Before arriving in Zhuhai there are a few things you may want to know but may not have the chance to find out, or may not know where to look to find the relevant information to answer your many, many questions. Moving to a new country can be hard, challenging and exciting, as you don’t know what to expect. Here are a few things that may help answer some of the questions running through your mind.
Overview
The famous Zhuhai Fisher GirlZhuhai is a beautiful city in the Pearl River Delta, located on the southern coast of Guangdong province in China. Zhuhai was one of the original Special Economic Zones established in the 1980s. Zhuhai is also one of China’s premier tourist destinations, being called the Chinese Riviera. The city’s population (1.6 million) is made up of mostly Mandarin speaking migrants.
Being one of Chinaâs first Special Economic Zones, Zhuhai is home to many industries (such as electronics, computer software, biotechnology, machinery and equipment, etc.) as well as the Hengqin Free Trade Zone, making the city very popular to international businesses.
Zhuhai has been voted the most âlivableâ city in China and because of this it is a very popular tourist destination. Due to its size, Zhuhai has everything a big city can offer without being overwhelmingly huge. With many green spaces, 690 km of coastline and over 100 islands, it is easy to get away of the hustle and bustle of city life.
With Macau directly to the South, Guangzhou and Shenzhen to the North-East, and Hong Kong just over an hour ferry ride away youâre never far away from some of the most famous cities in Asia. In both Macau and Hong Kong you can enjoy the familiarity of the Western Culture whilst they still offer their own personality.
Keep in mind though, that entering Hong Kong or Macau classifies as an âexitâ from China. So for those of you who only receive a one-entry visa, be sure to plan some time before or after your trip to visit these beautiful cities!
Getting in and out
With Zhuhaiâs proximity to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macau it is easily accessible by air and gives you several options for buying flights when you are planning your trip to Zhuhai.
Hong Kong: We recommend that you research flights to Hong Kong first. Hong Kong International Airport is one the largest travel hubs in the world, so flying into here should be no problem from any part of the world! From Hong Kong airport you can take a direct ferry to Zhuhai Jiuzhou Port. Once you have disembarked your plane follow signs for âFerries to Macau & Mainlandâ here you will be able to buy your tickets and ensure that your baggage is put onto the ferry by a member of their staff. The ferry will take approximately 70 mins and will cost about HKD260, the schedule can be found here.
If you plan on staying in Hong Kong for a few days before travelling onto Zhuhai, there are also two ports within in the city from where you can take the ferry.
Macau: Macau airport is not quite the international hub of Hong Kong, but if you can find reasonably priced flights here you may wish to consider it. Macau is on the border with Zhuhai and therefore itâs very convenient to enter the city if arriving here.
Guangzhou: You can also book flights to Guangzhou. From Guangzhou airport we would recommend that you take the bus to Zhuhai, you can find the schedule here.
Zhuhai: If youâre flying from somewhere else within China to Zhuhai it might be easier to book flights to Zhuhai airport. If you are arriving into Zhuhai âJinwanâ airport, there will be representative there to meet you.
Transport
Zhuhai does not have a subway system, but has an extensive bus system that can get you anywhere you want to go (buses cost 2-3RMB per ride). Taxis are abundant and quite cheap as well (starting at 10RMB). When you arrive, InternChina will provide you with a bus card as well as detailed instructions as to how to get to your company and to the InternChina office.
In Zhuhai the weather is awesome! Youâll often see the locals walking around shading themselves from the summer rays with their umbrellas, yet in the colder months the temperatures are pleasant and never really low enough for you to need your woolly jumpers, hats and gloves!
Since Zhuhai has a subtropical climate, on the whole it is hot and humid, but it can also rain a lot. The winter is short, dry and mild (12°C -18°C) and a jumper will keep you warm during the day and cooler evenings. Summer sets in from late March/early April and in July and August temperatures can reach 36°C. The sea breeze can be a welcome relief from the summer heat. So if you enjoy the sun, sand and sea bring plenty of sunscreen and swimming costumes for weekends relaxing on the beach, but remember your umbrella for those unexpected mid-afternoon downpours!
Eating out is cheap and convenient and there are always new dishes and cuisines to discover. There is an abundance of styles of cooking unique to various Chinese provinces, each more delicious than the last. If you’re a foodie and especially if you are open minded to trying new things you will be in your element!
Almost every meal is a social occasion. A particular benefit of being in Zhuhai or Guangdong province is the ‘morning tea’ or ‘dimsum‘ style of cooking native to this province. You can easily find beautiful pork filled steamed buns, soup dumplings, durian fritters, rice porridge and so much more.
Mealtimes are a social experience with communal dishes presented on a rotating disk in the middle of the table (we know this as a ‘lazy Susan’ back in the UK), giving you the opportunity to try a bit of anything. Meals tend not to be as sophisticated as back in the West and dishes come out as they are ready and eager chopsticks dive in often as soon as the plate hits the table. Restaurants are lively and full of energy although you may have to get over the sound of someone slurping their noodles or someone casually lighting up a cigarette next to you after their meal.
All InternChina apartments have a kitchen, so it is no problem if you would rather cook yourself. There is a wide variety of places to shop for fresh produce.
If you donât speak Chinese, when you first arrive in Zhuhai the language barrier may be kind of intimidating as there are relatively few English speakers. However, the locals in Zhuhai are incredibly helpful and if you are confused or need help, they will be more than willing to assist you in every way possible, even if you do need to play a game of charades in order to talk to each other. Over time you may start to pick up some basics of the language, and once you know how to say hello, thank you, and your address, you will be on your way. InternChina can offer language classes via our partner school, if you ever feel like the language barrier is too much. Zhuhai is just like any other city in an unfamiliar country, a bit scary when you first arrive, but will feel just like home after a few weeks.
Lifestyle
Zhuhai is an amazing city to live and work in. Itâs very pleasant and relaxed but still has a lot to offer. Everyone is incredibly friendly, and the city itself is very nice and clean. You can sit on the beach on a warm day drinking out of a coconut or try your way through the different beer brands offered in the bars. While there is an abundance of industry, the entire atmosphere of the city is slow-paced, unlike Beijing, New York or London where everyone is in a rush to get everywhere. This gives you the opportunity to really enjoy China.
For all of the shopaholics, there is an underground market in æ±ć (Gongbei) where you can get all your branded designer wear for suspiciously cheap prices, as well as a handful of more western companies (H&M, Vera Moda, Only, etc.) in the shopping malls. There are also quite a few gyms located around the city, so if youâre a gym goer, donât worry, youâll still be able to train. Zhuhai has western cinemas, showing films in English, as well as bowling alleys, a bar street, go-karting and paint balling⊠so weekends will never be boring. It also has a few beautiful parks, where you can go and see Chinese people flying kites and playing live music.
Zhuhai also hosts many interesting cultural and sporting events throughout the year. At the end of 2015 the Hengqin International Tennis Centre opened and is host to the World Tennis Association (WTA) Elite Trophy and the ATP Tennis World Tour Finals. Races can be seen at the Zhuhai International Circuit on many weekends of the year and sailing events are held in Zhuhai as well. The Airshow China, the largest aviation and aerospace exhibition in China is held bi-annually. Zhuhai is also home to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, one of the worldâs largest aquariums.
Nightlife
The nightlife in Zhuhai is incredibly varied, there are plenty of western bars where you can meet other people who have moved to Zhuhai, or you can get incredibly cheap drinks in Chinese run bars, and then move onto the clubs. Drink prices can vary from 15RMB a pint of beer to 40RMB a pint of beer, depending where you go out and what type you get (local beer is obviously cheaper) the dress code on nights out is very casual, so there is no need to have to worry about dressing up and getting ready unless you want to of course! There is a bar street which is home to many different bars and clubs and across the city you can find many different places to suit every taste â from Irish pubs to Chinese discos.
If you come to Zhuhai with InternChina you will have the opportunity to go on a lot of trips that are organized specially for our interns. Whether itâs a visit to a bustling metropolis such as Guangzhou or the peaceful countryside in Yangshuo, China has something to offer for everyone!
InternChina also offers a variety of cultural activities in Zhuhai itself. From calligraphy workshops and tea ceremonies to tai chi lessons, cooking classes and karaoke, everyone is sure to find something new to try.
You can also check out some of our albums on Facebook to see some examples:
Cultural Classes, factory visits and trip to Yangshuo
Xiqiao Mountain / Trip to Guanzhou / Trip to Xiamen / Trip to Wai Ling Ding Island
âMy internship is definitely going to make me more employable. It has gotten me more experience in my profession and experience in a different culture with a different language.â (Ross)
âIt is a nice, livable city. I think the cuisine here is quite lovely and Iâll definitely miss some of the dishes when I go back home.â (Michael)
âInternChina helped me find my feet in China so I could concentrate on producing good work for my host company. I would recommend InternChina to anyone looking to experience an exciting new culture and experience an international business environment. They provided great support and friendly hands-on service.â (Benjamin)
âChina is weird, itâs wacky, itâs so different, but itâs great. InternChina has been absolutely amazing. They are there, no matter what. And they come out with us and they organize the dinners. They felt more like friends than IC staff and they are amazing.â (Chloe)
âI would 100% recommend doing an internship in China. Not only because the business culture here is so different, but the culture itself is just amazing and I donât think you get to experience that unless youâre here and you really immerse yourself in it. And if I work in China in the future Iâll be able to use the skills that Iâve learned here.â (Coral)
âAs part of my work organized by InternChina, I worked in a law firm in Zhuhai under a lawyer specified in giving advice to foreign enterprises. I got to experience first-hand lots of high-profile cases, from going to court for a criminal defense case, to the liquidation process of a company with more than a hundred employees with whom we negotiated compensation. I highly valued such amazing opportunities very few law students get to experience before they even graduate!â (Wei Wei)
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On the eve of 31 October, many Western countries come alight with the glow of countless jack-oâ-lanterns that signify the arrival of Halloween. Â In China, Halloween celebrations among the younger generation are gradually becoming more and more popular. Kidsâ Halloween parties and pumpkin-carving is becoming a favourite with less conservative parents in big cities. Nonetheless, apart from a few expat-oriented bars and pubs, the practice of dressing-up is nowhere near as widespread as in the West.
InternChina – Halloween
There is, however, no shortage of traditional festivals dedicated to the dead in Chinese culture. In fact, the majority of festivals contain an element of sacrificing offerings in the form of money, food and wine to deceased ancestors. Qing Ming Festival, Ghost Festival and Spring Festival are among the better-known ones.
The Ghost Festival, also known as the Hungry Ghost festival, falls on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month. It stems from Taoist and Buddhist belief that on this day the gate that separates the world of the dead from the world of the living opens, and ghosts are believed to visit the living in their homes. To appease the hungry ghosts, their living descendants prepare elaborate feasts and burn joss paper. In many ways, the Hungry Ghost festival is similar to Halloween in the West.
The Qing Ming Festival is celebrated 108 days after the winter solstice. During the Qing Ming Festival, unlike during the hungry Ghost festival, the living visit the dead at their graves and bring offerings in the form of food, wine and chopsticks. They sweep the graves and burn joss money and firecrackers.
The Spring Festival, the most well-known among all Chinese festivals, is celebrated at the turn of the Chinese lunar calendar. Traditionally, the Spring festival was a time to honour deities as well as ancestors. During the Spring festival, the whole family gathers from different cities and provinces for a reunion. Offerings to ancestors play a big part in the proceedings. The lunar calendar is consulted about the specificities of which way to face when bowing and making offerings. Traditionally, dumplings (jiaozi) are offered to the ancestors to invite them to join in the festivities.
There is a distinctive difference between Chinese and Western cultures in the way they interact with ghosts. While in Western culture Halloween is the height of human-ghost interaction, in Chinese culture deceased ancestors play a much larger part throughout the year. The interaction between the dead and the living is not limited to a few select days in the year. People commonly burn joss paper and offer wine at street corners. Although strict guidelines that guide the process of interaction are put in place in the cities, people that live in the countryside have a much closer relationship with their dead ancestors. We only need to look at how graves form a natural part of the architectural landscape in the countryside to see that the divide between dead and living is nowhere near as defined as it is in the West. For the Chinese, it is not just during Halloween that the worlds of the living and the dead come together.