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Foshan Tourist Guide (March
2010)
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Attractions |
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Zoos, Water and Theme Parks, Museums - This page
Local Attractions
Amusement Parks
Foshan city has many parks and some dedicated outdoor
amusement parks suitable for all ages. The best one
is centrally located on Fen Jiang Zhong Lu just behind
the Musical Fountain show club. You can see the rides
from the main road, some of which are quite good and
include water rides.
There is another one located across the road and towards
the city centre. This is found on a parallel backstreet
with entrance located on Jincheng Street
Swimming
Swimming is usually confined to special pools within
apartment complexes and condominiums. Quality hotels
offer offer swimming pools + sauna, massage, beauty
treatments -which can also be found on local streets.
There are a couple of public swimming pools, but I remain
uncertain visiting foreigners would find these suitable
for their children; whilst most locals prefer to swim
in a local river. A good public swimming pool is located
on Jincheng Street, which runs parallel with Fen Jiang
Middle Road
Foshan Science Museum
This popular attraction is centrally located and enjoyed
by many visitors to Foshan city. Foshan Science Museum,
located in the flourishing and bustling section of Fenjiang
Middle Road just North of the roundabout near the Foshan
Hotel, was built in 1985 to better popularise scientific
knowledge and enable the public to approach and understand
science. The museum has set up four permanent exhibition
zones, that is, the Children's World, the Life Science
Zone, the Information Science Zone and the Intelligence
World.
There are 82 exhibits, interesting and full of scientific
knowledge, most of which are interactive and participative
models, allowing visitors to understand and experience
science through participation. Besides, there are a
4D cinema with special 4D effects, a planetarium with
excellent facilities, a little doctor science and technology
garden that can enable the visitors to fully exert their
imagination, consisting of a ceramics workshop, a future
engineers studio and a computer robots lab, as well
as a multi-functional conference hall, a popular science
training room and a computer room. The Science Museum
would also hold free lectures on popular science for
public welfare in the conference hall periodically.
Visitors are invited to watch an astronomy and geography
movie, look at the photos of the universe, collect astronomy
stamps and view telescopes. Visitors can also attend
a lecture on Shenzhou VI and China's spaceflight technology
development delivered by Guangdong Astronomical Society
Director Luo Guisheng.
Water Parks
There are two dedicated water parks within 1-hour of
the Foshan Hotel, plus Chimelong (Mentioned separately).
One is called Ocean World and is located near to Guangzhou
Zoo to the Northwest of the city centre. Whilst this
also features huge fish tanks as well as water based
rides, local visitors we know say it is over-rated.
Big Hippo Water World 大河马水上世界
Beside Nanhu Hotel, Baiyun District Guangzhou 广州市白云区南湖西路
Gold Coast Water Park 黄金海岸水上乐园
543 Binjiang Dong Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou.
广州海珠区滨江东路543号
Nanhai Leigang Water Park 南海雷岗水上乐园
Haisan Lu, Nanhai, Foshan, Guangdong 佛山市南海区桂城海三路
Ocean World - Guangzhou Zoo 海洋馆-广州动物园
120 Xianlie Zhong Road 广州市越秀区先烈中路120号
Away from Guangzhou, you will find a lovely water park
located in the small town of Lie Liu in Shunde (Lat
lao), and is again about 1-hour from the Foshan Hotel.
This dedicated water park has slides and all manner
of water based amusements and activities. This also
has restaurants, nightlife area with disco, stage and
large TV screen, plus roms for KTV. This is run by my
good friend Jason Liu, who is a very genuine businessman
looking to offer affordable activities to local people,
rather than make a fortune. What I like about this establishment
is that there are several patios overlooking the various
pools where parents can watch their children enjoying
themselves. Fully trained staff are present supervising
all rides and swimming pools, and swimming lessons are
available. The pools close at either 8 or 9pm depending
upon season, whilst the other facilities remain open
until 2am or later. The park is located on the main
road in Lie Liu near the Government and Police buildings,
and quite near MacDonald's.
White Water Rafting
By this we mean water rides that are designed to take
a family down several miles of river, although serious
white water rafting is also available (Detailed separately).
Foreign families will most enjoy the one located in
the City District capital of San Shui (Sam Soi), which
lies due East of Foshan about 1-hour by taxi. You can
also travel by bus to the main San Shui bus station
and then catch another local bus or taxi. Allow at least
90 minutes if travelling this way.
The water rafting is part of a water amusement complex
that features a couple of large swimming pools, some
limited water based activities, and the water canyon
ride down a hillside. Whilst you can go directly to
the ride itself, most visitors choose to walk up the
side of the river, which is very interesting and forms
a nature trail of about 1-hours easy walk. Every visitor
we have spoken to stated they enjoyed this ride immensely.
Those seeking more serious water rafting need to travel
a little further field, and should either head for Zhaoqing
city (2 hours from Foshan), or Guilin in neighbouring
Guangxi Province (4 hours from Foshan). Both of these
cities are also very picturesque and deserve several
days dedicated visit in their own right. They are not
really a part of our Foshan guide, but related by close
proximity. We have written guides for both destinations
here: Zhao Qing
and Guilin
Chimelong
Chimelong (Sing Long) is a massive Western style amusement
park that has several different parts: Zoo, Rides, and
Circus. It is located just outside the city of Panyu,
which takes 40 minutes to reach by car from central
Foshan. You can find full details in their website:
From personal experience you need to allow a full day
to see either the Zoo or Rides. If you were to start
early and not do everything, then you could do both
in one day. Be aware the rides and zoo close about 6pm,
and you have an hour for dinner before the circus starts
circa 7 - 7.30 pm. We have not visited the zoo yet,
but everyone tells us it is great and a must see. The
rides are spread out over a large area, and similar
in most respects to Alton Towers in England. They span
the full spectrum including those suitable for small
children, through to several huge rides designed to
scare venturous adults. They offer a large selection
of water rides also and some of these are quite original
and a lot of fun. We suggest you visit the water rides
earlier in the day - as you can get totally soaked on
some of them, and it is good to dry out whilst the hot
sun is still shinning. For full details please see their
website: http://en.chimelong.com
The main entrance provides access to all three areas:
zoo, rides, and circus. Of the three, the circus is
perhaps most notable, being a permanent feature that
concentrates mainly on human skills and performances.
Many varied animals are included in the show, but those
with animal welfare concerns should find this very acceptable.
Obviously the zoo and circus work very closely together.
As well as circus animals and clowns during changeovers,
acts include variety show, trapeze and high-wire acrobatics,
novelty acts and visiting highlight performances. At
times entertainers mix with the crowd engendering much
fun with simple competitions and audience involvement.
The top act features the resident troupe of acrobats
performing on large rotating wheels. Some of their stunts
are breathtaking, and the 3- hour show is worth it just
for their performance.
Returning to outside the main entrance after 10pm, you
will find there is no direct coach transport, unless
you can find a spare seat on a tour coach. There are
taxis and private drivers however. The private drivers
will be hanging around cars parked at the outer entrance,
and may approach you. We have used these several times
and found them to be quite genuine and safe. Expect
to pay less than Y100 for a full car of people back
to Foshan. If your group is larger, then they will know
others with microbuses or another car.
Walking Trails
Walking is not a usual Chinese pastime, but trails do
exist nearby for those that like to get out and have
some exercise. The best ones are located at Xi Qiao,
the big hill to the Southwest of Foshan. These are detailed
at the main entrance and tourist maps are also available.
Keen amblers may prefer to visit the nearby city of
Zhaoqing, some 2 hours west by bus, and 1 hour by car.
Before reaching the city proper there is a major tourist
attraction to your left know as Ding Hu Shan. This is
a buddhist mountain complete with temples, an enormous
three-legged cooking pot that is still used for festivals,
and a butterfly sanctuary. The mountain is also home
to three graded walking trails that are well signposted
with coloured trail marker posts. These are roughly:
a couple of hours, half a day, and a full day in length.
Ding Hu is also home to the highest quality inkstone
produced in China, and this is mined and carried down
the mountainside by hand. You will see many local vendors
selling these, but we suggest you purchase from one
of the craftsmen that actually make these by hand. An
inkstone is a stone used to hold ink, as used in Chinese
calligraphy, and associated brushes and ink are also
available at these outlets.
Ice Skating
Foshan city does not have an ice skating rink, but one
is planed for the the future. The nearby cities of Guangzhou
and Zhaoqing do, and there is one in Shunde County.
There is a full size ice skating rink in Tian He, Guangzhou's
thriving business district. Located inside the vast
and brand new Grandview Mall, the ice rink is situated
on one of the upper levels and has become a very popular
destination for recreation, especially with teenagers.
You can rent skates and they also have instructors on
hand that can help out beginners. There is even an actual
Zamboni driver that comes out and re-ices the rink periodically
Lucky City Rink, is a unique large indoor rink in Foshan
Shunde County, is located at the first floor of Lucky
City. Covering an area of 1,800 square meters and skating
ice area of 800 square meters, the link was set up by
Lucky City with an investment of over ten million Yuan.
Address: 1st Floor, Lucky City, Ronggui, Shunde.
Tel.: 0757-22902333 28308888
Zhaoqing ice rink is located about 800 yards along the
road leading directly away from the roundabout at the
city square, which overlooks 7 stars lake and crags.
Fishing Restaurants
There are a lot of this style of restaurant, and they
are typically made of traditional bamboo construction
and have many private rooms. These places specialise
in offering Chinese 'sushi' aka, raw fish. Anglers will
be please to know that most of these places are built
around stocked fish pools, and you can go there and
use their supplied fishing rods to catch your own dinner.
If this is not for you, then the restaurant will net
the fish for you and serve as desired at your table.
As well as raw fish, these restaurants also serve cooked
versions from extensive menus. One that is highly recommended
is located on Ji Hua Road, and several miles due West
of the city, near the interchange with Foshan Number
1 ring road. When travelling West you will see it set
on the left hand side of the road in plain sight.
Sea Fishing
Foshan is a long way from the open sea, so for sea fishing
you will need to travel. There are three areas of note,
the nearest being at the mouth of the West Pearl River
near Jiang Men. There are two famous islands here also,
this is a good place to begin. Further afield, and we
are talking flying here, we recommend Hainan Island,
and further West: Qinzhou in neighbouring Guangxi Province.
This is South China's major fishing port, and fish caught
here are sold all over China.
Musical Fountains
Foshan has the first musical fountain in all of China,
and it is located beside the nightclub of the same name
(Detailed above) on Fen Jiang Middle Road, and beside
the main Amusement Park. This features a cluster of
fountains, which act like geysers and are showcased
with lights and music, making for a fascinating show.
A second is located in the main city square of nearby
Zhaoqing city overlooking 7 stars lake and crags. It
is displayed on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
evenings around 7.30 or 8pm for half an hour. This one
is very cool and features some truly astounding jets
of water. The show is accompanied by British Marching
Band music, which is a tad bizarre!
Golf
Golf is becoming very popular in China, and Foshan does
have special golf courses to suit all tastes. Most are
part of dedicated development projects and associated
with hotel complexes and residential areas for the local
wealthy. We will list only three, but know there are
many others listed in the Foshan Tourist Guidebook (Available
free at all good hotels).
Foshan Golf Club:
Add: Golf Club section of Guangfo highway
Tel: 85568888
Nanhai Gold Club:
Add: West East Avenue, Guidan Road, Danzao Town, Nanhai
(By the side of Xianhu Lake).
Tel: 85444333
Nanhai Peach Garden Golf Club:
Add: Nanguo Peach Garden, Songgang, Nanhai
Tel: 85231981
Butterfly sanctuaries
Foshan has a resort named Butterfly Valley. This does
not mean it has a butterfly sanctuary, although you
can see many butterflies thereabouts in the wild.
The best butterfly sanctuary is actually near Zhaoqing
and located within Ding Hu Shan Buddhist Mountain -
some 90 minutes by coach from Foshan city centre.
Hot springs
There are many hot springs in the area, although none
in Foshan city itself. Most are an hour or two distant
and centred around either Guangzhou or Tai Shan. These
places are excellent and usually feature different pools
of varying temperatures set within a hotel complex.
You do not have to be a patron to use them. One near
Guangzhou is a mud version, whilst we recommend another
due south of Tai Shan City on the road to Gong Hoi.
Nanhai Film and Television Studio
This is one of CCTV's main film locations and offers
a very interesting and different activity for tourists.
There are far too many permanent sets to list here,
but it is definitely worth a half day visit at least.
Kids will love it, and there is quite a lot to do. The
studio is located just north of Foshan on the Guihe
Highway - or about 20 minutes in a taxi from the Foshan
Hotel.
Ethnic villages and cultural replica working
villages from history
There are several of these within easy reach from Foshan
city centre, and others a little further afield. Lets
give you a short list:
Xi'an Cave is the highlight of Xi'an
village resort, set on Tea Mountain. Here you can also
see taoist architecture and fine gardens with babbling
brooks running through.
Open: 8.30 to 18.00
Price: Y20
Tel: 86802233
DaQiTou Ancient Village is located
in Leping Town, San Shui District, so allow 1-hour to
get there from Foshan centre. This remains a working
village of traditional culture, and features typical
wok-handled roofs of the late Qing Empire.
Open: 9.00 to 12.00 and 14.00 to 18.00.
Price: Y3.5
Tel: 87386548
Old Foshan is located to the north of the city
centre, and near Jusco. These dwellings feature traditional
wokhandled roofs and are still used by local residents
today. Foshan Tourist Board promotes DongHua Lane in
their guidebook, although there are many of these old
streets still to be seen elsewhere. You will also find
many of these just off Fulu Road, which runs south from
Jusco main entrance crossroads.
FengJian Old Village, also known as
Shunde Zhou Village, is located in Xiangtan, Shunde.
It is surrounded by river and water and the ancient
style of life has been preserved. Traditionally residents
built their houses along the river and boats play a
central role in village life.
Entrance free of charge.
Contact: 27381120 or 27381186 for more information. |
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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
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