Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mayorgc]

How safe is it? It's 2 hours from HK, but I'm guessing HK is light years ahead of GZ.

Any good things to see? How comparable is it to HK?

[tzechuk]

My parents went to Guangzhou last week. They like it. It's in the special economic zone and is a lot more modern than you think it is.

I've not been for a while, but I am looking forward to be able to just hop on the train/bus and go.

Be careful with your belongings and stuff when you go. Use your common sense.

Join a tour

[mayorgc]

I know it's modern, but from all I've read, it's got one of China's highest rates of crime.

Wikitravel says that daylight robberies are possible and not to expect help from crowds while you're getting mugged.

[tzechuk]

Yes, that's why I said to join a tour. You might become a little duckling, but you'll be a lot safer.

Hong Kong has a lot of tours that go for a night or two. Just look around.

[chris_J2]

I stayed on Shamian Island the 1st time I went to Guangzhou (1999) & stayed with Canadian expats at Clifford Estate on the outskirts of GZ in 2004. The Youth Hostel on Shamian was great & apparently it's still running.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Guangzhou

[UknowsI]

I went there last summer. Compared to Daejeon it was quite crowded and too hot for me, so I didn't really like it so much, but that's more personal taste. The food was delicious though, but I think I would get too stressed if I had to work there. I visited my friends who were living there, so I just followed them and didn't think about safety. The markets seem pretty ideal for pickpockets since it's so many people.

[samd]

[stevieg4ever]

You know you need a visa to get in. You can get a temporary one at the HK boarder for an extortionate rate but I believe that Americans can't get one.

Shenzhen has similar per capita incomes to Seoul and Taipei so i have read. Shenzhen and Guangzhou are now natural continuations of HK. Forget about London and NY as the cities that dont sleep: Shenzhen would have them both.

[Dude Ranch]

[D.D.]

[Mosley]

To pick a nit: the OP might get more responses if this was at the Travel Forum.

I was in GZ once. Aside from Shamian Island I didn't think it was any screaming hell. As someone suggested, the youth hostel on Shamian is the best bet for somewhere to stay. A few hints:

1) get a PRC visa before you go
2) have a photocopy of your passport main page & visa page.

An aside: when I was there I was hopelessly lost looking for the nearest subway station. I had a Chinese/English map but had little luck getting help from locals. Then I waved down a Public Security Bureau car. They beckoned me into the squad car. They looked at the map and started driving! I thought I'd be taken to a bamboo gulag for "counter revolutionary activities". Nope-they took me right to the station!