Around Guangzhou

Whether you're looking for an adrenaline rush, an exciting date idea, or a unique way to get in shape, Guangzhou can offer you a few ways to escape the mundane patterns that you might fall into week after week.

Bungee Jumping

There are rumors that the Canton Tower will soon include a bungee jump in its list of tourist attractions.�Until then, however, you can find a quick and exciting thrill in the 45-foot drop at White Cloud Mountain's Sante Extreme Sports Center.�You can choose to jump with a harness secured around your torso, or with the more perilous bindings tightened around your ankles.�If real bungee jumping is too much for you, you can do bungee bouncing on an inflatable platform. There are also quite a few fun activities and rides for children.

Hours: 9 am-8 pm

Address: Near Yuntai Garden, White Cloud Mountain

Tel: (020) 37229871

Rock climbing

There are two main options for rock climbing in Guangzhou, and your decision should weigh heavily upon your skills.�If you are a beginner or novice, you should definitely choose the man-made wall option and head down to Wushan Climbing Wall. This rock-climbing wall is located on one of the sports fields of the South China University of Technology.�While it may not be as thrilling as a natural rock-face, it's still great exercise, and the workers are very helpful at giving tips.

Address: 400 Wushan Lu

Transportation: Take Metro Line 3 to Wushan, and go out Exit C.�Walk southwest on Wushan Lu and keep an eye out for the running track on the left.�The bright yellow climbing wall is at the southwest corner of the track.

ATTRACTIONS

Chimelong Paradise 长隆欢乐世界

With almost 60 different attractions, Chimelong Paradise really deserves its name and is proud to be the amusement park with the best rides in China. Many rides, such as the ten-looped roller coaster, are ranked as the best in Asia and second in the world. The motorbike launch coaster and the half pipe are especially thrilling. The park also provides visitors with all sorts of performances such as magic tricks, songs and dances, acrobatics and fancy car parades.

Hours: 9:30 am-6 pm, Monday to Friday; 9:30 am-7 pm, Saturday and Sunday

Address: Yingbin Lu, Panyu district

Transportation: Take Metro Line 3 and stop at Hanxi Chimelong station

Tel: (020) 84796600

Scaring yourself silly at a theme park or getting soaked at a water park might not be your idea of fun, so you might prefer the Xiangjiang Safari Park. This is one of the largest zoos in China, and has one of the widest collections of animals of any zoo in the world. There are 20,000 animals in total, from 460 individual species, including pandas, koalas from Australia, and polar bears from Norway. There are also 130 white tigers - a product of the park's breeding program. Believe it or not, they account for half the white tiger population in captivity. Xiangjiang offers daily animal shows, and a safari section in which guests can drive their own cars through some of the habitats. Tickets cost 180 yuan.

Hours: 9:30 am-7 pm

Address: Dashi, Panyu district

Tel: (020) 84783333

South China Botanical Garden 华南植物园

The South China Botanical Garden is located about 8 kilometers to the north of Guangzhou and covers about 741 acres. Initially built in 1929, it is the oldest and largest South Asian tropical botanical garden in China. It is also the botanical garden containing the most species in China. Long Dong Magic Forest is one of the most popular sites at the garden and was chosen as one of the eight top scenic spots in Guangzhou in 1986 by local people. It consists of two peninsulas (the Palm Garden and the Relic Garden) and one man-made lake.

Hours: 7:30 am-5:30 pm

Address: 1190 Tianyuan Lu

Tel: (020)85232037

Guangzhou Orchid Garden 兰圃公园

The Orchid Garden, located near Yuexiu Park metro stop (exit B), is small, but surprisingly rewarding. Rebuilt in 1957, this quiet little garden boasts 200 different species of orchids and has won numerous awards for its design. Its paths are surrounded by tropical plants and trees, all of which are labeled for those who are interested in botany. If you don't want to do any stair climbing or long walks around a park, this is probably the place for you. It also allows visitors to take part in a tea ceremony.

Address: 901 Jiefang Bei Lu, Yuexiu district

Tel: (020) 86678330/86678299

Tickets: 8 yuan

RESTAURANTS

Vietnamese Cuisine Inn 越潮栈

Though it's marketed as a Vietnamese restaurant, Vietnamese Cuisine Inn also has dishes from Singapore, Malaysia, China, Thailand and Indonesia. However, the style of the restaurant is little different from what you find at most cafe-type restaurants in China. The dishes have colorful names like stewed beef in goose liver sauce, fried chili and garlic crab, Vietnamese curry crab and sugar cane shrimp. Most items are priced between 15 and 40 yuan, and their fruit and coconut juice drinks are very good.

Hours: 11 am-11 pm

Address: Baosheng Commercial Building, 8-10 Wenming Lu, Yuexiu district

Tel: (020) 83226781

This caf gets plenty of Western customers as it is located in the landmark Garden Hotel. It serves many Western and Chinese favorites, including hamburger with a choice of cheese, bacon and fried egg. It runs 24 hours.

Address: 2/F, Garden Hotel, 28 Guangming Lu, Overseas Chinese Village, Yuexiu district

Tel: (020) 83338989 (This is Garden Hotel's number. They can connect you to Cascade.)

Transportation: Take Metro Line 5, Taojin Station, Exit A

Vaastu Cuisine 雅仕印度餐厅

This is the top pick for most connoisseurs of Indian cuisine. To begin with, the setting is a wonderful mix of contemporary design and traditional Indian decorations. The chefs are second to none, and all the meals they prepare come highly recommended. Top of the list are the Lamb Afghani and the Chicken Tikka Masala for meat-eaters. The service is great and the staff friendly - chances are you'll get to meet the manager or members of the owner's family. Prices are high, but that's to be expected at a top-notch restaurant like this.

Hours: 11 am-2:30 pm, 6 pm-11 pm

Address: New World Plaza, 1-48 Haiyue Lu, Zhujiang Xin Cheng, Tianhe district

Tel: (020) 38258181

Taotaoju Restaurant 陶陶居

This is one of Guangzhou's best-known traditional Cantonese restaurants, located in a historic building in the heart of the city's Xiguan district. It's a great place for dim sum and seafood. You haven't lived in Guangzhou until you've eaten dim sum in a true local place like Taotaoju.

Address: 20 Dishi Fu Lu, Liwan district

Tel: (020) 81396111

Shui Yun Tian 水云天素食馆

Quirkily decorated, this place offers a comprehensive line of fake meat. Its signature dish is mock fish, fried tofu and "steak on iron" - the vegetarian version of the classic tie ban niu rou. Shui Yun Tian is vegan as well as vegetarian, meaning no eggs or dairy products, which makes the drinks list interesting.

Hours: 10 am-10 pm

Address: 38-42 Jinghui Lu, Yuexiu district

Tel: (020) 61270777

WHAT'S ON

Albert Einstein Exhibition

This exhibition at the Guangdong Science Center is displaying Albert Einstein's childhood toys, photographs, letters, manuscripts and other papers. Admission is free.

The newly-opened center is fully packed with an amazing variety of gadgets and gizmos, which will help you understand the fascinating aspects of the world of science.

When: until Feb 27

Address: Guangdong Science Center, 168 Xi Liu Lu, Guangzhou University Town

Tel: (020) 39348080

Java Five Jazz Quintet

Guangzhou is competing to be the liveliest place in China in the next few weeks thanks to the Asian Games. To celebrate the event, more than 2,000 performance artists from about 20 countries will be visiting the city, treating Guangzhou residents to a jam-packed month of wonderful performances. Java Five is a German jazz group composed of five members who imitate the sounds of various instruments, such as the bass and trumpet, using only their hands and voices. The band's lively and impressive cabaret-like show is guaranteed to be an entertaining night out.

When: 8 pm, Nov 24

Address: Guangzhou Baiyun International Convention Center, 1039-1046 Baiyun Dadao Nan, Baiyun district

Ticket hotline: (020) 86003397/85567446

NIGHTLIFE

Hei Hei 喜喜酒吧

This club is probably the most famous hip-hop club in Guangzhou. It is located next to the Landmark Hotel on Haizhu Square and is extremely popular, especially among young Chinese and Africans, so much that it gets so packed on weekends that no additional guests are allowed to enter. Apart from its dedicated music style that sets Hei Hei apart from neighboring clubs, it offers the standard combo of charged tables, front-stage dancers and an elevated dancing stage.

Address: Qiaoguang Lu (Haizhu Square), Yuexiu district

Tel: (020) 83310012

Door policy: 100 yuan entrance fee charged on weekend nights (no drinks included), relaxed dress code.

Soho Bar 苏荷酒吧

This bar is a mainstay along the river club street and features a mixture of dance music and Chinese pop songs. Not surprisingly, you will find a crowd here that ranges from 18-50 in age and mainly engages in dice and drinking games throughout the night. The interior, with its swinging ceiling lights and LED screens along the walls, is unique. Though the crowd is mainly Chinese, this club is also popular among foreigners who wish to party more in a "Chinese way".

Address: 87 Changdi Da Ma Lu, Yuexiu district

Tel: (020) 83195095

Door policy: 100 yuan entrance fee charged on weekend nights (no drinks included), relaxed dress code.

426 Space Club

Though rather small, this club is quite popular among young Chinese, mainly playing a harder and faster style of electronic music. The building which houses this club also features a KTV you might want to go to before or after dancing. Drinks are reasonably priced and tables overlooking the dance floor are available.

Address: 322-324 Changdi Da Ma Lu, Yuexiu district

Tel: (020) 81323067

Door policy: No entrance fee, relaxed dress code.

(China Daily 11/22/2010)