Canton Fair

If you’re planning a visit to Guangzhou, whether for business or pleasure, there’s no better time to visit than when one of its famous fairs or festivals is in season. That’s also the time when the weather is at its best, especially during October and November as well as in April and May.

On the other hand, if you’re a big fan of Turkish steam baths, visit Guangzhou during summer for its sweltering heat and suffocating humidity. June to September aren’t ideal months either because of the typhoon season.

Here’s a run-down of Guangzhou’s most festive fairs and festivals.

The Canton Fair

If you’re looking for business opportunities, the best time to visit Guangzhou is either spring or fall when the Canton Fair is in full swing.

Since 1957, the Canton Fair has made a splash every year. It used to provide the only opportunity for foreign businessmen to make contact with companies in China. Also known as the China Export Commodities Fair, the Canton Fair’s importance has not diminished over the years, even with the country’s expanding open-door policy. It is still the most important venue for anyone who wants to do, or is currently doing, business with the Chinese.

The Canton Fair takes place at the city’s two major exhibition halls. These are the Pazhou Complex located at 380 Yuejiang Zhong Lu and the historic Liuhua Complex located at 117 Liuhua Lu.

If you’ve decided to participate in the next Canton Fair, be forewarned: it’s best to book your hotel early. The Canton Fair attracts people from all over the world and most of the nearby hotels are packed well in advance. Since the fair takes place during the third and fourth weeks of April and October ever year, delegates to the Canton Fair compete with regular tourists for hotel space. If you don’t book your hotel early, be prepared to suffer the consequences.

The best hotels for delegates to the Canton Fair are the Dongfang Hotel and China Hotel. They are a little more expensive but are ideally located right across one of the fair’s main exhibition halls. Most other hotels provide complementary shuttle services to the Canton Fair’s venues. Taxis are not a good choice since the traffic controls at the exhibition areas prohibit taxis from entering certain venues, which means you may have to walk a pretty long way. With your suit drenched in sweat and your face all red, you certainly won’t be making a very good first impression. Hence, booking the right hotel is key.

Chinese New Year / Spring Festival

For a riotous good time, nothing quite compares to the city’s celebration of Chinese New Year, which usually takes places in January or February, depending on the date of the first day of the first lunar month.

The entire city celebrates the new year in style, and festivities last for 15 days. While most streets are packed with people celebrating with fireworks and dragon dances, some streets are eerily deserted. That’s because the residents, usually migrant workers, go back home to their provinces to celebrate Chinese New Year and the Spring Festival there.

Meanwhile, if you want to see the city in full bloom, visit Guangzhou around a week or so before the New Year. That’s when the flower fair and its kaleidoscope of color and fanfare is held.

Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated during the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, which typically falls on May or June. The festival is held in honor of a famous martyr and poet, Qu Yuan, who drowned himself during the Warring States Period to protest widespread government corruption at that time.

The festival is marked by a series of exciting dragon boat races at the Pearl River, the place where Qu Yuan sacrificed his life. One of the most applauded and watched events during the Dragon Boat Festival is an eating contest where the participant who can eat the most number of rice dumplings wins.

Mid-Autumn Festival

This festival is held during the 15^th day of the eighth lunar month, which typically falls on September of October. During this time, people celebrate by enjoying the local Cantonese moon cakes, a symbol of good fortune and prosperity. If you want to take part in this joyous celebration, try to get your moon cakes at Lian Xiang Lou and Tao Tao Ju. They serve the best and most popular moon cakes in town.

Children celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival by making and displaying paper lanterns. Grown-ups commemorate the festival by taking ferry rides on the Pearl River and watching the full moon ascend.

Among the other notable festivals that Guangzhou commemorates are Tomb Sweeping Day (during the spring equinox). Chinese Valentines Day (August or September) and the Winter Solstice Festival (December 22).

Finally planning that vacation to culture-rich yet cosmopolitan Guangzhou? Or is your trip more for business than pleasure? Whatever the reason, heading to Guangzhou should not be a problem. Here are some of the most convenient ways to get there.

By Plane
There’s a major international airport that services Guangzhou, and it’s also the second most prominent hub in Southern China, next only to Hong Kong. That’s the New Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, located just 28 km north of the Guangzhou city center. (Not to be confused with the former Baiyun Airport, which is now closed.)

The airport has a number of international connections, including to and from Bangkok (via Thai Airways), Helsinki (via Finnair). Los Angeles (via China Southern), Paris (via Air France), and Singapore (via Singapore Airlines). There are also direct flights to and from Frankfurt, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Osaka and Tokyo. As the home base of China Southern Airlines, the airport also provides a wide range of domestic flights.

The most convenient way to travel to and from the airport is by taxi, and a ride to the city center usually costs around ¥120, inclusive of a ¥15 toll fee. A metro line servicing the airport is currently under construction and is scheduled for completion by 2009. There are also nine Airport Express bus lines that service the airport and take passengers to virtually all major destinations in the city. Tickets range from ¥10 to ¥36.

A word of warning to Guangzhou newcomers: avoid taking rides to the city from unofficial solicitors. These operators are illegal and will charge you much more than official transport services.

By Train
From Hong Kong, there’s a direct train that covers the 182 kms to Guangzhou in 1.5 hours, with a stop at Kowloon. However, if you’re traveling from Shenzhen, the quickest way to Guangzhou is to take the China High Speed train. It travels 200km per hour and fares are cheaper. From Hong Kong, Shenzhen is just across the border and thousands of people corss the bridge that links the two cities every day.

A new express line recently opened between Lhasa in Tibet and Guangzhou, a distance of 4,980 kms. Trains cover the distance in about 58 hours. Fares cost around ¥869 and up.

The two main train stations in Guangzhou are the Guangzhou East Station, which has routes to Hong Kong and other major cities, and the Guangzhou Station, which has many routes, including routes to faraway Harbin. The Guangzhou Station is one of China’s biggest train stations. Many tourists tend to mix up the two and end up missing their trains. Make sure you double-check your tickets to know which station to go to.

By Bus
From the Hong Kong International Airport, there are coach service on hand to take passengers to many destinations in Guangzhou, including the China Hotel, Garden Hotel and Jinan University on Huang Pu Da Dao. It’s a three-hour bus drive and costs around HKD 250. In addition, many bus terminals in Hong Kong have services that cross the border towards Guangzhou, including the bus stations on Canton Road (near Kowloon Park) and Austin Road. Tickets cost around HKD 100.

Naturally, there are many domestic buses that travel to Guangzhou covering practically every corner in Guangdong province. There are also direct bus routes from nearby regions such as Fujian, Hubei and Guangxi. The major bus stations are the Yuexiu Nan Station, Liuhua Station, Tianhe Dasha Station, and the Provincial Station.

By boat
If you don’t mind the water, going to Guangzhou by boat is always a fun way to visit the city and affords travelers a majestic view of surrounding areas. If you’re coming from Macau, Hong Kong or the Hainan Island on Haikou, head to the Zhoutouzui Ferry Pier and take one of their hovercrafts or ferries to get to Guangzhou. It’s an exhilirating way to travel.

If you’re coming from Shanghai, Xiamen, Qingdao or other nearby mainland cities, you can go to Dashatou Pier and get a boat to travel to Guangzhou.

From Hong Kong, the most convenient way to get to Guangzhou by boat is through the New Nansha Pier, which has six lines that travel to Guangzhou every day. The ride costs about ¥116-230 takes around 75 minutes

Whether you’re looking for impressive souvenirs, unique Chinese novelty items or just some great fashion bargains, Guangzhou’s streets and shopping malls will provide you with what you need.

The city’s main shopping center can be found at Beijing Lu Pedestrian Street, the venue of a host of local shops, including the Mayflower Plaza, which sells anything and everything and is also a favorite hangout of fashionable young people. It’s open daily, from 9am to 10pm. There’s a flourishing DVD piracy trade in this area, but don’t be deceived by the cheap prices because their quality is often poor. And beware of sidewalk vendors who lure you into dark alleys with the promise of big bargains and imitation goods. They are likely to fleece you of everything you have.

The Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street is another popular shopping area that offers a wide range of products. If you know how to bargain, you will fit right in. This is also where you will find Liwan Plaza, located at 9 Dexing Lu, a place that’s famous for its crystal products. This entire area is a beautiful snapshot of traditional Cantonese architecture.

Malls and shopping centers

Guangzhou is the home of a number of huge shopping malls and plazas. The following are among the most popular:

1. Teem Mall
   Located at 208 Tianhe Lu above the metro station, this is the most popular mall in the city center. Whether you’re looking for clothes, appliances, household items, toys and the like, you’re likely to find it in Teem Mall. At any time of the day, the place is filled with scores of people moving to and fro and on a seemingly never-ending shopping spree. There’s nothing like the endless array of fabulous items up for sale to put one in the mood to shop.
2. Zhengjia Plaza
   Located a short distance away from the Teem Mall, Zhengjia Plaza on 228 Tianhe Lu was built precisely to challenge the popularity of its older neighbor. It has established its niche as the favorite shopping destination of foreigners. The plaza houses a number of department stores and many world-famous fashion shops. It is exquisitely decorated by rows of beautiful fountains and elegant designs. According to some estimates, close to half a million shoppers a day can be found here during festivals and holidays. Tourists will feel right at home, especially with fastfood chains like Pizza Hut and McDonalds as well as Dairy Queen and Starbucks prominently on display.
3. China Plaza
   This is another huge shopping mall located atop a metro station, located at 33 Zhongshan 3 Lu. It houses a wide array of popular department stores, clothing shops, electronic stores and restaurants.
4. Zhong Tian Shopping Plaza
   Located at Zhongxin Square, this plaza offers more than just shopping and dining. There are also services such as banking, grooming, dry cleaning and the like.

Other notable shopping malls and plazas in the city are the Zi You Ying Outdoor Travel Goods, located at 229 Jiangnan Dadao Zhong, Xin An Plaza Suite 180; the famous Wang Fu Jing department store, located at 40 Long Lin Xia Lu; and the Friendship Store, located at 369 Huanshi Dong Lu and a special favorite of foreigners.

Street markets

Meanwhile, if shopping in plush and upscale malls isn’t your cup of tea, Guangzhou also has a host of street markets where searching for fabulous bargains has become a local pastime.

Most of these street markets are located in back alleys which cars and scooters cannot enter. However, walking is the ideal way to shop here anyway, since that will give you the best possible chance to discover those hidden bargains.

One of the city’s most popular street markets is the Haiyin Shopping District, located just northwest of Haiyin Bridge. It offers some of the best prices for clothes, fabrics, appliances, electronics, camera accessories, sporting goods and the like.

Now, if it’s the raw ingredients for Cantonese food you’re looking for, everyone knows that the best place to just about any type of food is the Qingping Market. Located at Qingping Lu on Shamian Island, this market is famous all around the world for its wild animal trades.

One of the best things about the city’s street markets is that particular goods are usually concentrated at a specific area. For instance, there’s Jade Street, located at Changshou Lu and Wenchang Lu; Xiguan Antique Street, located near Liwan Park; Ivory and Sea products, located at Daxin Lu beside Beijing Lu; Flowers, Aquatic and Lightings Street, located at Danan Lu; and Flower Street, located  at Baohua Lu.

There’s also Toy Street, located at Yide Lu; Bridal Street, located at Jiangnan Bei Lu; Cultural Street, located at Wende Lu; and Household Merchandise Street (for everyday goods), located at Gaodi Jie.

Many tourists hesitate to visit China because of its reputation as a strict and repressive place. But if there is one city that you could call the exception to the rule, that would be Guangzhou. It’s the perfect place in China to mix business with pleasure. For quite some time now, Guangzhou has been one of the most progressive and cosmopolitan cities in China.

Tsing Tao and Zhu Jiang are the two most famous Chinese beers, and they’re available everywhere in Guangzhou. If you prefer a foreign brand, Carlsberg tops the list. That’s because there’s a major Carlsberg brewery in the city, which accounts for the ubiquitous Carlsberg taps in bars.

If you’re new in town and are absolutely clueless about the city’s night life, pick up a copy of That’s PRD, a popular monthly English magazine that features reviews and news about the leading bars, pubs and restaurants in town. It’s absolutely free and readily available at most top-flight hotels and lounges.

Here’s a run-down of the best places to drink and while away the night in Guangzhou:

1.    Overseas Chinese Village

Located right beside Holiday Inn Guangzhou, this venue is actually comprised of a row of six or seven bars standing side by side, each one two stories high. Each of the bars has its own unique theme. Drinks are relatively pricey, ranging from around ¥40 and up for a beer, but it’s a popular place to meet and mingle with the expatriate community.

2.    Hooley’s Irish Pub and Restaurant

Located within the Bing Hua Hotel 2 Tian He Bei, Hooley’s is probably the most famous pub in Guangzhou. From Thursday to Saturday, this true-blue Irish pub offers guests all types of live music, whether its rock, jazz, folk or pop. Meanwhile, soothing piped in music fills the air from Sundays to Wednesdays. Chef Rob, one of the city’s best-known culinary chefs, specializes in a wide array of Irish, Italian and fusion cuisine. Telephone number is 13560231914.

3.    The Cave

Located at the Zhu Jiang Building basement on 360 Huanshi Dong Lu, the Cave is another well-known expatriate haunt. The resident DJ dishes out pop, disco and trance music all night long. Later in the night, erotic dance performances heat up the dance floor. Drinks start at ¥30. Telephone number is 020 8386-3660.

4.    Gipsy King Bar

Located right across The Cave on the other end of Zhu Jiang Building is an underground bar that resembles, you guessed it, a cave. But instead of bats, this cave has a colorful array working girls floating around. The bar is an interesting vantage point to watch the night’s action, which usually starts around 10pm. Gyrating solo dancers dominate one end of the bar while lively group performances rule the other. Drinks start at ¥30. Telephone number is +86 020 8387-5177.

5.    Sleeping Wood Café

Located right beside the Holiday Inn (with another branch along Pearl River), this laid-back bar and restaurant is an ideal venue to relax and unwind after a hard day. During happy hour (any time before 8 p.m.), the delectable pint-sized Tsingtao draft beer is sold at half-price, so you can wash your worries away twice as fast. The bar is well-stocked with all kinds of drinks and western food is a-plenty. As an added bonus, all the waiters and waitresses speak English. Drinks are reasonably priced at ¥25-30 a pop.

6.    Tang Club

Located at 1 Jianshe 6 Malu, this is the place to visit if you’ve got money to burn. No other venue is more expensive than the Tang Club. This is where the beautiful people hang out. it’s the place to see and be seen. Their live band plays some of the meanest rock and roll in town. The regulars are mostly stylish expatriates and well-to-do local wannabes. The cheapest drink starts at ¥50.

7.    Strange Brew

Located at 103 Ming Yue Yi Lu and just a short walk away from Ramada Hotel, Strange Brew has created quite a following thanks to its tasty burgers and cheap beer, particularly, Paulaner and Tiger. This joint is owned by three Canadians who have a unique style all their own. Telephone number is 13450227140.

Other Notable Drinking Spots

Among the other noteworthy bars and pubs in Guangzhou are the Hill Bar, located across Garden Hotel just outside of Baiyun Hotel; Paddy Field Irish Pub & Restaurant, located at the back of the Garden Hotel and renowned for serving some of the best western food around; Lucy’s Cafe Bar, located along the Pearl River, beside the White Swan Hotel, where food and drinks are reasonably priced; Sky Bar, located beside Holiday Inn and famous for its Brazilian food.

Throughout the world, the city of Guangzhou is famous for its particular brand of food, known universally as Cantonese cuisine. In Guangzhou itself, tourists can naturally sample native Cantonese cuisine the way it was meant to be prepared. It is an absolute heavenly experience.

In China, Cantonese cuisine is regarded among the top three culinary delights that the country has to offer. There are four things that best characterize Cantonese cuisine. These are its unique blend of color, taste, fragrance and presentation.

Chances are, you’ve tasted Cantonese cuisine even though you may have not known it at the time. Perhaps its most common representative is dim sum, those small, simple and delicate pastries which are oh-so-delicious.

According to legend, Cantonese cuisine was prepared basically as a means to bring local customs to life. Hence, its wide diversity. Culinary experts in China often say that Cantonese cuisine encompasses anything that swims save for the submarine, anything that flies save for the airplane, and anything that has four legs save for the table.

There has also been some criticism of Cantonese, particularly that the local standards of hygiene can be raised a little more, especially since most Cantonese dishes are traditionally prepared by hand. Here’s a good rule of thumb: when in doubt, don’t order any dish with meat. It’s a good thing that most Cantonese dishes are basically vegetarian in nature.

Here’s a quick run-down of the most famous restaurants in Guangzhou, broken down by specialty.

Traditional

1.    Liuhua Congee House
Located at Renmin Bei Lu, this restaurant is renowned for its wide variety of Cantonese dishes, exquisite dim sum and beautiful environment.

2.    Panxi Restaurant
Located at 151 Longjin Xi Lu, it is best known for its dim sum and for the fact that its menu is available in English. Unfortunately, it only honors local credit cards. Panxi was closed for renovated on January 7, 2008, but it is expected to re-open soon.

3.    Lian Xiang Lou

Located at 67 Dishipu Lu, this restaurant is another haven for excellent dim sum. It has been serving satisfied customers since 1889.

4.    Tao Tao Ju

Located at 20 Dishipu Lu, this is one of the best places in Guangzhou for sumptuous moon cakes, their specialty.

5.    Guangzhou Restaurant

With a name like Guangzhou Restaurant, this place should be expected to serve some of the most delicious Cantonese food in the city. Thankfully, it certainly lives up to expectations. This relaxing family restaurant has many branches around the city. Its main branch is on 2 Wenchang Nan Lu. Its two most popular other branches are at 20 Binjiang Xi Lu and 112 Ti Yu Dong Lu.

6.    Datong Restaurant

Located at 63Yanjiang Lu, this restaurant is one of the largest you will find in town, occupying the entire eight floors of this old building. Datong has a rich tradition and long history. It is one of the favorite restaurants of locals, and for good reason. Their Cantonese food is superb.

7.     Wenji Restaurant

Located at 10 Xuanyuan Qiao, this place is renowned for its original Qingping chicken. That shouldn’t be a surprise, considering that Wenji was created by a group of former chefs from the Qingping restaurant. Don’t miss a chance to sample this rare delicacy.

8.    Baifu Restaurant

Located at 112 Tiyu Dong Lu, Baifu offers a wide  range of Cantonese dishes on its menu.

Vegetarian

1.    Shui Yun Tian

Located at 38-42 Jinghui Lu, this restaurant serves a well-stacked buffet of vegetarian dishes  during lunch time.

2.    Cai Gen Xiang

Located at 167 Zhongshan 6 Lu, this venue serves some of the best-tasting vegetarian dishes in town.

3.    Fo Shi Jie

Eat here and you will also extend a helping hand to the city’s less fortunate. Part of this restaurant’s proceeds are donated to charity. This humble Buddhist restaurant is located at Niu Nai Chang Jie, beside Tongfu Zhong Lu.

4.    Fo You Yuan

Located at 12 Shi Lu Ji Zhongshan 8 Lu, this restaurant is renowned for creating new and interesting vegetarian fare.

Southeast Asian

1.    Cow and Bridge Thai Restaurant

With two locations at 2/F, Xiang Long Garden, 181 Tianhe Bei Lu, this popular Thai restaurant also serves some of the best Thai cuisine around. Meals come in two versions – regular and spicy hot. If you have a taste for the novel, give the latter a try.

2.    Lan Kwai Fong

This Indian restaurant is located at 5 Shamian Nan Jie. They serve fantastic curries and the service is great. As an added bonus, menus also come in English

3.    Banana Leaf

Another excellent Thai restaurant and an extension of the original Thai restaurant chain. Located at 28 Tianhe Bei Lu, Banana Leaf offers a wide array of traditional Thai dishes. There are other branches located at the ground floor of GZTV Hotel on 8 Luhu Lu and on the fifth floor of the World Trade Center on 371-375 Huanshi Dong Lu.