A Weekend Trip to Guangzhou as an ESL Teacher

One of the truly tremendous perks I enjoy as a travelling ESL teacher in China is all the weekend trips I can afford to take. My off days are on weekdays, so I just have my Chinese friends help me purchase tickets through the WeChat app before zooming around the country.

To maximize my time, I always write down a plan for my arrival. Below is my itinerary for my weekend trip to Guangzhou as an ESL teacher.

Working Day, Day One: Canton Tower Wharf

My work week goes from Thursday to Monday, with Tuesday and Wednesday off. So after school was over at 3:30 PM, I took a Didi to the airport and hopped aboard my flight. By 7:45, I was in Guangzhou, with a small backpack for the weekend. I didn’t want to overstrain myself, so I just checked into my small hotel and walked along Canton Tower Wharf for dinner. The Pearl River offers excellent views of the skyline and I could see the rainbow matrix of Canton Tower in the distance.

City Exploration Day, Day Two

My first day in an area is usually spent doing the very tourist-centric things while I still have energy to spare. I like doing these activities because people inevitably ask about them whenever I mention my trips, and I enjoy having that shared experience during the conversation.

I started in Haizhu Square, with its famed Guangzhou Liberation Statue and views of the Pearl River. I was able to get breakfast from a cart before walking around to see other portions of the city. Namely, I visited the Sacred Heart Cathedral, which is the largest Gothic cathedral in China. It’s an impressive piece of architecture that seems somehow jarringly European after so much traditional Chinese architecture.

Palaces, Museums and Temples

From here, I summoned another Didi to take me to the Site of Nanyue Kingdom Palace, an archaeological site showcasing the remains of a royal palace dating back over 2,000 years. The museum displays focus on the ancient Nanyue Kingdom and its capital, which held an antagonistic stance against the Han Dynasty between 200 BCE and 100 BCE. I was able to use my phone to translate most of the Chinese texts in the museum, though I would’ve preferred a tour guide.

Afterwards, I took a walk to the nearby grounds of the Temple of the Six Banyan Trees. I strolled the grounds and rotated around the famed central pagoda, better known as the Flower Pagoda. After my visit, I randomly veered into a restaurant for a quick lunch of soup and dumplings.

The Five Goats Statue of Guangzhou

After this, I took another car to Yuexiu Park to walk off my food and see the famed goat statue, which honors the famous “Legend of Five Goats.” In this story, ancient Guangzhou is crippled by an enduring drought. Eventually, the hardship is broken when five gods wearing five different colors and riding five goats emerged from the clouds. They provided people wheat, left the goats behind, and returned to the heavens. The gift provided food and broke the drought, allowing Guangzhou to prosper.

Ceramic Pillows

Before leaving the Yuexiu Park area, I took a detour nearby to visit the Ceramic Pillows Display at the Museum of the Nanyue King’s Mausoleum. Yes, that’s correct. Porcelain pillows. While the Nanyue King’s body is the centerpiece of the museum, there are other cultural artifacts including 200 ancient ceramic pillows. This is an old Chinese tradition found across many dynasties, becoming especially popular among upper-class families during the Tang and Song Dynasties. One theory suggests the hard pillows were used in southern China during hot summer nights to stay cool while sleeping. Regardless, the pillows are expertly crafted with impressive designs.

Dinner Near Huacheng Square

Sadly, I lingered a little too long in the museum, so I had to skip visiting Yuntai Garden like I’d originally planned.

However, I had enough time to visit Huacheng Square for a large dinner in the Cantonese cuisine style. I absolutely glutted myself on half a dozen dishes, including dim sum, wonton noodles, char siu, shrimp dumplings, clay pot rice, and water chestnut cake.

Canton Tower Rise

Waddling slightly, I made my way to the base of Canton Tower, heading all the way to the top where the strange orb bubbles that ring the outer rail of the tower slowly orbit. It’s the world’s slowest roller coaster ride, with a harrowing drop overlooking the rainbow-painted city below.

Feeling groggy from the action of the day, I returned to my hotel.

Day Three: Personal Interests and Local Cuisine

Shamian Island

On my last day in Guangzhou, I made a point of looking at some of the features of the city which held a personal interest toward me. My hotel was fairly close to Shamian Island, a former foreign concession with European-style architecture. I walked around there after forcing myself to start moving after four consecutive phone alarms. The area is quite pretty and quaint, especially in the hours before the sun starts heating up the city.

Visiting Huanghuagang Tomb of 72 Martyrs Road

I managed to find a small breakfast before taking another Didi to Guangzhoushi Huanghuagang Park, which is known for the unique Huanghuagang Tomb of 72 Martyrs Road. The tomb of martyrs is overwatched by a replica of the Statue of Liberty. I didn’t spend too much time here, but it was interesting to see. I spent the rest of the morning catching my breath in a coffee shop. I waited until lunchtime, at which point I went to a restaurant recommended by a friend to try something called Snake Soup (se gang). It’s a thick, rich broth which contains shredded snake meat, often combined with mushrooms and other ingredients. A lot of reptile-based foods I’ve eaten remind me slightly of the aftertaste of fish, so that was a feature of the meal as well.

Wandering Qingping Market

The last site I managed to visit was the Qingping Market, which I walked through before returning to my hotel. The area was way cooler than I was expecting, with lots of old precolonial buildings, odd market items, traditional Chinese medicines, and narrow walkways. I wish I had moved this up my list so I could’ve spent more time here.

Final Thoughts on Teaching and Travel in Guangzhou

Alas, that was the last of my time. I gathered my things from the hotel and returned to the airport to fly home, marking the end of a very enjoyable weekend trip to Guangzhou as an ESL teacher. I highly recommend people give the city a visit, especially if they’re interested in unique Cantonese meals, historic sites, and cultural travel opportunities while teaching English in China.