Guangzhou, China: travel guide
The sprawling capital of Guangdong and cradle of Cantonese cuisine, blending 2,000 years of trade history at Shamian and Yuexiu with the soaring Canton Tower skyline.
- Country
- China
- Currency
- CNY
- Time zone
- Asia/Shanghai
- Nearest airport
- CAN
Top places to visit in Guangzhou
Baiyun Mountain
Nature · 4.6 rating · about 3 h · entry CNY 5
The 'White Cloud Mountain', a forested range on the city's northern edge with trails, cable cars and panoramic viewpoints over Guangzhou.
Canton Tower
Viewpoint · about 1.5 h · entry CNY 150
The slender 604 m 'twisted waist' tower on the Pearl River, with observation decks, a Ferris wheel and a Sky Drop — Guangzhou's defining landmark, dazzling at night.
Shamian Island
Heritage · about 1.5 h
A tranquil sandbank island of tree-lined avenues and restored 19th-century European concession architecture — churches, consulates and cafés.
Chen Clan Ancestral Hall
Heritage · about 1.5 h · entry CNY 10
A dazzling 1894 Cantonese clan hall, now the Guangdong Folk Art Museum, encrusted with wood, brick, stone and ceramic-figure carvings.
Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall
Heritage · about 1 h · entry CNY 10
A grand blue-tiled octagonal hall built in 1931 to honour the father of modern China, set in gardens below Yuexiu Park.
Yuexiu Park
Nature · about 1.5 h
Guangzhou's largest central park, home to the Five Rams statue (the city's emblem), the Zhenhai Tower and the old city wall.
Temple of the Six Banyan Trees
Temple · about 1 h · entry CNY 5
A 1,400-year-old Buddhist temple crowned by the vividly painted Flower Pagoda, named by the poet Su Dongpo for its banyan trees.
Bright Filial Piety Temple
Temple · about 1 h · entry CNY 5
One of the oldest and most important Buddhist temples in southern China, with roots older than the city itself and links to the Sixth Zen Patriarch.
Sacred Heart Cathedral
Church · about 0.8 h
A soaring twin-spired Gothic cathedral built entirely of granite between 1863 and 1888 — nicknamed the 'Stone House' — in the old town.
Beijing Road Pedestrian Street
Market · about 1.5 h
Guangzhou's busiest shopping street, with glass panels revealing ancient road layers underfoot amid malls, snacks and neon.
Chimelong Safari Park
Wildlife · about 5 h · entry CNY 300
One of the world's largest wildlife parks in Panyu, home to giant pandas, white tigers, koalas and a drive-through safari — a major family day out.
Guangzhou Opera House
Cultural · about 1 h
Zaha Hadid's sculptural, boulder-like opera house on the Pearl River in Zhujiang New Town — a landmark of contemporary architecture.
Things to do
- Canton Tower Observation & Sky Drop Sightseeing · 1.5 h · from CNY 250 per person
- Pearl River Night Cruise Cruise · 1.5 h · from CNY 150 per person
- Cantonese Dim Sum Food Tour Food · 3.5 h · from CNY 280 per person
- Chimelong Safari Park Day Tour Tour · 8 h · from CNY 400 per person
- Old Guangzhou Heritage Walk Cultural · 3 h · from CNY 180 per person
Day trips and tours
- Guangzhou City Heritage Day Tour 8 h · from CNY 500
Where to stay in Guangzhou
- Yuexiu (Old Town) about CNY 600 per night
Historic centre near Beijing Road, Yuexiu Park and the classic temples.
- Zhujiang New Town (Tianhe) about CNY 1,000 per night
Modern CBD with skyline hotels around Canton Tower and the Opera House.
- Shamian Island (Liwan) about CNY 700 per night
Quiet colonial-era island of European architecture and old Cantonese lanes.
Hotels
- Jinjiang Inn Beijing Road 3-star · CNY 300 to CNY 480 per night
- Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou 5-star · CNY 1,500 to CNY 3,200 per night
- The Ritz-Carlton Guangzhou 5-star · CNY 1,200 to CNY 2,600 per night
- White Swan Hotel 5-star · CNY 900 to CNY 1,900 per night
- Guangzhou Riverside International Youth Hostel 2-star · CNY 70 to CNY 230 per night
Where to eat
- Guangzhou Restaurant (Wenchang) Chinese, Cantonese, Dim Sum · about CNY 150 per person
- Panxi Restaurant Chinese, Cantonese, Dim Sum · about CNY 140 per person
- Bingsheng Pinwei Chinese, Cantonese · about CNY 180 per person
- Tao Tao Ju Chinese, Cantonese, Dim Sum · about CNY 120 per person
- Yinji Rice Rolls Chinese, Cantonese, Street Food · about CNY 35 per person
Getting around
- Bus main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Metro main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Ride Hail main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Taxi main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
Safety and scams to avoid
Fake Monk Donation
Temples and tourist sites
People dressed as Buddhist monks offer a 'blessing' or amulet, then aggressively demand a large donation.
How to avoid it: Genuine monks do not solicit tourists for money. Decline politely and walk away.