Shanghai, Guangzhou, Zhaoqing, Macau, Nanjing: An Eight-Day, Five-City Self-Guided Tour
Macau's full name is the Macau Special Administrative Region. After its return to China, Macau has been implementing the 'one country, two systems' policy. As of this month, Macau has been reunited with the motherland for exactly 21 years.
I had always wanted to visit Macau in person. After making up my mind, I began researching and planning my trip to Macau.
I decided to transit through Shanghai to Guangzhou. On the evening of November 30, I flew from Dalian to Shanghai. I had originally planned to spend the whole of the next day at Disneyland, but I gave up at the last moment. Overall, I am more interested in humanities, history, and natural scenery.
December 1 itinerary: Soong Ching-ling Memorial Residence, Zhou Gongguan (Former Residence of Zhou Enlai), Sun Yat-sen Memorial Residence, Former Residence of Mao Zedong, Shanghai Natural History Museum, Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, the Bund.
After breakfast, I strolled slowly along the street. At 9 a.m., I arrived at the Soong Ching-ling Memorial Residence. The overall standard of this venue is high, with good service and detailed explanations. After the visit, I felt an involuntary sense of reverence. The large lawn in front of the main building is very famous; Soong Ching-ling once received many Chinese and foreign guests on this lawn.
After leaving the Soong Ching-ling Memorial, I walked along the street for about ten minutes to Zhou Gongguan. This is the former site of the office of the Chinese Communist Party delegation in Shanghai during the period of the first Kuomintang-Communist cooperation. Zhou Enlai, Dong Biwu, and other party leaders worked and fought here. Because Zhou Enlai was in charge of daily work, it is also called Zhou Gongguan. The explanations inside were vivid, allowing one to feel the tense atmosphere of that era.
The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Residence is very close to Zhou Gongguan. This was where Sun Yat-sen lived during the last ten years of his life, and he lived here with Soong Ching-ling for eight years, making it the longest residence they shared. The venue displays some of Sun Yat-sen's life stories. Many of Sun Yat-sen's ideas and works that influenced the Chinese Revolution were born here. Unfortunately, photography is not allowed inside.
Not far from the Sun Yat-sen Memorial is the Former Residence of Mao Zedong. This was where Mao Zedong lived with Yang Kaihui while working in Shanghai in 1924. Mao Zedong visited Shanghai more than ten times, and this was the place where he lived the longest. During his work here, Mao Zedong's leadership and work abilities improved. At the same time, he gained a fundamentally new understanding of the Chinese Revolution, recognizing that the peasantry and armed struggle were the two fundamental issues. He realized the need to vigorously develop the peasant movement, create a revolutionary path of encircling the cities from the countryside and seizing power by armed force. The formation of these ideas later influenced the whole of China.
Leaving the Former Residence of Mao Zedong, I took the subway to People's Square, which houses the Shanghai Museum and the Shanghai Natural History Museum. I had visited the Shanghai Museum before, so this time I went to the Shanghai Natural History Museum. It is quite large, with many exhibits, and I spent over an hour leisurely browsing.
After leaving the Shanghai Natural History Museum, it was still early. I looked at the map and decided to stroll towards Nanjing Road. In the evening, I walked slowly along the Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street all the way to the Bund. When I arrived at the Bund, it was getting dark. Various ships were coming and going on the Huangpu River, creating a busy scene. Standing on the Bund and looking at the views on both sides of the Huangpu River, I could feel the extraordinary charm of the Magic City.
As planned, I flew from Shanghai to Guangzhou that evening. When boarding, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the plane was a twin-aisle wide-body aircraft. This was the second time I had flown on a twin-aisle wide-body aircraft; I had flown on one more than 20 years ago. Time flies so fast—20 years have passed in the blink of an eye. I realized that the most ruthless thing in the world is time.
After arriving in Guangzhou, to make travel easier, I chose a hotel opposite Yuexiu Park. The hotel gave me a room on the 15th floor. The room was very spacious with a large floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the lush Yuexiu Park, offering a wide view.
When I woke up, I checked the weather forecast. The highest temperature that day was 25°C, neither hot nor cold, perfect for traveling. In contrast, I heard that it had started to snow in Dalian.
December 2 itinerary: Guangdong Museum, Canton Tower, the Marshal's Mansion (Sun Yat-sen's Generalissimo's Mansion).
In the morning, I took the subway to Huacheng Square, where the Guangdong Museum, Guangzhou Opera House, and Guangzhou Library are located. The area is surrounded by tall buildings, and across the river stands the Canton Tower. Looking at the Canton Tower from afar, it appears graceful and elegant, very beautiful.
The Guangdong Museum is square-shaped and large, nicknamed the 'Candy Box.' It is a comprehensive museum integrating nature, humanities, history, astronomy, and geography. One of its treasures is the sea lily fossil, the second largest of its kind in China.
Inside, I encountered a group of elderly ladies with southern accents. I followed their tour and listened to the guide's explanations while viewing the exhibits. The explanations were very detailed. At the end of the tour, when the guide was saying goodbye, an elderly lady wearing reading glasses began to seriously and solemnly expound on the philosophy of life. She spoke for about 20 minutes, and the guide was stunned, nodding along awkwardly but politely.
After leaving the Guangdong Museum, I took the subway under the Pearl River to the Canton Tower. The Canton Tower is 600 meters high, the highest tourist observation tower in China and the third highest in the world. It is a new landmark of Guangzhou, commonly known as the 'Little Waist.' There are several package tickets for climbing the tower; I bought the 150-yuan package. After ascending, the weather was clear, and I could see the banks of the Pearl River in the distance, enjoying the beautiful scenery of the Goat City. It was great.
After leaving the Canton Tower, I took a bus to the Marshal's Mansion. This was the location of the Generalissimo's headquarters when Sun Yat-sen established a revolutionary government in Guangzhou. Through the visit, I learned in detail about the course of Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary struggles.
Guangzhou is not only economically developed but also a city of cuisine. In the evening, I found a buffet restaurant and had a hotpot meal.
December 3 itinerary: Sun Yat-sen Prime Minister's Monument, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Room, former site of the Whampoa Military Academy, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Guangzhou Liberation Monument, Museum of the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King, Five Goats Statue.
Early the next morning, I first went to the Guangzhou First People's Hospital, which was about a 20-minute walk from the hotel. Since traveling from mainland China to Macau requires a nucleic acid test report within seven days, the hospital was crowded. The test cost 70 yuan. I had had a nucleic acid test at Dalian Central Hospital and remembered it cost 105 yuan, which is more expensive than Guangzhou.
After leaving the hospital, I went to the former site of the Whampoa Military Academy. The attraction is quite far from the city center. I took the subway first, then a ferry, and walked for about ten minutes. Whampoa Military Academy is a very famous place in modern Chinese history. Many films and TV dramas about the War of Resistance and the Liberation period mention this place. Being able to study at Whampoa was an honor for soldiers of that era.
The Whampoa Military Academy was founded jointly by the Kuomintang and the Communist Party during the first Kuomintang-Communist cooperation. It cultivated a large number of generals from both parties, including Ye Jianying, Chen Yi, Chen Geng, Xu Xiangqian, and Lin Biao. Chiang Kai-shek served as the principal, and Zhou Enlai served as the director of the Political Department.
This is the principal's office. Chiang Kai-shek worked here when he was the principal.
After visiting Whampoa Military Academy, I took the subway back to the city center and went to the Sacred Heart Cathedral (Stone Church). This cathedral is one of the larger churches in Guangzhou and a popular photo spot. It is built in Gothic style, entirely of marble. However, due to the pandemic, it was not open.
Not far from the church is the Guangzhou Liberation Monument. After visiting, I took the subway to the Guangzhou First People's Hospital to pick up my nucleic acid test report.
After leaving the hospital, I walked for about 20 minutes to the Museum of the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King.
This is the site of the tomb of the second Nanyue King. The tomb chamber is open to the public, covering an area of about 100 square meters. This was also the first time in my life that I entered the interior of an emperor's tomb.
What shocked me was that there were also 15 sacrificial victims accompanying the Nanyue King. These victims had no coffins; they were laid flat in various places in the tomb. After more than 2,000 years, except for the remains of one 'Right Consort' that showed a few bone fragments, the others had completely turned to dust, barely leaving a human-shaped trace. Truly, 'dust returns to dust, ashes to ashes.' Time can destroy everything, no matter how much wealth and glory you once had. So, what's the point of money or official positions? After a hundred years, everything turns to dust. Eat when you should, drink when you should, and travel when you want—that's the right way to live!!
The museum displays the burial objects from the tomb. The exhibits are rich and the unearthed items are exquisitely made. The treasure of the museum is a silk-jade burial suit, not the common gold-thread jade suit of Han dynasty kings.
After leaving the Museum of the Nanyue King, it was getting dark. I walked across to Yuexiu Park, where the famous Five Goats Statue is located.
The Five Goats Statue is the symbol of Guangzhou, representing the spirit of the Cantonese people. According to legend, more than 2,000 years ago, five immortals rode five goats carrying ears of grain to Guangzhou. They gave the grain to the people, and then the five goats turned into stone goats. From then on, Guangzhou became a fertile land and thus gained the names 'Goat City' and 'Grain City.'
December 4 itinerary: Seven Star Crags in Zhaoqing, Dinghu Mountain.
Not far from Guangzhou, there is the Seven Star Crags scenic area, a 5A-level scenic spot. I had known since childhood that Seven Star Crags is a famous tourist attraction in Guangdong, so this trip to Guangzhou included a visit to Seven Star Crags in my itinerary. I checked the map; it is located in Zhaoqing City, about an hour away by intercity high-speed train. My hotel was very close to the train station, making travel very convenient.
In the morning, I took the high-speed train to Zhaoqing Station, then took a bus for about 5 minutes to reach the Seven Star Crags scenic area. According to the introduction, Zhaoqing has two 5A-level scenic spots: Seven Star Crags and Dinghu Mountain, collectively known as the Star Lake Scenic Area. The two scenic spots are 16 kilometers apart, with a shuttle bus connecting them. The combined ticket is 120 yuan.
Seven Star Crags has been a famous tourist destination since the Tang Dynasty. It features typical karst landscape, with peaks, lakes, caves, and inscriptions as its main attractions. It is known as the 'No. 1 Wonder of Lingnan.'
After entering the scenic area, I first took a boat to several main attractions, then took a bamboo raft to get a close-up view of the seven rock peaks. It was very enjoyable to ride the bamboo raft and admire the beautiful scenery on both sides!
This kind of tree grows naturally in water. There are many in the scenic area. According to the guide, the color of the leaves varies with the seasons.
This is the 'Reclining Buddha' in the scenic area. It is said to be the second largest natural reclining Buddha in Asia. Looking closely, it really does resemble one.
This is a cave in the scenic area, not very long. I took a boat inside and listened to the boatman's explanations along the way. It was quite interesting.
Then I took the scenic area shuttle bus at the entrance to Dinghu Mountain.
Dinghu Mountain was established in 1956 and is the first nature reserve in China. Its biggest feature is the variety of vegetation, earning it the nickname 'Natural Oxygen Bar.' Inside, there is a giant tripod weighing 16 tons and a Duan inkstone weighing 2 tons, both Guinness World Records.
This is the central lake area. There is a heart-shaped island in the lake. Looking down from the top, it is very beautiful.
Downstream from the lake is Butterfly Valley, also known as Lovers' Valley. The scenery is beautiful, and the air is especially fresh, very comfortable to breathe. The negative ion content here is also the highest ever measured in China.
This is the Feishui Tan Waterfall, with beautiful scenery. Sun Yat-sen visited Dinghu Mountain three times and swam in this pool with Soong Ching-ling.
Walking along the Feishui Tan for about half an hour brought me to Qingyun Temple. Sun Yat-sen visited this temple and left an inscription.
December 5: Gongbei Port, Macau Special Administrative Region Government Headquarters, Macau Historic District Pedestrian Street, Ruins of St. Paul's (Macau's iconic landmark).
After visiting Zhaoqing, I took a high-speed train to Zhuhai the next morning. Upon exiting the Zhuhai train station, I found Gongbei Port right next to it, only a 2-3 minute walk away. Very convenient!
Before exiting the country, I first bought a 3-day data package (27 yuan). Since I cannot use my domestic plan in Macau and would have to use international roaming, which is expensive, buying a data package would connect me to Macau's local carrier CTM. I only needed to set it up on my phone, and it would save a lot on internet fees. After setting it up, my phone screen changed immediately.
Second, I prepared the Macau Health Code. I converted my Guangdong Health Code to the Macau Health Code, which automatically attached the negative nucleic acid test result. This way, I did not need to provide a paper nucleic acid certificate when crossing the border.
Finally, I exchanged 350 Macau Patacas (also previously called Portuguese Patacas) as a reserve. There were many exchange points on both sides of Gongbei Port. I felt that the ones on the mainland side were more formal. The exchange rate that day was 100 RMB for 116 Macau Patacas and 113 Hong Kong Dollars. There were also many exchange points on the Macau side, but they were small street shops, offering 100 RMB for 118 Macau Patacas.
I crossed into Macau from Zhuhai around noon. It might have been the peak crossing time; the crowd was surging like a tide. On the mainland side, exit was automated. But on the Macau side, since it was my first entry, I could only go through the manual lane. Unlike what I imagined—that the immigration officer would ask me questions—the officer just glanced at me and it was over, probably about 3 seconds. Due to the long queue, the entire border crossing process took about 20 minutes.
After entering Macau, I took a bus to the hotel. All bus routes in Macau cost 6 Macau Patacas. As I rode along the street to the hotel, I noticed that because Macau is small and land resources are limited, the streets in the old city are very narrow, and even the buses are small and cramped. Being used to the large buses on the mainland, it felt a bit uncomfortable.
Also, vehicles in Macau have right-hand drive, and traffic keeps to the left, completely opposite to the mainland. It took me a while to get used to it.
Macau mainly consists of three parts: the Macau Peninsula, Taipa Island, and Coloane Island. Looking at the map, I found that the city center and most historical and cultural attractions are on the Macau Peninsula. Rua do Cunha and several famous hotels are on Taipa Island, while Coloane Island mainly has beaches and scenery.
For convenience, I chose a hotel on the Macau Peninsula. It was about a 5-minute walk to the city center, 10 minutes to the historic district, and 15 minutes to the Ruins of St. Paul's. It overlooked the Macau Tower across the lake, and next to it were the official residence of the Portuguese Consul in Macau and a Portuguese-style villa area. The environment was particularly nice.
Especially since this was an outbound trip, I wanted to see how good Macau really is. So this time I booked a five-star hotel. This was my second time staying in a five-star hotel. When I entered the room, I saw it had a small courtyard. The room facilities were excellent, definitely exceeding my expectations. Very impressive. I really wanted to stay a few more days.
This is the Macau Special Administrative Region Government Headquarters. It is small, indeed completely different in style from government buildings on the mainland.
After leaving the hotel, I walked along the street for about 10 minutes to reach the historic district. There are many famous historical sites and various tourist shops here.
I had heard that the pork chop buns in Hong Kong and Macau are quite famous. While strolling in the historic district, I bought one to try. It cost 20 Macau Patacas, was quite big, and one was enough to fill me up.
This is what a Macau trash can looks like.
This is Macau's iconic landmark: the Ruins of St. Paul's. Originally the facade of St. Paul's Church, built in 1604, it was destroyed by fire, leaving only the front wall.
On the way back to the hotel, I saw a street performance. I enjoyed it for over 20 minutes. They sang in Portuguese, a style that was both affectionate and lively.
This is a casual shot of Macau's night scene. Although not as impressive as the Bund's night view, it was still very beautiful.
December 6 itinerary: Maritime Museum, Port Authority Building, Mandarin's House, Dom Pedro V Theatre, St. Augustine's Church, Leal Senado Building, St. Dominic's Church, Macau Tower.
This is the Port Authority Building. During the Portuguese colonial period, the Portuguese government employed many Indians as police. This was originally the barracks for those Indian police, built in Islamic architectural style.
This is the Dom Pedro V Theatre, built in 1860, the first Western-style theater in China.
This is St. Augustine's Church, built in 1591, a Renaissance-style building and the largest gathering place for worshippers in the area.
When I arrived at the church, I saw about 300 worshippers inside. I quickly found one of the few empty seats in the last row. Although there were many people inside, it was unusually quiet, even quieter than a departmental cadre meeting at a company. The worshippers were quietly listening to the choir singing hymns one after another. I heard 'Hallelujah' several times.
Shortly after the singing ended, suddenly everyone stood up without warning (I quickly stood up too), bowed their heads solemnly, and listened quietly to someone speaking at the front. It was neither English nor Cantonese; I guessed it was Portuguese. Suddenly, everyone made the sign of the cross and shouted 'Amen' in unison. Then suddenly everyone started speaking and singing a hymn together. After one hymn, they listened quietly to another person speaking, and then suddenly they kept singing 'Hallelujah' repeatedly. The melody was very pleasant.
Afterwards, there was a ceremony of blessing with holy water and several kneeling prayer sessions. The whole process lasted about an hour. I participated in the entire experience, listening and praying along with everyone. The atmosphere was very good, and I felt much calmer inside. Very impressive.
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, also in Baroque style. It houses over 300 precious artifacts.
A ceremony was also being held in the church. The bishop leading the prayers was a foreigner. There were about a hundred worshippers inside, and I noticed that most of them were foreigners. The entire service was in English.
During the ceremony, there was also a part with hymns. The lead singer was a woman singing in English. Her singing style resembled bel canto. It was beautiful, and the ethereal hymns echoed continuously in the church, solemn and sacred.
At noon, I specifically went to a five-star hotel to taste Macau's cuisine. The service was very good, the dishes were plentiful and delicate. I ate a lot, to the point of being a bit stuffed.
In the afternoon, I strolled slowly along the lake to digest the excess food. After walking halfway around the lake, I arrived at the Macau Tower by the lake. I went up to the revolving restaurant at the top of the tower, enjoyed afternoon tea, and admired the scenery of Macau. The weather was very clear, and I had a panoramic view of Macau's beautiful scenery.
December 7 itinerary: Rua do Cunha, PLA Macau Garrison Military Exhibition Hall, The Venetian Macao, The Parisian Macao, Studio City Macau, A-Ma Temple, Wynn's Fortune Tree, Monte Fort, Macau Museum.
In the morning, I took a bus to Taipa Island to visit. First, I went to Rua do Cunha. This is Macau's souvenir pedestrian street, selling various tourist trinkets with Macau characteristics. Since I came too early, most shops were not open yet.
After walking from Rua do Cunha for about 10 minutes, I arrived at the famous Venetian Macao hotel. Inside, there is a replica of the Grand Canal in Venice, a popular Instagram spot in Macau. When I came in, it was still early, so there were almost no people. Gondolas were quietly waiting for the gondoliers.
This is the famous Parisian Macao hotel, with a half-scale replica of the Eiffel Tower at its entrance, very eye-catching.
This is Studio City Macau, with a distinctive figure-eight Ferris wheel in the middle of the hotel, very unique.
After visiting several famous large hotels, I took a bus back to the Macau Peninsula. This is A-Ma Temple, built in the Ming Dynasty, the oldest temple in Macau.
After leaving A-Ma Temple, I went to the Wynn Macau hotel in the city center. There is a famous 'Fortune Tree' there, inside a large sphere. It rises from the sphere at the top of every hour. According to introductions, the sight of it rising is quite stunning, magnificent and dazzling.
However, I waited until the top of the hour, but the Fortune Tree did not rise. I don't know if it was due to the pandemic.
After leaving the Wynn Macau, I walked for about 20 minutes to reach Monte Fort. Monte Fort was built in 1617 and was the center of Macau's defense system, with about 30 bronze cannons.
Originally, I planned to fly back to Dalian from Zhuhai after visiting Macau. However, I later received a notification from the airline that the flight had changed, so I had to transit via Nanjing to fly back to Dalian.
In the afternoon of December 7, I returned to mainland China via Gongbei Port. Compared to noon, there were very few people in the afternoon. Crossing the border took only about 10 minutes. Before entering the mainland, I stopped by the duty-free shop. Chinese cigarettes were 320 Hong Kong dollars per carton, quite cheap.
December 8 itinerary: Nanjing Six Dynasties Museum, Jiangsu Provincial Art Museum, Pilu Temple, Confucius Temple Scenic Area.
I have been to Nanjing many times before. After flying to Nanjing, I took the subway to the Six Dynasties Museum. The exhibition hall is not very large, mainly introducing and displaying the history of the Six Dynasties.
Adjacent to the Six Dynasties Museum is the Jiangsu Provincial Art Museum, which has many paintings. I went in to have a look.
After leaving the art museum, I walked for about 10 minutes to Pilu Temple. Its ginkgo trees are famous. I arrived a bit late; most of the ginkgo leaves had already fallen, presenting a scene of withering and imperfection.
In the afternoon, I received another notification from the airline: the flight to Dalian was delayed until night. Since I had plenty of time, I strolled slowly along the street to the Confucius Temple scenic area.
Late at night, the plane landed safely in Dalian. As soon as I stepped out of the airport, I felt a chill. I checked the temperature; it was already below zero. Wow, I experienced the feeling of going directly from summer to winter again!!
This is my story of this trip to Macau. I feel that Macau is quite nice, and I should be able to go again.
Thank you for reading!!
