Zhongshan

Sun Yat-sen's hometown: his former residence in Cuiheng Village, Qijiang Park, the arcaded Sunwen West Road and Zhan Garden make up the main route, and Shiqi roast pigeon and hot springs make it a popular weekend getaway in the Greater Bay Area.

Zhongshan lies on the west bank of the Pearl River estuary in Guangdong, bordering Nansha (Guangzhou) and Shunde (Foshan) to the north and Zhuhai to the south, about 40 km from Macau. A prefecture-level city with no districts, it is named after Sun Yat-sen and was historically known as Xiangshan. The downtown area, Shiqi, stretches along the Qijiang River; the arcaded Sunwen West Road, Fufeng Pagoda on Yandun Hill, Qijiang Park, and the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and museums are all within walking distance — ideal for a leisurely day of sightseeing and eating. The Nanlang–Cuiheng area in the southeast is the highlight: the national 5A Sun Yat-sen Hometown Tourist Area includes the Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Former Residence Memorial Museum in Cuiheng Village and the Zhongshan Film and TV City, and nearby are Yakou Village, where rice paddies run down to the sea, Zuobu Village, a historic village of overseas Chinese heritage, and Cuiheng National Wetland Park. Zhan Garden in Nanqu is an exquisite classical-style garden; Wugui Mountain and Jinzhong Lake are good for hiking; Sanxiang has the Zhongshan Hot Spring and the former residence of Zheng Guanying; and Xiaolan Town in the northwest is famous for its chrysanthemum fair. The climate is South Asian subtropical monsoon, most comfortable from Oct to Apr, while summers are hot and humid with frequent thunderstorms and typhoons. Getting there: the Guangzhou–Zhuhai Intercity Railway stops at Zhongshan and Zhongshan North stations; since the Shenzhen–Zhongshan Link opened in 2024 it's about a 30–40-minute drive from Shenzhen, and about 1 hour from Guangzhou or Zhuhai. Food is one of Zhongshan's big draws: Shiqi roast pigeon, crisp grass carp, almond cookies and Shaxi braised pork belly are all worth trying. Allow 2 days: one for downtown and one for Cuiheng–Nanlang, plus an extra half day for Zhan Garden or Xiaolan.

Top sights

• Sun Yat-sen's Former Residence Memorial Museum (Cuiheng Village) – The village of Cuiheng, where Sun Yat-sen was born and raised. Along with the memorial museum and the historic Lingnan village, it forms th…
• Qijiang Park – An industrial heritage park converted from the former Yuezhong Shipyard. It retains the dry docks, rail tracks, and gantry cranes, and is a…
• Sunwen West Road Pedestrian Street – A century-old street of arcade buildings, home to Shiqi's time-honored specialties such as roast pigeon, almond cookies, and shredded papay…
• Zhongshan Film & TV City – Part of the Sun Yat-sen Hometown Tourist Area, recreating late Qing and early Republican-era street scenes of Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Maca…
• Zhan Garden – A classical Lingnan-style garden with finely crafted pavilions, waterside halls and corridors. Often called the “Summer Palace of Zhongshan…
• Yakou Village – A seaside village on the Pearl River Estuary with a thousand mu of rice paddies that keep the collective farming tradition. Rice fields mee…
• Xiaolan Town (Chrysanthemum Town) – The “Chrysanthemum Town,” famous for the Xiaolan Chrysanthemum Fair. Enjoy chrysanthemum dishes and fried fish balls in autumn and winter…
• Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (Zhongshan) – A palace-style memorial hall in the city center, with a bronze statue of Sun Yat-sen and an open square in front. It is a leisure landmark…
• Zhongshan Museum & Overseas Chinese History Museum – A comprehensive museum on the history of Heungshan and the century-long story of overseas Chinese emigration. Its collection of letters, re…
• Yandun Hill & Fufeng Pagoda – A small hill beside Sunwen West Road. The Ming dynasty Fufeng Pagoda on its summit is the oldest surviving pagoda in Zhongshan and a symbol…
• Yixian Lake Park – A lakeside park at the heart of Shiqi's urban area, where lakeside paths, banyan trees and a lake pavilion make up the everyday scenery of…
• Zimaling Park – A large urban forest park in Dongqu district, with green lawns, a lake, a rose garden and hiking trails. It's a favorite weekend spot for Z…
• Jinzhong Lake Park (Dajianshan) – A lakeside park at the foot of Wuguishan, centered on Jinzhong Reservoir with Dajianshan behind it. Lakeside greenways and hiking routes ma…
• Zheng Guanying's Former Residence (Yongmo Village) – The hometown of Zheng Guanying, author of Warnings to a Prosperous Age. His former residence and memorial hall stand in the old village of…
• Zhongshan Hot Spring Resort (Sanxiang) – The site of China's first Sino-foreign joint-venture hot spring hotel, opened in 1980. A cluster of hot spring and resort hotels at the foo…
• Cuiheng National Wetland Park – A mangrove wetland park on the Pearl River estuary in Cuiheng New District, with birdwatching boardwalks and seaside greenways offering vie…
• Zuobu Village – An overseas-Chinese heritage village in Nanlang with watchtowers, ancestral halls and houses blending Chinese and Western styles. In recent…

Where to eat

• Shiqilao Zhongshan Restaurant – A Zhongshan cuisine institution founded in 1991, billed as 'China's No. 1 Pigeon'. Shiqi roast squab is a must-try for…
• Songtaoju Lychee-Wood Roast Goose & Sandun Braised Goose (West Branch) – A city branch of the famous roast goose restaurant from Sandun Village in Minzhong Subdistrict. Lychee-wood roast goose…
• Aiqun Dim Sum Shop (Yintan Second Road Branch) – An old-style tea house in Nanqu Subdistrict that has been featured on CCTV. It keeps the stamp-card system, where diner…
• Zhongken Minxin (Xingzhong Plaza Branch) – A sweet soup shop that Zhongshan locals have grown up with. Its signature double-skin milk is made with Daliang water b…

Itineraries

• A Macau-Based Trip to Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Zhongshan – Stay on the Macau Peninsula the whole time, explore the historic centre and Cotai, and take day trips to Hong Kong, Chi…