Activities
As one of the twenty four famous historical and cultural cities in China, Guangzhou is a treasury of music and opera, as well as temples and parks.
Yuexiu Park is the largest park in the city and is well known for its beautiful scenery. The Ancestral temple of the Chen Family also features some of the worlds excellent craftsmanship including wood, stone, brick carvings and metal works. A sunset boat tour on the Pearl river will provide breathtaking views of the city as the sun goes down.
Other attractions include: Temple of the six Bayan Trees, Huaisheng Mosque, Han Nanyue King’s Tomb Museum, Chimelong Holiday Resort.
Climate
Guangzhou is generally warm all year round. Its subtropical climate is characterized by monsoon weather, hot summers, wet winters and little frost. However, the humid and hot weather is exhausting for tourists. Furthermore, the solar radiation is quite high, so it is recommended to make good preparation for sunburn prevention.
Eating Out
Eating out in Guagzhou is a treat. This is because people here eat everything under the sun from pigs to lizards. Guangzhou delicacies use a wide range of ingredients and are generally spicy. The most famous dishes of this cuisine are Roast Suckling Pig (Kao Ru Zhu), Dragon Fighting against the Tiger (Long Hu Dou) - stewed snake and wild cat, Taiye Chicken (Taiye Ji) and Stewed Wild Dog Meat.
Getting Around
The most effective way to get around the city is by bus either for short or long distance journeys. There are also subways for trains, taxis and water buses for transport on the Pearl River. Note that the subway utilizes a stage fare system. The longer the journey the more you pay.
Baiyun International Airport is about 17 miles (28 km) from the city center. It is one of the three busiest air transportation hubs in China
Language
The official language of Guagzhou is Cantonese.
Money
The official currency is the Renminbi CNY
Night Life
Entertainment is the city’s watchword and its very easy to find a spot to relax in the city. A visit to the Cantonese Opera (Yue Ju) is on the cards. Night cruises on the Pearl river are also available.
Famous Bar streets include BinJiang Lu, Huanshi Lu and Bai’e Tan. You can also take a trip to the China plaza theatre and Yonghan Cinema for a supreme cinema experience.
Restaurants
Some of the restaurants in Guangzhou include:
Guangzhou Restaurant: Founded in 1939, Guangzhou Restaurant has received numerous honors and enjoys a reputation of “Exclusive Food in Guangzhou”.
Taotaoju Restaurant
Taotaoju Restaurant is one of time-honored brands in Guangzhou’s catering industry and reputed as the “moon cake mogul”
Beiyuan Restaurant
The famous Chinese writer, Guo Moruo, highly praised Beiyuan Restaurant----“I feel at home when drinking morning tea at Beiyuan Restaurant. I will drink tea again here after returning from abroad.
Lianxianglou Restaurant
Guangzhou Lianxianglou Restaurant is renowned at home and abroad and known as the “No.1 Lotus Seed Paste”
Panxi Restaurant
Panxi Restaurant is known as the “Pearl of Restaurants”. The former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger had ever dined at Panxi Restaurant and highly praised its dishes and delicacies.
Nanyuan Restaurant
Nanyuan Restaurant is one of top four garden restaurants in Guangzhou.
Shopping
The Bi-annual Canton Fair is a shopper’s paradise. Local products can be purchased at the various stands. The Lu Seafood market is the home of seafood and for wholesale clothe shopping, shop on Gaodi Street.
Sales of Jewelry, wholesale and retail is located on Xia Jiu Lu, Hualin Jadeware Street and for Japanese and Korean fashion, go to Zhuangyuan fang on Renmin Nan Lu. Don't forget to buy some local products such as the Wang Laoji Herbal Tea, cooking materials, Canton Embroidery, Canton Enamel and Canton Sculpture.
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