Guangzhou Travel Guide

Guangzhou, also named Ram City, Flower City, is situated in the south of China, downstream of Zhujiang River. As the capital of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou is the hometown of Cantonese cuisine, shopping paradise, here coexists with history and modern. Whether you will be impressed by the exquisite European classical architecture in the Shamian Island architectural complex, or fond of those commercial arcade buildings of Lingnan features, or even amazed at the gorgeous night view along the Zhujiang River, you will deeply fall in love with Guangzhou.

• Best time to visit Guangzhou:

Guangzhou enjoys a semitropical climate, it’s on the Tropic of Cancer. With warm and rainy, adequate light and heat, long summer but short frost-free period, Guangzhou has a pleasant weather all year round, hence the name” Flower City”. It’s rainy season from April to June, and typhoon would affect during August and September. October and November will be the best season to travel around Guangzhou, when it’s cool and autumn breezes. And from December to February while most of northern cities are snowy and freezing, Guangzhou is still warm with fragrant flowers and green trees everywhere.

• Must-See Tourist Attractions in Guangzhou:

There are not only historic sites and scenic park in Guangzhou, but also the creative parks and the city's landmark Canton Tower. Besides, Guangzhou buildings, the most representative of Lingnan architecture, are also attracted travelers all over the world. Chen Ancestral Temple, The Museum of the Nanyue King Mausoleum, Enning Road Near Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Shopping Street, Xiguan Ancient Houses(Xiguan Dawu), The Cantonese Opera Art Museum, Dongshankou as well as Lizhiwan, those are also the popular and fantastic places to explore the unique cultural and architectural of Lingnan style.

1.     Canton Tower:

Canton Tower is located along the Zhujiang River, facing the Zhujiang New Town, the commercial center of Guangzhou. As the popular landmark of Guangzhou and the domestic first tower, it’s at altitude of 600m, and "small pretty waist" the finest point on the 66th floor. It will be excited to experience a "touch" the sky of the extraordinary journey, as on top of this observation tower are several Guinness World Records which including the world's highest revolving restaurant at 423 meters; The world's highest outdoor viewing platform at 488 meters; The world's tallest ferris wheel at 454 meters and the world's tallest skydiving machine at 485 meters (free fall distance of 30 meters).

2.     Chen Ancestral Temple:

Chen Ancestral Temple, also known as Chen Academy, is situated in Zhongshan Road, Guangzhou city. Built in Qing Dynasty, with the money collected from the Chen families from72 counties in Guangdong Province, so it got the name. Chen Ancestral Temple is the best example to explain the architecture of Lingnan style from composition, molding style, courtyard space and decorative art. It’s the largest, ornate and well-preserved traditional Lingnan ancestral temple in Guangdong Province, hence the fame of Guangzhou Cultural Card.

3.     Yuexiu Park:

Yuexiu Park lies in No.960 Jiefangbei Road, Yuexiu Dist., Guangzhou. It is a vast urban park in Guangzhou encompassing more than 93 hectares of gardens, shaded wood paths, historical monuments and museums. There are famous historic sites in the part: the symbol of Guangzhou Five-Goat Statue, Sun Yat-sen Monument, Guangzhou Ancient City Wall, Zhenhai Tower, etc...

4.     Shamian Island:

Located in the southwest of Guangzhou city, Shamian Island once was an important commercial port of Guangzhou. With history of 100 years, it became an important port for domestic and foreign trade during the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. After the opium war, it became a concession for Britain and France. Shamian Island is an epitome of China's modern history and concession history and witnessed the changes of modern history of Guangzhou. There are typical unique architectures of European style: Catholic Church Our Lady of Lourdes, Christ Church, the former HSBC, former British and French Consulates.

5.     The Museum of the Nanyue King Mausoleum:

Found in 1983, The Museum of the Nanyue King Mausoleum was the second generation of the tomb of King Zhaomo. It’s the only largest and colored painted stone tomb of Han Dynasty. There’re more than 10,000 cultural relics unearthed from the tomb, those which have a significant historical, artistic and scientific value. Moreover, the Museum of the Nanyue King Mausoleum is a brilliant representative of modern architecture of Lingnan style and has won six architectural awards at home and abroad.

• Cantonese Cuisine and Morning Tea Culture:

Guangzhou has been named the city of gastronomy. Cantonese food is one of the most famous food of Chinese food, everyone all over the world would know Chinese food through Cantonese food. There’s typical Cantonese food like: Roast Suckling Pig, The Battle between the Dragon and the Tiger, Fried Milk, Salt-Baked Chicken, Rice Noodles Roll (Changfen in Chinese), Pork Biscuits and so on. What’s more, you should have a taste the Guangzhou Morning Tea, which has become a culture whether young or middle-aged and elderly. On a leisure morning or a sunny afternoon, enjoying the tea with cakes and snacks and chatting with friends or family, how comfortable it is!

• Shopping in Guangzhou:

As a traditional commercial and trade capital, Guangzhou has been known as the commercial capital for thousands of years". And the Canton Fair, which is the largest scale, the most complete commodity categories, the widest distribution of countries and regions, and the best transaction effect in China is held in Guangzhou during every Spring and Autumn. Guangzhou is definite the” Shopping Paradise” for visitors from home and aboard. Here you’ll find fair-price shopping place and wholesale markets like Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street, Beijing Road Pedestrian Street, and large-scale shopping malls as well as world luxury brands in Tee Mall, Grandview Mall, CITIC Plaza, TaiKoo Hui and Outlet. No matter you’re looking for, Clothing, Famous Brand, Jade Sculpture, Souvenir or Electronic Products and even local delicacy, you’ll easily to find there.

• Special Local products in Guangzhou:

With pleasant weather and adequate light and heat, there are numerous in variety specialty fruits in Guangzhou: pineapple, plantain banana, guava, citrus, olive, lychee, longan, mango, papayas etc.

Besides, Jade Sculpture in Guangzhou has a long history, dated from Han Dynasty. With elegant and beautiful shape, exquisite and profound skills, various in colors and innovative, embodies the Lingnan culture. And ivory carving, wooden caring, painted porcelain as well as the Guang embroidery are also the world famous and unique artwares in Guangzhou.

• How to get to Guangzhou:

Guangdong has the most developed water, land and air transportation network in China, with Guangzhou as the transportation hub, followed by Shenzhen.

By Air:

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, built in the 1930s, is one of the three major international aviation hub airports in China. It’s located in Baiyun District, Guangzhou, and adjacent to Huadu District, 28km to city center of Guangzhou. Being the national "One Belt and One Road" strategy and "Air Silk Road", the important international aviation hub, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport has become China's first gateway to Southeast Asia and Oceania Region. There are 220 international air routes opening to more than 200 countries and regions on five continents: Asia, Africa, Europe, North America and Oceania.

The North Extension of Metro Line 3 is the most convenient way to transport from the Airport to downtown Guangzhou during 06:10-23:00.

There are also Airport Express Buses running from Airport to the downtown area at every 20-30 minutes, with price RMB15-30/Person.

By Train:

There are 4 Railway Stations in Guangzhou:

Guangzhou Railway Station:

Guangzhou station is the railway hub and the largest passenger station in south China, connecting the mostly normal trains, express trains to Beijing, Changsha, Nanjing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Xi’an, Lhasa, and some other cities in China. There are also intercity trains to Shenzhen.

Guangzhou South Railway Station:

Most bullet trains and high-speed trains are departing from Guangzhou South Railway Station to Hong Kong, Guilin, and Chengdu, among others, and also intercity rail lines to Shenzhen and Zhuhai.

Guangzhou East Station:

Guangzhou East Railway Station has bullet trains access to central Guangzhou from Shenzhen, Kowloon Railway, Meizhou, Shantou and Dongguan.

Guangzhou North Station:

There’re high-speed trains running from this station to Shenzhen and Shanghai, as well as a few more important cities in China.

By Ship:

Guangzhou Port is the largest comprehensive hub port in south China. Guangzhou Port has opened 87 international routes and 105 domestic trade routes.

There’re also passenger liners and freighters from Lianhuashan Port, Nansha Port, Suigang Port and Zengcheng Port to Hong Kong.

By Bus:

With developed modern highway system, Guangzhou possesses more than 10 long distance bus stations, where there’re frequently buses departing from Guangzhou to other cities and places every day.

Guangdong Provincial Bus Station广东省汽车客运站:

Buses Leaving for: Guangxi, Hainan, Hunan, Hubei, Yunnan, Guizhou, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shanxi, Shandong, Fujian, Shaanxi, Shanghai and Liaoning, as well as other cities in Guangdong including Shenzhen, Dongguan, Zhuhai, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Foshan, Huizhou, Maoming and Zhanjiang etc.

Address: No.145-149, Huanshixi Road, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province (广州环市西路145-149号)

Tel：020-86661297;020-86692865-2091.

Guangzhou Bus Station广州汽车客运站:

Bus Leaving for: Guangxi, Hainan, Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Fujian, Shanghai, and to other cities in Guangdong including Shenzhen, Dongguan, Zhuhai, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Foshan, Huizhou, Maoming and Zhanjiang as well as the Pearl River Delta Area.

Address: 158, West Huanshi Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou (广州越秀区环市西路158号)

Tel: 020-8668 4259

Guangyuan Bus Station广园汽车客运站:

Buses Leaving for: Hainan, Henan, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Liaoning, as well as other cities in Guangdong including Shenzhen, Dongguan, Zhuhai, Dongguan, Zhaoqing, Xinhui, Maoming and Zhanjiang etc.

Address: Guangyuanzhong Road, Baiun Dist.,Guangzhou, Guangdong.( 广东省广州市白云区广园中路283号)

Tel: 020-86379888;020-86376666

Fangchun Bus Station芳村客运站:

Buses Leaving for: Guangxi, Hainan, Jiangxi, Fujian, Hunan, Hubei, the south and west of the Pearl River Delta, tourist spots such as Panyu Lianhua Mountain Tour Bus Line and Foshan Ancestral Temple Tour Bus Line.

Address: No.51 Fangcun Huadi Avenue, Liwan District, Guangzhou

Tel: 020-81505555

Guangzhou Tianhe Bus Station广州天河汽车客运站:

Buses Leaving for: Hunan, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Guizhou, Jiangsu and cities around Pearl River delta Area, including Shenzhen, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Huizhou, Zhuhai, Foshan, Qingyuan and Zhaoqing and Macau.

Address: No.633 Yanling Road, Guangzhou

Tel: 020-37085070

Yuexiu South Bus Station 越秀南汽车站：

Buses Leaving for: Jiangxi, Guangxi, Nanjing, Henan, Xian and cities around Pearl River delta Area, including Shenzhen, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Zengcheng, Conghua, Taishan, Longmen, Huizhou, Zhuhai, Foshan, Qingyuan and Zhaoqing, Hong Kong and Macau etc.

Address: No.2 Dongyuanheng Road, Yuexiunan Road,Guangzhou

Tel: 020-83833949

Haizhu Bus Station海珠客运站:

Buses Leaving for: Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Henan, Sichuan, cities around the east and west of Guangzhou, and the Pearl River Delta Area.

Address: No.182 Nanzhou Road, Haizhu Dist., Guangzhou

Tel: 020-84013301、84013401

• About the visa:

From May 1^st2019, Guangzhou has been implementing the 144 Hour Transmit Visa-Free Policy, visitors qualified of 53 countries could travel in Chengdu for 144 hours without visa.