2023 Spring Festival Trip – Vibrant Guangzhou at Its Finest
Destinations: Guangzhou, Foshan
Travelers: two adults, one child
Travel dates: January 22-27, 2023
Procrastination alert: This travelogue, originally from the 2023 Spring Festival, has been delayed until the 2024 Spring Festival.
In the 2023 Spring Festival, we boarded a southbound flight for the long-awaited beautiful Guangzhou.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, bustling and lively.
A three-hour flight, a temperature difference from one degree to 23 degrees, we arrived in Guangzhou safely. Dropping off luggage, we took the metro to Beijing Road in old Guangzhou. At 4 PM, Beijing Road was packed with crowds, shoulder to shoulder, incredibly lively. Everyone was enjoying life wholeheartedly. Walking among the throngs, I felt a deep sense of groundedness. Beijing Road has many time-honored brands—Tao Tao Ju, Lian Xiang Lou—and the majestic Giant Buddha Temple, plus a naked-eye 4D display on the street that drew people to stop and watch. We slowly strolled with the flow.
On the second day of the New Year, Foshan lion dance and a Pearl River night cruise.
China's lion dance is best in Guangdong, and Guangdong's lion dance is best in Foshan. On the morning of the second day, we took the Guangfo Line to Foshan's Ancestral Temple and Wong Fei-hung Memorial Hall. The lion dance performance started at 10 AM. In southern lion dance, the yellow lion represents Liu Bei, the red lion Guan Gong, and the black lion Zhang Fei. That day, a yellow lion performed, looking adorably naive yet moving with great agility. As the gongs and drums sounded, the lion leaped onto the stakes, jumping, tumbling, turning, standing up, and occasionally dipping down, drawing gasps and applause from the audience. The dancers were mostly young men. I have to say, the inheritance of traditional culture in Guangdong is really well done.
After the show, we went to the back street of the memorial hall, to Chen's Shadowless Kick Blind Man's Balls shop, where we had large balls (wanzi), fish skin, bird's nest steamed egg, and ginger milk curd. The balls were bouncy and QQ-textured, the fish skin crisp and refreshing.
In the afternoon, we rested at the hotel to recharge for a Pearl River night cruise. Dinner was at the time-honored Yongli Restaurant by the river, where the signature dish is the nearly extinct Jiangnan Hundred-Flower Chicken, an elaborate preparation akin to modern molecular gastronomy, and it truly tasted extraordinary. The pork knuckle and dry-fried beef ho fun were also good. Other dishes were just average.
After dinner, we boarded a cruise on the Pearl River. Around 7 PM, high-rises lined the riverbank, countless lights twinkling, with Canton Tower changing its lights to illuminate the river. The long riverfront was a scene of bustling prosperity. Our little one joined an arrow-throwing game on the boat and actually came first, winning a small bottle of Wuliangye liquor and even getting interviewed—so happy.
On the third day, Chimelong safari and circus.
This was the highlight of the trip—a visit to Chimelong Safari Park. Entering through the north gate, we queued for the small train ride. All sorts of wild animals were so close, relaxed and at ease. The white tiger diving show drew a big crowd. The little koalas slept most of the time, but once awake, they moved quite swiftly. The animal performances in the park were spectacular, with birds and beasts taking turns on stage, simply wonderful—like watching a real-life animated movie. Finally, we reached the flamingo area and reluctantly left the zoo. A panda-themed hotel perfectly suited for children. In the evening, we watched the Chimelong International Circus. The 8,000-seat venue was fully packed, and the 1.5-hour show was a superb experience, with the atmosphere reaching one climax after another.
After the circus, starving, we headed to Ma Zai Ji Shi Duo for some down-to-earth Cantonese food. The restaurant's décor had a vintage Hong Kong film vibe; the dishes were cheap and the taste was excellent, with the dry-fried beef ho fun full of wok hei.
On the fourth day, Happy World, thrilling and refreshing.
Day four saw a temperature drop in Guangzhou, so we wore down jackets. Entering Happy World through the south gate, we dashed to its signature ride—the vertical drop roller coaster, with an 80-meter drop. It was an experience of your body flying ahead while your soul chased after, sheer terror. Those seconds hanging at the top were truly despair-inducing. The giant frisbee flung you into the sky, both thrilling and exhilarating—one of my favorite daring rides; I rode it twice. The U-shaped board? Not for me, it's a young person's ride. Our kid ran around the park freely, hitting all the favorite rides. The 3 PM parade pushed the park atmosphere to a fever pitch. That evening, exhausted but joyful, we checked into Yilin Holiday Hotel at the foot of Baiyun Mountain. The hotel's complimentary Qingyuan chicken hotpot was surprisingly delicious. The chicken broth had coconut added, making it very refreshing, and the chicken was tender, smooth, and fragrant. After dinner, we went back to our room and slept sweetly through the night.
On the fifth day, climbing Baiyun Mountain and visiting Sun Yat-sen University.
After breakfast, we accessed Baiyun Mountain directly from the hotel. The mountain air was fresh, with many elderly doing morning exercises, carrying speakers playing cheerful Cantonese songs: "Oh, beautiful winter jasmine, everyone loves it..." After descending, we took the metro to Sun Yat-sen University, strolling through the quiet campus and soaking in its charm. In the evening, we explored the Tianhe District commercial area.
On the sixth day, morning tea and happy shopping.
How could you visit Guangdong without experiencing its morning tea culture? In the morning, we went to Yujingxuan for dim sum. The teahouse had an elegant ambiance. The tea was served first, and we sipped as small dim sum dishes arrived one by one. Almost nothing I ordered missed the mark; for a northerner, everything was incredibly delicious, each dish striking the taste buds. Top pick was the shrimp dumpling king, packed with succulent shrimp. The black gold flowing custard buns looked cool, and with a bite, the salted egg yolk filling oozed out. The boat congee was savory and delightful. Lunjiao cake was fragrant, soft, and delicate. Pig trotter in ginger vinegar was tangy and salty, to my liking. Red rice rolls were crispy on the outside. Steamed chicken feet were tender and flavorful. Steamed rice rolls were generously stuffed. The mangosteen-shaped dessert looked super appealing. Radish cake... We lazily enjoyed our morning tea, a moment of relaxation and ease.
After morning tea, we wandered around Tianhe District's malls, happily shopping. The streets of Guangzhou were dotted with osmanthus trees, their fragrance intoxicating and refreshing, making me warm to the city even more.
In the afternoon, we set off for home. This beautiful journey ended, looking forward to the next station...
