Guangzhou: Zhu Jiang

Zhu Jiang = Pearl River... China's third longest river, after the Yangtze and Yellow, flows through Guangzhou. I spent an entire afternoon and evening exploring beside it, simply letting my curiosity lead the way. The shops, seafood restaurants (pick one that displays large tanks), promenades, and bridges along the Pearl River are worthy of your time, but I must be honest, Guangzhou is my least favorite city in China. Vast. Dirty. Congested. I would recommend only one day and night there if you have Baiyun International Airport as your connection to other destinations (ie. Nanning, Liuzhou, or Guilin). Make it your final day before returning home... I came down with a cough the evening of my walk, likely due to the extremely polluted air, and it took a few weeks to get rid of it.