Immediately next to the plaza is 'Hero Square', the largest outdoor 'entertainment' square in Guangzhou, and one that is always hosting some shopping promotion and sporting event (typically skating).

La Perle is one of Guangzhou's most exclusive shopping malls and probably hosts the most expensive and most glittering array of shops out of them all. Sat squarely in the middle of the Friendship Store, Baiyun Hotel, and the Garden Hotel, it's a slice of luxury in the otherwise downtown area of Huan Shi Dong Lu.

La Perle is French for 'The Pearl', named after Guangzhou's Pearl River, and this is reflected in the design of the building which, when viewed from the top floor, could be said to resemble a pearl shape.

The Plaza has an indoor ice-skating rink, a 3D cinema, and numerous retail shops and restaurants, including a large Trust Mart.

Although part of the CITIC Plaza, Backstreet is a curiously quirky corridor that stretches from one tower to the next and goes underneath the car park. It seems to be aimed at a more younger and cheaper audience, and contains about 20 or so shops and restaurants that range from a stationers to jewellery shops to a Japanese restaurant.

For expats Backstreet is of particular interest because of Corner's Deli, a large speciality food store that caters for Westerners and Japanese.

TeeMall is one of Guangzhou's leading shopping malls and is now known as the 'Saloon of Guangzhou'. A brief look at some figures should give an indication why:

It contains a cinema, a gaming centre, as well as numerous shops, restaurants, cafés and just about everything else you could think of. The basement houses a metro station, making it extremely easy to reach.

CITIC Plaza is the 7th tallest building in the world and another in the expanding line of Guangzhou's building achievements. Building here finished in 1996 and it has since become a very noticeable element to Guangzhou's skyline, as well as a multi-purpose fixture for shopping, restaurants, business, and accommodation. It comprises of a main office building (90 storeys), along with two apartment buildings (34 storeys), and a four storey shopping mall. It is named after the CITIC Group (formerly China International Trust and Investment Company) and is a state-owned enterprise.

At the upper end of the scale, the Friendship Store is a state owned chain that has been operating for over 50 years. Originally designed for foreigners to buy official products, it has now developed into an upscale department store.

They offer everything from food to computers to washing machines, all at full retail price. The extra money goes towards the knowledge that what you are buying is 100% real (of particular importance to visitors).