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Image: Ancient and Modern Mix in Modern Foshan

Image: Anne and Sophie Demonstrate Kung Fu in Foshan

Image: The Art of Chinese Motorcycle Zen, as practiced by a Motorcycle Taxi. Complete with Rider Taking-5. This Machine Appears to Feature the Latest in Ergonomic Design

Image: Fun with Clay at Foshan Nanfeng Ancient Kiln

Image: View From The Golden Lake Hotel, Overlooking my Gaff and Foshan TV & Radio Tower

Image: Foshan TV Tower at Night

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Tourist Guides for China
Foshan Tourist Guide (July 2010)
Neighbouring Attractions and Cities
Related Pages:
Introduction
Culture
City Tour
City Districts
Regional Attractions - This Page
Sample Day
Shopping
Kung Fu
Zoos, Water and Theme Parks, Museums

Regional Attractions
Whilst all current city guides offer great resources for tourists to Foshan (City District), they classify places of interest several hours away, with city centre sights. They do not give any information whatsoever to nearer attractions that are not within Foshan City District. China Expats knows this is not the information you need, so we are trying to simplify it for you, and include nearby  destinations of great interest or beauty technically outside of Foshan.

Neighbouring Tourist Highlights
This brief section is designed to give tourists sightseeing options that are memorable and 'must do', but lie a little outside of Foshan City District as detailed above. We mention them because on an international scale, they are very nearby.

Zhaoqing

Zhaoqing is perhaps my favourite city in the whole of China, and lies 2-hours west of Foshan, (and less than 1-hour west of San Shui City), on the Pearl River. It is linked to Hong Kong by daily Sea cat Ferry services (includes 1-hour free coach transfer from Zhaoqing to Gaoming); and is one of the most memorable cities I have ever visited.

The city centre and square lies on the shore of 7-stars lake (The Plough), and features a magical Musical Fountain most evenings at either 7.30 or 8pm (I forget, sorry). The lake is several miles across, and in the distance are the 7 Crags, shaped as The Big Dipper. You can easily spend all day here, and should not attempt to do it in half a day. Many of the crags have underground caverns and lakes inside them, whilst others feature poetic writings from times long gone. The crags are on the far shore, where the train station (To Hong Kong) and several good hotels are located. You can either walk around the lakes (To the right), or hire a boat (On your left). If it gets too hot, then visit the ice ring about 5 furlongs down the main street behind you. At night chill till dawn on one of the bamboo restaurants built out over the shores of the lake near the square. Chill time! The city also boasts ancient walls and pagoda's, and has a brand new international standard 5***** star hotel fronting the lake.

Ding Hu Shan lies 20 minutes away from downtown Zhaoqing by charabanc. You actually pass it on the way from Foshan or Guangzhou, and it is near the traffic island (The only one on this very long road). The best entrance actually lies on a nearby road and you are headed for one of the lower hills. This is known as Buddha Mountain, and is breathtaking! It has the cleanest air in Southern China, and a gigantic 3-legged cooking pot that you can walk underneath, and it still feeds over 2, 000 people during festivals. You can walk, or take a small coach inside. Guides are also available, and worth it. There is a butterfly farm housed on an island in a secluded lake just beyond the main centre of attractions, and a walk through from here that returns you to the centre, eventually.

Other highlights include 'Stepping Stones Lake and Waterfall', which is one your left as you descend, and near a nondescript food outlet. This is a great place to take kids, although it is actually very romantic. There are other temples scattered around the mountain; but tourists may be more interested in the mountain walks. There are three of these, and they are graded and fully signposted as westerners would expect. The area also has excellent water, and it is my pleasure to drink it every day. However, the highlight for culture is that in another aspect of this mountain is home to quarries that provide the finest 'inkstone' in the whole of China. Inkstone is used by artists and calligraphers to hold ink. It is obviously impervious to ink, and comes delicately carved with fantastic designs. To purchase an excellent piece as supplied to many Chinese Emperors, then you will need to go to the small village where genuine craftsmen still make them by hand. Souvenir hunters will be happy with the offerings the local traders display (Inside the mountain complex); and who will also sell you a full set of calligraphy brushes, and ink. Top Hole!

Our recommendation would be to plan an overnight stay with two full days here. Practically, this means perhaps staying for two nights. We would stay at the luxury hotel near the crags and use this as our base, at least for one night. It features a boat connection to the main square, and is right in the middle of the crags and ideal to explore them from.

To make a bit more of an itinerary, we would suggest you travel out via San Shui and take a few hours to visit the attractions there. It also makes geographical sense to return via Xi Qiao (Bearing in mind some attractions close at midday).

For more information please visit our Zhaoqing pages here

Hong Kong

Vibrant, unique, and a must visit; Hong Kong is the only place in China where West meets East. It lies 2-hours from Foshan, and needs several days to see properly. There are far too many things to do there to describe here ... so please visit our dedicated Hong Kong City Guide for more information

Macao

Macao (Macau) is very different from Hong Kong, and unique in its own inimitable ways. During the day it offers excellent shopping along Latin facaded, pedestrianised thoroughfares; whilst at night if becomes 'Las Vegas'. If you want gambling (Illegal in China Mainland), or different clothes and shopping experiences - then I highly recommend it. Be warned that locals either speak: Guangzhou Cantonese or Portuguese, whilst officialdom speaks only Mandarin. Everybody else speaks English. We have not as yet published a tourist guide to Macao, as it is mainly a small world city dedicated to gambling pursuits.

Guilin

Guilin is one of China's top tourist destinations, and is located just across the provincial border of northern Guangdong in Guangxi Province. Whilst the city itself is totally missable, the neighbouring scenery is a total wonder - so much so that it features on the Y20 RMB banknote. However, most Chinese tours are aimed at Chinese people, and are completely missable. We suggest you do your own thing here, and use the 4-day package deals for transportation purposes only. Whilst tour operators continue to focus their advertising on this now semi-industrialised and badly polluted city, we would recommend you miss this: except for the trip to the waterfall and perhaps a river or bicycle trip (One-way) to Yangshuo.

Yangshuo
Once here, head for Yangshuo, and Outside Inn run by a Belgian who has made this niche of China his own. He offers exceptionally excellent local tours and relaxation + cultural excursions and visits to ethnic villages. Whilst you will find Guilin proper a nightmare, you will find peace and tranquility in these parts. You can find full details of both centres in our dedicated Guilin Tourist Guide and associated Yangshuo Tourist Guide

Lechang

Lechang is situated in most northerly Guangdong Province, and centres upon Shaoguan City. This County is well off the tourist trail, but features Ethnic Minorities, and the only ancient mountain pass from The North. We mention this area because it is very different, and retains great historical and ethnical significance. It is also home to the only treacherous mountain pass that linked Guangdong to the North of China by foot - it was even too hostile an environment for donkey's!

We would suggest you spend an entire week exploring this amazing County, using local town and village guides as you explore it's deeper and unrivalled resources. Some villages specialise in rare ethnic instruments, whilst others made quality wares destined for ancient Chinese Emperors. This area is also home to the Hakka people, their language and culture. You can stay at a traditional Hakka roundhouse and learn more about their culture and traditions. Mark from CCTV's excellent Travelogue program spent a week in these parts, and we endeavour to echo his experiences for your benefit. The 'Male' and nearby 'Female' mountains are a remarkable wonders of natural erosion! A tourist guide is forthcoming - but when during 2010 remains unknown.

Hainan Island

The main island here is the centre for another 200 islands in the vicinity. It is a very special place, and considered to be China's Pearl and Beach Paradise. All I can say is that is is breathtaking, and/or a total western chill. Hainan has massive plans for the immediate future (10 years and counting), but here you will already find real beaches, all types of western water sports, ethnic minorities, and so much more. Standard tours are of 4-days duration, and you may want to spend 4-weeks here! Hainan Tourist Guide

Tai Shan City

Toisan in Cantonese, is home to many international Chinese, and currently 3/4ths of Toisan people live in the west, permanently! The city itself features modern pedestrianised streets of huge proportions, complemented by Colonial style facades. It, along with natural twin city Kai Ping, is the birthplace of 'Watchtowers', being a sort of Chinese Castle. However, you really need to head for the coast and Gonghoi. That should probably be Guang Hai in Mandarin? Anyway's: Near Gonghoi are two island jewels set in the South China Sea. These are not yet developed, and one is a dedicated Buddhist reserve which needs permission from the Head Monk to enter/land. What you may not know is that this area is fantastic for Deep-Sea Fishing, absolutely fresh seafood, and water sports.


Chime Long

Chime Long is a great complex situated on the outskirts of Panyu, a neighbouring small city about 40 minutes taxi from downtown Foshan. Chime Long is probably to Guangdong Province, what Alton Towers is to UK + more! The zoo is massive and requires a full day to see-all. The same for the Theme Park, which features Western style rides, and a lot of water rides. Given this area of the world has a 6-month long and blindingly hot summer season - then the water rides are great ... and you do get very wet! Standard rides are also very good, with a couple that would highlight in most established Western amusement parks. In Autumn, do the water rides first, as it can start to chill in the evenings sometimes.

Circus - the highlight for most foreign visitors is the circus, which does include trained animals from the adjacent zoo. I will dispose of the obvious 'western' question first by stating this is a fixed venue circus, and the animals are very well treated. Some perform minor acts in association (Or not) with human handlers, but mostly, this circus is all about human skills and amazing acrobatics. They have a long-standing team of Italian performers on gigantic spinning wheels that is totally breathtaking, and a highlight on any stage, anywhere in the world! The clowns also come amongst the audience and create much havoc and fun - handing out free gifts to both the lucky and unlucky by chance. This really gets the whole crowd involved, and selected reprobates are sometimes asked to perform on stage = not fixed in advance! Meanwhile, Trapeze artists and body performers vie for the crowds attention with the runaway Chimpanzee troop, and horse corral. A totally excellent nights entertainment!

China Expats highly recommend this for a complete day out! Price fully inclusive of either Zoo or Rides + Circus is around Y130 per day, all rides free!

Guangzhou

Guangzhou is the epitome of Guangdong, but not one of the most attractive cities in the world. This is due to its millennia of roots dedicated to foreign trade and manufacture. However, Guangzhou is essentially important regarding Chinese history, both ancient and modern. For decades after the overthrow of the last Empire, and before the founding of the State of Modern China, Guangzhou was the democratic capital and cultural heartland of 'New China, via the esteemed Dr. Sun Yat Sen - One of the Three Great Leaders of Modern China. Therefore Guangzhou is extremely important to China, and still remains so after countless millennia: 'The Silk Road of the Sea' to this very day.

For the casual tourist who may not be interested in Chinese history and politics, Guangzhou offers great wealth of cultural heritage. However our focus returns to amusements and family entertainments. Therefore we will head out west of the city centre, and to Ocean World

Ocean World is a multi-complex that includes a gigantic water park, and also houses nearby the Provincial Zoo. Both are very well worth visiting in their own right, and tickets for both attractions can be sold as one. Kids will love the long water slides and shutes + all things water orientated. The zoo has been maligned in the past, but has recently been brought up to international standards, especially concerning animal welfare. This in part is headed by the Giant Panda programme, which works in synergy with base in Chengdu, and other notable satellites such as Hong Kong (Ocean Park), and Shenzhen.

This page could be extended indefinitely, but for now we will draw the line here - and add further content at a later date.
This information is as supplied by China Expats and our friends, as dated 10th July 2010, and/or other reliable sources. Please check this information yourself as it may alter without notice, and whilst we try our best to ensure it is correct, please do not hold us responsible for any errors - this is intended as a simple guide only
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Image: Street map of Foshan
Foshan Fotofile
Image: Bank of China, Dong Jian Century Plaza, Foshan

Image: Footbridge connecting KFC at Dong Jian Plaza, with Gui Wah Fo Chong

Image: KFC at Dong Jian Century Plaza

Image: Bank of China behind You, KFC in front of You. Dong Jian Century Plaza, Foshan

Image: Same spot looking right towards Martino's restaurant. Bank of China on your right, KFC to your left

Image: Same place, opposite view. This is a very good private hospital on the corner. It is deceptively large and rises 5-floors.  DJ Cafe ahead on right. Kingdom hotel left 200 yards.

Image: DJ Cafe, near Dong Jian Century Plaza, Foshan

Image: Bentily Hotel

Image: Bull Bull Restaurant. Right side, alley to wetmarket

Image:  Hao Shun Lao restaurant, near Dong Jian Century Plaza, Foshan

Image: Alley to the wetmarket at the side of the private hospital. Bank of China behind you

Image: Chicken Restaurant

Image: Xi'an Restaurant

Image: Hunan Restaurant

Image:  Red Cafe, a western style reataurant next to the Kingdom Hotel

Image: Rave Party nightclub - one of the best in Foshan
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