Flying to China, visiting Guangzhou & Hong Kong. Is there any other place in China I MUST VISIT?

Question

Whats some great tourist attractions?
Any markets you could recommend?
ANy advice, either do's or don'ts
Thank-you

Answer 1

Know first off that going to China and not visiting the Great Wall is like being married (in China) and not having children. It's just wierd and makes people think there's something wrong with you. That aside, speaking under the authority of being all of the above, I recommend visiting Yangshuo. It is a little town about an hour up river from Guilin (which is famous for it's Karst formations- those spikey hills you see in all the paintings or hazey photos of country-side China) Well, Yangshuo is the town that the tour boats from Guilin take you to when you pay extra to see the most fabulous sites. Skip the middle man. go right to Yangshuo. It now has beautiful and comfortable hotels (as of three years ago) and has been a backpacker haven for decades ( so you can expect the creature comforts of a good cup of coffee, crepes, and English spoken... without the mcdonalds or other burger joints ... what to buy... the scarves pay 100yuan for 5 big ones) Take a minivan or rent bikes to go see "moon mountain" about 30 minutes out of town. It's a great hike up a hill with a big hole in it (that looks like the moon... and drips water you can play catch with.... yummm moon drops... ) but be SURE!!!! to accept lunch or dinner with one of the women selling water at the bottom and end of your hike... You are going to be invited to go to their house ( and it's shabby... and you're going to first think "disease" but stop right there and trust that all the food is going to be cooked in an oil heated to a high enough temperature to kill anything there aren't shots for.... uh., you will be getting your shots right? don't mess with malaria if you're traveling in the wet seasons... ) What you are going to eat, traveling in the next few weeks? will probably be the sweetest, most unbelievably delicious carrots you have ever tasted. Now granted, you are going to need someone in your group who speaks Chinese. So as to understand these invites. I had my wife, to whom $1 meant more than a ten mile walk. So... should you have a guide and he give you some outrageous amount of money that the woman is asking, cut it by 2/3 and give the money to the women directly NOT YOUR GUIDE! But trust me, this is a meal that the ritz in Paris cannot serve you for thousands of dollars.
OK so Yangshuo, China. You can get there buy plane from Guangzhou for the seemingly ridiculous price of an airline or if you have time and the stomache by train for a 20th the price and 13 hours.... and then an hour crappy bus ride that ain't going to be easy to find. I recommend the plane.

other than that I also loved Lijiang and Dali.

Now about markets... well of course that all depends on what you like to shop for... Let it be known that pretty much everything in the world is made in Guangzhou, China. It might be easier to tell you what you can't find in Guangzhou... a good european or new york pizza, dunkin donuts (though Carrefoure has pain au chocolate) and macaroni and cheese. everything else is here.

dollar store, Spencer's, Hallmark's, Walmart, goto Ida Lu. there are three giant (think mall of America-sized buildings with everything there. just tell your concierge that you want to go shopping on "EEda LOO" and he'll make sure the taxi driver gets you there. Toys are your thing? Ida Lu and Jiefang lu. It's right next to Jiefang bridge... on the west side. Knick knacks and everything from silk flowers to middle ages European Armor and Swords are on the east side of Jiefang Bridge (jiao) in a market called Hai zhu square. (high- Jew). again... Should you be staying at the White Swan hotel (at least, although shop around.. there are many cheaper and more picturesque hotels... though none so fabulously placed in the most interesting (historically) spot in the city.) your concierge will direct the taxi driver there, or inform you as to how to walk... the 40+ minutes to get there (if you can... don't miss the walk)
Techie? well you can't miss the extravaganza that is Tianhe Bei lu computer cities. these are called cities because there are malls the sizes of small european villages crammed with thousands of stalls of things some of which you cant even get in America. I kid you not.
Jewelry? again thank the White Swan hotel for being so fortunately situated, just north is a fabulous fuss ganger for all your clothes shopping and THEN the Jade market. just go with the opinion that none of the real expensive rubies or emeralds are real. watch yourself because the fakes are so good these days that they even MAKE imperfections. but buy the pearls and the jade. double check the jade with a lighter to make sure it doesnt burn like plastic and it's good to ALWAYS rub pearls against your teeth for sand paper ness. fake Yves Sant Laurent is one thing but fake emeralds are something else. be smart.. .watch the home shopping network for the prices on their jewelry for a month before you come to make sure you know what's a good price.
like paintings? Wenda lu. It's the painting street. I don't personally know what constitutes a fine work and a crap work, but I do know what I think is pretty and my aunt or uncle would like and then dont pay more than 5 to ten dollars for.

Now if you are looking at something extravangant. something big... I havent a good price for you. but those little scroll sized paintings of birds and fruit and flowers you should shoot for 5 of them for 100 yuan. haggling is an art and you should make sure you are practiced before you come here, but that said, once you get back to where ever it is you're from... a few extra bucks for something that costs hundreds in your local mall shouldn't stop you from getting a piece you like or think would make a great gift for someone....

now talking about gifts........ let me suggest the much ignored art of paper cutting. and these you can find again on Ida lu. but you have to spend an hour looking through the malls. Go for the real ornate stuff. don't be afraid to act outraged at an unbelievably low price. demand it cut in half at least!! the more intricate the cuts the more pricey. I happen to go for the colors but I understand those are typically pedestrian. again, shop around... what you may find at one stall for $3 you may find again with a nicer frame for $2.50.

um... do's and don'ts.... dont be overly grossed out by the spitting but DO take your shoes off and wear the slippers you hotel provides.... Don't calculate the price of things in American Dollars... DO always be outraged at how how expensive it is and offer half. DOn't be afraid to walk away if your price isn't accepted.. DO expect to get your price (or near it) within ten feet.
Don't miss the chance to walk for hours. DO miss the chance to eat in the hotel. that being said... you probably dont want to order off any menu that doesnt have pictures of things you recognize... there are an awful lot of innards eaten here.


ok well, one last bit of advice... if you're staying at an international hotel... make sure you strike up a relationship with the concierge. He or she will be a wealth of information, help, and history.

If you are a buff.. Guangzhou is really interesting historically.

Answer 2

Visiting Guangzhou

Answer 3

I have been in Guangzhou before a couple of monthes ago. It was a half business and tourist trips. I reccommend you to visit Zhuhai as well. Beautiful beach-town with clean air. Guangzhou is quite dirty despite its lot of parks. If you wish to visit market you can find many of them in Guangzhou. On of the most biggest and famous Qing Ping market lot of strange stuff you can see there :)
If you need hotels try China Discount Hotels at: http://www.adeohotels.com

Answer 4

if u are staying in the south of China thee are two options for you.
1. Xiamen - coastal city about one hour by plane from Guangzhou - good shopping and also the chance to go by boat to 'see' Taiwan.
2. Hainan Island - about the same distance Westwards. Haikou is the capital city of the island - good markets and seafood
oh yes.....
3. Take a trip to Macau (former Portugese colony - now safely restored to China) and BE SURE to visit some of the islands of Hk such as Lantau )Mui Wo ferry from Pier 6 Central) to see the nicer side of life.

Answer 5

If you have enough time, then Yunnan, Tibet, Beijing, Xian are all fantastic. The natural beauties in Yunnan and Tibet. The cultural beauties in Beijing and Xian. These are all much better than Guangzhou and Hongkong. That's the real China. Guangzhou and Hong Kong are just two modern cities to me.

Answer 6

shopping in HK and Guangzhou, really historical site are the ones in Bejing, the great wall is there, the forbidden city, tianamen square, the summer palace etc... do try the food, peking duck, etc...