The heart of Guangzhou's former European concession—France and England both set up shop on this sandy river island in 1859 toward the end of the Opium Wars—Shamian Island (Shāmiàn Dǎo, 沙面岛) is home to a number of colonial-era buildings, including a restored French Catholic church, Our Lady of Lourdes; its British Protestant complement, the Christ Church Shamian; and many former hotels, embassies, trading houses and residences.

The island (actually a permanent sand bank in the Pearl River) makes for pleasant strolling and sightseeing, with its gardens and tree-lined streets, restaurants, cafes and tea houses. You can stay on Shamian Island, if you wish; there is a youth hostel for backpackers and several hotels provide a higher degree of accommodations, with the five-star White Swan Hotel being particularly popular among travelers, a number of whom are visiting to adopt in China (the US Consulate is right next door, making legwork and paperwork easier).

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Shamian Island hotels (Guangzhou)
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