Guangzhou: Ultimate Travel Guide By A Chinese (2025)

City Guides

19 Oct

Written By YenKid

This guide has been written by the creator of the China online travel guide, YenKid In China, who lives near Guangzhou and has visited the city more times than he can count.

I wrote this guide because I keep hearing people mistakenly assume there’s not much to see in this city.

Key Contents: attractions + activities + itinerary + directions + where to stay + what to eat + where to eat

Introduction

Guangzhou is best known for

Being a food capital of China. Heart of Cantonese food. There’s a famous Chinese saying - “eat in Guangzhou”.
The home to Canton Tower, the 2nd tallest TV tower in the world + one of the best skylines in China.
The heart of the Cantonese language, which is named after the city and has around 80 million speakers, including me!

*also the Canton Fair, but it’s not accessible to tourists

A Few Facts about Guangzhou

The oldest continuous city in southern China, founded 2,200 years ago in the early Han dynasty and named Guangzhou during the Three Kingdoms period.
China’s 3rd longest river, the Pearl River, flows through the city
Has two nicknames - Ram City and Flower City.

What I liked particularly about Guangzhou 👍🏻

The most amazingly delicious food. Meal after meal. There’s just so much choice.
One of the most spectacular skylines I have seen.
There is a remarkable contrast between the old city and new city.

3 Things To See + Photographic Spots Not To Be Missed 📷

Gazing at Canton Tower and the Zhujiang New Town skyline closeup at night
Experiencing Liurong Temple and Guangxiao Temple during the day + seeing Dafo Temple light up at night
Grabbing a photo in front of the iconic Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

3 Things To Do 🚶🏻

Riding the Bubble Tram at the top of Canton Tower with 360 degree views of the city
Cruising on a boat along the Pearl River
Taking the cable car or hiking up Baiyun Mountain and seeing the skyline from afar.

Unique Experiences to Consider ⭐

Riding a robotaxi - you can only hail a ride in restricted areas as of Sept 2025. You’ll either need to book a dedicated tour or get a local phone number to use the service through Pony.ai or WeRide.

Points of Interest / Attractions to Visit 🌆

New City

Canton Tower - I recommend you go to Canton Tower Plaza where you can get the best photos at ground level from every angle.
Either choose the Bubble Tram - this is not just a typical ferris wheel. It’s a horizontal ferris wheel and you’re up 460m in the air (if you’re not afraid of heights). Or the open air observation deck is definitely worth it.
Nearby ⬇️
- Haixinqiao Bridge over the Pearl River (you can enter without pre-booking during weekdays, but advance bookings might be needed during weekends or public holidays).
- Liede Bridge - this is a landmark bridge where you can take photos with the Canton Tower and the twin towers in the background. An iconic photo. Walk along the waterfront promenade to get there.
- Chigang Pagoda is just south of Canton Tower which gives a striking contrast of tradition versus modern.

Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre - 8th tallest building in the world in 2025. This one has a skybar on the 107th floor, if you want to see Canton Tower from a different angle high up. It still has the Guinness World Record for the world’s fastest elevator as of 2025, rising a maximum speed of 75.6km/h.
Huacheng Square (Flower City Square) - Largest square in the city and the one of the most iconic places for me. Lots of green spaces and ponds where you can chill and relax. Even in the middle of this huge business district, it feels quiet in some areas.
There’s a mall called Mall of The World right underneath the square with lots of choice for food and drink.
Guangzhou Opera House + Guangdong Museum - these buildings have visually striking designs and are right opposite each other.

Old City

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall - a stunning octagonal structure which is definitely worth seeing. This is the old site of Guangzhou Presidential Palace in 1921.
Free to enter the grounds, 10 rmb to see the inside of the building which is a stage venue. Look out for the fantastic angles with a tree in front of the building.
Beijing Road Pedestrian Street - the main street with lines of restaurants and shops where you can eat probably any Chinese dish. Don’t just go along the main street, some of the side streets are even better for street food, restaurants, and cafes.
Make sure you check out the food street immediately south of Dafo Temple - you’ll see hundreds of lit lanterns. I recommend you go after sunset for the best experience.
Dafo Temple - this is a majestic temple which comes alive at night when the lighting is switched on. Lots of great photo angles. It’s off a side street near Beijing Road Pedestrian Street. Make sure you go in one entrance and out through the other. You’ll see the main food street mentioned before.
Guangxiao Temple and Liurong Temple (Six Banyan Trees) - yes, more temples. No, not all temples are the same. I’m not even a religious person.
Guangxiao Temple is the oldest temple in the city and has a much bigger range of buildings with unique architectural designs and religious figures.
Liurong Temple has the spectacular nine-storey high pagoda, which is intricately decorated and has amazing photo angles.
The two temples are 5 minutes walk from each other. I got some stunning photos at both places.
Museum of the Nanyue King Mausoleum - this is probably the most ancient attraction in Guangzhou, going back 2100 years. It’s about the Nanyue Kingdom during the early Han Dynasty. The jade burial suit was one of the highlights for me.
If you’re into history and only have time for one museum, I recommend you visit this one. Even the building is made of red sandstone, which matches the tomb. Make sure you go to the mausoleum one, opposite Yuexiu Park.
Chen Clan Academy (Ancestral Hall) - here, you’ll see exquisite traditional architecture on the roofs of the buildings and the fine carvings on the structures. I was quite blown away by the incredible attention to detail and the skill it took to build it. You can also find the Folk Art Museum here. Come here if you want to see authentic Lingnan architecture and carvings.
Yongqingfang and Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street - traditional centre of Guangzhou which is far lower density than the skyscrapers of the new city. This is classic Guangzhou. A lot of old buildings, which gives a completely different vibe to the skyscraper district.
Lots of restaurants and dessert shops too. Bruce Lee’s ancestral home is also here, if you want to grab a picture.
On the way, you can check Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street on the way, which offers a different selection of street food, compared to Beijing Road.
Pearl River Cruise - take the boat if you want to sail along the Pearl River and see different parts of the city at night from the water. There are several locations to board a cruise - my recommended boarding point is Tianzi Pier.

City Outskirts

Guangzhou Cultural Centre - this is a hidden gem. One of my favourite places for taking photos of beautiful Lingnan architecture and gardens.
The name is a bit misleading, as it sounds like a typical museum, but the sightseeing is mostly outdoors with a few indoor exhibitions. Okay, it’s relatively new and not really a historically important place, but that was acceptable for me, because the colourful visuals more than made up for it. The design is based on elements of the Han and Tang dynasties.
You can even see Canton Tower from the upper floors of the main pagoda. Great for grabbing a photo of traditional and modern architecture in the same frame. If you love beautiful gardens and aesthetics, you must come here!

Baiyunshan Mountain Cableway - great half-day out to explore the mountain and see the Guangzhou skyline from afar. I only took the cable car on the way down because I wanted to experience climbing the mountain.
For hiking, I chose the shortest route from Keziling and it took me around 2 hours to climb around 250m to the summit. You may wish to take the cable car both ways if you don’t particularly feel like hiking. The cable car station is located next to Yuntai Garden (Line 11, Exit C1).

General Attractions

Liuhuahu Park - one of my favourite parks. It has a large lake and several small connected islands to hop between. The centrepiece is a classical European-like building which makes for a good photo. If I was to pick a park in the old city, I’d pick this one.

Yuntai Garden - a pay-to-enter garden with a huge range of flowers and plants. I spent a good couple of hours here and it was well worth the money for me. It’s right by the Baiyun Mountain Cableway, if you wanted to check it out together.

Dongshankou - a trendy area with a different feeling of the city. There are historical mansions and streets with many photo opportunities. It’s located in between the main areas of the old city and the new city.

Shamian Island - contrasting low-rise European architecture which used to be French and British concessions. Some Chinese people recommend it because it’s different from other parts of the city. If you’re from Europe, I suggest you only visit if you want to see some familiar architecture, learn the history behind it, or a place to chill.

Sacred Heart Cathedral - designed by the French and completed in 1888. If you’ve seen cathedrals before, I wouldn’t go especially to visit this one, unless you’re nearby. Bundle this with Shamian Island.

Guangzhou Circle - the shape of this building was the talk of world media at the time of completion. It’s shaped and coloured like the ancient Chinese coin. Very interesting if you’re into unusual architecture.

Museums - these are the next best ones to visit in my opinion, if you’re mad about history.
- Thirteen Hongs Museum - a must for anyone interested in the history of China’s trade with the world. My friend and I had a great time looking at some fantastic artifacts. The museum’s inside Cultural Park, not far from Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street.
- Guangdong Museum - a huge range of exhibitions from history, culture, art, ceramics, nature, with a lot of focus on the Guangdong region. There was so much to see here that I could easily have spent the whole day here. Even the building has a unique architectural design.
- Guangzhou Museum of Art - a recently opened museum showcasing all sorts of artwork. I really liked the domed architectural design of the building.

Megastructures

There are several massive bridges on the outskirts of Guangzhou, but there’re quite a distance from the centre of the city. Only go if you want to see these remarkable structures.

Nansha Bridge - the 5th longest suspension bridge span in the world as of 2025, but it’s not easy to get there. The nearest metro station is 3km away. You can hire a cab either to drop you off on a side street or to drive you across if you really want to. It’s around an hour from the centre of the city.
Xinguang Bridge - an attractive red triple arch bridge in the south of the city. Not that convenient to get there, go to Line 3, Xiajiao station. It’s about 15 minutes walk to the river. There is another option - get a room at a nearby hotel offering spectacular views of the bridge in front of the Guangzhou skyline. One of them is called 黛丽酒店, but I haven’t had the chance to stay there yet.
Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge - an incredible megabridge wonder that anyone in the area should see and experience - but it’s at least 1.5 hours from centre of Guangzhou. If you’re visiting Shenzhen, you might as well experience it when travelling there. One of the options is taking Line 18 to Hengli station and then the cross-bridge bus to Shenzhen. You’ll see a dedicated bus building by the main road when you exit the station.
Guangzhou Baiyun railway station - the newest and most architecturally impressive railway station in the city, according to me. The design is inspired by the cotton flower. Definitely worth the journey for me and other architecture fans, but it’s around 30 minutes by metro from the old city.

Zoos and Theme Parks

The big one is the Chimelong Resort in the south of the city. It has five core attractions - Chimelong Paradise amusement park, Water Park, Safari Park, Bird Park and International Circus. If you only have time for one, I would say the circus is the one most worth going to.
If you wanted to see animals, the Safari Park would be the one I’d recommend. It’s home to panda triplets, South China tigers, and white tigers. Alternatively, Guangzhou Zoo is in the centre of the city.

My Suggested Itinerary

3-day Itinerary

Day 1 - Guangxiao Temple ➡️ Liurong Temple ➡️ Zhongshan Memorial Hall ➡️ Nanyue King Museum ➡️ Yongqingfang ➡️ Shangxiujiu ➡️ Pearl River Cruise (Tianzi Pier) ➡️ Beijing Road Pedestrian Street ➡️ Dafo Temple
Day 2 - Guangzhou Cultural Center ➡️ Canton Tower (including observation deck or Bubble Tram) ➡️ Canton Tower Plaza ➡️ Haixinqiao Bridge ➡️ Haixinsha Park ➡️ Huacheng Square ➡️ Tiyu Xilu commercial district
Day 3 - Baiyun Mountain Cableway ➡️ Baiyun Mountain ➡️ Yuntai Garden ➡️ free choice
+ allow 1-2 days for Chimelong Resort

My skyscraper walking tour (that you can do yourself)

CITIC Plaza ➡️ Huacheng Square (5 supertalls here) ➡️ Guangzhou IFC ➡️ Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre ➡️ Canton Tower

Summary of Attractions 🎟️

Attraction | Ticket Price | Metro Station Exit

Canton Tower | varies | Line 3, Canton Tower, Exit A
Guangzhou Cultural Centre | free | Line 3/11, Datang, Exit E
Baiyunshan Mountain Cableway | 20rmb | Line 11, Yuntai Garden, Exit C1
Yuntai Garden | 25rmb | Line 11, Yuntai Garden, Exit C1
Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall | free to enter the rounds, 10rmb to enter the building | Line 2, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall, Exit C
Museum of the Nanyue King Mausoleum | 10rmb | Line 2, Yuexiu Park, Exit E
Guangxiao Temple | 5rmb | Line 1, Ximenkou, Exit C
Liurong Temple | free | Line 1/2 Gongyuanqian, Exit I2
Dafo Temple | free | Line 1/2 Gongyuanqian, Exit D/J or Line 5, Beijing Lu, Exit B
Chen Clan Academy | 10rmb | Line 1, Chen Clan Academy, Exit D
Pearl River Cruise | varies | Line 6, Beijing Lu, Exit A1 for Tianzi Pier
Yongqingfang | free | Line 1/6, Huangsha, Exit C
Chimelong Resort | see ticketing website | Line 3/7, Hanxi Changlong, Exit E

Note: most museums closed on Mondays. Even if the attraction is free, it is likely to require online booking. Please check the official museum mini-program for info.

(Information last checked in Sept 2025)

Recommended Days 📅

2-3 days depending on your interests

Best Time to Visit ☀️

Mid-October to Mid-May for the most comfortable temperatures. Although December-February can be as low as 10C on some days.
Definitely not summer! I would avoid June-September if you have a choice. It feels sticky and unpleasant. There is also a risk of typhoons, which can delay your plans for the day.
See my Weather Dashboard for temperature ranges by month.

How to Get There ✈️

By air

Land at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
Land at Hong Kong International Airport + take the metro to West Kowloon station + take the high speed train to Guangzhou South or Guangzhou East

By land

Take the high speed train to Guangzhou South or Guangzhou East from any other city. Most high speed trains go to Guangzhou South. It’s about 30-40 minutes by metro to the central districts.

How to Get Around 🚇

The most convenient way is Guangzhou Metro, which has 19 lines and is the 3rd longest metro in the world. However, I suggest you avoid using the metro at peak hours, especially Line 3 at all costs. You will be squeezed like a pancake!
There is a people mover in Zhujiang New Town. Only use it if you need to travel between the shopping mall district in Tiyu Xilu and Huacheng Square.
City taxis or DiDi are also widely available.
Check out these articles if you’re stuck:
How to Ride the Metro in China: Ultimate Guide to Getting Around the City (2025)
How to Hail a DiDi Driver in China (2025 Guide)

Where Should You Stay 🛏️

Tianhe district if you want to be near Huacheng Square and the largest cluster of shopping malls.
Yuexiu district if you want to be near the traditional attractions and Beijing Road pedestrian street
Haizhu district if you want to be near Canton Tower.
As for specific hotels, I don’t have one that is outstanding. I recommend you use Trip, since it is the top hotel booking platform in China and has the bigger range of hotels. Always cheaper for me as well. Check out my article How to Get The Best Deal For Hotels in China.

What Should You Eat 🥢

dim sum baskets 点心 (e.g. har gow 虾饺, siu maai 烧卖, cha siu bao 叉烧包)
roasted meats such as goose 烧鹅, cha siu 叉烧, pork belly 烧肉
cheung fun (rice noodle rolls) 肠粉
bo zai fan (claypot rice) 煲仔饭
wan tan min (won ton noodles) 云吞面
gai zai beng 鸡仔饼 (a local snack of Guangzhou)
Check out my special list of 80 Cantonese dishes here.

Where Should You Eat 🧑🏻‍🍳

Beijing Lu with a dedicated food street immediately to the south of Dafo Temple. It’s the most easiest one to get to in the central districts.
Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street to Yongqingfang for independent restaurants and more street food.
Tiyu Xilu commercial district for mall restaurants.
Zhicun Night Market is in the south of the city not far from Chimelong - there are around 200-300 food stalls. This is a new night food market. I couldn’t believe the amount of stalls they had in one area. Check it out if you’re doing something nearby and just want to know what a couple hundred stalls look like. Line 3, Dashi station, Exit C. Mainly night-time only.
Famous chains in the city include 点都德 diǎn dōu dé, 大鸽饭 dà gē fàn, 陶陶居 táo táo jū
You can use Dianping to check out the food and reviews. Check out my article How to Find Great Restaurants in China - A Simplified Guide to Dianping and RedNote.

Things To Consider Buying 🛍️

The city is famous for its clothing markets and you can get clothing for rock bottom prices.
Consumer electronics such as smartphones, drones, computers, and accessories. There are plenty of novel products.

Best Places to Relax ☺️

Parks and Gardens: Liuhuahu Park, Yuexiu Park, Donghu Park, Haixinsha Park, Ershadao Island, South China Botanical Garden
Open Spaces: Huacheng Square, Canton Tower Plaza
Malls: Parc Central 天环, Grandview Mall 正佳广场, Fashion Tianhe Plaza 时尚天河广场, Mall of the World 花城汇 - all are in the Tiyi Xilu area with hundreds of chain restaurants and shops.

For Children 🧒🏻

Chimelong Resort (Paradise, Water Park, Safari Park, Bird Park, International Circus)
Guangzhou Zoo

Some Extras

Baomo Garden + Shawanguzhen (ancient village) - a nice day out away from the city. Take Line 3 to Shiqiao station, call a DiDi - the journey should take around 20-30 minutes.
Lianhuashan Scenic Area / Lotus Hill - a scenic area with a giant statue of Guanyin and red sandstone cliffs. Around 1 hour away from downtown. Take Line 3 to Haibang station, then call a DiDi - the journey should take around 20 minutes.
Baietan Triple Museum - opened recently - I haven’t visited it. The Museum of Fine Arts, Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum, and Literature Museum are here.