Guangdong
One of the most prosperous and fertile provinces in China, the Guangdong Province gives the visitor a glimpse into China’s commercial future. It also provides the opportunity to sample the world renowned Cantonese cuisine. Adjoining Hong Kong, the province has a long maritime history of welcoming foreigners to its shores.
Danshui
Located 80 kilometres from Hong Kong and 30 kilometres from Huizhou city, Danshui is a commercial city focused, like many others in Guangdong Province on industry and commerce. Not far from the city are world renowned Golf Courses such as Palm Island resort.
Dongguan
Sat in the mid south of Guandong province at the heart of the Pearl river Delta. Donguan is an important link between the cities of Guangzhou and Hong Kong. The city has a long and colourful history from Neolithic times through to the Opium Wars. Enjoying a pleasant climate there are many things to see and do. Keyuan Garden and Hermit Villa are popular.
Foshan
Found in the Pearl River Delta, Foshan is located 20 kms from Guangzhou. A trade hub and vital link between Guangzhou in the east, and Hong Kong and Macau in the south, Foshan’s name is derived from the three Buddha statues found in this area during the Tang Dynasty (618-907).
Zu Miao
Spend your time shopping in the many malls on Zu Miao Street, whilst enjoying Cantonese food in its fantastic restaurants.
Shiwan
One of China’s most important towns for ceramic production, Shiwan is a pottery aficionado’s heaven. Located only 45 minutess drive from Foshan, it is on the must do list if you are in the area.
Nanfeng Ancient Kiln
In a town built on ceramics, Nanfeng Ancient Kiln is considered the zenith of pottery production. The building contains two dragon kilns from the Ming Dynasty that are over 30m in length and are reputedly to have never been extinguished in their 500 year history.
Guangzhou
The capital city of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou is located in the middle of the southern area and north of the Pearl River Delta. It lies close to the South China Sea, Hong Kong, and Macau. The Pearl River, the third largest river of China, runs through Guangzhou and is navigable to the South China Sea. Being situated in such an excellent geographical location, Guangzhou is called China’s Southern Gateway. Guangzhou covers an area of 7434 square kms and is currently home to more than 11 million people.
Sun Yatsen Memorial Hall
The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is located on the southern slope of Yuexiu Hill and was constructed between 1929 and 1931. It was built as a monument to Dr Sun Yat-sen, the forerunner of the Chinese democratic revolution, by the people of Guangzhou. The hall, a grand octagon building with typical Chinese architectural style was last renovated in 1998. This masterpiece of architecture history was created with a span of 71 metres without a pillar but significant outlooks and delicate interior designs and there is a bronze statue of Sun Yat-sen in front of the memorial hall that dates from 1956.
Temple of the Six Banyan Trees
The Temple of the Six Banyan Trees is one of the four best Buddhist temples in Guangzhou and located on the Liurong Road (meaning the Six Banyan Trees Road). It has a rich collection of cultural-relics and a history going back 1400 years. Originally built in 537, the temple has been rebuilt several times, and the name has also been changed several times from Changshou Temple (meaning Longevity Temple) to Jinghui Temple and finally the current name. It is a name given by the great litterateur Su Dongpo in the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279). It was said that he visited the temple while returning to the north. During the visit, he found the six banyan trees there particularly striking.
Five Ram Statue
Located in Yuexiu Park, the Five Ram Statue enjoys its place in this 90 hectare park of gardens, monuments and museums. The statue depicts the five immortals who founded the city of Guangzhou.
Mausoleum of the Nanyue King
Across the road from Yuexiu Park, the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King is an excellent museum dedicated to the king of the ancient kingdom, Nanyue, which was a sovereign state 2000 years ago. The tomb was only discovered in 1983 by construction workers on a building site.
Chen Chen Ancestral Hall
The Chen Chen Ancestral Hall forms part of the Museum of Folk Art, as well as being an ancestral shrine and a Confucian institute. Built over 100 years ago by villagers from all over the Guangdong Province, the compound has nearly 20 traditional buildings for the visitor to explore. All of these buildings contain beautiful carvings, statues and paintings from Chinese literature.
Huizhou
Located in the South east of Guandong province, Huizhou is a city which enjoys the commercial buzz of being close to Hong Kong. Industries found here include television manufacturing, cameras and telephones. There are scenic spots to be enjoyed when business permits. Only a 40 minute ferry trip from Hong Kong, highlights include: Luofu Mountain, Xunliao Bay, Gangkou National Turtle Protection Area.
Jiangmen
Situated on the South China Sea, the port of Jiangmen has been open to western trade since 1902. One of the legacies of this period is an historic waterfront district lined with buildings in the treaty port style. The city has an ongoing renewal project which has restored many of these buildings.
Meizhou
Meizhou is located in the northeast of Guangdong Province and is a vital communication hub for the three provinces of Guangdong, Fujian, and Jiangxi.
The city is famous for being the Hometown of Culture, Hometown of the Overseas Chinese, especially Hakka Chinese, and the Hometown of Football.
Shantou
One of China’s five original Special Economic Zones, Shantou is a port on the border of Guangdong and Fujian Province. The locals speak a dialect called Taejiu, which is very different to Cantonese. Known to the outside world as Swatow, Shantou has been open to foreign trade since 1860.
Colonial Buildings
By the middle of the nineteenth century, Shantou was an important trading port. Visitors can still experience this today by exploring the old colonial buildings around the streets of Waima Lu, Minzu Lu and Shenping Lu.
Shenzhen
Situated just over the border from Hong Kong and being a Special Economic Zone, Shenzhen is Southern China’s major financial centre and home to mainland China’s second busiest port, after Shanghai. It is reputed to be one of the fasting growing cities in the world.
Mission Hills Golf Club
Stretching across Shenzhen and Dongguan, Mission Hills is the world’s No.1 golf club. Twelve 18-hole golf courses, designed by 12 world-renowned golf legends, sit alongside a 5* Hotel and Spa Resort. The Jack Nicklaus course has played host to the World Cup of golf.
China Folk Culture Village
Located in the city of Shenzhen, the China Folk Culture Village offers visitors the opportunity to experience the different folk cultures of China, whilst visiting the 24 pavilions in the village.
Shopper’s Paradise
For most people, whether they are locals, Hong Kong residents or foreign tourists, Shenzhen is all about the shopping. The two most popular areas are Luohu Commercial City and Dongmen. Both offer corridor after corridor of stalls selling everything that you need and lots more that you can’t do without.
Zhanjiang
Located 100kms form the southern most point of mainland China, the fishing port of Zhangjiang is famous for being owned by the French from 1898 to 1946. The port is now the headquarters of the South Sea Fleet of the Chinese Navy.
Zhaoqing
Situated 100 kms north-west of the city of Guangzhou, Zhaoqing sits on the northern banks of the Xijiang River. The name Zhaoqing means “beginning of auspiciousness”. Surrounded by lakes and limestone formations, it is one of the most attractive regions of Guangdong Province.
Seven Star Crags Park
Just to the north of the city, Seven Star Crags Park is a beautiful park containing limestone peaks, grottoes and lakes. It is reputed to be one of the most scenic spots in the whole of Guangdong province.
Humen
Humen, also known as Taiping, or “Tiger Gate” is a small town on the banks of the Pearl River. The town’s claim to fame is that it played an important role in the Opium Wars of the early nineteenth century.
Sea Battle Museum
The excellent Sea Battle Museum describes the effect that the Chinese Navy had on the Opium Wars. It contains paintings, scale models and images of the battle scenes.
Zhongshan
The city was originally a county renamed in honour of Dr. Sun Zhongshan, also known as Sun Yat-sen and considered by many to be the Father of Modern China.
Zhongshan is now a city of numerous leafy parks, wide boulevards and various monuments.
Zhongshan Hot Spring
Open to the public for 30 years, Zhongshan Hot Springs is one of the most famous hot springs in the whole of China. Zhongshan’s mountains are dotted by numerous hot springs, one of which feeds the resort’s massive 30,000 square meter outdoor spa.