Thursday, December 18, 2014

China (Guangzhou, Panyu, Chaozhou, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Nanjing County & Huizhou) Dec 2014


Just WALK & WALK ! Walking is fine !
Chasing my dream,
The day is bright & sunny
My China days - I yell & yell !

" In free & easy travelling, it is easy to walk & walk; talk & talk. But to realise your dreams, you have to walk the talk " 

" If you enjoy limbo rock, the tagline is how low can you go. But if you enjoy travelling, ask yourself  how far can you go " 

" Working LIFE is a marathon. Traveling LIFE is a walkathon. 

" My 12 days traveling free & easy with my wife to Southern China (Guangzhou, Panyu, Chaozhou, Xiamen, Nanjing County, Fuzhou & Huizhou) - revisiting southern China from 5-16/12/2014 during the early winter month "

Travel itnerary: Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) > Guangzhou > Panyu >Guangzhou > Chaozhou > Xiamen > Fuzhou > Xiamen > Nanjing County > Xiamen > Huizhou > Guangzhou > Kuala Lumpur

Total cost incurred (12 days): Rm1,063 + CNY1,503 = Rm1,898 (US$548)
Air Asia Ticket: Rm636.80 ( KL > Guangzou return)
Airport taxi & bus: Rm74
Hotels (11 nights-twin bed): Rm353 + CNY164 per pax
Food & groceries (12 days): CNY418
Transport: CNY720
Day tour (Nanjing Tulou): CNY168
Entrance fees: CNY33
Exchange rates: US$1=Rm3.46 (Ringgit Malaysia); Euro$1=Rm4.40; CNY$1=Rm0.556
Bus (long distance): Total CNY309
Guangzhou>Chaozhou: CNY145
Chaozhou>Xiamen: CNY100
Huizhou>Guangzhou: CNY64
High speed train: Total CNY265
Xiamen>Fuzhou> Xiamen: CNY65 + CNY65
Xiamen>Huizhou: CNY135
Ferry/metro/taxi/city bus: CNY146


Travel Highlights :


Map of  Guangdong Province, China
Map of Fujian Province, China

My wife enjoys coming to southern China during the winter months. So here I am with my wife, taking a short holiday to 7 southern cities in Guangdong & Fujian enjoying the cool weather ranging from 5-16c, slightly colder this year. 

Though I had previously visited Guangzhou, Xiamen & Chaozhou, this was my wife's first visit to Chaozhou & Xiamen and my first to Panyu, Nanjing county (Tulou), Fuzhou & Huizhou. My wife too enjoyed the high speed train rides, her first experience in China !

After this China visit, my wife is keen to visit Sichuan (Chengdu, Jiuzhaigou), Shaanxi (Xian) & Chongqing (Yangtze River cruise) during the autumn months so I am planning a visit for her in Oct 2015. I too is excited about it though I had visited these places in recent years.

How TIME has flown ! In another few day's time, we will be kissing bye bye to 2014 and I look forward to another exciting year in 2015 pursuing my own travel dreams ! LIFE is never easy for those who dream ! But dreams give us hope.

" LIFE & TIME are the world's best teachers. LIFE teaches us to make use of TIME. TIME teaches us the value of LIFE "

Wishing you all a Merry Merry Christmas & a happy New Year in 2015, a year of the goat, sheep & ram! A new year, a new beginning !!!

Ushering 2015, a year of the goat

Guangzhou, Guangdong province


Panyu, Guangdong Province


Chaozhou, Guangdong Province


Xiamen, Fujian Province


Nanjing County - Fujian Tulou


Fuzhou, Fujian Province


Huizhou, Guangdong Province


Words of wisdom on health - " Instead of inviting people for a treat to eat, why not inviting people for a treat to sweat ! Sweating helps prevent cancer " 

China (Guangzhou, Guangdong) Dec 2014

Total cost incurred (5 days): Rm144 + CNY374
Hotel (Liwan Lake Garden Inn-4 nights) : Rm144 per pax (twin bed)
Food : CNY175
Entrance fee: CNY2.50 for seniors (Baiyun Mountain)
Metro/bus: CNY51
Transport (bus): CNY 145 (Guangzhou & gt;Chaozhou)

EAT IN GUANGZHOU - THE BUZZ WORD

This is my 4th visit to Guangzhou, the 1st was in 2004. Our Air Asia flight departed from Kuala Lumpur at 16.20 and arrived in Guangzhou at 20.20. Upon arrival and after the immigration clearance and luggage pick up, we took a Metro from the airport to Zongshanba station and checked into our hotel, Liwan Lake Garden Inn, Huangsha Main Road, Liwan district. 

I spent a total of 4 nights in Guangzhou. 

In Guangzhou, we visited a few tourist places ie Canton Tower, Guangzhou Opera House, Panyu Square, Shangxiajiu pedestrian street, Baiyun Mountain & a shopping mall in Tiyuxilu & Zhujiang New Town. We used Metro & public buses to visit all these places. Carry a Metro map with you, this will be handy. 

The south east of China is well linked with a network of high speed trains ie Shenzen> Huizhou> Chaoshan> Xiamen> Fuzhou and beyond. So this reduces travelling time considerably if you are planning to visit this region in the near future. The high speed trains travel at an average speed of 200km per hour. Hence, it takes about 1.5 hr by high speed trains from Xiamen to Fuzhou ! 

Guangzhou is famous for food and if you are a glutton, this is the right place to wine & dine ! Every day is a glorious food day in Guangzhou, for sure ! Happy eating !

Baiyun Mountain, Guangzhou


Yuntai Garden, Guangzhou



Canton Tower / Commercial Business District, Guangzhou

Canton Tower - standing tall

Guangzhou Opera House, Guangzhou


Panyu Square, Guangdong

steamed rice roll with egg , mushroom & vege
A simple morning breakfast for me in Panyu - I don't mind !

Lian Xiang Lou Dim Sum Restaurant, Guangzhou

enjoying our dim sum lunch in Guangzhou

My favourite food in Guangzhou - steamed rice roll (chee cheong fun- CNY7 & century egg porridge - CNY6)