaurants generally offer foreign foods aimed at western palates. Most open-minded people will find that good food can be found at any price point. Budget and mid range options usually do not speak English. Any knowledge of Mandarin helps, but one can also get by pointing—at picture menus, at things they have sitting out, or at items that other patrons are eating. Like most of Asia, some discretion should be taken with what you eat.
Drink
A popular drinking experience in Houjie is finding a table at an outdoor restaurant and whiling away the hours on 600 ml bottles of Tsing Tao (¥5-7). Houjie Bar Street There are western bars, including the hotel lobby bars. Open containers and consumption in public areas is acceptable.
Stay safe
Houjie is for the most part safe, given some precautions. Due to the sheer numbers of people in most areas, violent crime is uncommon although it's best to stay to the beaten path. Instances of bag snatching from motorcycles are known of, so it is good to ensure you're well connected to any bags if you're carrying one. Less populated areas, such as Tingshan in the east, are best avoided at night. Instances of overcharging is only common when bargaining is part of the exchange, but there isn't a hard and fast rule to what's negotiable.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Houjie Town: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Houjie Town?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Houjie Town are October to February. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; June is the wettest, with about 379 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Houjie Town?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (SZX), about 37 km from the city centre in a straight line; Foshan Shadi Airport (FUO, 62 km) and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN, 62 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Houjie Town?
renminbi (CNY).
Nearby
Destinations near Houjie Town
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.