An 8-Day Self-Guided Tour Across Five Destinations: Shanghai, Guangzhou, Zhaoqing, Macau, and Nanjing

Macau is officially the Macao Special Administrative Region. Since its return, it has been governed under the principle of "One Country, Two Systems." By this month, it has been exactly 21 years since Macau’s return to the motherland.

I had long wanted to visit Macau and see it firsthand. Once I made up my mind, I began researching and planning my trip.

I decided to fly from Shanghai to Guangzhou. On the evening of November 30th, I flew from Dalian to Shanghai. I had originally thought about spending the whole next day at Disneyland, but I gave up the idea at the last minute. In general, I’m more interested in cultural history and natural scenery.

December 1st itinerary: Former Residence of Soong Ching Ling, Zhou Enlai’s Former Residence (Zhou Gongguan), Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Former Residence Memorial Hall, Mao Zedong’s Former Residence, Shanghai Natural History Museum, Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, and the Bund.

After breakfast, I strolled along the streets and arrived at the Soong Ching Ling Memorial Hall at 9 a.m. The venue is well-run, with excellent service and detailed guides. During the visit, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of reverence. The large lawn in front of the main building is particularly famous; Soong Ching Ling met many Chinese and foreign guests on that very lawn.

From there, I walked for about ten minutes to Zhou Enlai’s Former Residence, known as Zhou Gongguan. It was the office of the Chinese Communist Party delegation in Shanghai during the first period of KMT-CCP cooperation. Zhou Enlai, Dong Biwu, and other party leaders worked here. Because Zhou was in charge of day-to-day matters, it became known as Zhou Gongguan. The guides gave vivid explanations, and I could almost feel the tense atmosphere of that era.

Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Former Residence Memorial Hall is very close by. Sun lived here for the last ten years of his life, and he shared this home with Soong Ching Ling for eight years—the longest period they lived together. Inside, there’s an exhibition about Sun’s life and work. Many of the ideas and writings that influenced China’s revolution were born here. Unfortunately, photography is not allowed.

Not far from there is Mao Zedong’s Former Residence. In 1924, Mao lived and worked here in Shanghai with his wife Yang Kaihui. Mao visited Shanghai more than ten times, but this was where he stayed the longest. During his time here, his leadership and working abilities improved, and he developed a fundamentally new understanding of the Chinese revolution: that the peasantry and armed struggle were the two basic issues, and that it was essential to vigorously promote the peasant movement and follow a revolutionary path of encircling the cities from the countryside and seizing power by armed force. These ideas would later change the entire country.

After Mao’s residence, I took the metro to People’s Square, where the Shanghai Museum and Shanghai Natural History Museum are located. I’d visited the Shanghai Museum before, so this time I went to the Natural History Museum. It’s quite large, with many exhibits, and I spent more than an hour leisurely exploring.

With time to spare, I checked the map and headed towards Nanjing Road. In the late afternoon, I walked along the Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street all the way to the Bund. By the time I arrived, it was getting dark. Ships were moving busily along the Huangpu River. Standing on the Bund and gazing at both banks, I felt the extraordinary charm of the Magic City.

According to the plan, I flew from Shanghai to Guangzhou that evening. At boarding, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the aircraft was a twin-aisle wide-body jet—my second time on such a plane. The first was over 20 years ago. How time flies! It really does go by in the blink of an eye. The most relentless thing in the world is time.

After arriving in Guangzhou, I chose a hotel opposite Yuexiu Park for convenience. The hotel gave me a room on the 15th floor; it was large with a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the lush Yuexiu Park. The view was wide and open.

I woke up early and checked the weather: the high for the day was 25°C, neither too cold nor too hot—perfect for travel. Meanwhile, I heard it had already started snowing in Dalian.

December 2nd itinerary: Guangdong Museum, Canton Tower, and Sun Yat-sen’s Grand Marshal Mansion.

In the morning, I took the metro to Huacheng Square, home to the Guangdong Museum, Guangzhou Opera House, and Guangzhou Library, all surrounded by skyscrapers. Across the river stands the Canton Tower, elegant and slender—very beautiful from afar.

The Guangdong Museum, with its square exterior and large area, is nicknamed the "Candy Box." It’s a comprehensive museum covering nature, culture, history, astronomy, and geography. One of its treasures is a crinoid fossil, the second largest in China.

Inside, I encountered a group of elderly women with southern accents. I followed their group, listening to the guide’s detailed explanations. At the end of the tour, as the guide said goodbye, one spectacled lady began earnestly lecturing the group on life lessons for about 20 minutes. The guide was stunned, nodding politely but awkwardly.

After the museum, I crossed the river by metro to the Canton Tower. At 600 meters, it’s the tallest sightseeing tower in China and the third tallest in the world. It’s a new Guangzhou landmark, nicknamed "Xiao Man Yao" (Slim Waist). There are several ticket packages; I bought the 150-yuan package. The weather was clear, and from the top, I looked out over both sides of the Pearl River and enjoyed the lovely scenery of the City of Rams. Terrific.

From the tower, I took a bus to the Grand Marshal Mansion. This was Sun Yat-sen’s headquarters when he established the revolutionary government in Guangzhou. The visit gave me a detailed insight into the course of Sun’s revolution.

Guangzhou is not only economically developed but also a city of cuisine. That evening, I found a buffet and had hotpot.

December 3rd itinerary: Premier Sun Yat-sen Memorial Stele, Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Room, Whampoa Military Academy Memorial, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Guangzhou Liberation Monument, Museum of the Western Han Dynasty Mausoleum of the Nanyue King, and Five Rams Statue.

Early the next morning, I first walked about 20 minutes to Guangzhou First People’s Hospital, near my hotel. To enter Macau from the mainland, you need a nucleic acid test certificate taken within seven days. The hospital was crowded; the test cost 70 yuan. I had done a test at Dalian Central Hospital before, which cost 105 yuan—slightly more expensive than in Guangzhou.

After the hospital, I headed to the Whampoa Military Academy Memorial. It’s far from the city center, requiring a metro, then a ferry, and a ten-minute walk. Whampoa Military Academy is famous in modern Chinese history; many films and TV dramas about the War of Resistance and Liberation mention it. Being a cadet there was an honor for soldiers of that era.

The academy was jointly founded by the KMT and CPC during the first period of cooperation. It trained numerous generals from both parties, including Ye Jianying, Chen Yi, Chen Geng, Xu Xiangqian, and Lin Biao. Chiang Kai-shek served as the commandant, and Zhou Enlai as head of the political department.

This is the commandant’s office, where Chiang Kai-shek worked.

After the academy, I took the metro back to the city center and visited the Sacred Heart Cathedral. This is one of Guangzhou’s larger churches and a popular photo spot. It’s a Gothic-style building constructed entirely of granite. Due to the pandemic, it wasn’t open.

Not far from the cathedral is the Guangzhou Liberation Monument. After visiting, I took the metro to the hospital to pick up my test report.

Then I walked about 20 minutes to the Museum of the Western Han Dynasty Mausoleum of the Nanyue King.

This is the tomb of the second Nanyue king. The burial chamber is open to visitors and is about 100 square meters—the first time in my life I’d ever been inside a royal tomb.

What shocked me was that the king was accompanied by 15 human sacrifices. They had no coffins but were laid flat in various parts of the tomb. After more than 2,000 years, except for a few bone fragments of a concubine, all the other remains had turned to dust, barely leaving human-shaped traces. Truly, "ashes to ashes, dust to dust." Time can destroy everything, no matter how much wealth and glory you once had. So, money and official rank—what do they matter? In a hundred years, all will return to dust. Eat, drink, travel when you feel like it—that’s the real way to live!

The museum exhibits burial objects, rich and exquisite. The masterpiece is a jade suit sewn with silk thread, not the golden-thread jade suits commonly seen in Han dynasty tombs.

By the time I left the museum, it was getting dark. I walked to Yuexiu Park across the street. The famous Five Rams Statue is located there.

The Five Rams Statue is a symbol of Guangzhou, representing the spirit of its people. Legend has it that over 2,000 years ago, five immortals riding five rams with rice ears in their mouths came to Guangzhou, gave the ears to the people, and the rams turned to stone. Guangzhou then became a fertile place, hence its nicknames "City of Rams" and "City of Rice.

December 4th itinerary: Seven Star Crags Scenic Area and Dinghu Mountain Scenic Area in Zhaoqing.

Not far from Guangzhou is the Seven Star Crags, a 5A scenic spot. I’ve known since childhood that it’s a famous Guangdong tourist destination, so visiting was part of my plan. Looking at the map, it’s in Zhaoqing, about an hour by intercity high-speed train. My hotel was very close to the train station, so it was convenient.

I took the high-speed train to Zhaoqing Station in the morning, then a five-minute bus ride to the Seven Star Crags. I read that Zhaoqing has two 5A areas: Seven Star Crags and Dinghu Mountain, collectively called Star Lake Scenic Area. They’re 16 km apart, with shuttle buses between them. A combined ticket is 120 yuan.

The Seven Star Crags have been a popular tourist spot since the Tang dynasty. It’s a typical karst landscape with peak forests, lakes, caves, and inscriptions, known as Lingnan’s foremost wonder.

Inside, I first took a boat to several main attractions, then a bamboo raft to see the seven peaks up close. Drifting on the raft and admiring the scenic banks felt wonderful!

There are many trees that naturally grow in water. The guide said their leaves change color with the seasons.

This is the scenic area’s reclining Buddha, said to be Asia’s second-largest natural reclining Buddha. Looking closely, it really does resemble one.

This is a cave in the area, not very long. I took a boat inside and listened to the boatman’s commentary—quite interesting.

Afterwards, I took the shuttle bus at the gate to Dinghu Mountain.

Established in 1956, Dinghu Mountain is China’s first nature reserve. Its biggest feature is its rich plant diversity; it’s called the "natural oxygen bar." There’s a giant bronze ding weighing 16 tons and a 2-ton inkstone, both Guinness World Records.

This is the central lake area, with a heart-shaped islet in the middle. Looking down from above, it’s very pretty.

Below the lake is Butterfly Valley, also called Lovers’ Valley. The scenery is great, and the air is extraordinarily fresh—breathing felt so comfortable. The concentration of negative ions here is said to be the highest ever measured in China.

This is Feishui Tan Waterfall, a nice spot. Sun Yat-sen visited Dinghu Mountain three times and swam in this pool with Soong Ching Ling.

A half-hour walk from the waterfall brought me to Qingyun Temple. Sun Yat-sen also visited and left a calligraphic inscription.

December 5th: Gongbei Port, Macao SAR Government Headquarters, Macau Historic Center walking streets, Ruins of St. Paul’s (Macau’s iconic landmark).

After touring Zhaoqing, I took the high-speed train to Zhuhai early the next morning. Right outside Zhuhai train station is Gongbei Port, just a two-to-three-minute walk—so convenient.

Before departing, I bought a 3-day data package (27 yuan). In Macau, my regular plan wouldn’t work; I’d need international roaming, which is expensive. With the package, I’d connect to Macau’s local carrier CTM by adjusting my phone settings. It saved a lot on internet fees. Once set, my phone screen changed immediately.

Next, I prepared my Macau Health Code. I converted my Guangdong health code to a Macau one, automatically carrying over the negative nucleic acid test info, so I didn’t need a paper copy at customs.

Finally, I exchanged 350 Macanese patacas (MOP) for emergencies. There are many exchange booths on both sides of Gongbei Port. The mainland side felt more formal; the exchange rate that day was 100 RMB for 116 MOP and 113 HKD. On the Macau side, there were also booths, but in small street shops: 100 RMB for 118 MOP.

I crossed from Zhuhai to Macau around noon, possibly peak time. The crowd surged like a tide. On the mainland side, exit was self-service. On the Macau side, as a first-time visitor, I had to go through manual immigration. The officer just glanced at me—maybe three seconds—unlike what I’d imagined with questions. Due to the crowd, the whole process took about 20 minutes.

After entering Macau, I took a bus to my hotel. All bus rides in Macau cost 6 MOP. Riding along, I noticed that due to Macau’s small size and limited land, the streets in the old town are very narrow. Even the buses are small and packed. I’m used to bigger buses in the mainland, so it felt unfamiliar.

Also, vehicles in Macau are right-hand drive and drive on the left—totally opposite to the mainland. It took me a while to adapt.

Macau consists of the Macau Peninsula, Taipa Island, and Coloane Island. Looking at the map, the city center and most historical sites are on the peninsula. Rua do Cunha and several famous hotels are on Taipa, while Coloane is mainly beaches.

For convenience, I chose a hotel on the peninsula, about a five-minute walk to the city center, ten minutes to the historic district, and fifteen minutes to the Ruins of St. Paul’s. It faces the Macau Tower across the lake, with the residence of the Portuguese consul and a Portuguese-style villa area nearby—a very nice environment.

Since this was a trip outside the mainland, I wanted to experience Macau to the fullest, so I booked a five-star hotel. It was my second time staying in a five-star; the room even had a tiny courtyard, and the facilities were excellent, exceeding expectations. I really wanted to stay longer.

Here’s the Macao SAR Government Headquarters. Quite small, indeed completely different from government buildings in the mainland.

From the hotel, I walked about ten minutes to the historic district, full of famous sites and tourist shops.

I’d always heard that Macau and Hong Kong are known for their pork chop buns. While wandering the historic district, I bought one for 20 MOP. It was quite big—one was enough to fill me up.

Macau’s trash bins look like this.

This is Macau’s iconic landmark: the Ruins of St. Paul’s. Originally built in 1604 as St. Paul’s Church, a fire destroyed the church, leaving only the façade.

On the way back to the hotel, I saw a street performance and stopped to watch for over 20 minutes. They sang in Portuguese, with a soulful, cheerful style.

A random shot of Macau at night. Not as grand as the Bund, but still beautiful.

December 6th itinerary: Maritime Museum, Moorish Barracks, Mandarin’s House, Dom Pedro V Theatre, St. Augustine’s Church, Leal Senado Building, St. Dominic’s Church, and Macau Tower.

This is the Moorish Barracks. During Portuguese rule, the government hired many Indians as police; this was their barracks, in an Islamic architectural style.

This is the Dom Pedro V Theatre, built in 1860—the first Western-style theatre in China.

This is St. Augustine’s Church, built in 1591, a Renaissance-style building and the largest gathering place for the faithful locally.

When I arrived at the church, I saw about 300 worshippers inside. I quickly took the only empty seat in the last row. Despite the crowd, it was exceptionally quiet—quieter than a company meeting of departmental heads. Everyone listened silently as the choir sang hymns one after another, often singing “Hallelujah.”

After the singing, out of nowhere, everyone suddenly stood up (I quickly stood up too), bowed their heads solemnly, and listened as a person spoke from the front—not in English or Cantonese, probably Portuguese. Then, suddenly, everyone made the sign of the cross, cried out “Amen” in unison, and began speaking and singing together. After one hymn, they listened again to another speaker, then sang “Hallelujah” repeatedly with a beautiful melody.

There were also rites of holy water, several moments of kneeling in prayer, and more. The whole service lasted about an hour. I participated fully, listening and praying with everyone. The atmosphere was wonderful, bringing a sense of inner peace. A great experience.

This is the Leal Senado Building, originally the City Hall, built in 1784 in Baroque style.

This is St. Dominic’s Church, built in 1587, Baroque style, with over 300 precious relics inside.

A service was also underway there, led by a foreign bishop guiding the faithful in prayer. There were over a hundred worshippers, mostly foreigners, and the entire service was in English.

Hymn singing was part of the liturgy, led by a woman singing in English, in a somewhat operatic style. The ethereal hymns echoed inside the church, solemn and sacred.

For lunch, I specially went to a five-star hotel to taste Macanese cuisine. Service was excellent, the dishes were many and refined. I ate a lot and was quite full.

In the afternoon, I strolled along the lakeside to digest lunch. After half a lap, I reached the Macau Tower. I went up to the revolving restaurant at the top for afternoon tea while enjoying the view. The weather was clear, and all the beautiful sights of Macau were before my eyes.

December 7th itinerary: Rua do Cunha, People’s Liberation Army Macau Garrison Military Exhibition Hall, The Venetian, The Parisian, Studio City, A-Ma Temple, Wynn’s Tree of Prosperity, Fortaleza do Monte, and Macau Museum.

In the morning, I took the bus to Taipa Island. First on the list: Rua do Cunha, a pedestrian street for Macanese souvenirs. It was too early, so most shops were still closed.

A ten-minute walk from Rua do Cunha brought me to The Venetian, famous for its indoor replica of the Grand Canal—a social-media hotspot. Since I arrived early, it was nearly empty; the gondolas were waiting quietly for their rowers.

This is the renowned The Parisian, with a scaled-down but identical Eiffel Tower right in front, very eye-catching.

This is Studio City Hotel, with a figure-8 Ferris wheel in the center, quite unique.

After visiting these famous hotels, I took the bus back to the Macau Peninsula. This is A-Ma Temple, built during the Ming dynasty, the oldest temple in Macau.

After A-Ma Temple, I wandered to Wynn Macau in the city center. There’s a famous Tree of Prosperity inside this globe. On the hour, it rises from the sphere—apparently a magnificent, dazzling spectacle.

But even when I waited for the hour, the tree didn’t rise. Maybe because of the pandemic.

From Wynn, I walked over 20 minutes to the Fortaleza do Monte. Built in 1617, it was the center of Macau’s defense system, with about 30 bronze cannons.

Originally, I planned to fly from Zhuhai back to Dalian after Macau, but the airline notified me of a schedule change, so I had to transit through Nanjing.

On the afternoon of December 7th, I returned to the mainland via Gongbei Port. Compared to noon, there were far fewer people in the afternoon; customs took only about ten minutes. Before entering the mainland, I checked a duty-free shop: a carton of Zhonghua cigarettes was 320 HKD—quite cheap.

December 8th itinerary: Nanjing’s Oriental Metropolitan Museum, Jiangsu Art Museum, Pilu Temple, and Confucius Temple Scenic Area.

I’ve been to Nanjing many times. After arriving, I took the metro to the Oriental Metropolitan Museum, which is not very large but introduces and exhibits the history of the Six Dynasties.

Adjacent to the museum is the Jiangsu Art Museum, with many paintings. I went in for a visit.

After the art museum, I walked about ten minutes to Pilu Temple. Its ginkgo trees are famous. I was a bit late—most leaves had fallen, presenting a scene of waning beauty.

In the afternoon, the airline notified me again that my Dalian flight was delayed until evening. With plenty of time, I strolled along the streets to the Confucius Temple scenic area.

Late at night, the plane touched down safely in Dalian. As soon as I exited the airport, I felt the chill. The temperature was already below zero. Well, once again I experienced the leap from summer straight to winter!

That’s the story of my Macau trip. I feel Macau is really quite nice—probably worth another visit.

Thanks for reading!