After a trip to Shanghai earlier this year, we’re sold on China as a travel destination. Next up on our list: Guangzhou!
We’re big fans of Hong Kong Disneyland, as staying in the Disney bubble is one of our favourite things to do. We hence decided to combine Hong Kong Disneyland with a trip to Guangzhou, which is a nifty one-hour high-speed train ride away.
Even better, Guangzhou is home to the Chimelong Resort. It looked like a dream for families, and the cherry on top? An entire hotel dedicated to all things panda.
Day 1: Train from Hong Kong, Yue Yan Banquet
Day 2: Shamian Island, Yongqingquan
Day 3: Tao Tao Ju, Shangxiajiu pedestrian street, Beijing Road
Days 4-5: Chimelong Resort
Day 6: Chimelong Resort + international flight home
It’s such a pity that we didn’t have time for Grandview Mall and Canton Tower. We’ll just have to plan another trip back!
After checking out from the Hong Kong Disney Hollywood Hotel, we took a 15-minute train to Hong Kong West Kowloon station. There are many trains to Guangzhou a day, so you won’t have to buy tickets in advance
Tip: As you’ll be crossing borders, be sure to treat the train ride like a flight. It’s best to arrive at least two hours before your planned departure time.
The only agenda for the day: experiencing a traditional Chinese banquet. You can choose from lunch or dinner; we chose dinner, and topped up for a makeover as well. We were advised to arrive at least two hours before dinner, so we decided to simply head straight there from the train station.
Tip: If you have luggages with you as well, feel free to leave them at the reception.
We got all dolled up in our traditional Chinese attire, plus had our hair and makeup done. Around 45 minutes before the meal, the lobby area comes alive with various game stalls. Try your hand at playing traditional Chinese games, and win paper money to participate in an auction.
Alternatively, get in line for the professional photoshoot. This photoshoot is entirely free of charge — imagine that! — and each person will be given one free photo. We ended up buying the entire package, which gave us around 122 photos for around CNY880 (~S$168). What a steal, huh?
The banquet itself is a nine-course meal with performances, and lasts for around two hours. And boy, the food was good (with great value for money too!) with fish maw soup, braised pigeon, cheese shrimp, pan-fried abalone, steamed fish, and fried beef steak.
What sets this banquet apart from Shanghai’s Xuyan rendition is the addition of a game segment: in between performances and courses, actors will go around to play a game of rock, paper, scissors with diners. Win, and earn money that you can use to bid for items in an auction. We had a lot of fun!
Day 2
Shamian Island
Start the day at Shamian Island, a sandbank filled with elaborate 19th-century European architecture. This is a completely different side of Guangzhou, where you’ll find tranquil tree-lined avenues and pedestrian streets. There’s lots of space for kids to run around here!
Keep a lookout for the statues as well, and see how many you can find.
Drop by the gorgeous Starbucks for a cuppa. It used to have a magical Harry Potter theme, which has now transitioned to a Jay Chou theme. Who knows what’s next?
Yongqingfang
Take a leisurely 10- to 15-minute walk to Liwan district’s Yongqingfang, which is the heart of Lingnan culture. Stroll along historical Qilou buildings, and alleys housing boutique shops, art galleries, bookstores, restaurants and more.
Bruce Lee’s ancestral home is a must-visit! It’s now a walk-through museum, and admission is entirely free.
When dusk falls, make your way to the Moon Bridge. The light switches on around 7pm, creating an ethereal image of the crescent moon.
Day 3
Tao Tao Ju
Guangzhou is known as the birthplace of dim sum, and the most popular place to enjoy some yum cha has got to be Tao Tao Ju.
Tip: There are multiple outlets all over Guangzhou, but we recommend making a reservation for its flagship outlet in the Liwan district. Feel free to combine this with the previous day’s itinerary, but we placed our lunch on another day so as to enjoy it at a leisurely pace. Plus, the flagship restaurant’s building is gorgeous!
Dating back to 1880, Tao Tao Ju is truly a dim sum institution in Guangzhou. Order some of the plumpest har gaos you’ve ever seen, the red rice noodle rolls, and the sweet and sour pork that comes on a bed of ice.
Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street
Hop on over to the adjacent Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street, a historic pedestrian street lined with all kinds of shops. Don’t forget to grab a bite at the snack street too!
Beijing Road
Spend the rest of the day and night at Beijing Road, a dynamic pedestrian street with an electrifying atmosphere.
It’s home to the Dafo Temple, which is more than 1,000 years old. Time your visit for after sunset, when the temple lights up in an enchanting orange glow.
Tip: You’ll be asked by multiple photographers whether you’d like your photograph to be taken, and the answer should be yes! For CNY15 (~S$3), you’ll get a relatively professional photo with all the background people removed.
Further down, there’s even a section that showcases the original preserved streets from the Song and Ming dynasties. Cool, huh?
Other must-visit shops include Miniso Land (just take all our money already!) which the kids love, as well as the Tao Tao Ju Bakery to buy boxes of goodies.
We really enjoyed having dinner at 等我餸上门海鲜大排档, which offers a treasure trove of seafood. Must-order dishes include the butter prawns alongside the corn with pepper and salt.
Days 4-6: Chimelong Resort
This was one of the highlights of our Guangzhou leg! Chimelong Resort is a sprawling compound with four theme parks, and a super fun Chimelong Panda Hotel.
Experience a safari on wheels at the Chimelong Safari Park, go on all kinds of amusement park rides at Chimelong Paradise, and have a splash at the Chimelong Water Park. The Chimelong Water Park is not technically within the compound (a 30-minute shuttle bus ride or 15-min taxi ride away) but it’s well worth a visit, because you can feed hippopotamuses there!
We booked a combo package that came with two nights at a themed room in Chimelong Panda Hotel, daily breakfast, and three-day admission tickets to Chimelong Safari Park, Chimelong Paradise, and Chimelong Water Park. The safari park is a short seven-minute shuttle bus ride from the hotel, whilst the other two can be reached on foot.
It was wonderful to be able to retreat to the hotel whenever we wanted. This will also be great for families with kids who need a mid-day nap! Don’t forget to set aside time for the stunning Chimelong International Circus, which is also a short walk from the hotel.
We especially enjoyed dining at the food court, which had panda mascots coming to our table to say hi. There’s also a ball pit inside the food court itself — enough said. The hotel is truly a kids’ paradise: there are all kinds of activities, as well as a special bedtime stories session on Saturday nights.
Tip: Arm yourself with this comprehensive 3D2N Guangzhou Chimelong Resort itinerary, plus here’s everything you need to know about a stay at the Chimelong Panda Hotel.
On the last day, take a 40-minute taxi ride to Baiyun airport for your flight home. We were surprised at how much we truly enjoyed our trip to Guangzhou, and we’ll be back for more!