Top places to visit in Guangzhou

• Baiyun Mountain

  mountain park · 4.6 rating · about 3 h · entry ¥5 (≈ ₹71)

  The 'White Cloud Mountain', a forested range on the city's northern edge with trails, cable cars and panoramic viewpoints over Guangzhou.

• Canton Tower

  observation tower · about 1.5 h · entry ¥150 (≈ ₹2,130)

  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

  colonial island · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  A tranquil sandbank island of tree-lined avenues and restored 19th-century European concession architecture — churches, consulates and cafés.

• Chen Clan Ancestral Hall

  ancestral hall · about 1.5 h · entry ¥10 (≈ ₹140)

  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

  memorial hall · about 1 h · entry ¥10 (≈ ₹140)

  A grand blue-tiled octagonal hall built in 1931 to honour the father of modern China, set in gardens below Yuexiu Park.

• Yuexiu Park

  city park · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  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

  buddhist · about 1 h · entry ¥5 (≈ ₹71)

  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

  buddhist · about 1 h · entry ¥5 (≈ ₹71)

  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

  gothic cathedral · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate

  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

  shopping street · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  Guangzhou's busiest shopping street, with glass panels revealing ancient road layers underfoot amid malls, snacks and neon.

• Chimelong Safari Park

  safari park · about 5 h · entry ¥300 (≈ ₹4,260)

  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

  opera house · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate

  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 to Guangzhou

Airport: Guangzhou (CAN)

How visitors arrive in Guangzhou

• Fly into Baiyun International Airport By air from International / domestic · common

  Baiyun is a major intercontinental hub and the home of China Southern. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• High-speed train to Guangzhou South By train from Hong Kong / Shenzhen / mainland China · common

  High-speed rail centres on Guangzhou South, with links from Hong Kong West Kowloon, Shenzhen and many mainland cities. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Coach from Hong Kong or Guangdong By road from Hong Kong / Guangdong · possible

  Coaches run from Hong Kong and cross-border terminals, and across Guangdong and nearby provinces. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Ferry via Nansha or Lianhuashan By ferry from Hong Kong / Macau · possible

  Passenger ports serve Hong Kong, its airport and Macau. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

From the airport to the centre

• Taxi from Baiyun Airport

  Baiyun is the main airport, well north of the centre. Taxis are straightforward from the arrivals area; have your destination written in Chinese. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Metro from Baiyun Airport unconfirmed

  The airport is reachable by the Guangzhou subway. Signs are bilingual and announcements are in three languages. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

From the railway station to the centre

• High-speed rail at Guangzhou South

  Guangzhou South is the main high-speed hub and the link to Hong Kong. Guangzhou East and Guangzhou Baiyun stations also take intercity trains. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Guangzhou Railway Station is known for petty theft, so keep bags closed and close to you. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

Getting around

• Bus useful for some trips

  Buses are useful within a district or to reach areas the metro does not serve, though stop information is mostly in Chinese.

• Metro

  Guangzhou Metro is a large multi-line network reaching the urban core and suburbs, with Line 3 serving Baiyun Airport.

• Ride Hail

  DiDi, the ride-hailing app used across mainland China, can be used in Guangzhou to book a car instead of hailing a taxi.

• Taxi

  Taxis are metered and most drivers speak little English, so have your destination written in Chinese, ideally with a nearby landmark.

• Walking

Paying

• Foreign contactless cards work at most metro gates; the Yang Cheng Tong card is also accepted. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

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.

Best time to visit Guangzhou

• Jan 19°C
• Feb 20°C
• Mar 22°C
• Apr 26°C
• May 30°C
• Jun 32°C
• Jul 33°C
• Aug 33°C
• Sep 32°C
• Oct 29°C
• Nov 25°C
• Dec 21°C

More in China

• Beijing
• Shanghai
• Hangzhou
• Xi'an
• Chengdu
• Suzhou

Frequently asked questions about Guangzhou

How many days do you need in Guangzhou?

A typical trip to Guangzhou is 2-3 days.

What are the main places to visit in Guangzhou?

Places covered in our Guangzhou guide include Baiyun Mountain, Canton Tower, Shamian Island, Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall.

Where should I stay in Guangzhou?

Our guide covers these areas to stay in Guangzhou: Yuexiu (Old Town), Zhujiang New Town (Tianhe), Shamian Island (Liwan).

How do I get around Guangzhou?

Ways to get around Guangzhou covered in our guide: City bus, Metro, Ride-hailing app, Taxi.

What scams should I watch out for in Guangzhou?

Scams reported to us for Guangzhou include Fake Monk Donation. Each is explained in the guide, with how to avoid it.

What is the weather like in Guangzhou?

Average daytime highs in Guangzhou run from 19°C in Jan to 33°C in Jul.

Which airport is nearest to Guangzhou?

The nearest airport to Guangzhou has the code CAN.