Zhanjiang] (湛江; Jaamgōng in Cantonese, Zhànjiāng in Mandarin) is a port city of 1.6 million people (2010) in the western part of Guangdong Province in China.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Zhanjiang was a small fishing port when it was under French occupation in the early 20th century. French colonizers forced the Qing Dynasty to agree to a 99-year lease in 1899 (in a manner similar to what British colonizers did with Hong Kong's New Territories) and renamed the city as Fort Bayard — some old colonial buildings still survive. That said, mismanagement and fierce competition with other neighbouring cities failed to create another Hong Kong for the French, and they returned Zhanjiang to China in 1946 due to unprofitability. In 1964, Zhanjiang began its development into a naval base owing to its strategic location, and this also enabled Zhanjiang's heavy industrial development.
Zhanjiang is almost like two cities combined. The northern half, composed of Chikan district (赤坎区 Chìkǎn qū) and Mazhang District (麻章区 Mázhāng qū) and the southern Xiashan District (霞山区 Xiáshān qū) are separated by a less developed corridor. The main bus routes (2, 11, 12, 22) travel from the northern districts to Xiashan and back. Smaller buses and other routes can allow you to explore more areas of the individual districts. The Zhanjiang bus company has a list of its routes (公司所有线路) on its web site (in Chinese only). Taxis in Zhanjiang are fairly cheap, starting at ¥5. Afterwards the fare increases by ¥2 per kilometer.
1 Cathedral of Saint Victor (维多尔天主教堂, 霞山天主教堂, Xiashan Catholic Church), 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 an operating cathedral. (updated Feb 2019) 2 Former Site of French Legation in Guangzhouwan (广州湾法国公使署旧址), 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). 09:00-16:30, no entry after 16:00, closed on Mondays.
Movie theaters, Xiashan District. There are a few movie theaters. Admission is usually around ¥25. 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 (behind Chikan Nursery). A gym. Dragon Boat Festival (端午节 duānwǔjié). The fifth day of the fifth month according to the lunar calendar. A large international boat race.
Local specialties include seafood, sugarcane, charcoal-grilled oysters (炭烧蚝) and chicken (湛江鸡). The Lianjiang area is known for its red oranges (红江橙). 1 Inner Mongolia Dumpling Restaurant (in 100 names village (百姓村 bǎixìng cūn)). 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 (in the new Wal-Mart Plaza in Chikan District). 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.
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. Dion Bar, 1st Floor, Rongsheng Central Plaza, Xiashan District, ☏ +86 19128526258.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Aug, Zhanjiang typically sees ~31°C daytime highs and 25 rainy days.
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