Ganzhou Travel Guide

When taking taxis in China you should always go on the metre. If the driver starts shouting numbers at you then he's out to make a quick Yuan and can't be trusted.

The fee might even seem low to begin with but he's probably still cheating you. Taxis in Ganzhou are substantially cheaper than in cities like Guangzhou, Shenzhen and even Nanchang. Distances are not that great and travel from the train station to the main commercial street, Wenqing Lu, should be around RMB15.

Fun Alternatives: Journey to the airport can be made easier by the buses that run (with English announcements!) as the taxi drivers on this route like rounding up!

Luggage and bags: Ganzhou has a somewhat hilly terrain. Slopes and bridges and where there are not, there are stairs. The escalators in the train station are rarely in order and the whole station area is undergoing a pretty substantial facelift this year (early 2013). Needless to say, it's not great laden with suitcases so I suggest heading to the bus station or taxi rank.
*An umbrella, or even full body waterproofs (particularly if using bikes or hiking), in Spring is very useful as Ganzhou has a pretty menacing wet season.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Some heavy walking shoes are a great investment for China. It's a place that requires a lot of stamina. The distance between things can be great. Once you get settled, a trip to the local army surplus store for a cheap and very durable pair of boots is a good idea. There are some on 大公路, Da Gong Lu. Spring is when the rainy season arrives. Heavy convectional thunderstorms, monsoon lashings of rain and treacherous under foot. Summer is hot, long and dry. Winter is milder than most of China but still gets cold as places (other than your hotel rooms) are rarely heated as A/C can be expensive. Be prepared to dine and socialise outside twelve months of the year.
*An umbrella, or even full body waterproofs (particularly if using bikes or hiking), in Spring is very useful as Ganzhou has a pretty menacing wet season.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Toilet paper, hand sanitiser, plasters/band aids, fruit knife and I always find some zip ties come in handy for hiking or train travel.

Photo Equipment: Many camera stores so it's possible to buy equipment locally particularly in the Ganzhou branch of Sundan (see link below), a national electronics store.

Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear: Camping, trekking, hiking and mountain biking are very popular amongst the adventurous locals due to the closeness to the mountains and the recreational activity of the Chinese. There are many shops around the city centre where you can find Chinese know-how about these things but understanding them might be more of a difficulty. No beaches, but it is possible to swim in lakes in the mountains, at the WuLong Hakka Eco Park and even like the guy in the picture, if you are brave and laid back enough to take on the Ganjiang River.

Miscellaneous: Ganzhou is low on Western food for most big cities. ("It's not a big city," the locals say). It's a good idea to visit one of the larger stores if preparing for a big trip as your immune system mightn't be up to what you'll find when you get to your destination. Check that brands are genuine or reputable and that food is within it's date of consumption .
Watson's personal store is a high street chemists, health and beauty shop where you can find many useful products and brand names you'll recognise. There are several branches of the store dotted around, at Golden Square, Wenqing Lu and RT Mart amongst others.