Guide to Jiangsu Province Attractions

Jiangsu Province Attractions

Melody KTV - Kareoke

It sure isn’t hard to find a Kareoke joint in Nanjing. However, randomly choosing one can result in a place with few English songs and an unsanitary environment. Melody is one example of a Kareoke place that doesn’t have either of these widespread problems.

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Relatively speaking, Melody is a bit on the expensive side. Their most expensive room is the Presidential Room[总统套间] for 399 yuan/hour while their cheapest is the Extra Small Room[特小包间] for 65 yuan/hour. All rooms are about 50% cheaper between midnight and 7:00pm.

There are over a hundred English songs to choose from. However, menu screens are in Chinese only.

Lobby inside Melody KTV
Inside the lobby.

Inside of an "extra small" room in Melody KTV
An "extra small" 2-4 person room costs 65yuan/hour during peak hours.

How to get there: Melody is situated on Hongwu Lu (洪武路) very close to the central area of Xinjiekou (新街口). It should be a five to ten minute walk from Xinjiekou subway station. From the subway station, exit on the south side of Zhongshan Dong Lu (中山东路), walk east for a couple minutes and then turn right at Hongwu Lu (洪武路). Walk down Hongwu Lu for a couple minutes and Melody will be on the right hand side.

Link: www.melodyktv.com (Chinese only)

Video-game Arcade in Xinjiekou

There isn’t likely any video-game arcades in Nanjing bigger or more packed than this 2-floor monster in the middle of Xinjiekou. Tokens are 10 for 5 yuan which means you should be able to get quite a bit of virtual shooting, racing, dancing and fighting for your money.

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How to Get There

An entrance is located next to the McDonalds in the center of Xinjiekou’s pedestrian square. The pedestrian square is south of Zhongshan Dong Lu (中山东路) and east of Zhongshan Nan Lu (中山南路). Follow the hallway into the building to get to the arcade.

Also See

The arcade in Deji Cinema is much smaller but has some games that the larger arcade doesn’t have.

Metro

The big box Metro supermarket has the largest selection of imported Western foods of any store in Nanjing. It’s surely the place to go if you are looking for variety or looking to buy in bulk quantities. However, the prices on most goods are not as cheap as some other stores in Nanjing. Many similar imported goods can be bought at Carrefour or Aochan for slightly cheaper and some of the more common foods can even be bought at convenience stores for cheaper.

Metro is supposed to be for business customers only. A Metro membership card is required to purchase anything. However, this doesn’t deter non-members from shopping here. A member swiping their card for a non-member is a common site at the cash register line ups.

Link:

Metro China’s Official Website (In English but has some bugs)

Metro is located in the southern portion of Nanjing in Yuhua District (雨花区) next to several other big box retailers and a KFC. Shuanglong Jie Xi Bus Stop (双龙街西站) is on the road in front of Metro. There are several buses that stop there.

Da Ming Temple Vegetarian Restaurant

This place is a treat. Vegetarian food can be tough to find in Yangzhou, but this restaurant, recently opened in collaboration with the historic Da Ming Temple, serves an impressive assortment of dishes made completely without the use of animal products. Buddhist vegetarian cuisine is an entirely different style of Chinese fare, and the owners are more than happy to discuss the philosophy behind it. The cuisine is based on the Huai Yang School, and displays notably creativity. The restaurant also boasts very reasonable prices. Smaller dishes start around 5 Yuan and the more intricate, such as a large fake fish or ribs, go for about 30 Yuan. Another plus is each dish is pictured on the menu next to its description, which even includes a list of the exact ingredients. This restaurant is well worth a visit.

To find the restaurant head south on Yangzi Jiang Road (扬子江南路). Pass the Times Supermarket and then look to the northeast corner of the intersection with Wenhui East Road (文汇东路)

Kohinoor Restaurant – Indian and Pakistani Cuisine

The fairly new Kohinoor Restaurant sits above the lobby in the Ramada Hotel. The food is typical Indian and Pakistani fare although not as spicy. However, the kitchen can surely add ...

The fairly new Kohinoor Restaurant sits above the lobby in the Ramada Hotel. The food is typical Indian and Pakistani fare although not as spicy. However, the kitchen can surely add some heat upon request.

As should be expected from a reputable hotel chain, the restaurant and hotel bathroom appear quite clean. Servers are attentive, perhaps due to the fact that this small restaurant was almost empty during our visit. Hopefully they become better known soon.

A typical meal for two costs about 100 to 150 yuan not including drinks.

How to Get There

Take the subway to Gulou (鼓楼) station and walk northwest for a few minutes on Zhongshan Bei Lu (中山北路) until you see the Ramada. Kohinoor is on the 2^nd floor directly above the hotel lobby.

Kohinoor offers free home delivery within 3 kilometers of their store. If delivery is further than 3 kilometers away, the taxi fare will be added to the bill.

Yiye Yuan - New Chinese Food

Yiye Yuan provides an example of novel and modern Chinese food. Their modern cuisine stands out from that of other Chinese restaurants. At Yiye Yuan cooking techniques are characterized by less oil and a variety of creative dishes.

At the time of writing, Yi...

At the time of writing, Yiye Yuan remained virtually unknown by the foreign crowd. If you choose to try it out, pat yourself on the back for going where trendy locals would go… that is, if you can work your way around the outdated English menus.

Despite a rather noisy and often smoky atmosphere, Yiye Yuan is still small and cozy. In a break from the Chinese norm, most of the seating consists of 2 or 4 person booths. During supper time the restaurant often fills up quickly, so it is advisable to call ahead for reservations.

Mixed greens with three types of mushrooms.

Three types of mushrooms mixed with broccoli and other greens.

Pear soaked in red wine.

Sweet shrimp balls with... yellow stuff.

How to Get There

Yiye Yuan is located closer to the south end of the 1912 bar area (1912街区). See the 1912 article for more information.

Lu Residence Restaurant

A feast at the recently restored Lu Residence Restaurant makes one feel like an important dignitary or foreign merchant visiting Yangzhou during the Qing Dynasty. The setting and menu are completely traditional, if only spruced up a few notches. Sure, there are traces of kitsch, but it is a unique dining experience nonetheless. Lu was an incredibly wealthy merchant during the Qing Dynasty. He built this residence - the largest in Yangzhou - with the intention of hosting large gatherings. Perfect for a larger group, the recent renovations focused on the original high ceiling dining halls, and the restaurant is now an interesting series of these halls that largely dominate the complex as a whole. Come here to dine, but then be sure to walk around the residence as a distraction. By the entrance is an impressive museum of Yangzhou cuisine complete with plastic mold dishes, old cooking utensils, and everything one could possibly want to learn about the local cuisine. English captions are a plus too.

Auchan

Aochan, comparable to Carrefour in terms of selection, has a much better variety of imported products than the standard Chinese grocery store. There is a small aisle full of Western products on the 2nd floor. There is also a decent selection of imported liquors. Prices are not too unreasonable, and Aochan does claim to beat any price in the city if you can provide proof of a lower price.

How to Get There

It is located west of Xinjiekou (新街口). There is no subway nearby. Take a taxi if you are going to be loading up on supplies at Aochan.

Wal-mart

Wal-mart is often packed with customers due to their “天天平价 (tiantian pingjia),” otherwise known as “Everyday Low Prices”. They sell both food and other everyday items such as kitchen products, alcohol and clothing. However, do not expect this sto...

How to Get There

Many buses stop in Xinjiekou (新街口). Alternatively, take the subway to Xinjiekou station and walk about 200 meters east on Huaihai Road (淮海路).

Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Brief Introdcution:
Founded in 1954, Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine(NJUTCM), one of the earliest established universities of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) in China, compiled the first series of TCM textbooks, and trained the first group of teachers for higher education of TCM in China. It is also the birthplace of the earliest academicians of TCM, and a crucial base for transforming TCM education from the traditional master-to-disciple model to the colleging pattern, which contributed greatly to the establishment and spread of the higher education pattern of TCM in China. Being one of the WHO Collaborative Centers on Traditional Medicine and a key university in Jiangsu, NJUTCM is designated by the Ministry of Public Health to be an International Acupuncture Training Center, a Training Base for TCM Teachers, a Clinical Pharmacology Base, and the Nanjing Branch of China Searches Center for Classics of TCM. NJUTCM is also entrusted by the State Education Commission to be a Training Base for Talents of Science and Research Base in the field of Basic Sciences. NJUTCM is entitled by the Academic Degree Office of the State Council, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Public Health, and the State Administration of TCM, to be an experimental university for master’s and doctorate degrees in clinical medicine, and one of the first authorized universities of TCM to enroll and train overseas students. NJUTCM is one of the first three mobile post-doctoral research stations of TCM selected by the Ministry of Personnel and the State Administration of Post-doctoral students. It was named a Model University for its outstanding academic morale. NJUTCM has the right to examine and approve professors of major subjects in TCM, and enjoys a top position among universities of TCM in China for its strong academic advantages. At present, there are about 5000 students in various programs, including over 600 master and doctoral students, and about 500 overseas students from around the world.

Top Jiangsu Province Tours

$50 Per Day

Nanjing Hiking tour with local tour guide Sam

It`s springtime, it`s hiking time!

This tailor-made tour is for people who like nature, history, and hiking!

Ming Tomb (Admission: FreeCNY) - Nanjing became the capital of China when Zhu Yuanzhang founded the Ming Dynasty in 1368. During his reign, Zhu Yuanzhang built the great city walls of Nanjing, the imperial palace, and his future tomb - the Ming Tomb in Nanjing. The Ming Tomb is a certified UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a must-see for travellers to Nanjing.

It`s springtime, it`s hiking time!

This tailor-made tour is for people who like nature, history, and hiking!

Xuanwu Lake (Admission: Free) - Close to the city center and featuring 368 hectares of water and 104 hectares of land, Xuanwu Lake Park is a favorite getaway for locals. Well before the sunrise and even after sunset, the park is bustling with visitors. Some come to walk, jog, or fly kites, others to practice Tai Chi, and many more just want to enjoy the scenery.

Nanjing Food Court - my favorite local Nanjing restaurant, Nanjing people like to go there with family. It`s a resultant with a lot of Nanjing local food and ancient style of decoration, at night they will have Kunqu playing, coolest restaurant ever.

City Wall (Admission: 45CNY) - Nanjing City Wall, constructed during the Yuan and Ming Dynasties between 1365 and 1386, originally stretched over 30km which made it the longest city wall in the world. Now, with about two thirds of the wall still intact it still remains the longest city wall in China. We could walk on the city wall and feel the history of Nanjing.

*Please contact me for daily tour fees, i charge by per tour, not per person.

$80 Per Day

Relaxing Hot Spring Tour at Tangshan Area

Nanjing Tangshan is famous for the hot spring, hot spring is good for your skin and health, and relaxing your body and get rid of the press.

Maybe you don't like all the tourist attractions in the downtown, here would be one of another option.

This tour will be only visit 2 attractions and the rest will be spend the whole time in the hot spring. Or, if you prefer, you can only go for the spring.

Tour plan would be:

Hotel pick up -----> Yangshan Stele -----> Tangshan Ancient Ape Man Caves -----> Hot Spring -----> Send back to hotel.

Nanjing Tangshan is famous for the hot spring, hot spring is good for your skin and health, and relaxing your body and get rid of the press.

Maybe you don't like all the tourist attractions in the downtown, here would be one of another option.

This tour will be only visit 2 attractions and the rest will be spend the whole time in the hot spring. Or, if you prefer, you can only go for the spring.

Tour plan would be:

Hotel pick up -----> Yangshan Stele -----> Tangshan Ancient Ape Man Caves -----> Hot Spring -----> Send back to hotel.

Since Tangshan is a little town outside of Nanjing city and it`s quite far away, i would suggest to use a private car to drive there directly.

$40 Per Day

Nanjing nightlife tours - Bar crawling

In recent years Nanjing’s nightlife scene has undoubtedly changed for the better. The 1912 bar district is a common place to start a tour of Nanjing’s nightlife as it features Nanjing’s largest concentration of bars and clubs. Besides 1912, bars, pubs, clubs, karaokes, restaurants and not-so-mentionable locales are dispersed across the city, especially near Xinjiekou and close to the student population.

Nail Jazz Bar is a light bar with good Jazz muisc, live sometimes, they have over 50 kinds of imported beer from all over the World, the Draft beer Hoegaarden is with special roam and taste, for lady, here have over 100 cocktail to choose, lovely and enjoyable. The price here is quite as other bars, short cocktail for 28 Yuan, long drink cocktail for 38 Yuan. Hoegaarden draft beer, 38 for 0.3L and 68 for 0.5L.

Behind the Wall - A cozy atmosphere, decent food, live music and cheap margaritas make Behind the Wall a popular hang-out, especially with the foreign student population. Inside, Behind the Wall’s three rooms are linked by over-sized arched doorways, and provide seating for groups of two to ten. Mexican, Latin and Greek cuisine is served. The drink menu is varied and not too expensive by Nanjing standards - margaritas are served for only 15 Yuan from Sunday to Thursday.

Castle Bar - Castle Bar is lively on weekends and can become packed during special events. However, during weekdays staff members often outnumber customers. A good place if you like dancing.

Secco Restaurant and Bar - Great German restaurant and bar in Nanjing, they have a good rang and selection of cocktail made by a German, he is also the manager there, really strict to every cocktail he made, always bring you the best taste.

Finnegans Wake - A traditional Irish bar in Nanjing,offering Kilkenny, Guinness and strongbow cider on draught.

Please contact me for daily tour fees, i charge by per tour, not per person.

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