Eating my way through Guangzhou in 3-ish days - 广州3天攻略

Great news for Malaysians! It seems that now you can visit China for a 15-day trip without the hassle of applying for a visa. This is a significant improvement from the cumbersome process I had to experience during my last visit in May '23, which involved making appointments at the China embassy and providing a plethora of documents, including proof of air tickets and booked accommodations with my name specified.

With this announcement, the timing couldn't be better for me to share my 4D3N trip to Guangzhou with you all!

First thing first, here are some of the things that you should be aware of when visiting China.

Common misconception - WhatsApp, Google, etc., will be blocked, but only if you're using a local mobile number or their WiFi connection. If you're on a roaming plan, chances are you'll be fine. I accessed everything normally on my Hotlink roaming plan.

Cash is no longer king. While most shops still accept cash, some may not have small change. I once had to forgo coffee because the bakery couldn't provide enough change, and I wasn't generous enough to say, "keep the change."

Credit cards? Forget about it. They don't accept Visa or Mastercard, unless it's a card issued by the Bank of China. However, not all places take credit cards due to the absence of card machines.

WeChat Pay is a no-go unless you have a local ID/bank card. The best alternative is Alipay.

Alipay is your best friend. After completing identity verification, you can link a credit card (Visa/Mastercard works) and start making transactions. Alternatively, you can pay a local friend in cash to transfer RMB into your Alipay account. Note that identity verification takes a few hours, so be cautious if you urgently need to pay a bill.

Alipay via the Touch 'n Go App got one transaction through, so I guess that works?

Baidu Navigation (百度导航) is the equivalent of Google Maps and is a must-have. In addition to typical navigation tasks, it allows you to call for a taxi and consolidates all of China's versions of Uber/Grab/Didi, etc.

Meituan (美团) is next-level. Some establishments offer special promos, like set meals for 4 people that can save you up to RMB100. Unfortunately, foreigners can't buy it directly on the app because it needs to be linked to WeChat Pay. The trick is to be friendly with the staff; they're often willing to help you purchase it on their mobile phone.

With that said... ... ... story time! My Guangzhou adventure. 

As per usual, scroll all the way down if you're just after a summary.

Day 1 - Arrival 

We chose China Southern Airlines for our journey. A heads-up: there are no personal entertainment screens, so it's advisable to download some movies on your Netflix. However, I had little to complain about since they generously upgraded my mom and me to seats with extra legroom!

Upon landing, it took us around 2 hours to navigate through immigration. Considering that China had just reopened its borders to tourists post-COVID during our visit (May'23), I expected the process to be more time-consuming.

Once outside, obtaining a local SIM card was convenient and cost around 180RMB for both data and local call credits. However, be prepared for a barrage of taxi ride offers as soon as you step out; locals will approach you persistently. Fortunately, we had a local friend, Alex, who picked us up, allowing him to handle all the negotiations.

Our initial accommodation was supposed to be at a chain hotel called 7 Days, but upon inspecting the lobby, which appeared shabby, we decided to explore other options. Mum checked the hotel room and found muddy/sandy carpets without proper vacuuming. Fortunately, since we hadn't paid in advance, we received a full refund. We booked through booking.com, but the staff seemed unaware of the platform.

Following a recommendation from Alex for a convenient area, we ended up at Echarm Hotel that proved beneficial—it was only a 5-minute walk from the train station. And equipped with 'smart home' capabilities, the room came with a list of commands you could use, such as 'open/close curtain', 'on/off lights', etc.

Room service was fulfilled by a robot that knows when to get on and off the lift. What a surprise!

For dinner, we chose 阿强家, and my Asian appetite was thoroughly satisfied. Got to try 小龙虾 little lobsters for the very first time!

After that, we strolled around 天河中心, experiencing both the underground shopping malls and the hustle and bustle up on the street.

Day 2

The day began with a delightful yumcha/dimsum breakfast at 绿运茶局, a renowned restaurant listed on 大众点评 for four consecutive years. Despite a 30-minute wait, the high expectations were met. 

Best prawn dumplings 虾饺 I've ever had. 

Post-meal, we sought refuge from heavy rain with a shopping spree at 岗顶, indulging in various electrical goods and souvenirs. Our haul included Baidu devices, electrical watches, and a power bank, with a free diffuser thrown in.Electrical goods weren't the sole focus; dragging Mum and her friends out of the mall was a task. 

Our next destination was 陈家祠, the Chen Clan Academy, a historic ancestral hall famous for its Cantonese architecture and wood carvings. Opting not to purchase online tickets, we snapped photos outside and moved on.

The main agenda was a food trail, starting at 诚成煎饺 for dumplings, 香港食盈利碗仔翅 for (mock) shark fin soup, 勿理堂 for egg tarts, 芝麻糊世家 for black sesame dessert, 富记鱼蛋粉 for fish noodles (recommend to skip this), and 鸳鸯 for milk tea. 

The final stop was 大佛古寺, a serene-looking temple that turned out to be packed with people, creating a classic Instagram vs. reality moment.

Day 3 

The most important meal of the day - breakfast. First stop was to get some Cheong fun at 银记粉肠. 

Post breakfast, we ventured to 东山口, a hip area renowned for diverse street food and historical architecture, discovering an intriguing coffee shop.

Brunch at 达扬原味炖品 featured coconut-served soup, possibly the best ever. Do you think they actually boil the soup in the coconut or did they only used the coconut to serve? 

Next door, 咏春葱油饼 drew us with its queue. Not like they were famous or anything but if there's a line, it has got to be good right? 

Heading to Beijing Road, a bustling shopping street, we lunched at 啫神 God of Braised Pot, found via 小红书 (China version of Instagram), living up to its godly name. I am not even exaggerating when I say the food was indeed god-level. 

Post-lunch dessert at 任信老铺 for double skin milk pudding 双皮奶. Perfect way to balance out lunch. 

To burn off the calories, we explored 沙面岛 also known as Shamian Island, a historic and picturesque island in the heart of Guangzhou, characterized by its colonial architecture, tree-lined avenues, and a tranquil ambiance along the Pearl River. Very interesting demographic tho... felt like everyone was just there to get their perfect IG shot. 

After that, we decided to visit 永庆坊, or Yongqing Fang, is a cultural and commercial area in Guangzhou known for its blend of traditional architecture and modern amenities. But before we could even get there, mum and the rest of the crew was sucked into the local mall and we ended buying more electrical goods from Xiaomi (me included), Thank goodness the staffs at Xiaomi allowed us to store our good there and to only collect them when we're done with 永庆坊 otherwise I'm not sure how we'll be travelling while lugging around a couple of kettles. 

But before that, dinner time. 

After getting some roast duck, char siew and wonton soup for dinner, we finally made it to 永庆坊. 

Oh! and if you're at 永庆坊, you'll definitely need to drop by 李小龙祖居, the ancestral home of Bruce Lee, the martial arts legend, providing insight into his early life and showcasing memorabilia related to his influential career.

Day 4

Feeling a bit weary of the hustle and bustle, we opted to venture further from the town center and explore one of those old towns, 沙湾古镇. Although I can't quite recall the exact travel time, the journey stands out in my memory. Attempting a bit of adventure, we decided to take a bus in China. After a relatively short wait at the bus stop, the crowded conditions prevented us from boarding. Consequently, we summoned a DiDi (China's version of Uber) and ended up sharing it with a local guy heading in the same direction. Since there were seven of us and only one working DiDi account linked to a local mobile number and my credit card, we were fortunate to find another person willing to share the second DiDi with us. 

Having indulged in the culinary delights of 沙湾古镇 and relaxed at a trendy coffee shop, we felt it was time to move on. 

Eager to experience a bus ride in China, we set out to find a bus stop. Although we initially boarded the wrong bus, it turned out to be serendipitous. Our destination, 文化创意产业园, and 米谷书店 happened to be one of the stops on the route.

Our next destination was the 广州塔. It's like visiting the Twin Towers or KL Tower in Kuala Lumpur, or the Tokyo SkyTree or Tokyo Tower in Japan. So, if you're in Guangzhou, checking out the Guangzhou Tower is a must. While the rest of the group headed straight to 广州塔, my mom and I decided to detour back to 岗顶 (the place we visited on Day 2) because the power bank we bought wasn't working. It turned out to be a user issue – the plug point I used was faulty. 

After the detour, we returned to 广州塔 to meet up with the rest of the group.

Another spot where we didn't bother buying an entry ticket – a photo at the bottom of the tower was good enough to say we've been there.

For dinner, we headed to 羊没了 (direct translation - no more goat) for some goat shabu-shabu/hotpot. A classic was lamb served on a pile of ice, then into the hotpot with a bunch of herbs. Simple, but packed with flavor! The lamb didn't even have the typical lamb smell, 完全没有羊臊味.

For dessert, we tried some bugs on a stick, and surprisingly, I truly enjoyed it! The bugs were so crispy.

Day 5

One last lunch before heading to the airport at 湘颂, and it was honestly the perfect way to wrap up the Guangzhou trip.

Summary 

Day 1

• Dinner at 阿强家
• Visit 天河中心

Day 2  

• Yumcha/dimsum breakfast at 绿运茶局
• Shopping at 岗顶
• Visit 陈家祠, the Chen Clan Academy
• Food trail - starting at 诚成煎饺 for dumplings, 香港食盈利碗仔翅 for (mock) shark fin soup, 勿理堂 for egg tarts, 芝麻糊世家 for black sesame dessert, 富记鱼蛋粉 for fish noodles (recommend to skip this), and 鸳鸯 for milk tea. 
• Visit 大佛古寺

Day 3

• Cheong fun at 银记粉肠
• Visit 东山口
• Brunch at 达扬原味炖品 + 咏春葱油饼 
• Lunch at 啫神 God of Braised Pot
• Post-lunch dessert at 任信老铺 
• Visit 沙面岛
• Visit 永庆坊 + 李小龙祖居

Day 4

• Visit 沙湾古镇 
• Visit 文化创意产业园, and 米谷书店 
• Visit 广州塔
• Dinner at 羊没了

Day 5 

• Lunch at 湘颂
• Time to head back home!