It was 18:00 on September 2 and Miss Hu had just gotten off work. She followed her usual routine of taking the Line 5 metro from Wuyangcun towards Zhujiang New Town. As she stood in the carriage—perhaps thinking about her evening dinner or recapping the ... Read More>>
When you hear the phrase "Hakka architecture", probably one of the first things that comes to mind are those donut-shaped tulou (土楼) earth houses in Fujian's Yongding county that are famous for being mistakenly identified as missile silos by an ... Read More>>
Although the region surrounding Guangzhou certainly has no shortage of lovely natural springs, a majority of these sites remain undeveloped to this day, much to the chagrin of Guangzhou's relaxation-seeking residents. Currently, two nearby cities—Conghua ... Read More>>
The Metro's Line 3 is an adventurous little underground route transporting passengers from north to south through the immense sprawl of Guangzhou. Recently extended all the way to the airport, Line 3 stops at popular Guangzhou sites like Changlong Resort, ... Read More>>
Itching to escape Guangzhou, if only for a weekend? Longing to go back in time and experience life in an ancient minority village in China? Then Nangang Yao Minority Town (Nangang Qiannian Yaozhai) is the place for you! Many people are under the false ... Read More>>
Great news for all of you PRD gourmands out there—2012 Restaurant Week is finally making its Guangzhou debut on September 3-9! For those of you who don't know, restaurant week is an international multi-city event that seeks to give people the opportunity ... Read More>>
Take a self-guided tour through some of Guangzhou's most famous sights with the Metro Line 2 as your guide. Follow the blue line through the city and discover history, shopping, parks and eats. Relax in Yuexiu Park and check out the Sculpture of the Five ... Read More>>
Of the villages surrounding Guangzhou, quite a few are predominantly home to a single ethnic group or surname, with their dominant cultural themes reflected in the architecture and overall layout of the area. Among these, Julong Village (聚龙村) is likely ... Read More>>
Guangzhou's very first metro line, Line 1, has 14 stops in total that are your doorway to Guangzhou's diverse sights and neighborhoods. Whether you plan on going to Huangsha Station to admire the European architecture or to Changshou Lu Station to walk ... Read More>>
As Guangzhou's daily scorchers get more and more frequent, so does the desire to escape the city and get a breath of fresh air. Rafting is an exciting way to relieve stress, feel the cool (clean) breeze and get that adrenaline pumping. So grab your oars, ... Read More>>
Despite its comparatively large expat community, the majority of activities that Guangzhou offers which cater to us are still overpriced and, unfortunately, often of questionable quality. However, once you become settled in and develop a wide-enough social ... Read More>>
Once you have your visa sorted and have got your head around all the differences of a life in China, it's important to keep up with your hobbies and interests to really settle in. While plenty of expats ease into a life of drinking and going out to ... Read More>>
Summer brings school vacations, family trips, and large get-togethers with friends. In many places, it means firing up the BBQ and packing those picnic baskets. Time to put a hamburger on the grill. Read More>>
Due to the heterogeneous nature of laowai body builds, buying clothing can be somewhat difficult for expats in China. One of the solutions is to go to an upscale shopping centre and find some of the foreign-name brands, and swallow the extra cost. However, ... Read More>>
As the epitome of luxury and contemporary lifestyle, TaiKooHui opened in September 2011 to Guangzhou's international and increasingly modern demands with great applaud. Though the restaurants were slow to open compared to the likes of Tiffany and Miu Miu ... Read More>>
Foshan, Guangzhou's next-door neighbour, is a city often overlooked by visitors to the region. But this industrial city, important also for kung fu and ceramics, is developing rapidly and has some top-quality sights for a nice day out of Guangzhou. Read More>>
May and June mark the beginning of Guangzhou’s hottest, wettest season – and the time of year when newly arrived foreigners realise it’s hard getting used to the subtropical climate. With daily highs hovering in the 30s throughout the humid summer, even ... Read More>>
One of the city's more under-appreciated tourist attractions, Guangzhou Sculpture Park (雕塑公园) is a definite must for any long-term resident or those just passing through. The vast array of sculptures is just one of the many selling points of the park, ... Read More>>
Many of Guangzhou's residents have heard of the jade, pearl, and jewellery markets in town; multi-level malls crammed with flashy, gem-stacked stalls. For a slightly more mellow experience, however, a visit to the Yakushi Pearl Factory will make for an ... Read More>>
Not sure where to make your home in Guangzhou? Here are a few of the neighbourhoods Guangzhou expatriates seem to favour, according to location, general prices, transportation, schools and attractions. Read More>>
Shopping, sight-seeing, studying—in this article we're checking out Guangzhou's Haizhu District again. Not as popular with foreigners as Tianhe or Yuexiu Districts, Haizhu offers some less-explored areas of the city. In Haizhu's Hidden Treasure's Part I, ... Read More>>
Of Guangzhou's ten districts, Haizhu District remains one of the least explored by expats—despite hosting the Canton Fair. Read More>>
In recent years, the Zhujiang New Town (Zhujiang Xin Cheng - 珠江新城) district has become one of Guangzhou's hottest addresses. A southward extension of Tianhe district's CBD, the New Town also hosts brand-new cultural venues, sought-after accommodation ... Read More>>
When I tell friends at home I live in Guangzhou, it often warrants a quizzical look and a nod of feigned recognition. I can almost see the eyes of even the worldliest of friends roll back into their brain as they access their mental Rolodex of Chinese ... Read More>>