Things to do in Nánníng
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A
Guǎngxī Provincial Museum
This ugly, mammoth museum actually has a superb collection of ancient Dong bronze drums, some dating back more than 2000 years. They were used as sacrificial and ritual vessels as well as musical instruments, and the biggest is a whopping 165cm in diameter. In the leafy back garden are some full-size examples of Dong and Miao houses, and a nail-less Wind and Rain Bridge, which now houses an impressive restaurant, Āmóu Meǐshí.
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B
Àomén Shíjiē
Just along from the Xinhua bookstore, this gigantic dining hall is lined with hatches where you order your dish, a waitress in tow while you make your choice. There's no English menu, but the wall-mounted photo menu makes ordering a piece of cake. Try the peppery mápó dòufu (spicy tofu with crumbs of pork) or the more straightforward gōngbào jīdīng fàn (spicy chicken chunks with rice) or the tasty méicài kōuròu bāo (pork with cabbage).
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C
Tianhong Northeast Jiaozi Restaurant
There's no English menu at this industrious dumpling restaurant, but don't let that deter you from trying its scrummy jiǎozi. Standard dishes include the vegetable jiǎozi (sūbáicài xiàn), there's also a chive and egg version (jiǔcài jīdàn), the lamb and onion (yángròu dàcōng xiàn) and, if you still have an appetite, further standard dishes from China's northeast fill out the menu.
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Guǎngxī Medicinal Herb Botanical Garden
The fascinating subtropical Guǎngxī Medicinal Herb Botanical Garden is the largest medicinal botanical garden in China. More than 4000 medicinal plants from over 20 countries can be found here. Buses 22 and 81 from Cháoyáng Garden stop by the main gate. Buses 7 and 66 from the train station also go there.
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D
Zhenning Fort
Here you can inspect a rusty 122mm German cannon on rails manufactured in the 19th century, taking aim at the southwest. Also within the fort are a couple of smallish smooth-faced bìxì (turtlelike dragons) and a Ming dynasty bell. As the blurb insists (with not entirely watertight logic): 'He who has not reached the Zhenning Fort has not reached the Nanning People's Park', and you can't argue with that.
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E
People's Park
Also known as White Dragon Park, this park is a pleasant spot for a stroll. It houses the Zhenning Fort, and a small Shady Botanical Garden, which features some rare herbs, exotic flowers, a hothouse with local flower varieties, and the requisite 1000-year-old banyan tree. You can also go boating on the lake or take your chances on the roller-skating rink.
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F
Shaoshanchong Xiang Restaurant
For sheer OTT novelty and dubious tastefulness, check out this nostalgic Húnán restaurant where signature chili-infused dishes from the home province of Chairman Mao are delivered by gaggles of cheeky, pig-tailed girls in Red Guard uniforms.
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G
Foreign Languages Bookstore
The usual stale slabs of classic novels peppered up with slices of trash fiction and pulp paperbacks.
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Muslim Restaurant
Popular and good value eatery specialising in Chinese Muslim cuisine with a useful English menu.
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Yōng River Bridge
The river at the southwestern end of the modern Yōng River Bridge is a very popular swimming spot, particularly on summer evenings. For the less adventurous, nearby Yōngjiāng Hotel has a small outdoor pool (Y50).
Big groups of locals meet for a spot of dancing every evening in Bīnjiāng Park (滨江公园; Bīnjiāng Gōngyuán), just behind the riverbank where swimmers congregate. It's great to watch and anyone can join in.
On the eastern side of the bridge, just south of South Gate Market, is a small network of alleyways. Here you'll find some of Nánníng's older, low-rise housing, a stark contrast from the shiny shopping centres off nearby Chaoyang Lu, and an interes…
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Xù Courtyard Restaurant
This friendly restaurant is in a converted courtyard that dates back to 1892. It whips up some scrumptious dishes, including orange-peel-flavoured pork-rib wraps (橙皮纸包骨; chéngpí zhǐbāogǔ; Y48), secret-recipe roast duck (密制丁香鸭; mìzhì dīngxiāngyā; Y38 per half duck) and plum-marinated huángfēng fish (梅子黄蜂鱼; méizi huángfēngyú; Y38). Chinese-only menu, but some English is spoken.
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Xīngdǎo Hào
Right on the river, with tables spread out across the deck of the now disused river-ferry wharf, this no-nonsense restaurant-cum-bar is a great spot for an evening meal, or even just a few beers. No English menu, but the hóngshāo luófēi yú (红烧罗非鱼; Y20), a Yōng River fish speciality, comes recommended. Beers from Y8.
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Just For You
If you want to meet up and yarn with other English speakers, head to Just For You. This cafe offers a range of American and Southeast Asian fare, and vegetarian pizza (Y38) is served. It's also a popular Chinese-dates-foreigners spot, located behind Sunshine 100.
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Āmóu Meǐshí
Well, this is a chain but this branch really stands out. Housed on the picturesque Wind and Rain Bridge behind Guangxi Provincial Museum, this restaurant has a beautiful, leafy garden as its backdrop. It dishes out various tribal food of the region. You may not know those ethnic minorities, but you'll sure like their grub. Try the Miao's zhūxiāng fish (苗家竹香鱼; miáojiā zhūxiāngyú; Y68). Other mouth-watering dishes include roasted eggplant in Tai style (傣家茄子; dǎijiā qiézi; Y25) and shredded Lí River duck (手撕漓江鸭; shǒusī líjiāngyā; Y38). No English menu.
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