Grandview Mall (TianHe) and Ling'An Impression Gardens (Panyu) Guangzhou (2023)

Guangzhou "Things to Do" Double Feature

Grandview Mall (TianHe Sports Complex Area)

Living here in Guangzhou for the last few years, and being here through a portion of the later COVID-19 Pandemic has been an experience to say the least. One noticeable thing that has evolved/changed since what would seemingly be "life before" is the way that the malls are producing experiences for children and adults alike. Bars took a hit in China across the country during the pandemic, many closed, needed to relocate, but there was a question of "what to do with the spaces that were left vacant in plazas and malls?" It would generally be high rent properties that would seemingly close down and reopen somewhere else (usually much more inconvenient, but a good bar won't lose its patrons). 

Many of the rental spaces were changed into restuarants and in other cases, children playground areas. Grandview Mall is a crazy example of a mall that seeks to keep people there within the mall for the better of a day and two meals. 

Since moving to Guangzhou, my family has frequented the mall a few times, for the different exhibitions as well as for the hair salon for kids. The hockey rink there would be something I'd be interested in if it weren't so expensive and over crowded.

Here is a share for folks who may not know that the Grandview Mall exists or may go but feel overwhelmed by the immense span of the mall and what it entails.


Ling'An Impression Gardens (Panyu)

This is a park that certainly deserves a visit at least once. Prepare to see and hear mostly culture delivered in native tongue, Cantonese/Mandarin, but there are some spots that you can find English explanation boards/details accompanying various attractions and exhibitions. Realistically, the translate functions of Wechat make life realtively easier for anyone coming here without any language skill in Chinese.

This is a very photogenic location for folks coming in during the Chinese New Year, but not when it is peaked with visitors. The area of the garden is quite large, but in the areas that most people will visit and read about, there will be enormous hordes of people onlooking, especially for the Lion Dance Shows that they put on. 

From Dragon Boats to the theatre, there is something to learn about for every area of interest. There is a free playground for children and a pay per ride amusement park at the back entrance.

If you are interested in learning about the Lion Dances, there is a store/hall dedicated to a key group that organizes/campaigns the main league (it seems), very interesting to read about, and to see the "Largest" Lion Dance head ever, pretty cool, needs like 2-3 people to operate the head alone if I recall correctly. 

An easy weekend spent if you were to feel adventurous with a child, or quite tame and pricey if going as an adult on a little fashion tour of the city.






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