As Spring Festival draws near, it’s time for people to do their annual shop for lunar New Year decorations and other bits and bobs. A traditional shopping list would include different kinds of foods, flowers, new clothes, red paper, new year’s couplets and even fireworks. If you want to experience the local festive atmosphere, then why not visit some of these traditional spots for some Spring Festival shopping.

1.Yide Road

A well known spot selling traditional decorations and dried seafoods. Here you can find probably the widest variety of low-priced dried seafoods in Guangzhou , such as abalone, scallops, dried oyster, sea cucumbers and dried fish.

Traditional decorations, like lanterns, knots, couplets and mascots are available here too.

Locals buying goods on Yide Road.

Transportation: Take Line 2 and get off at Haizhu Square; Take line 6 and get off at Yide Lu, then leave by Exit A.

2. Di Shi Pu Road

This street has a whole host of time-honored shops and restaurants including Guangzhou Likou Restaurant (广州酒家利口楼), Lin Heung Tea House, Tao Tao Ju and Huang Shang Huang. The most authentic preserved meat, Cantonese pastries such as sweet heart pastry, almond biscuits, pineapple and durian pastries can be found in and around this area.

Traditional Cantonese foods fill the shelves.

Transportation: Take Line 1 and get off at Changshou Road, then go down Baohuau Road and turn left

3.Huangsha fish market

The market is one of the three largest fish markets in China, and the largest of its kind in Guangzhou. Over 200 varieties of fish, shrimps, crabs and shellfish from home and abroad can be found for sale at the market.

Various kinds of seafood at the Huangsha fish market.

Transportation: Take Line 1 and get off at Huangsha, then get out at Exit D or take a bus to Huangsha Station or Huangsha port Station.

4.Zengcha Road

Fresh fruit is the one must-buy product on any Spring Festival shopping list. Fruits from across China and overseas can be found at the famous fruit and vegetable markets along Zengcha Road, and at a decent price to boot.

Transportation: Take No. B3 bus and get off at Luo Chongwei station or No.563 to get off at Dongwang Market station.

5. Guangzhou Railway Station Business Area

It’s a tradition to buy new clothes for the lunar new year. Guangzhou the markets and malls by the Railway Station is the place to go, as it sells fashionable clothes at a lower price compared to other venues around the city.

Shopping mall near Guangzhou Railway Station [photo by Guangzhou Publishing]

Transportation: Take Line 2 or Line5 and get off at Guangzhou Railway Station, then get out at Exit G.

6. Fangcun wholesale markets

Divided into four areas - flowers, birds, fishes and gardening tools, the Fangcun wholesale market enjoys a great reputation with locals. A huge variety of flowers including some rarely-seen kinds can be found here.

A birds-eye view of Fangcun Flower Fair [photo by Guangzhou Publishing]

Transportation: Take Line 5 and get off at Jiaokou, then get out at Exit A2

If you want to buy some typical Cantonese souvenirs for friends and relatives Cantonese preserved meat, pastries, handicrafts and sweets can be tracked down at all of the above markets.

Author|Xiaowen & Jim

Editor| Simon