Zhanjiang

Zhanjiang (湛江; Zhàn​jiāng​) is a port city in the western part of Guangdong Province in China.

Zhanjiang was a small fishing port when it was under French occupation in the early 20th century - named Fort Bayard - and some old colonial buildings still survive. Now it is a rapidly developing modern city. Many people in Zhanjiang speak Mandarin (普通话 Pǔtōnghuà) with a fairly strong accent, the native languages for most locals are Cantonese (广东话 Guǎngdōnghuà) and Leizhouhua (雷州话 Léizhōuhuà), a distinctly different dialect of Hokkien close to Hainanese.

• Cathedral of Saint Victor, 85 Lüyin Road, Xiashan District (霞山区绿荫路85号) (The nearest bus stop is the Xiashan Fen Zhan (霞山分站), which is served by bus routes 1, 2, 12, 14, 21 and 44. Built by French missionaries in 1903, this is the largest Catholic Church on the Leizhou Peninsula. It remains active to this day.
• Former Site of French Legation in Guangzhouwan, 3 Haibin Road, Xiashan District (霞山区海滨路3号) (Opposite Haibin Park. Bus routes 2, 2K, 21, 30 (inner circle route), 30 (outer circle route) and 908. 09:00-17:00, closed on Mondays. Built in 1903, this was the main administrative office of the French colonial government. The site is now a museum. ¥20.

Cathedral of Saint Victor, 85 Lüyin Road, Xiashan District (霞山区绿荫路85号) (The nearest bus stop is the Xiashan Fen Zhan (霞山分站), which is served by bus routes 1, 2, 12, 14, 21 and 44. Built by French missionaries in 1903, this is the largest Catholic Church on the Leizhou Peninsula. It remains active to this day.

Former Site of French Legation in Guangzhouwan, 3 Haibin Road, Xiashan District (霞山区海滨路3号) (Opposite Haibin Park. Bus routes 2, 2K, 21, 30 (inner circle route), 30 (outer circle route) and 908. 09:00-17:00, closed on Mondays. Built in 1903, this was the main administrative office of the French colonial government. The site is now a museum. ¥20.

• Guangdong Ocean University Museum of Aquatic Organisms, Waihuan Road West, Mazhang District (麻章区外环西路) (Take bus no. 9 and get off at the university gate, +86 759 2396181. 09:00-16:00, closed on weekends (except to tour group who book at least one week in advance). Contains specimens of over 3000 different aquatic species collected from around the world. ¥6.
• Guangzhouwan Museum of History and Folk Culture, 51 Heping Road. Chikan District (赤坎区和平路51号) (Take bus no. 21 and get off at Minzhu Lu Zhong (民主路中). You will find Heping Road and the museum one block to the east. 09:30-17:30. A small museum focused on the French colonial period (1898-1945). Only 50 visitors are permitted to visit each day. Free.
• Zhanjiang Museum, 50 Nanfang Road, Chikan District (赤坎区南方路50号) (There is a bus stop right outside the museum served by bus no. 26. Alternatively take bus no. 1, 2, 8, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 33, 35, 47, 73 or 912b and get off at Cunjin Park. The museum is about 570 metres southwest of the Cunjin Park bus stop, +86 759 3338921. 09ː00-17ː30, no entry after 17ː00, closed on Mondays. Zhanjiang's main museum. Free.

Guangdong Ocean University Museum of Aquatic Organisms, Waihuan Road West, Mazhang District (麻章区外环西路) (Take bus no. 9 and get off at the university gate, +86 759 2396181. 09:00-16:00, closed on weekends (except to tour group who book at least one week in advance). Contains specimens of over 3000 different aquatic species collected from around the world. ¥6.

Guangzhouwan Museum of History and Folk Culture, 51 Heping Road. Chikan District (赤坎区和平路51号) (Take bus no. 21 and get off at Minzhu Lu Zhong (民主路中). You will find Heping Road and the museum one block to the east. 09:30-17:30. A small museum focused on the French colonial period (1898-1945). Only 50 visitors are permitted to visit each day. Free.

Zhanjiang Museum, 50 Nanfang Road, Chikan District (赤坎区南方路50号) (There is a bus stop right outside the museum served by bus no. 26. Alternatively take bus no. 1, 2, 8, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 33, 35, 47, 73 or 912b and get off at Cunjin Park. The museum is about 570 metres southwest of the Cunjin Park bus stop, +86 759 3338921. 09ː00-17ː30, no entry after 17ː00, closed on Mondays. Zhanjiang's main museum. Free.

• Cunjin Bridge Park, Yuejin Road, Chikan District (赤坎区跃进路) (Runs adjacent to Cunjin Bridge, which marks the historical boundary between the French treaty port and China. Bus routes 1, 2, 8, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 33, 35, 47, 73 and 912b, +86 759 2221574. Open all day. Free.
• Haibin Park, 4 Haibin Avenue South, Xiashan District (霞山区海滨大道南4号) (You can easily get to the park on a number 2 bus. Other buses that stop at the park include bus nos. 2K, 21, 30 (including both inner circle and outer circle routes) and 908, +86 759 2260800. Open all day. A famous waterfront park. Free.
• Huguangyan Park, Huguang Town, Mazhang District (麻章区湖光镇) (About 30 minutes from Zhanjiang. The west entrance can be reached via bus nos. 3 and 6. The east entrance can be reached via bus no. 9, +86 759 2819197, +86 759 2819033. 07:00-18:00. The center piece to this UNESCO Geo Park is a large Maar Lake. Adults ¥50.

Cunjin Bridge Park, Yuejin Road, Chikan District (赤坎区跃进路) (Runs adjacent to Cunjin Bridge, which marks the historical boundary between the French treaty port and China. Bus routes 1, 2, 8, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 33, 35, 47, 73 and 912b, +86 759 2221574. Open all day. Free.

Haibin Park, 4 Haibin Avenue South, Xiashan District (霞山区海滨大道南4号) (You can easily get to the park on a number 2 bus. Other buses that stop at the park include bus nos. 2K, 21, 30 (including both inner circle and outer circle routes) and 908, +86 759 2260800. Open all day. A famous waterfront park. Free.

Huguangyan Park, Huguang Town, Mazhang District (麻章区湖光镇) (About 30 minutes from Zhanjiang. The west entrance can be reached via bus nos. 3 and 6. The east entrance can be reached via bus no. 9, +86 759 2819197, +86 759 2819033. 07:00-18:00. The center piece to this UNESCO Geo Park is a large Maar Lake. Adults ¥50.

• Movie theaters, Xiashan District. There are a few movie theaters Admission is usually around ¥25.
• Bowling alley, Xiashan District. bowling alley now closed
• Haibin Hotel and Hotsprings, Xiashan District. Admission includes a dinner buffet and an evening to enjoy the various hotsprings and pools.
• Body Sculpture Fitness Club. For those looking to exercise, this gym recently moved to a new location and upgraded most of its equipment. Three month memberships cost ¥288.
• Dragon Boat Festival. The fifth day of the fifth month according to the lunar calendar. A large international boat race.

Movie theaters, Xiashan District. There are a few movie theaters Admission is usually around ¥25.

Bowling alley, Xiashan District. bowling alley now closed

Haibin Hotel and Hotsprings, Xiashan District. Admission includes a dinner buffet and an evening to enjoy the various hotsprings and pools.

Body Sculpture Fitness Club. For those looking to exercise, this gym recently moved to a new location and upgraded most of its equipment. Three month memberships cost ¥288.

Dragon Boat Festival. The fifth day of the fifth month according to the lunar calendar. A large international boat race.

As a major stop for many bikers heading to the islands, Zhanjiang has a fair range of bicycle shops to shop on components and parts. Most shops are located along Minzhi Road (民治路) and certain brands such as Dahon, Giant, Merida also have their branches there.

• Trust Mart. A large supermarket with a number of things to buy. Also found in the same building KFC and Macau Street Food City.
• Wal-Mart, Xiashan District and Chikan District. Has a few imported items not found at other locations and also regularly has fresh milk.
• Export Market. A clothing and fabric market with goods that are produced in China for export. You can sometimes find name-brand clothing items for cheap prices here.

Trust Mart. A large supermarket with a number of things to buy. Also found in the same building KFC and Macau Street Food City.

Wal-Mart, Xiashan District and Chikan District. Has a few imported items not found at other locations and also regularly has fresh milk.

Export Market. A clothing and fabric market with goods that are produced in China for export. You can sometimes find name-brand clothing items for cheap prices here.

Local specialties include seafood, sugarcane and beer chicken.

• Inner Mongolia Dumpling Restaurant. If you would like dumplings or to sample a different variety of Chinese cuisine, this restaurant serves excellent food at inexpensive prices.
• Steakking Kitchen Production. An upscale restaurant. The menu includes fairly authentic western food and an excellent Japanese sushi selection. Included in the price of your meal is a free trip to the salad bar.
• Macau Street Food City. This restaurant is very foreigner friendly and offers tons of dishes to choose from.

Inner Mongolia Dumpling Restaurant. If you would like dumplings or to sample a different variety of Chinese cuisine, this restaurant serves excellent food at inexpensive prices.

Steakking Kitchen Production. An upscale restaurant. The menu includes fairly authentic western food and an excellent Japanese sushi selection. Included in the price of your meal is a free trip to the salad bar.

Macau Street Food City. This restaurant is very foreigner friendly and offers tons of dishes to choose from.

Zhanjiang has a small bar street (酒吧街 jiǔbā jiē) in Xiashan District. Unfortunately, most places do not serve cocktails or shots, but instead tend to sell liquor by the bottle. Beers in the bar also tend to be about three to four times more expensive than on the street.

Some western-style restaurants such as Steakking Kitchen Production and the West Coast Coffeehouse (西海安 xīhǎi ān) do sell mixed drinks and shots.

Also, Wal-Mart has the best selection of spirits for sell if you would like to make your own drinks.

• Donghai Island, the fourth largest island in China, is about 1.5 hours drive from Zhanjiang and is popular for its beaches. Buses leave regularly from the Xiashan District.
• Naozhou Island, reachable by ferry from Donghai Island.
• There are almost hourly buses to Guangzhou, the provincial capital. Buses also leave four times a day for Zhuhai, where you can easily cross into Macau.
• Several trains to Hainan Island originate in Beijing and other mainland cities, and will take you from Zhanjiang West Station to either Haikou or Sanya. It is about eight hours to Sanya, the southernmost Chinese city.
• There are also regular trains to Guilin in neighboring Guangxi province. The ride takes about eight hours.