Guangzhou China (廣州) is a large industrial city on the banks of the Pearl River with a population of 13 million. The city was traditionally known in the West as Canton during the period of foreign occupation and still has a strong diaspora. The city is the center of South Chinese culture and the main export center. The city Guangzhou China bounded by a mountain Baiyun from the north, from the south by the plain and the Pearl River. It is the capital of the province of Guangdong, as well as the largest commercial, industrial, transport and economic center of all of southern China. Founded in the 3rd century BC, famous for its port, Guangzhou China has long attracted foreigners. Here was the main transshipment point of the well-known Silk Road. The ships took goods from China to Guangzhou. The remains of the shipyard of the Qin and Han dynasty have survived to this day.
Guangzhou 2017
Now Guangzhou China- the fourth largest city in China after Shanghai, Beijing and Tianjin and quite a modern city. It is one of 24 historical cities China with over 2000 years of history. Also close to Guangzhou are located and Macau, making it very convenient for travel.
Every year from the second half of April to the first week of May and from the second half of October to the first week of November, Guangzhou China hosts import and export exhibitions. For travelers, I would advise to avoid these periods, as the hotels are overcrowded and overpriced at this time. Shipping costs are also on the rise.
Guangzhou China has a free monthly English-language magazine that covers the latest happenings and entertainment in the city. A very useful thing for independent tourists. The magazine can be picked up for free at many tourist spots in Guangzhou China, such as the Starbucks coffee chain. This is a really valuable and free resource to know the city and places to go in Guangzhou China. If you can't find the magazine, read , where I write about traveling in Asia and beyond.
Districts of Guangzhou, China
The city of Guangzhou China covers about 6,000 square miles, but it has a well-developed subway network that connects cities and districts of the city.
Districts of Guangzhou:
- Yuexiu (越秀)
- Liwan (荔湾) - There are many tourist attractions and shopping malls. Also here is Shamian Island.
- Haizhu (海珠) is a fast-growing area with many residential skyscrapers. In the center of Haizhu Square there is a very large market where they sell goods for export.
- Tianhe (天河) - the district was founded in 1980, and became known as the new city center. Most schools and universities are located here, as well as a science park. The area is characterized by modern skyscrapers and the Central Sports Stadium. There are plenty of shopping opportunities here, including the popular Tee Mall. A shopping mall in Guangzhou's Tianhe District, Citic Plaza is currently the eighth tallest building in the world. Also located here is the Guangzhou East Railway Station (from where there are direct trains to ).
- Baiyun (白云) is the location of the international airport.
- Huangpu (黄埔)
- Huadu (花都)
- Panyu (番禺) is located on the outskirts of Guangzhou. There is a water park here.
- Nansha (南沙)
- Logan (萝岗区)
- Zengcheng (增城)
- Conghua (从化)
The first thing that catches the eye Guangzhou— the city is very clean and surrounded by greenery.
Today at Guangzhou China Hundreds of thousands of trade links are intertwined, a huge number of transactions are concluded. IN Guangzhou there are more than 100 wholesale markets, tens of thousands of industries are concentrated.
Weather in Guangzhou
rainy season in Guangzhou China- from April to June. August, September are the hottest months with a high probability of typhoons. For tourists, the season starts in October and ends in December.
How to get to Guangzhou 2017
You can buy a tour, but I advise you to make an independent trip to Guangzhou. The very first step is to buy cheap tickets to Guangzhou. What to do next is very simple.
Guangzhou China: visa 2017
Russian tourists need a visa to visit China, it is done in advance, it can be single, double, etc. The cheapest visa to Guangzhou is single entry. It costs about 2500 rubles. with all registrations, plus insurance about 300 rubles. A double-entry visa to Guangzhou will cost more, about 4,000 rubles, but still cheaper than two single-entry visas.
The exception is the island of Hainan. Hainan does not need a visa for Russians (for 21 days) if you visit it as part of a tourist group. That is, if you buy a ticket through a travel agency to Hainan, you do not need a visa. Copies of passports at least 5 days before the date of departure are obligatory for tourists to provide to the issuing party.
Update 2017: prices have changed
In connection with the change in the exchange rate, China has revised the prices for visas. Current prices for 2017:
- Tourist single entry "L" (up to 30 days of stay / entry corridor 3 months) - 4200 rubles.
- Tourist double entry "L" (up to 30 days of stay, each entry / entry corridor 3 months) - 7600 rubles.
- Annual multiple-entry business visa (up to 90 days of stay, each entry / entry corridor 12 months) - 10900 rubles.
They did it right, in my opinion. Okay, people will fly to exhibitions anyway, but budget tourists get a one-time visa of 4200 rubles. may be repulsed. Considering that for this money you can make, for example, an annual multi-Schengen.
China quite easily issues visas to Russian tourists in the presence of round-trip tickets, insurance and hotel reservations. That is, the order of registration is exactly this: first you buy air tickets, then insurance, book a hotel and only then go to apply for a visa, but not earlier than 3 months before the trip. Visa to China give for 3 months, and the countdown starts from the day you were given it. In this regard, a visa in Guangzhou can be compared with the system for issuing a visa to India (there is also a validity period of 3 months and the countdown starts from the date of receipt of the visa sticker in the passport). Usually the stay is 30 days.
We had a hotel reservation for 11 days, and for some reason they gave us a visa for only 11 days, apparently they were afraid that we would stay there and be homeless. Insurance can be purchased either when applying for a visa, or at a separate office of any insurance, or you can . IN airport Guangzhou China upon arrival, you need to fill out an immigration card, where you indicate everything from the flight number to the address of residence in China. If you have a single-entry visa, the number of entries will be crossed out on your visa. That’s it, you won’t be able to enter China anymore, even if you go to , back to China will be considered as the second entry.
Insurance in Guangzhou
Guangzhou Airport China- the first airport we met where lighters are taken from hand luggage, among other things prohibited. But at the exit Guangzhou airport smart-ass Chinese are already waiting for you, who immediately offer you a lighter, no matter if you need it or not, for 1-5 yuan.
By the way, have you seen Chinese kids? There are a lot of them here) They don't wear diapers, they wear Chinese pants with a hole!
