Leave the Pearl River to the tourists | A three-night test of the Guangzhou Xiguan Lake Night Cruise to avoid pitfalls (with night photography spots)

On the first night, I followed the navigation to Zhujiang New Town, but was squeezed out of place by the tripods lined up along the flowerbeds. On the second night, I went to Shamian instead. The lights were beautiful, but it was difficult to even buy water after nine o'clock. On the third night, I simply gave up the Pearl River to the tourists and went into Liwan Lake and Longjin West, which allowed me to piece together this Xiguan night tour route that was not rushed, did not leave me hungry, and allowed me to listen to music.

At 6:00 PM, don't go to the Pearl River; the lights on the east bank of Liwan Lake are the true haven for Xiguan locals.

After exiting Zhongshanba Metro Station, don't rush to cross the road. First, turn into the blue-brick alley of Pantang Wuyue. 6:00 PM is perfect for a night tour of Guangzhou. The sky is still a grayish-blue, and the streetlights on the east bank of Liwan Lake and the outline lights of the Cantonese Opera Art Museum will light up at the same time. The light is not the straightforward brightness of Zhujiang New Town, but rather a shimmering, golden glow pressed against the lake surface and filtered through the old banyan trees.

Walking along the east bank towards the island in the middle of the lake, you can see the stage and pavilion overturned in the water, and occasionally you can hear amateur singers performing in the pavilion. There are few tourists here, mostly old residents of Xiguan taking a stroll after dinner. Around 6:50 pm, walk west along the canal towards Longjin, about eight minutes on foot. Shared bicycles are actually inconvenient on the stone-paved road.

7:00 PM Lung Chun West Arcade Food Street, only local housewives are queuing up.

The arcade food street from Longjin West Road to Pantang Road is, in my opinion, one of Guangzhou's most underrated night food areas. A row of old shops line the arcades, selling rice noodles, congee, clay pot dishes, bamboo-pressed noodles, and water chestnut soup. Here, you won't find the hawkers with loudspeakers typical of touristy food streets; instead, you'll find students leaving school, housewives finishing their grocery shopping, and elderly men in slippers.

One tip from personal experience to avoid this place: the brighter the restaurant, the bigger the signboard, and the emptier the entrance, the less likely you are to go into a "modern Xiguan cuisine" restaurant. On my first night, I was disappointed by a bowl of wonton noodles that tasted like nothing but MSG. On my third night, I followed an old lady into an old shop on a corner of an arcade. The bamboo-pressed noodles were springy, and the soup base had a hint of dried flounder flavor. For just a few dozen yuan per person, I had a very satisfying meal.

This is a good place to share food; don't order large portions of main dishes right away. Two people can share a bowl of noodles, a plate of fish skin, and a clay pot dish, leaving room for dessert. 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM is the peak dining time, but the turnover rate at the arcade food street is fast, so the queue is usually no more than ten minutes.

21:10 Listen to excerpts from Cantonese opera at an old arcade teahouse; the old man will save you a seat.

Walk about ten minutes from the food street to Longjin East Road, then turn onto the second floor of an old arcade teahouse. The wooden stairs are steep, and the ceiling fans turn slowly. After nine o'clock in the evening, there are excerpts from Cantonese opera. This is not a tourist attraction performance; most of the audience are elderly locals who can sit for the whole evening with a pot of Pu'er or Tieguanyin tea.

The first time I went, I sat too close to the stage, and the loud gongs and drums made my heart race. The second time, I learned my lesson and sat near a pillar at the back, where I could hear the singing and also see the costume changes in a corner backstage. The tea was so cheap it was negligible; adding a pot of tea and two dishes only cost a few dozen yuan per person. If you don't know anything about opera, no problem, the older folks will quietly explain to you which line is "rolling flower" and which part is "reverse line".

This venue is more Guangzhou-like than a livehouse, and more dramatic than a regular teahouse. Leaving around 10:10 PM after the first act is just right, not too late.

At 22:30, I circled back to Moon Bridge before turning off the lights to capture a fleeting night view of the deserted riverside.

After leaving the teahouse, it takes about eight minutes by shared bike or twenty minutes on foot to return to the Duobao Road side of the Lizhiwan Canal. By 10:30 PM, most of the crowd on Yongqingfang's main street had dispersed, but the Moon Bridge was still lit, its archway and the water forming a complete circle. It felt more like old Xiguan than during the day; a breeze blew along the canal, and the arcade lights slowly went out one by one.

I usually head back along Longjin West Road before 11:00 PM, avoiding the main street. At this time, Xiguan is so quiet you can hear your own footsteps, with the occasional bicycle bell ringing behind you as someone returns home late. I finish the whole route at 11:30 PM, arriving back at Zhongshanba just in time to catch the last subway train.

Night Shooting: Five Camera Positions and Four Safety Tips | Blogger's Summary

I walked this route for three nights in total. What I was most satisfied with wasn't any particular attraction, but rather the rhythm from the lake to the streets to the teahouses: 6:00 PM for blues music, 7:00 PM for the aroma of hot pot, 9:00 PM for opera, and 10:30 PM for the moon. If you don't want to just be a "tripper backdrop" in Guangzhou's night view, you can walk it in reverse order.

Five camera positions for night photography: 1. Stone benches in the pavilion on the east bank of Liwan Lake, at 18:20, use a low-angle shot during the blue hour to frame the lake reflection and the stage; 2. Corner of the arcade in Longjin West, at 19:20, use a telephoto lens to compress the warm yellow light signs and bicycles returning home; 3. Steps along the canal in the arcade food street, shoot the smoke in the bowls and the arcade background, a mobile phone is sufficient, do not disturb the diners; 4. Second floor of the teahouse, near the back pillar, shoot the steam from the teacups, the backlighting on the side of the stage, and the silhouettes of the audience, do not use flash; 5. On the Duobao Road side of the Moon Bridge, after 22:45, when there are fewer people, wait for the wind to stop to shoot the reflection of the bridge arch, a lightweight tripod is sufficient.

Four safety tips: 1. The arcade buildings and riverbanks have many stone-paved roads, which are slippery after rain. Don't wear thin-soled flip-flops when strolling at night. 2. Some sections of Liwan Lake and Lizhiwan River are dimly lit. When walking alone, try to stay on main roads with streetlights and avoid walking through deserted alleys. 3. The wooden stairs of old teahouses are steep and narrow. If you have large bags, try to sit near the door for easy exit. 4. The signal for QR code payments on the arcade streets may be poor. Carry a small amount of cash. Park shared bicycles in designated areas and do not ride them into the no-parking zones along the riverbanks.