Welcome to Unpacked, Five Questions, a new series where we go behind the scenes of one great travel story.

In this episode, host Katherine LaGrave sits down with author and journalist Bonnie Tsui, whose father has lived in Guangzhou, China, for decades. In the 2025 Culture Issue of Afar she writes about how a recent trip to the city transformed three generations of relationships.

She shares tips for first-time visitors, why you should visit Guangzhou for the food, and the ways one city can bridge past and present, family and identity.

On this episode you’ll learn:

• The ways that Guangzhou’s evolving identity mirror the Asian American experience.

• Why Cantonese desserts are an underrated and essential part of Guangzhou’s food culture

• How first-time travelers to China can adjust to the country’s mobile payment norms. 

Don’t miss these moments:

[01:14] Complicated relationships between China, the Chinese diaspora and familial roots.

[05:45] Cantonese desserts to capture any foodie’s heart.

[08:44] Tips for first-time travelers to China—and the app that makes everything easier.

[10:11] Guangzhou Tower and Shamian Island: a meeting of East and West, old and new. 

Resources

Read the transcript of this episode. 

Read Bonnie’s complete feature story about Guangzhou, China in Afar’s 2025 Culture Issue.

Read Bonnie’s story, What Chinatown Means to America—and to Me on afar.com. 

Explore more of Bonnie’s work and buy her new book, On Muscle. 

Listen to this episode of Travel Tales where Bonnie swims to the soul of Switzerland. 

Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Travel Tales, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

Unpacked by Afar is part of Airwave Media's podcast network. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.