Hostels in Zhuhai, China

Zhuhai is a city in China’s southern Guangdong province. It is on the border of Macau; you can walk between the two countries in the Gongbei district. Hong Kong is just across the bay. Zhuhai is known for its many islands, beach promenades, vibrant nightlife, and shopping district. The city was a collection of small fishing villages until the late 1970s, when it was designated as a Special Economic Zone by the Chinese government. If you are within China, Zhuhai has a small airport with connections to domestic airports but if you are outside of China, you can get here via bus from the international airports in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, or Macau.

There are three main districts in the Zhuhai’s city centre: Gongbei, Jida, and Xiangzhou. Gongbei is the main tourist district; it has the most hostels and hotels, shopping, restaurants, entertainment, bars, and cafes of the three districts. It is also the closest district to the Macau border, which can be reached on foot. Once in Zhuhai, you can use the bus system to get between districts or to the ferries. It’s easy to walk around the individual districts; taxis are fairly inexpensive if you need to transport a lot of luggage or shopping.

The main pedestrian street, Lianhua Lu (Lotus Street), is in Gongbei. Most of the hostels are in Gongbei or Xiangzhou; to ask for a “hostel” in simplified Chinese, say “宿舍” (pronounced “su-she”). Hostels in Zhuhai are simplified versions of the traditional backpacker hostel you are probably used to, with large rooms full of bunk beds and small shared facilities.

Zhuhai’s coastline is famous for its beaches and easy access to the islands in the bay. There are over 140 islands, but most locals don’t go out to them. If you are keen for a day out of the city, the ferries run regularly to some of the bigger islands. Otherwise, explore the city with its imitation New Yuanming Palace (replica of the palace in Beijing), parks, and palm-lined promenades.