Guangdong | Why You Should Visit and What You Should Eat

Robots, riverboats, and beaches. If you've not been to Guangdong, you're in for a treat.

Guangdong is possibly not on your list of "must-visit" provinces in China. It sneaks under the radar with images of the region's powerhouse of economic zones springing to mind. Many of us figure that's all there is to it. 

But, Guandong's unique culture, history, cuisine, and landscapes mean you should definitely reconsider your stance. Read on the learn why. Oh, and did we mention there's a beach? 

What to Do?

Take a boat trip on the Pearl River in Guangzhou 

Guangdong was the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road. Foreign ships were restricted to Guangdong’s ports where they could offload and sell their goods and purchase silks, tea, spices, and porcelain to take home. Check out the church on Shamian Island, a leafy oasis that was acquired as a foreign concession in 1859 before taking a private boat ride along the Pearl River. 

Photo by Gizmochina.com

Dine at the Foodom Robotic Restaurant  

Shunde is blessed with a wide selection of fish, and three of the most popular – mud carp, ju, and grass carp – are all used regularly in traditional cuisine. When this cuisine is cooked by the region’s top chefs, it’s delicious. When those top chefs train robots how to cook it, well, the experience is one you’ll never forget. Foodom Robotic Restaurant is China’s first fully robot operated restaurant. There are 32 robots in the kitchen and each one is “trained” by a human chef. The robots continue to develop their skills and customers can watch them preparing food through transparent glass walls. This is a China experience you don’t want to miss. 

BBQ on the beach in Huizhou 

The laidback city of Huizhou offers a nice break from the rush of Beijing or Shanghai. Explore the city's Hakka culture and history in the Old Town before spending the day on a fishing boat catching seafood. Then, before returning home, head to the beach (which is actually pretty nice for Chinese beaches) for a seafood BBQ dinner. You could even throw in some fireworks if you’re celebrating a special occasion.

What to Eat?

Cantonese Cuisine 
The humid climate, plentiful rainfall, and well-irrigated land mean rice is easy to grow and has been farmed in the region since the Han dynasty. You'll see rice featured a lot more in southern cooking than you do in the north. Dishes in Guangdong are fresh and light and favor sweet over salty sauces. A Cantonese chef's goal is to preserve the natural flavor of an ingredient. If you're a big fan of Dim Sum, then Guangdong is your Disney Land. 

Hakka Cuisine 

The Hakka people have a marked cuisine and style of Chinese cooking which focuses on the texture of food. Preserved meats feature in Hakka delicacies as well as stewed, braised, and roast meats that add textures to the Hakka palate. Preserved vegetables are often used for steamed and braised dishes such as steamed minced pork with preserved vegetables and braised pork with salted vegetables.  

Chaozhou Cuisine 

Chaoshan cuisine is a branch of Cantonese cooking with it’s own style. Chaoshan dishes are fresh and healthy and special cooking techniques like brining and marinating are often used. Don't miss out on trying Chaozhou cold crab.

How to get there?

Fly from any major city in China to Guangzhou to start your journey. Or, you can take the high-speed train. The train journey will take around eight hours from Beijing or seven hours from Shanghai.

Want to Learn More about Guangdong?

Did you know that WildChina has a Guangdong office? Just send us a message through our WeChat account and we'll match you with a travel designer who is local to Guangdong. 

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WildChina was born on the sacred slopes of Mount Kailash in the Himalayas. Since WildChina’s first-ever trip in 2000, we have helped thousands of travelers enjoy life-changing experiences in every corner of this vast and endlessly inspiring nation. We never crop out reality or cocoon our travelers in a tourist bubble. We believe in the power of travel to transform, inspire, and bring people closer together, and we work tirelessly to perfect every detail for our guests. It’s this dedication, expertise, and passion for travel in China that makes us an award-winning industry leader.