Guangxi Wuzhou Travel Guide

Wuzhou is a prefecture level city in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It sits in the east end of Guangxi, at the confluence of three rivers, Xunjiang River, Guijiang River and Xijiang River. It borders Zhaoqing City of Guangdong Province. The city of Hezhou is to its north, to its west is the city of Laibing. The city of Yulin is in its south. It now consists of 3 districts (Wanxiu, Changzhou and Longyu), three counties (Cangwu, Tengxian and Mengshan) and 1 city (Cenxi). It is now home to 2.8 million people. Majority of its citizens are ethnic Han, followed by some Zhuang and Dong population. Wuzhou boasts a long history in southern China. Evidence of early settlements in Wuzhou can be traced back to Neolithic age. The ancient tribes of Wuzhou called themselves Cangwu, they were considered one of the oldest tribes in China. Many believe that these Cangwu tribes were ancestors of modern day ethnic Zhuang and Dong people. Wuzhou was the site of Cangwu and Guangxin region in ancient times. A small castle state of Cangwu was built around 200 BC, that was how the city got its name of Wuzhou. This city is now more closely linked to the neighboring Guangdong Province, in terms of language, customs, cuisine and folk arts. It is considered one of the birthplaces of modern day Cantonese. It is called san jiang shui kou (place where three rivers meet) , Wuzhou sits in a relatively flat plain in a place surrounded by small hills. Small hills scatter around Wuzhou region with altitude ranging from 90-200 meters. 

● What to do & where to go

Wuzhou is one of the birthplaces of Guangfu culture (Cantonese culture), so it is no surprise to see all Cantonese elements in Wuzhou, such as lion dance, Cantonese cuisine, Cantonese language, Cantonese opera, dragon boat race. Wuzhou is listed as China Excellent Tourism City. It offers tourists with plenty of attractions. The following are some attractions worth mentioning.

White Crane Mountain (bai he shan), also called Feihe Hummock (fei he gang), is located at the confluence of the Xun River and Gui River. For a long time in history, the mountain is a famous attraction in Wuzhou City. In the morning, the White Crane Mountain is like a fairy in the mist. While in the afternoon, when the water is calm, the inverted image of the mountain on the Gui River express its true beauty. In 1897, during the reign of Emperor Guangxu in Qing Dynasty, when Wuzhou was opened for trade, Great Britain set up their consulate in White Crane Mountain. For a long time, the mountain is a forbidden, entry were not allowed for civilians. In 1928 the then government of China resumed the control of this area. And in 1930, White Crane Mountain is again opened to the public as a park. Covering the area of about 14 hectares, there are ancient trees, birds and flowers in the park. The site of the former UK Consulate sits on the top of the mountain, covering an area of 1500 square meters. It was constructed with wood and brick, around the house there are corridors connected with each other. At the front door, there are 7 brick pillars erecting to the roof. Entering the door, there are living rooms, offices, and wing rooms. The house is covered with glazed tiles, combined the eastern and western style together. 

● Access

Wuzhou is a region easily accessible. It can be reached by vast networks of highways, high-speed railway and regional flights.

Wuzhou Xijiang Airport (WUZ) is a regional airport. It is in Tengxian County, about 20 km away from downtown Wuzhou. Operators such as China Eastern, Chengdu Airline and China United Airline are currently providing services in Wuzhou airport, connecting this city to other 10 cities in China, including Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Wuhan, Changsha, Sanya, Xi’an and Nanjing. 

For railway transport, Wuzhou Station and Wuzhounan (Wuzhou south) station are major stops in this region. 

For land transport, numerous national highways crisscross the region of Wuzhou. G65 Bao-Mao (Baotao-Maoming) Expressway, G80 Guang-Kun (Guangzhou-Kunming) Express, Nan-Wu (Naning-Wuzhou) Express are the main artery of networks, coupled by some regional expressways, such as Gui-Wu (Guigang-Wuzhou), Liu-Wu (Liuzhou-Wuzhou), Guang-Wu (Guangzhou-Wuzhou), which link Wuzhou with its neighbor cities. 

● What to eat

Unlike many other Guangxi cities, the culinary culture of Wuzhou does not have much ethnic touch to it; rather it is distinctively Cantonese as a result to its proximity, both culturally and geologically, to Guangdong province. 

Gui ling gao (herbal jelly)

Gui ling gao is a popular snack in south China, particularly in Guangxi and Guangdong. Wuzhou is famous for this type of food. It is often made of different herbal, mixed with grounded tortoise shell. This strange mix of material is resulted in a dark color, pudding-like snack. It is bitter in flavor, often dressed in honey or sugar to balance out the taste. 

Bing quan dou jiang (soybean milk of Bingquan)

Bing quan dou jiang is a time honored food brand in Wuzhou. This restaurant is at the foot of Baiyun Mountain and had been in business for more than 70 years. Soybean milk is a common Chinese beverage, the one in Wuzhou is famous for its fine quality water from local well. 

● Climate

Wuzhou is in a subtropical zone. It is in general a warm and wet place. It has relatively long summer and short winter. Most precipitation is concentrated in spring and summer. Autumn is suggested as the best time to visit. Pay attention to Typhoon weather as occasionally this city would be affected.