august-2011

Haikou Century Bridge
HAIKOU CHINA
Ather Bhutto
General manager,
Meritus Mandarin
Haikou
GREAT PLACE FOR DINNER:
The famous chicken rice is
a dish you shouldn’t miss. Try the
Singaporean Hainan chicken rice or
the spicy curry chicken at Chatterbox,
Meritus Mandarin Haikou.
BEST PLACE TO PARTY WITH
THE GANG: Bund 18 at 96 Sea
View Road is great for some drinking
and dancing.
BEST BUYS FOR UNDER
S$50: Hainan coffee, Kuding
tea and tropical fruits like papaya,
jackfruit and mango.
INSIDER’S TIP: Try the qing
bu liang (iced fruit with
coconut milk) at Xin Hua South Road.
MUST-EATS: Wenchang
chicken, Jiaji duck, Dongshan
mutton and Hela crab are four musteats
when in Hainan.
LOCAL RECREATIONAL
ACTIVITY TO WATCH: Catch
Impression Hainan since it’s the
fi rst and only ocean-staged live
performance in China featuring
Hainan’s traditions and history.
HAIKOU
FROM THE AIRPORT
CBD 25km from
Haikou Meilan
International Airport
Travel time City
centre is around 30
mins by car
Taxi Approx CNY50
(S$9.40)
Airport express
CNY15 (S$2.80); fi rst
shuttle is at 5.30am;
takes about 30 mins
ON THE GO
1. Tourist buses
No. 1, 2 and
New Meilai link
attractions like
Wugong Temple and
Hai Rui Park for just
CNY1 (S$0.20).
2. Pedicab Threewheeled
bicycle
available from CNY2
(S$0.40).
Discover the old streets
of Hangzhou
HANGZHOU CHINA
INTERNATIONAL ADVENTURES
Phil Wei
Freelance writer/
photographer
BEST NIGHT OUT: Go to
renowned Club G Plus. It’s a
great place to meet young people.
MUST-BUY GIFT: Silk
garments, defi nitely. China
is the home of silk and Hangzhou
produces the best silk garments.
INSIDER’S TIP: Most
sightseeing spots in
Hangzhou are around the West
Lake. You can start your journey by
renting a bicycle from a Public Bicycle
Service spot near the lake and cycle
around to take in the beautiful sights.
LOCAL DELICACY: Try dongpo
pork which is a Hangzhou
speciality. It comprises half-fat and
half-lean meat. You’ll fi nd that fat can
be addictive.
MOST UNUSUAL THING TO
DO: Swim in the West Lake,
although technically speaking,
that’s prohibited.
FAVOURITE/RECOMMENDED
SIDE-TRIP: Visit Wuzhen a
historic town near Hangzhou, to see
traditional aspects of life in China.
HANGZHOU
FROM THE AIRPORT
CBD 30km from
Hangzhou Xiaoshan
International Airport
Travel time CBD is
around 30-60 mins
by car
Taxi About CNY90
(S$17.00) Shuttle
bus Airport Bus
services to the city
every 15-20mins;
CNY20 (S$3.80)
ON THE GO
1. Bus Any with a Y
before the number
will take you to a
tourist site for CNY3-
5 (less than S$1).
2. Bike Rentals are
CNY300 (S$56.60)
with two-thirds
deposit paid fi rst.
3. Taxi CNY10
(S$1.90) under 3km.
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