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Zhuhai
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Zhuhai (珠海 Zhū-Hǎi) [1] is a city in Guangdong province, China. By land, Zhuhai is connected to the former Portuguese colony Macau to the south, while former British colony Hong Kong lies across the sea to the east. The provincial capital Guangzhou is about 150 km to the north. Zhuhai means Pearl Sea; this is where the Pearl River (珠江 Zhū-Jiāng) flows into the South Sea (南海 Nán-Hǎi).  
[edit] Understand[edit] HistoryThe Zhuhai area has been inhabited for thousands of years. Until the 1970s, Zhuhai was a group of fishing villages with a population of 100,000 or so. Since 1980, when it was designated a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) by the central government, it has expanded to include nearby areas and is now a modern city with well over a million inhabitants. [edit] EconomyEconomically, it is one of the fastest growing cities in China due to its SEZ status, superb location at the Pearl River Delta and close proximity to Asia's economic powerhouse Hong Kong as well as Macau where most of the investments are pouring in from. However, it is still lagging behind neighbouring cities like Shenzhen and Dongguan. [edit] EcologyZhuhai is one of China's cleanest and prettiest cities, and received numerous accolades for its excellent ecological development effort. In 1998, it was given the International Award for Best Practices in Improving Living Environment by the United Nations Center for Human Settlements. It is also commonly agreed to be one of the best cities in China to retire in. [edit] ClimateThe weather in Zhuhai is sub-tropical. Temperature varies between 10C/50F degrees in winter (Dec to Feb) to a hot and humid 35C/95F degrees in summer (Jun to Sep). Typhoons are also a possibility in summer. The best times to visit are spring and fall. [edit] Legend Legend has it that an angel descended to earth one day and fell in love with the beauty of the land. Reluctant to return, she turned herself into a fisher girl, weaving nets and searching for precious pearls to earn a living. In addition, she unselfishly used her knowledge and powers to heal villagers who were ill, and so she was well loved by one and all. Soon she met a young fisherman named Hai Peng and they fell in love. Not long after, however, Hai Peng listened to malicious accusations and demanded the fisher girl to give him her magical bracelets as a token of her affection. The fisher girl tearfully explained the origin of the bracelets. While she was still the daughter of the South Sea Dragon King, the eight bracelets were given to her by the eight palace mistresses, to guard her against the thought of abandoning immortality. She would die if she even removed one. Tragically, Hai Peng did not believe her story and turned to leave. The fisher girl, to prove her love for Hai Peng, removed her bracelets and died in his arms instantly. Hai Peng was filled with remorse and grief. His great sorrow moved the Jiu Zhou Huan Elder, who taught him the way to bring the fisher girl back to life. For this he had to go to the Jiu Zhou Island to find the Resurrection Grass, which must then be fed with man's blood. After much difficulty, Hai Peng found the grass and grew it with his own blood. Days turned to years, and the grass was finally ready and used to revive the fisher girl. Henceforth, the fisher girl became a true mortal. On the day of their wedding, all the girls together found a gigantic, magical pearl at the seashore. In gratitude, the fisher girl presented this to the reverent Elder.
[edit] DistrictsFrom North to South:
The city itself is Gongbei, Jida and Xiangzhou. The other districts are suburbs within the Zhuhai Special Economic Zone. [edit] Get inMost visitors to China will require an advance visa, which can be obtained in Hong Kong or Macau. See China#Visas for details. If you're only visiting the Zhuhai area, five-day visas upon arrival may be available at the border. When heading towards Gongbei after the Macau checkpoint, the visa office is along the right wall. As of April 2008, this costs HK$150 for most nationalities, but Americans cannot use the service and Brits have to fork out HK$450. [edit] By planeZhuhai Airport (IATA: ZUH) [2]. This is a moderately sized, modern airport that connects the area with many Chinese cities, but not many international destinations. It is located west of downtown in the Doumen district. Budget carrier Spring Airlines [3] flies here daily from Shanghai. To reach Zhuhai from outside China, fly to Hong Kong, Macau or Guangzhou. All three cities have large, modern airports with many international connections and all are within an hour or two of Zhuhai. From the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (IATA: CAN) [4], a frequent express bus service that goes to Zhuhai is available. It costs ¥80 and takes approximately 2.5 hours with one bus stop in the northern part of Zhuhai and then going on to the GongBei border gate to Macau. From the Macau International Airport (IATA: MFM) [5], the best way to get to Zhuhai is via the Express Link service, skipping the Macau immigration and customs altogether. Once you deboard the plane, instead of going through immigration, look for the Express Link (China) sign and follow it. This will lead you past a transit security scan station where you must pick up an Express Link card, and upstairs into the departure hall. Go to the ticket counter at Gate 8, present your card and buy a ticket for the coach that goes to the Gongbei border (past Macau, before Zhuhai). The coach fare is ¥52 and the ride takes only 15 minutes.
From Hong Kong International Airport (IATA: HKG) [6], one option is to take the Airport Express to the Kowloon station (at the cost of 90 HKD), then hop on the free Airport Express transit bus K2 to the China-Hong Kong Ferry Terminal (s:中港城码头 t:中港城碼頭) and finally take a ferry to Zhuhai. See below for ferry timetable. Another option is to catch a ferry from the HKIA Skypier directly to Macau and cross into Zhuhai via the Gongbei border gate. Immigration and custom procedures can be skipped at the Hong Kong end. Full instructions can be found at here. The ferry journey takes about 50 mins and runs hourly (usually). A third option from HKIA is now available in the form of long-distance buses that go overland to Gongbei. The journey takes 3.5 hours and costs 200HKD. Departure times are 0700h 0800h 0400h 500h 1700h and 1900h. A new ferry service was just introduced (twice daily for now) that brings travelers directly from HKIA to the Jiuzhou Port in Zhuhai. The ferry leaves at 1115h and 1700h. The one from Zhuhai to HKIA leaves at 0930h and 1530h. The trip takes approximately 50 minutes. [edit] By boatFrom Hong Kong
There are several ferries per day from Hong Kong International Airport, HK-Macau Ferry Terminal 港澳码头 (Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong), China Ferry Terminal 中港城码头 (Kowloon, Hong Kong) and Shekou Ferry Terminal 蛇口港 (Shekou, Shenzhen) arriving at the Zhuhai Jiu Zhou Ferry Terminal 九洲港. There is a taxi rank and bus stops directly outside. Visas can be purchased here for most nationalities (not American citizens). Attention: The ferry service from Tuen Mun has been suspended in October 2007 ! From Macau There is a ferry service operating from Macau's Inner Harbour's Pier 14 ("Yuetong Pier", 澳门粤通码头) to Wanzai. Daily departures from Macau at 8:00, 8:45, 9:45, 10:15, 10:45, 11:15, 13:00, 13:45, 14:15, 14:45, 15:15, 15:45, 16:15. Return trip from Wanzai to Macau usually 15-30 minutes after these times. [edit] By carIt is possible to drive across the border from Macau. Note that, unlike Macau, China drives on the right. Only vehicles with dual plates are allowed to drive cross the border. [edit] By busHundreds of buses come from Guangzhou every day, usually via the Jingzhu (Beijing-Zhuhai) Highway (京珠高速). You can catch one at:
From any of these locations, the trip will cost ¥60 to ¥65 and take about 2.5 hours. Buses leave every half hour and go to Gongbei. Along the way, they usually make a stop at Xiangzhou (香洲 Xiāng-Zhōu) and Suidaonan (隧道南 Suì-Dào-Nán). Zhuhai has several bus stations:
[edit] On footYou can walk across the border from Macau at Gongbei. The border is open 7AM - 12AM. An alternative crossing is via the Lotus Bridge in Macau's Cotai area to the island of Hengqin. This border crossing point is open 8AM-8PM only. After crossing the Macau side, take a shuttle bus across the bridge to the China side (fare RMB 3, no change given so carry the exact amount). From the Hengqin side of the border take bus number 14 to Xiangzhou, or catch one of the Kee Kwan air-conditioned minibuses to Wanzai or Gongbei (5 RMB). [edit] By trainThe Guangzhou - Zhuhai Light Rail Service is due to open in 2010. Until then you'll have to catch a bus to Guangzhou. These terminate very close to the train station, but allow yourself an extra hour for the bus to go 100m up the street and turn round. [edit] Get aroundZhuhai is quite spread out. The terrain is coastal plain broken up by mountains or, seen from the sea, a series of bays and headlands. There are many clumps of development separated by hills, often parkland.
[edit] TalkCantonese is the indigenous language of Zhuhai, it being a part of the Pearl River Delta. Nevertheless, due to the massive influx of immigrants from other parts of China over the last two decades, Mandarin is now considered the lingua franca. English is not well understood here. [edit] See
[edit] Do[edit] MotorsportsGo to the Zhuhai International Circuit (珠海国际赛车场) where you can:
[edit] GolfThere are several golf courses in the area. These are popular with Hong Kong players who come on weekends as they are cheaper and less crowded than those in Hong Kong. For more details see Golf in China. There is also a driving range in Jida, use the number four bus. [edit] Learn
[edit] BuyThe legal tender is the Chinese Yuan, also called Renminbi (RMB) or "people's money". Hong Kong Dollars and Macau Patacas (MOP) used to enjoy a one-to-one exchange rate with the RMB, but with the RMB's appreciation in value over the last few years, they are either no longer accepted or accepted by converting from RMB according to the current rate (currently, May 2008, RMB100=MOP116). ATMs are plentiful, and usually found at banks. If you have a western ATM card, use an international bank like "Bank of China" or HSBC, etc. Chinese banks don't always recognize western ATM cards even if it shows the correct system affiliation. Cash is king; however, credit cards are accepted in some surprising places. You may have to ask to use a credit card. Don't be surprised if the proprietor goes down the street to use a credit card machine. Multiple shops are sometimes owned by the same family and they share the credit card machine. Expect to pay a rate based on Hong Kong dollars rather than RMB. This goes for Macau too.  The official receipt issued by merchants in China (for the purpose of tax collection by the government) is called Fa Piao (发票 Fā-Piào). Always ask for one if you need to declare your expenses. They are available from hotels, taxis and restaurants etc. [edit] At the borderThere is a huge underground shopping complex (拱北地下广场 Gǒng-Běi-Dì-Xià-Guǎng-Chǎng) right at the Macau border in Gongbei. In the picture, the entire open concrete area has two floors of shops under it. There are several hundred shops, many with goods targeted at tourists, such as clothing and shoes, jade and other jewelery, and crafts include Tibetan items and consumer electronics. There are also many CDs and DVDs for sale, although they're mainly unlicensed copies. Also available in abundance are imitation watches with incredible resemblance to the real ones (Rolex, Breitling, Patek Philippe and Omega, just to name a few). Even among these knock-offs, differences in grade can be seen for the same model in different shops. Whatever you buy here, always bargain and bargain hard. Always test the product before paying for it and leaving the shop. Remember where you bought the item. You will never get a refund, however, "Gongbei" shop owners are surprisingly diligent about protecting their reputation. They will exchange defective merchandise. [edit] Elsewhere in Gongbei
[edit] JidaThe main drag in Jida is Jǐngshān Road (景山路) and it has two blocks of nice department stores:
From Gongbei, take a number 2 bus. [edit] Xiangzhou Xiangzhou has plenty of shops, and is generally less touristy than Jida or Gongbei. The main street has the Japanese department store Jusco. There are also a number of other shops and several fairly large shopping complexes along the street north of Jusco. About 20m from Jusco there is a nice T-shirt shop which is much better than the typical tourist fare. From the border, take a number 2 or sightseeing bus to reach this area. On the second corner South of Jusco (bus-stop: Wanzai Sha) are two large buildings full of computer and electronics shops. [edit] Golf equipmentGolf equipment is readily available and cheap in Zhuhai, but nearly all "brand name" clubs are knock-offs and often of poor quality as well. There are several small golf shops in the underground shopping center at the border, some on Lotus Road, and two larger ones across the road from the driving range. [edit] EatCantonese cuisine is commonplace. Seafood is a local specialty. The Jinding Barbeque is by far and away the largest outdoor street barbeque in Zhuhai. It opens around 5:30PM each night on Jinding's main street. Steam rises, motorcycles whiz by, and music blares from shops as dozens of proprietary stands serve up street specialties (such as spicy grilled squid tentacles) well into the night to a lively crowd seated at plastic tables and chairs. Meals are served on plastic bag-covered plates and beer from the thinnest plastic cups in the world! Come here to experience regular Chinese street life, and leave full and a little tipsy. One large and popular high-end seafood place is on a boat in Xiangzhou harbour. From Gongbei, take #9 or Sightseeing bus along Lover's Road until you see an island and bridge on your right, just as the bus turns left. Get off and walk across the bridge. From Jusco, walk south on the main street to the first corner and turn left. The bridge is one block in front. Shi Shen Seafood City has two locations, one in a interesting old building a bit north of town on the coast road (#3, #10 or Sightseeing bus) and one near the border, a short distance along the road by the clock tower. Food from other regions of China is also available. Hunan and Szechwan food is common, one well-known Hunan place is Huo Gong Dian in Gongbei.
There is a fine Xinjiang place on the #4 bus route, one stop north of the Jida ferry port. That is part of a cluster of mid-range restaurants in a newly developed area. For a cheap and filling snack, look for the tiny noodle places run by Muslims. Perhaps the best is next to WanZaiSha bus station in Xiangzhou. [edit] Non-Chinese foodThere are two pizza places run by foreign residents, both good:
There are also several Pizza Huts, but Dynamics or Mr Pizza are both much better and considerably cheaper. There is also a local chain called Pizza Coffee, with reasonable prices but without pizza that appeals to Western tastes.
Good, but relatively expensive places:
Around the border shopping area there are a number of good and reasonably priced Thai restaurants. There are also several Thai restaurants around town, as well as a Korean restaurant in Jida. There are several Japanese restaurants in town.
[edit] DrinkZhuhai is known for its nightlife due to its status as a tourist destination for Chinese nationals, a playground for Chinese and Taiwanese businessmen looking for female company. Whether it's enjoying Chinese street life, mixing it up with all walks of life on Walking Street, sipping cocktails on Bar Street, or hitting the wild electronic discos, Zhuahi has what you're looking for! For a truly unique experience, have a beer or coffee at one of the couple dozen open-air bar booths along Walking Street (步行街 Bù-Xíng-Jiē). A must see atmosphere at night, this area is filled with outdoor stalls for drinking, playing dice with the bar girls, fielding casual approaches by working girls, and watching passers-by and beggars who sing, shine your shoes, play makeshift instruments, present their pet monkey, or simply point to their baby sadly in order to get one yuan from you. There are two groups of bars with the one nearer the border emphasizing food (nothing special) and the one further along emphasizing drinking (your destination) with a stretch of shops in between. Drinks are cheap (¥10 or ¥15 for a bottle of beer or cup of coffee), and you get to meet all sorts of travelers, expats, local wannabes and working girls. Hanging out here is by far one of the most interesting things to do in Gongbei. Use common sense late at night, as things can get pretty wild. Most stalls are open till 3AM, a few stay open later. Bar Street (酒吧街 Jiǔ-Bā-Jiē) is a new, approximately 300 meter long, modern strip of more upscale bars, some featuring live music. This strip primarily caters to Chinese businessmen, yuppies, and moneyed tourists. It is one block inland and a 20 minute walk from the Gongbei border, just follow the street with the clock tower on it until it becomes Bar Street. Some, particularly "Cohiba", are expat hangouts. These are generally expensive (¥20 to ¥30 for beer, more for cocktails), but may be worthwhile if you crave pseudo-Western food or (often terrible) live music. Although pricey, the Holiday Inn has quite a number of beers on tap in its classy bar. It features live western music performed by Filipino groups, among others, on some nights (usually weekends). The crowd can be a little dry though if you don't like chatting with the hotel guests (businessmen from America). The bar is called The Blarney Stone but appears to have nothing Irish about it from the inside. Ryan's Bar, located just behind Jusco in Xianzhou, this bar is popular with expats, particularly when international sporting events are on TV. It is also connected to a pizza place. The Old Chinese Junk, in Tangjia, is a nice new rooftop pub/bar run by a friendly Englishman. The bar has a nautical theme including a ship shaped bar, hence the name. The Junk has ice cold Carlsburg on tap and serves great food including British specialties such as 'fish & chips' and 'bangers & mash'. It is an expat oasis of sorts as it is one of the only truly western bars in Zhuhai and currently the only one in northern Zhuhai. Located on the 4th floor of the 'shopping-center-like-complex', connected to the Longmen Hotel. Dragon Union Opera House, also in Tangjia, is a large entertainment venue, occasionally featuring live, perhaps tacky, variety shows with acrobats, jugglers, rope climbers, singers, etc. Beer is expensive during shows. There is also a floor dedicated to massages. There are quite a few karaoke rooms available complete with furniture, beds, food, drink, choice of girls, and optional adult entertainment options to fulfill your every need no matter how unusual. Known even in Hong Kong as a destination for those seeking an 'all inclusive' karaoke experience, but can be as tame or as involved as you want it to be. Come to The Jinding Barbeque for dinner and beers aplenty (see eating section above) and then go to Jinding Karaoke Bar Street, a off the beaten path strip of about 10 hole-in-the-wall karoke bars located northeast of the main street in Jinding. Come here if you want to experience where real working class Chinese people go to get their drink on and howl at high decibel levels into a microphone. There are quite a few karaoke rooms available complete with furniture, beds, food, drink, choice of girls, and optional adult entertainment options to fulfill your every need no matter how unusual. It is not easily reached by walking if you do not know where you are going, but it is easy to flag down any of the locals and get a ride on their motorcycle (takes about three mins, 5 yuan) or take any of the taxi vans parked all around the middle of the main street. Just motion that you want to drink and sing and point in a east direction from the center of main street and that should convey the message. You will be popular here and may be encouraged to join someone's table and drink gratis as most locals will be surprised a foreigner would come there. Drink plenty of beer or bring earplugs, or both to dull the song volume. There are numerous discos in Zhuhai that will allow you to continue your night into the morning. There are several in Gongbei within a short cab ride of either Bar Street, or Walking Street. One near the action and open until 6AM is located on Walking Street near the food stands closer to the Macau border (look for the escalator going down). Another popular disco is Yesterday & Tomorrow which adopts an ancient Egyptian theme. Yesterday has the normal ear-splitting terrible Chinese trance playing. Tomorrow has a marginally better selection. There are several slightly smaller, dance type clubs located right on Bar Street, most famously Red Bar, an often packed-to-the-gills meat-market. The Xiangzhou and Jida areas also have popular discos. Your best bet is to hit your bar of choice first and then inquire and explore. The discos tend to be large, intense, and heavy into generic Chinese imitation euro-trance music, and popular with the young and rebellious. Cover charges may or may not apply, drinks are expensive by Chinese standards (generally 30RMB or more). Be careful with your possessions as these places are notorious for pickpockets. [edit] Sleep[edit] GongbeiThere are at least a dozen hotels within walking distance of the Gongbei border, mostly either cheap or mid-range (¥170 to ¥400). You can bargain the prices and normally they have "special prices", around half the listed price. On the other hand, it is not uncommon to see a low price on the sign, but find when you go in that only more expensive rooms are available.
[edit] Xiangzhou
[edit] Budget
[edit] Mid range[edit] Splurge
[edit] ContactThe area code for Zhuhai is 0756. When calling from overseas, dial +86 756 XXXX-XXXX
[edit] Tourist TrapsIn general, Zhuhai is a safe and friendly family oriented city. However, as a tourist or business traveler, you will want to take the usual precautions (pick pockets) while in the crowded shopping areas. Some tour guides may take you to a Chinese medicine company called Bai Chao Tang (百草堂) and tell you it is compulsory to visit because it is a government appointed 'tourism site'. This is actually not the case and some 'doctors' or 'professors' may prescribe some very expensive Chinese herbs which you can for much cheaper outside. Also beware of changing foreign money into RMB in the underground shopping mall at Gongbei. Several shops may give you fake money. Many vendors in the Gongbei market sell a wide variety of western knockoff flash memory cards. One should be hesitant to trust these flash drives as their capacity and reliability are often misrepresented. This rule should be followed throughout the Chinese mainland, where Caveat Emptor is the failsafe policy. [edit] Get outZhuhai has several islands that are accessible by ferry. Some have uncrowded beaches. From the Xiangzhou Northern Wharf (香洲北堤码头), you can get to the Wanshan Islands (万山群岛). One of the biggest Chinese antique furniture market areas is a 30 minute drive away in Guhe, Zhongshan. You can take a taxi (¥30-¥50) or get a bus near the border (¥2-¥4) to get there. The bus to Guangzhou costs ¥60 or ¥65, runs every half hour and the trip takes 2.5 hours. You can board at either the underground station in Gongbei to get to Garden Hotel (花园酒店), or from near the Gongbei border to get to the Provincial bus station (省汽车站) or Tianhe Dasha (天河大厦) bus station. There are also buses to most nearby cities, including Shenzhen (cheaper than the ferry), and overnight buses to Guilin, Xiamen, Zhanjiang and Beihai. The Xiangzhou bus station has a direct overnight bus to Yangshuo which is cheap (¥110) but fairly uncomfortable. Unlike most overnight busses it has no on-board toilets, but it does make several stops during the 12 hour trip. Neighbouring Macau can be reached on foot or by car through the Gongbei border crossing, by ferry from Wanzai area, or on foot or by car through the Lotus Bridge from Hengqin.
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