Hostels in Huizhou, China

Huizhou is a prefecture-level city in the Guangdong province in southeastern China. It lies on the Pearl River Delta at Daya Bay, which is popular with tourists because of its coral reefs and many islands. If you read some of the tourist information about Huizhou, you might be led to believe that its similar to Naples, Italy, with its fast, expensive cars, sunglass-wearing mobsters, and ritzy shops and hotels. That depiction isn’t too far from the truth; Huizhou is like no other city in China.

You can get into Huizhou by flying to Shenzen or Hong Kong. Both cities are just an hour and a half by train, maybe even faster. In the city, taxis are the main mode of transportation.

There are very few - if not zero - hostels in Hiuzhou. If you happen to find one, chances are that the hostel isn’t what you are familiar with from Europe or Australia. Hostels in China tend to be less spacious, sometimes more crowded, and less clean than their foreign counterparts. If you arrive in town and need to find a hostel or a guesthouse (as that might be your best bet in Hiuzhou), ask at the tourist information for a “su-she,” which means “hostel” in simplified Chinese.

Huizhou is Guangdong’s main cultural city. One of the top tourist attractions is the Pinghai Ancient City, an ancient city of the Ming dynasty. Daya (or Dayawan) Bay is popular for day trips to different islands. A local, quiet, less-crowded spot is Xunliao Bay. Along the Huizhou shore is a series of geothermally heated hot springs. Any local will know where they are - head for the seaside and follow the crowds. The water temperature can be sometimes as high as 70 Celsius. This is a great spot to spend an afternoon or evening before dinner near West Lake.