Guangzhou Travel Guide
The home of Cantonese cooking — a subtropical southern city with excellent food, colonial-era architecture and easy links to Hong Kong.
Guangzhou is southern China’s largest city and the historic centre of Cantonese culture. It has been a major trading port for centuries, which gives it a more outward-looking feel than many Chinese cities.
For most visitors, the main draw is the food. Guangzhou is where dim sum, roast goose and Cantonese seafood originate, and eating well here is cheap and easy. The city also has a pleasant riverside, several good museums and the leafy former colonial island of Shamian.
Two days is usually enough, and Guangzhou works well as part of a southern route with Hong Kong and Shenzhen, both less than an hour away by high-speed rail.
Top Things to See and Do
Cantonese Dim Sum
The reason many travellers come. Go for morning yum cha at a traditional teahouse restaurant.
Shamian Island
A quiet, walkable island of colonial-era buildings and tree-lined avenues. A good break from the traffic.
Canton Tower
The city’s landmark tower with a viewing deck and a riverside location. Best at night.
Chen Clan Ancestral Hall
An ornate 19th-century complex now housing a folk art museum. Rich in carving and ceramics.
Pearl River Cruise
An evening boat trip along the river, with the city’s bridges and towers lit up.
Yuexiu Park
The city’s largest park, home to the Five Rams statue and a section of the old city wall.
Best Time to Visit
Guangzhou is subtropical and hot for much of the year. October to December is the most comfortable period, with pleasant temperatures and less rain. Spring is humid, and summer brings heavy rain and typhoon season.
Getting There and Around
Baiyun International Airport (CAN) is one of China’s largest hubs. The metro is extensive and inexpensive. High-speed trains run frequently to Shenzhen, Hong Kong West Kowloon (under an hour) and other southern cities, making Guangzhou a convenient stop on a multi-city route.
Book Your Guangzhou Trip
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