Nanning

People27s_Republic_of_China

Nanning centre

Nanning (南宁; Nánníng) is the capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south-west China. It is a large, modern city and a transport gateway for travellers to and from Vietnam.

Though the older people speak Cantonese (广东话 guǎngdōnghuà), the younger generation mainly speak Mandarin (普通话 pǔtōnghuà). Nanning is regarded as one of the most successful cities in China in terms of popularizing Mandarin or 'common language'. So it is a very good place to learn Putonghua. Universities offering Chinese courses are many, including Guangxi University for Nationalities and Guangxi University. However, be aware that Nanning people, like virtually all Chinese in the south, have a non-standard pronunciation for many of the basic sounds of Mandarin (which comes from the northern Han people).

Nanning, as the capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, embraces the Zhuang ethnic language, and virtually all public building signs in Guangxi display the Zhuang written text alongside Chinese. It is not to be confused with pinyin, the romanized phonetic transliteration of Mandarin.

Part of the pottery collection of Guangxi Autonomous Region Museum

  • Anthropology Museum of Guangxi, 11 Qinghuan Road, Qingxiu District (青秀区青环路11号) (Bus route w8. You may catch bus w8 from the Zhuxi Interchange (竹溪立交), which is just a few hundred metres west of the Convention & Exhibition Center Station on Metro Line 1, +86 771 2024599, +86 771 2024322. 09ː30-17ː00, no entry after 16ː30, closed on Mondays (public holidays excepted). Free.
  • The Geological Museum of Guangxi, 1 Jianzheng Road, Qingxiu District (清秀区建政路1号) (Bus routes. 12, 85 and b37. You can catch bus no. 12 from Jinzhou Road (金洲路), which is a short distance east of Nanhu Station on Metro Line 1, +86 771 5655659, +86 771 5655466. 08ː30-11ː30, 15ː00-17ː30, closed on weekends. Free.
  • Guangxi Art Museum, 22 Qiuyue Road, Wuxiang New District (五象新区秋月路22号) (Bus route 12. You may catch this bus on Jinzhou Road (金洲路), just south of the intersection with Minzu Avenue (民族大道) and close to Nanhu Station on Metro Line 1, +86 771 2529211. 09ː00-17ː00, no entry after 16ː00, closed on Mondays. Free.
  • Guangxi Autonomous Region Museum, 34 Minzu Avenue, Qingxiu District (青秀区民族大道34号; Mínzú Dàdào) (At the intersection with Gucheng Road, across from Mengzhidao Department Store. Just outside Exit B of the Minzu Square Station on Metro Line 1, +86 771 2707027. 09:00-17:00, no entry after 16ː00, closed on Mondays. The only national-level museum in Guangxi, it has quite an eclectic exhibition. The museum's large collection of pottery and porcelain is displayed on the first floor, while on the second floor, there are exhibits on the early culture of Guangxi, including a collection of bronze drums, prehistoric tools and metalwork. There is also an open-air exhibition, with performances, and has houses of some of the minorities. An audio guide may be rented out for ¥10 (¥200 deposit required). Free.
  • Guangxi Planning Exhibition Hall, 8 Songxiang Road, Liangqing District (良庆区宋厢路8号) (Take bus no. 15 from Jiangnan Coach Station Metro Station on Metro Line 2, bus no. 48 from Yudong Station on Metro Line 2, or bus no. 220 from Jinhu Square Station on Metro Line 1, +86 771 4952256. 09ː00-17ː00, no entry after 16ː00, closed on Mondays. Free.
  • Guangxi Science and Technology Museum, 20 Minzu Avenue, Qingxiu District (青秀区民族大道20号) (Xinminlu Station, Metro Line 1, +86 771 2839991 (enquiries), +86 771 2805108 (ticket sales). 09ː30-17ː00, closed on Mondays (public holidays excepted). General admission is free. The museum cinema charges ¥20 per head.
  • Nanning Museum, 15 Longdi Road, Liangqing District (良庆区龙堤路15号) (Bus routes 107 and 117. You can catch bus 107 from Dashatian Square, which is near the Dashatian Station on Metro Line 2, +86 771 2842637. 09ː00-16ː30, no entry after 16ː00, closed on Mondays. Free.
  • Natural History Museum of Guangxi, Nanning People's Park, 1-1 Renmin Road East, Xingning District (兴宁区人民东路1-1号南宁人民公园内) (The museum is on the east side of Nanning People's Park, which is about 1.5km east of the Nanning Railway Station, +86 771 2820904, +86 771 2820502. 09ː00-16ː30, closed on Mondays (public holidays excepted). Free.
  • Yongjiang Inlet Art Museum, South Side, Xiazhou Village Section, Xianhu Economic Development Zone (仙葫经济开发区西区下洲村段南面) (Bus routes 87, 97, 105, 701 and 704. Bus routes 87, 701 and 704 can be caught from the Langdong Coach Station Metro Station on Line 1, +86 18978833026. 09ː00-17ː00, no entry after 16ː30. Free.

Anthropology Museum of Guangxi, 11 Qinghuan Road, Qingxiu District (青秀区青环路11号) (Bus route w8. You may catch bus w8 from the Zhuxi Interchange (竹溪立交), which is just a few hundred metres west of the Convention & Exhibition Center Station on Metro Line 1, +86 771 2024599, +86 771 2024322. 09ː30-17ː00, no entry after 16ː30, closed on Mondays (public holidays excepted). Free.

The Geological Museum of Guangxi, 1 Jianzheng Road, Qingxiu District (清秀区建政路1号) (Bus routes. 12, 85 and b37. You can catch bus no. 12 from Jinzhou Road (金洲路), which is a short distance east of Nanhu Station on Metro Line 1, +86 771 5655659, +86 771 5655466. 08ː30-11ː30, 15ː00-17ː30, closed on weekends. Free.

Guangxi Art Museum, 22 Qiuyue Road, Wuxiang New District (五象新区秋月路22号) (Bus route 12. You may catch this bus on Jinzhou Road (金洲路), just south of the intersection with Minzu Avenue (民族大道) and close to Nanhu Station on Metro Line 1, +86 771 2529211. 09ː00-17ː00, no entry after 16ː00, closed on Mondays. Free.

Guangxi Autonomous Region Museum, 34 Minzu Avenue, Qingxiu District (青秀区民族大道34号; Mínzú Dàdào) (At the intersection with Gucheng Road, across from Mengzhidao Department Store. Just outside Exit B of the Minzu Square Station on Metro Line 1, +86 771 2707027. 09:00-17:00, no entry after 16ː00, closed on Mondays. The only national-level museum in Guangxi, it has quite an eclectic exhibition. The museum's large collection of pottery and porcelain is displayed on the first floor, while on the second floor, there are exhibits on the early culture of Guangxi, including a collection of bronze drums, prehistoric tools and metalwork. There is also an open-air exhibition, with performances, and has houses of some of the minorities. An audio guide may be rented out for ¥10 (¥200 deposit required). Free.

Guangxi Planning Exhibition Hall, 8 Songxiang Road, Liangqing District (良庆区宋厢路8号) (Take bus no. 15 from Jiangnan Coach Station Metro Station on Metro Line 2, bus no. 48 from Yudong Station on Metro Line 2, or bus no. 220 from Jinhu Square Station on Metro Line 1, +86 771 4952256. 09ː00-17ː00, no entry after 16ː00, closed on Mondays. Free.

Guangxi Science and Technology Museum, 20 Minzu Avenue, Qingxiu District (青秀区民族大道20号) (Xinminlu Station, Metro Line 1, +86 771 2839991 (enquiries), +86 771 2805108 (ticket sales). 09ː30-17ː00, closed on Mondays (public holidays excepted). General admission is free. The museum cinema charges ¥20 per head.

Nanning Museum, 15 Longdi Road, Liangqing District (良庆区龙堤路15号) (Bus routes 107 and 117. You can catch bus 107 from Dashatian Square, which is near the Dashatian Station on Metro Line 2, +86 771 2842637. 09ː00-16ː30, no entry after 16ː00, closed on Mondays. Free.

Natural History Museum of Guangxi, Nanning People's Park, 1-1 Renmin Road East, Xingning District (兴宁区人民东路1-1号南宁人民公园内) (The museum is on the east side of Nanning People's Park, which is about 1.5km east of the Nanning Railway Station, +86 771 2820904, +86 771 2820502. 09ː00-16ː30, closed on Mondays (public holidays excepted). Free.

Yongjiang Inlet Art Museum, South Side, Xiazhou Village Section, Xianhu Economic Development Zone (仙葫经济开发区西区下洲村段南面) (Bus routes 87, 97, 105, 701 and 704. Bus routes 87, 701 and 704 can be caught from the Langdong Coach Station Metro Station on Line 1, +86 18978833026. 09ː00-17ː00, no entry after 16ː30. Free.

  • Guangxi Medicinal Botanical Garden, 189 Longgang Road, Xingning District (兴宁区长堽路189号) (Bus routes 20, 28, 42, 43, 74, 90, b82, b83 will take you to Gate No. 2 on the west side of the garden. Bus routes 20, 28, 42, 43, 74, 90, b101, b82 and b83 will take you to Gate No. 3 on the south side of the garden. You can catch buses 42, 43 and 90 from outside Exit D of the Convention and Exhibition Center Station on Metro Line 1, +86 771 5603072. Summerː 08ː00-18ː00, Winterː 08ː00-17ː30. Usually ¥65, but may be discounted to ¥30.
  • Nanning People's Park, 1 Renmin Road East, Xingning District (兴宁区人民东路1号) (About 1.5km east of the Nanning Railway Station. The bus stop outside the park is served by bus routes 22, 31, 41, 78, 80, 81, b206 and b91, +86 771 5620468. Open all day. Includes a large area devoted to amusement park type rides, as well as quieter areas for picnics, game playing, or walking. Free.
  • Nanning Zoo, 3 University Road West, Xixiangtang District (西乡塘区大学西路3号) (Nanning Zoo Station, Metro Line 1, +86 771 3213932 (service hotline), +86 771 2869791 (e-ticket enquiries), +86 771 3212882 (event planning). 08ː00-17ː30. A rich collection of African and Asian animals, reptiles, birds, and fish, all in well-maintained settings. (No Pandas.) Admission includes an hour-long performance of dancing bears, bicycling monkeys, elephants, and acrobats. ¥50.
  • Qingxiu Mountain, 6-6 Lingnan Road, Qingxiu District (青秀区凤岭南路6-6号) (Bus routes 32, 121 and b10 will take you to the north gate. Bus routes 32, 33, 89, 94, 121, 220 and b10 will take you to the west gate, +86 771 5560662 (enquiries), +86 771 5828923, +86 771 5560687 (complaints and emergencies). 07ː00-18ː00. Entry is ¥20. Fees for the sightseeing car are ¥5 for one ride, ¥9 for two rides and ¥34 for unlimited rides. The tourist train charges ¥10 for one ride, ¥18 for two rides and ¥50 for unlimited rides.
  • Shimen Forest Park, 118 Minzu Avenue, Qingxiu District (青秀区民族大道118号) (A 700-metre walk from Exit C of the Convention and Exhibition Center Station on Metro Line 1, +86 771-5884865, +86 771-5857157. Open all day. Free.
  • Shishan Park, 92 Xiuxiang Avenue, Xingning District (兴宁区秀厢大道92号) (Bus routes 13, 28, 74, 116, 212, 605, 705 and b63, +86 771 3927358. Open all day. Free.
  • South Lake Park, 1 Shuangyong Road, Qingxiu District (青秀区双拥路1号) (Nanhu Station, Metro Line 1, +86 771 5324932, +86 771 5333610. Open all day. Lake in the southeastern part of town surrounded by a park including bonsai and orchid gardens. Free.
  • Wuxiangling Forest Park, Liangqing District (良庆区) (Bus routes 15, 29, 31, 49, 55, 56, 81, 88, 96, 107 and 111. Bus routes 15, 81 and 88 may be caught from outside the Dashatian Station on Metro Line 2. Enter near the corner of 兴象路 and 建设路, +86 771 5814431. Pleasant forest park with some light hiking trails. Free.
  • Yiling Rock, State Highway 210, Wuming District (武鸣区210国道) (Take public bus no. 115 or k5, which originate from the Anji Bus Terminal bus stop and the Gaoxin Anji Intersection bus stop respectively. Both bus routes also stop outside the Anji Coach Station Metro Station on Line 2, +86 771 6260420. Summerː 08ː30-17ː00, Winterː 08ː30-16ː30. Karst caverns 18 km north of Nanning City in Wuming District. ¥60.

Guangxi Medicinal Botanical Garden, 189 Longgang Road, Xingning District (兴宁区长堽路189号) (Bus routes 20, 28, 42, 43, 74, 90, b82, b83 will take you to Gate No. 2 on the west side of the garden. Bus routes 20, 28, 42, 43, 74, 90, b101, b82 and b83 will take you to Gate No. 3 on the south side of the garden. You can catch buses 42, 43 and 90 from outside Exit D of the Convention and Exhibition Center Station on Metro Line 1, +86 771 5603072. Summerː 08ː00-18ː00, Winterː 08ː00-17ː30. Usually ¥65, but may be discounted to ¥30.

Nanning People's Park, 1 Renmin Road East, Xingning District (兴宁区人民东路1号) (About 1.5km east of the Nanning Railway Station. The bus stop outside the park is served by bus routes 22, 31, 41, 78, 80, 81, b206 and b91, +86 771 5620468. Open all day. Includes a large area devoted to amusement park type rides, as well as quieter areas for picnics, game playing, or walking. Free.

Nanning Zoo, 3 University Road West, Xixiangtang District (西乡塘区大学西路3号) (Nanning Zoo Station, Metro Line 1, +86 771 3213932 (service hotline), +86 771 2869791 (e-ticket enquiries), +86 771 3212882 (event planning). 08ː00-17ː30. A rich collection of African and Asian animals, reptiles, birds, and fish, all in well-maintained settings. (No Pandas.) Admission includes an hour-long performance of dancing bears, bicycling monkeys, elephants, and acrobats. ¥50.

Qingxiu Mountain, 6-6 Lingnan Road, Qingxiu District (青秀区凤岭南路6-6号) (Bus routes 32, 121 and b10 will take you to the north gate. Bus routes 32, 33, 89, 94, 121, 220 and b10 will take you to the west gate, +86 771 5560662 (enquiries), +86 771 5828923, +86 771 5560687 (complaints and emergencies). 07ː00-18ː00. Entry is ¥20. Fees for the sightseeing car are ¥5 for one ride, ¥9 for two rides and ¥34 for unlimited rides. The tourist train charges ¥10 for one ride, ¥18 for two rides and ¥50 for unlimited rides.

Shimen Forest Park, 118 Minzu Avenue, Qingxiu District (青秀区民族大道118号) (A 700-metre walk from Exit C of the Convention and Exhibition Center Station on Metro Line 1, +86 771-5884865, +86 771-5857157. Open all day. Free.

Shishan Park, 92 Xiuxiang Avenue, Xingning District (兴宁区秀厢大道92号) (Bus routes 13, 28, 74, 116, 212, 605, 705 and b63, +86 771 3927358. Open all day. Free.

South Lake Park, 1 Shuangyong Road, Qingxiu District (青秀区双拥路1号) (Nanhu Station, Metro Line 1, +86 771 5324932, +86 771 5333610. Open all day. Lake in the southeastern part of town surrounded by a park including bonsai and orchid gardens. Free.

Wuxiangling Forest Park, Liangqing District (良庆区) (Bus routes 15, 29, 31, 49, 55, 56, 81, 88, 96, 107 and 111. Bus routes 15, 81 and 88 may be caught from outside the Dashatian Station on Metro Line 2. Enter near the corner of 兴象路 and 建设路, +86 771 5814431. Pleasant forest park with some light hiking trails. Free.

Yiling Rock, State Highway 210, Wuming District (武鸣区210国道) (Take public bus no. 115 or k5, which originate from the Anji Bus Terminal bus stop and the Gaoxin Anji Intersection bus stop respectively. Both bus routes also stop outside the Anji Coach Station Metro Station on Line 2, +86 771 6260420. Summerː 08ː30-17ː00, Winterː 08ː30-16ː30. Karst caverns 18 km north of Nanning City in Wuming District. ¥60.

  • Diwang International Commerce Center, 59 Jinhu Road, Qingxiu District (青秀区金湖路59号) (Situated on the north side of Jinhu Square and about 550 metres northwest of Jinhu Square Station on Metro Line 1, +86 771-5537733, +86 771-5592022. Observation deck opening hoursː Monday to Fridayː 09ː00-22ː00, Weekendsː 09ː00-22ː30. This was Nanning's tallest building from 2006 to 2014. The building stands 276 metres tall. There is an observation deck on the top floor, which offers sweeping views of the city. ¥68 to access the observation deck.
  • Guangxi University, 100 University Road East, Xixiangtang District (西乡塘区大学东路100号) (Guangxi University Station, Metro Line 1. An example of a good provincial university with several 10s of thousands of undergraduate and graduate students. Includes classroom buildings, dormitory buildings, and large administration buildings on a very large and beautifully landscaped campus.
  • Nanning Confucius Temple, 9 Qinghuan Road, Qingxiu District (青秀区青环路9号) (Bus route w8. You may catch bus w8 from the Zhuxi Interchange (竹溪立交), which is just a few hundred metres west of the Convention & Exhibition Center Station on Metro Line 1, +86 771 5531030. 09ː00-16ː30, closed on Mondays. Free.
  • People's Welfare Plaza, Jiangbei Avenue, Qingxiu District (西乡塘区江北大道) (Runs along the river for about a mile on top of Jiangbei Road near the center of town; Bus routes 34, 35, 45, 46, 76, 79, 205, 207, 604, 701 and 706. Open all day. A landscaped concrete, tile, and terrazzo plaza running along the river. Often is the site of small musical and dancing groups, skateboarders, children, and strolling couples. Free.
  • Yangmei Ancient Town, Jiangxi Town, Jiangnan District (江南区江西镇) (36km west of the Nanning urban area. Express buses to Yangmei depart from the University Town Tourist Transportation Hub (大学城旅游集散地) located at 51 University Road East (大学东路51号) just outside Exit B of Lubanlu Station on Metro Line 1. Buses operate about once an hour between 08ː30 and 18ː00. The bus fare is ¥17, +86 771 2795009. ¥10.

Diwang International Commerce Center, 59 Jinhu Road, Qingxiu District (青秀区金湖路59号) (Situated on the north side of Jinhu Square and about 550 metres northwest of Jinhu Square Station on Metro Line 1, +86 771-5537733, +86 771-5592022. Observation deck opening hoursː Monday to Fridayː 09ː00-22ː00, Weekendsː 09ː00-22ː30. This was Nanning's tallest building from 2006 to 2014. The building stands 276 metres tall. There is an observation deck on the top floor, which offers sweeping views of the city. ¥68 to access the observation deck.

Guangxi University, 100 University Road East, Xixiangtang District (西乡塘区大学东路100号) (Guangxi University Station, Metro Line 1. An example of a good provincial university with several 10s of thousands of undergraduate and graduate students. Includes classroom buildings, dormitory buildings, and large administration buildings on a very large and beautifully landscaped campus.

Nanning Confucius Temple, 9 Qinghuan Road, Qingxiu District (青秀区青环路9号) (Bus route w8. You may catch bus w8 from the Zhuxi Interchange (竹溪立交), which is just a few hundred metres west of the Convention & Exhibition Center Station on Metro Line 1, +86 771 5531030. 09ː00-16ː30, closed on Mondays. Free.

People's Welfare Plaza, Jiangbei Avenue, Qingxiu District (西乡塘区江北大道) (Runs along the river for about a mile on top of Jiangbei Road near the center of town; Bus routes 34, 35, 45, 46, 76, 79, 205, 207, 604, 701 and 706. Open all day. A landscaped concrete, tile, and terrazzo plaza running along the river. Often is the site of small musical and dancing groups, skateboarders, children, and strolling couples. Free.

Yangmei Ancient Town, Jiangxi Town, Jiangnan District (江南区江西镇) (36km west of the Nanning urban area. Express buses to Yangmei depart from the University Town Tourist Transportation Hub (大学城旅游集散地) located at 51 University Road East (大学东路51号) just outside Exit B of Lubanlu Station on Metro Line 1. Buses operate about once an hour between 08ː30 and 18ː00. The bus fare is ¥17, +86 771 2795009. ¥10.

  • Nanning Bird and Flower Market, 2 Kunlun Avenue, Xingning District (兴宁区昆仑大道2号) (Near the intersection of Xiangzhu Ave 廂竹大道 and Nanwu Road 南捂路, adjacent to the Guangxi Medicinal Botanical Garden 广西药用植物园, northeast of the city center. Bus routes 20, 22, 42, 66, 67, 81, 608, 802, 803 and w3. An eclectic mix of flowers, shrubs, pot plants and all thing floral, as well as a vast array of birds, fish, and other pets. Thrown into the mix is an assortment of household goodies to brighten up an otherwise dull abode: furniture fashioned from tree stumps, traditional Chinese tea sets, carvings, wall hangings, etc. This is an amazingly interesting place to while away an afternoon, and get some truly good-value items. This place is packed out on weekends, and is a notorious place for pick-pockets, who cleverly razor-slash pockets and bags to retrieve any valuable carelessly stowed. Keep money, mobile phones and any valuables securely in zippered compartments inside bags.
  • Nanning Wanda Amusement Park, 6 Liangdi Road, Wuxiang New District (五象新区良堤路6号) (Take bus no. 26. There is a bus stop for Bus 26 on Ximin Road, a short distance north of Exit C of the Ximinlu Station on Metro Line 1. Monday-Fridayː 10ː00-22ː00, Weekendsː 09ː30-22ː30. Prices for individual rides vary from ¥15 to ¥30. If you intend on going on multiple rides, you can save some money by getting a stored-value card. A ¥100 card costs ¥80. A ¥240 card costs ¥200. A ¥360 card costs ¥300. A ¥600 card costs ¥500. Children under 1.2 metres in height are free.

Nanning Bird and Flower Market, 2 Kunlun Avenue, Xingning District (兴宁区昆仑大道2号) (Near the intersection of Xiangzhu Ave 廂竹大道 and Nanwu Road 南捂路, adjacent to the Guangxi Medicinal Botanical Garden 广西药用植物园, northeast of the city center. Bus routes 20, 22, 42, 66, 67, 81, 608, 802, 803 and w3. An eclectic mix of flowers, shrubs, pot plants and all thing floral, as well as a vast array of birds, fish, and other pets. Thrown into the mix is an assortment of household goodies to brighten up an otherwise dull abode: furniture fashioned from tree stumps, traditional Chinese tea sets, carvings, wall hangings, etc. This is an amazingly interesting place to while away an afternoon, and get some truly good-value items. This place is packed out on weekends, and is a notorious place for pick-pockets, who cleverly razor-slash pockets and bags to retrieve any valuable carelessly stowed. Keep money, mobile phones and any valuables securely in zippered compartments inside bags.

Nanning Wanda Amusement Park, 6 Liangdi Road, Wuxiang New District (五象新区良堤路6号) (Take bus no. 26. There is a bus stop for Bus 26 on Ximin Road, a short distance north of Exit C of the Ximinlu Station on Metro Line 1. Monday-Fridayː 10ː00-22ː00, Weekendsː 09ː30-22ː30. Prices for individual rides vary from ¥15 to ¥30. If you intend on going on multiple rides, you can save some money by getting a stored-value card. A ¥100 card costs ¥80. A ¥240 card costs ¥200. A ¥360 card costs ¥300. A ¥600 card costs ¥500. Children under 1.2 metres in height are free.

  • Chao Yang Road, 朝阳路; Chao Yang Lu. The main shopping street lined with department stores, like Nanning Department Store and Parkson, and also Walmart, in addition other intentional brands and local brands. It is also a nice place to go people-watching, as people from all walks of life can be seen here: youngsters, street performers, roadside vendors, etc.
  • Underground Mall. And underground shopping mall that is always busy, particularly during the hot summer months. Primarily composed of small clothing shops but also includes food outlets and other small stores of a variety of types.
  • Heping Market. Located a block west of the north Nanning Department Store (百货大楼), Heping Market has 4 crowded stories of small vendors selling electronics, kitchenware, makeup, clothing, and fabrics. Expect low prices and few (genuine) name brands.
  • The Mixc. Located on the east side of town, on Minzhu Avenue, the Mixc is a new, 7-story mall featuring high-end, mostly foreign brands. Uniqlo, Parkson, and H&M are the anchor stores. There is plenty to eat on all levels, as well as an ice rink and a movie theater. Expect prices to be on par with the West.

Chao Yang Road, 朝阳路; Chao Yang Lu. The main shopping street lined with department stores, like Nanning Department Store and Parkson, and also Walmart, in addition other intentional brands and local brands. It is also a nice place to go people-watching, as people from all walks of life can be seen here: youngsters, street performers, roadside vendors, etc.

Underground Mall. And underground shopping mall that is always busy, particularly during the hot summer months. Primarily composed of small clothing shops but also includes food outlets and other small stores of a variety of types.

Heping Market. Located a block west of the north Nanning Department Store (百货大楼), Heping Market has 4 crowded stories of small vendors selling electronics, kitchenware, makeup, clothing, and fabrics. Expect low prices and few (genuine) name brands.

The Mixc. Located on the east side of town, on Minzhu Avenue, the Mixc is a new, 7-story mall featuring high-end, mostly foreign brands. Uniqlo, Parkson, and H&M are the anchor stores. There is plenty to eat on all levels, as well as an ice rink and a movie theater. Expect prices to be on par with the West.

Zhongshan Rd (中山路) is Nanning's food street, with a vast assortment of street stalls serving many kinds of Liang Guang (literally, the two Guang provinces, Guangxi and Guangdong) foods, as well as food from neighbouring provinces, such as Hunan and Yunnan. It is diagonally opposite the Wanda Plaza, home of Wal-Mart. Throughout the city there are many good-value restaurants. Few have English menus. The newly developed eastern end of the city (around Langdong, and the APEC Exhibition Centre) has lots of up-market restaurants, cafes and coffee lounges.

There are dumpling stalls and small eating houses all over the city. Fresh, tasty and very cheap. Zhongshan Rd food stalls are also worth a try. Try the local rice noodle soup, laoyoufen (老友粉; literally old friend rice noodle). It is traditionally made with pork based broth, pickled bamboo shoots, fermented soy beans, and other typical Chinese spices. It is an acquired tasted due to the pickled bamboo shoots.

  • Nanning night food market, Zhongshan Rd (15 minute walk south from the train station. This is a 300-meter long stretch where you will find a vivid display of various exotic dishes ready to be served.

Nanning night food market, Zhongshan Rd (15 minute walk south from the train station. This is a 300-meter long stretch where you will find a vivid display of various exotic dishes ready to be served.

About 90% of the restaurants in Nanning would fall into this category.

  • Little Fat Sheep, Dongege Rd and Henyang Rd. Chain serving traditional hotpot, with lamb the meat of choice.
  • Old Chengdu, Youai Rd (just off Dongge Rd in the south. Sichuan hot, spicy food.

Little Fat Sheep, Dongege Rd and Henyang Rd. Chain serving traditional hotpot, with lamb the meat of choice.

Old Chengdu, Youai Rd (just off Dongge Rd in the south. Sichuan hot, spicy food.

Anything in or around Langdong or the Five Elephant Plaza (financial district); the YongJiang Hotel, by the river, has an excellent buffet, with fresh seafood, and good quality meat BBQs.

Many popular bars are to be found along Minzu Da Dao, the long avenue that runs from east to west through the city, bisecting South Lake. Many have a cover charge, and offer a variety of international as well as domestic beers, in addition to the standard supply of liquors. The '100' bar area (near the city library) has a cluster of up-market bars and coffee lounges, many featuring live music. A number of more intimate, low key bars and pubs can be found in the university district in the north west of the city, around University Road (Da Xue Lu) and Mingxiu Road.

Chinese cities are generally speaking very safe and Nanning is no exception. But petty robberies are quite common. On buses, be extra-careful about your mobile phones and wallets.

Also, be careful when strangers are trying to talk to you and sell you something or leading you somewhere, this warning especially applies to foreigners in China.

  • Cambodian Consulate, 6-16 Guihua Road, China-ASEAN Business District, Qingxiu District (青秀区东盟商务区桂花路16-6号) (Take bus w18 from the ASEAN Business District Station on Metro Line 1, +86 771 5672352, +86 771 5672358. Monday to Friday, 09ː00-12ː00, 14ː00-17ː00.
  • Thai Consulate, 1st and 2nd Floor, 1-52 Jinhu Road North, Qingxiu District (青秀区金湖北路52-1号东方曼哈顿大厦1-2层) (Jinhu Square Station, Metro Line 1, +86 771 5526945 (general enquiry), +86 771 5526945 ext 807 (visa section). Monday to Friday, 09ː00-11ː30 (application submission), 14ː00-17ː00 (collections and enquiries).
  • Vietnamese Consulate, 27th Floor, Yahang Wealth Center, No 55 Jinhu Road, Qingxiu District (青秀区金湖路55号亚航财富中心27楼) (you can either take a taxi there (¥15 one way) or the local bus 6 (¥2) bound south away from the railway station (the north-south part of the T junction), so get on at the train station on the same side of the road as the station, and get off at the second stop after you cross a big (100-m long) bridge over the river, on the left as you go over the bridge is Guangxi Investment Building, with a large G logo on the top. Go down the street to the right of the Guangxi Investment Building, then take the first right. The consulate is in last building on the right, above Bank of China. Take the lift in the lobby to the right of the bank to the 27th floor. Coming from the bus station, you also take bus number 6. Buses 11, 29, 34, 39, 43, 79, 87, 206, 601, 603 also serve the consulate. You can also take a metro train. The consulate is about 600 metres west of the Jinhu Square Station on Line 1, +86 771 5510560, +86 771 5510561, +86 771 5510562. Visa office hours are M-F 08:30-12:30 and 14:30-18:00, but they can be late to return from the lunch break, your passport with visa can be collected from 17:00, this means the earliest you can leave to Vietnam is the next morning, factor on spending at least two nights in Nanning getting your Vietnamese visa. The consulate issues visas for Vietnam. Make sure you take a recent passport photo with you as they do not have a machine at the consulate. Prices can vary according to nationality, and depend on your desired processing time: three days (standard) ¥380, two days ¥480, one day (drop off in the morning, collect after 17:00) ¥580.

Cambodian Consulate, 6-16 Guihua Road, China-ASEAN Business District, Qingxiu District (青秀区东盟商务区桂花路16-6号) (Take bus w18 from the ASEAN Business District Station on Metro Line 1, +86 771 5672352, +86 771 5672358. Monday to Friday, 09ː00-12ː00, 14ː00-17ː00.

Thai Consulate, 1st and 2nd Floor, 1-52 Jinhu Road North, Qingxiu District (青秀区金湖北路52-1号东方曼哈顿大厦1-2层) (Jinhu Square Station, Metro Line 1, +86 771 5526945 (general enquiry), +86 771 5526945 ext 807 (visa section). Monday to Friday, 09ː00-11ː30 (application submission), 14ː00-17ː00 (collections and enquiries).

Vietnamese Consulate, 27th Floor, Yahang Wealth Center, No 55 Jinhu Road, Qingxiu District (青秀区金湖路55号亚航财富中心27楼) (you can either take a taxi there (¥15 one way) or the local bus 6 (¥2) bound south away from the railway station (the north-south part of the T junction), so get on at the train station on the same side of the road as the station, and get off at the second stop after you cross a big (100-m long) bridge over the river, on the left as you go over the bridge is Guangxi Investment Building, with a large G logo on the top. Go down the street to the right of the Guangxi Investment Building, then take the first right. The consulate is in last building on the right, above Bank of China. Take the lift in the lobby to the right of the bank to the 27th floor. Coming from the bus station, you also take bus number 6. Buses 11, 29, 34, 39, 43, 79, 87, 206, 601, 603 also serve the consulate. You can also take a metro train. The consulate is about 600 metres west of the Jinhu Square Station on Line 1, +86 771 5510560, +86 771 5510561, +86 771 5510562. Visa office hours are M-F 08:30-12:30 and 14:30-18:00, but they can be late to return from the lunch break, your passport with visa can be collected from 17:00, this means the earliest you can leave to Vietnam is the next morning, factor on spending at least two nights in Nanning getting your Vietnamese visa. The consulate issues visas for Vietnam. Make sure you take a recent passport photo with you as they do not have a machine at the consulate. Prices can vary according to nationality, and depend on your desired processing time: three days (standard) ¥380, two days ¥480, one day (drop off in the morning, collect after 17:00) ¥580.

  • Northern Vietnam — within striking distance
  • Beihai — take the fast train (can be booked from a travel agent or Ctrip) for around ¥60 (1.5 hours) or take bus from Langdong or Jiangnan bus station (3 hours)
  • Kunming — there is a train there, reportedly a sensational ride through isolated mountainous country
  • Guilin and Yangshuo — famously scenic tourist area, only a short distance from Nanning (about 5 hr by direct bus or 2.5 hr by train)
  • Detian Waterfall — with a 75 meter drop, on the Chinese-Vietnamese border, It is about 4 hours from Nanning.