Cruising Guangzhou

From mid-April to early May， Guangzhou， in southern China， is packed with people. At least some visitors during the period make the trip for the China Import and Export Fair， also known as the Canton Fair， which has been held in the city since 1957. It attracts both businesspeople seeking opportunities in China and tourists. Also， April and May bring some of Guangzhou’s best weather of the year.

Guangzhou， capital of Guangdong Province， is the third biggest city in China after Beijing and Shanghai with a population of nearly 13 million. Founded in 214 B.C.， the city has been a springboard for trading， cultural exchange， and many revolutions and reforms， making it a crucial step to understanding the shape of modern China.

The city features mountainous topography and its early exposure to the outside world resulted in unique lifestyles， distinctive cuisine and tremendous wealth. It boasts plentiful scenic spots. One must-see is the Temple of the Six Banyan Trees， Guangzhou’s most famous temple， which was built in 537 and remains right in the center of the city. It is still a stunning structure housing priceless cultural relics. Another is White Cloud Mountain， one of the most famous natural attractions in the area， where visitors embrace the gorgeous gardens of exotic flowers and trees， peaks， ponds， lakes and stunning views. A cable car can lift people to the top of one of its highest peaks. Another must-do in Guangzhou is cruising the Pearl River. A night cruise typically starts at White Goose Pool and ends at Guangzhou Bridge， affording stunning views of the city without the pains of traffic. From the boat， tourists witness Guangzhou in all its sparkling glory， as well as typical Chinese river culture on the banks.

Despite its vibrant sight-seeing， travelers usually visit Guangzhou to shop and eat. Guangzhou’s massive markets offer almost every made-in-China product， including tea， herbs， garments， watches， electronics and toys. Food is the centerpiece of the Guangzhou experience. Tourist favorites include authentic sweet and sour pork， wonton soup and dim-sum. No one leaves hungry.