This is how I remember Guangzhou - getting the bus to the Baiyun airport to fly out to Guilin (so I could catch up with my travel companions in Yangshuo). This was the first 'leg' of that journey. Had I not had to be quarantined in Zhuhai hospital, I would have experienced Guangzhou under different circumstances.

Landed at Baiyun Airport with another 5 male friends. Winter has just started so the weather is pretty cold (18C) which is just nice. We actually spend the 1st night in Guangzhou and took the "fast" train (200km/h) to Shenzhen and visited Hong Kong the following day. Pearl River in Guangzhou is nice and shopping at Beijing Lu is cheap too. So is Dongmen Road in Shenzhen, pretty cheap but be very careful with anybody who approaches you offering cheap stuffs. Get the stuffs from the shop and get it tested. That is fair. Hotels at both places are mostly at a very reasonable price if you walk-in or direct booking and can be very expensive if you go through agent! Communication is out and "hand signal" helps a lot. English is almost not spoken at all. I like these places during winter!

Guangzhou termed as the factory of the world, you cant miss what you want. Chinese food thou tricky, one can get pillow at sub restaurant and western restaurant are also available. Accommodation is plenty and cheap but also depends on the timing cse during trade expos, hotels hike there fees. transport is good as Taxis are every where. Beautiful ladies are seen every where but communication is the number1 problem many speak chinese. i visited many places which were all unique in there own way.all in all i am going back this year.

Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. aka Canton. Two times there. Both I was stick at Bai Gong Hotel (2*) at Renmin Nan Lu (Renmin Road South) which is very close to Pearl River and it is surround by shoplot and shopping area. Easy to explore Guangzhou from here since there are plenty of public transport like taxi, bus and metro. If you want to feel the beautiful of Guangzhou, take a trip during November to Januari while starting of winter. You can visit Yuntai Garden (very beautiful), ride a cable car at Baiyun Mountain, feel the Ancient Garden at Panyu, etc. Another attraction is Pearl River itself. Have a night cruise with luxury boat or relax with an casual boat. Halal food were easy to get here. You got Casablanca Restaurant and another halal restaurant infront of Bai Gong Hotel. Don't forget to going shopping (shop till u drop) since there are cheaper city in China ( I guess ). You'll find everything here.

I am very disappointed with Guangzhou. First of all its very humid and hot,the Pearl River is very polluted and smelly which does not help for the overall aroma of the city. Except Shamian Island, which is very small, the rest of the city is very miserable. However at night the city has very different face, reminding me of Las Vegas and NYC.