Guangzhou Highlight: Shamian Island - Historical Architecture, Instagram Ready
Guangzhou can be a chaotic place. When you are ready for an escape, if just for a few hours, head over to Shimian Island. Shimian Island is a small sandbank island in the Liwan district. The island is within a 5 minute walk from two metro station (Huangsha/黄沙 and Cultural Park/文化公园) , a mall and the Shangxiajiu walking street. What is amazing about Shimian is that it’s essentially a time capsule of Guangzhou’s colonial past. The entire island is lined with colonial architecture, giant trees and instagram worthy cafes. It’s also rumoured to be home to the nicest and largest Starbucks in Guangzhou. I am not sure if it is the nicest but it is housed in a 2 storey manor.
Shamian is also a great place to people watch as it’s a premier destination for locals to take wedding photos and to do their daily exercise. If you’re lucky, you’ll even see a group of seniors jamming by the water.
If you’re hungry, Shamian got you covered. If you’re looking for western food, Lucy’s is a go to for American style food and a few local options as well. The Orient Express is a French restaurant on the edge of the island, is also the highest rated French restaurant in Guangzhou and has a train cart in the court yard. I’ve never had the opportunity to visit but it’s always been on my list. If you would prefer a more local spot, Xin Niu Che Shui Restaurant is always a safe bet and has one of the best roasted squabs I’ve ever had (see picture below). The squab was so juicy that when I bit into it, the juice hit my partner’s face. You can’t really beat that. The restaurant does recommend that the squab be enjoyed within 10 minutes, which was never a problem for us. If you’re really want to splurge, you can visit one of the cafes, bars or restaurants at the White Swan Hotel. You’ll have an amazing water view but it will definitely set you back. Just to give you an idea, the tea fee (a fee charged at dim sum for the endless tea you drink) is $100 RMB/pp. Most restaurant’s tea fee is under $10 RMB.
After you’ve eaten, you can walk off that food baby by strolling through the tree lined court yards and taking photos with the numerous bronze statues littering the island.
