Travel is always great when there are interesting places to explore and a few fun surprises along the way. China may not exactly be counted as “new” to me since I’m Chinese, my ancestors are from there, and I have studied in Xiamen x years ago, but Guangzhou is a different city altogether. Busy Guangzhou now is waking up, with more visitors flooding the city, this old colonial trading post has started to mix business with pleasure.
Listed below are iconic tourist attractions we visited in Guangzhou, China which should be in everyone’s must-see list. Filled with plenty of charm, these treasured places consist of historic values, traditional and cultural Chinese influences, and remarkable views that I can say were worth my hard-earned vacation hours. 🙂
Top 10 Tourist Attractions We Visited in Guangzhou, China
1. Guangzhou Library (广州图书馆)
Address: No.42 Zhongshansi Road / 4 Zhujiang East Road, Tianhe (中山四路42号)
As book lovers, my boyfriend and I felt excited to visit the Guangzhou Library. Upon seeing its exterior architectural design, we were amazed by the execution of the structure. It was glass surface all over!
Suddenly I remembered the National Library of Singapore when we entered, since the GZ Library also is multi-storeyed with floors catering to different interests.
This is exactly the kind of place where I can linger all day and enjoy the quiet and relaxing vibe. 🙂 The library is filled with user-friendly amenities, Chinese and non-Chinese books and references for reading and research.
2. Chen Family Temple – Guangdong Folk Art Museum (陈家祠)
Address: 恩龙里34 Guangdong Folk Art Museum China, Liwan, Longyuanxin 1st Alley (510150中山七路恩龙里34号)
This ancestral temple turned to folk arts museum is definitely a place to visit if you would like to know more about Guangzhou’s history and arts. The Chen Family Temple, Chen Clan Academy, or Chen’s Lineage Hall is a tourist attraction showing an ancient facade with intricate carvings on the roof. Halls are well-maintained in the compound. Lovely items and various superb details extolling nature in the form of wood, brick, pottery, stone, and lime are displayed, demonstrating the artistic side of Guangzhou.
Notes:
- Regular day admission fee is RMB 10 pax. Ticket is free on Jan. 13, Feb. 24, Mar. 17, Apr. 14, May 18, Jun. (National Cultural Heritage Day), Jul. 14, Aug. 18, Sep 15, Oct. 13, Nov. 17, and Dec. 15.
- Operating hours: 8:30AM-5:30PM
- How to get there: Take Guangzhou Subway Line 1 to Chenjiaci Station. Leave from Exit C to Chenjiaci Square or Exit D to the main entrance. Alternatively, you can take a bus. Routes as follows: 17, 85, 88, 104, 107, 109, 114, 128, 133, 181, 193, 204, 233, 250, 251, 260, 268, 286.
3. Onelink International Plaza (万菱广场)
39 Jiefang South Rd, Yuexiu (解放南路39号)
Onelink International Plaza is to me Guangzhou’s version of the 168 Mall and 999 Mall in the Philippines. Products being sold are straight from manufacturers and buyers can bargain for lower prices when buying wholesale. Most products in the lower floors can be categorized as gifts and premiums, toys, arts and crafts, technical gadgets and accessories, and souvenir items, while those in the upper floors comprise of home decors, furniture, and fixtures.
4. China Import and Export Fair Complex (Canton Fair) (琶洲国际会展中心)
Address: 广东省广州市海珠区新港东路380号琶洲展馆 / 海珠区琶洲国际会展中心
Attending the Canton Fair was our primary objective of traveling to Guangzhou. The China Import and Export Fair Complex can be regarded as a buyer’s paradise where you can find actual manufacturers of items that you might be interested in selling. We learned a lot in our three-day visit—things that we could not have learned in school.
It’s incredible how the Canton Fair was so organized, with four floors and multiple halls holding countless opportunities for importers. The breadth of products and service is very wide! Read more of our experience and tips when attending the Canton Fair in this blog post.
Notes:
- Admission is free but there are necessary registration forms to fill out and process to follow to get in as a buyer.
- How to get there: Take metro from Exit A of Metro Xingangdong Station to Section A of the fair complex, or from Exit A or Exit B of Metro Pazhou Station to Section B of Fair Complex, or westward approximately 300 meters from Exit C of Pazhou Station to Section C of Fair Complex.
5. Guangzhou Opera House (广州大剧院)
Address: Zhujiang Boulevard/ Tianhe
From the Guangzhou Library, we just walked straight to the Guangzhou Opera House, which is the biggest performing center in southern China and is one of the three biggest theaters in the nation. With an audacious exposed granite and glass-clad steel frame, the building is visually appealing from the outside, as its shape varies accordingly to the angle you look at it. We did not get inside since we were not planning to watch any shows, but our short visit was enough to see how mesmerizing its unique twin boulder design and urban function is.
6. Pearl River Night Cruise (珠江夜游)
泰康街 Tianzi Wharf China, Guangdong, Guangzhou, Yuexiu, Yanjiang Middle Road / Tianzi Pier (天子码头)
The Pearl River Night Cruise from the Tianzi Wharf is highly recommended if you want to take photos with wonderful scenes of surrounding tall buildings, towers, and bridges which are brightly decorated with lights at night. The Pearl River has a length of more than 2,000 kilometers (about 1243 miles) and is the third longest river in China. In the 70-minute cruise, the water was calm so moving around wasn’t difficult.
We purchased the tickets right at the Tianzi Pier and ran to board the cruise. The ticketing process was fast and easy. Just note that the ticketing staffs do not speak English. Since we only wanted to take pictures and see the various points of interest in the short route of the Pearl River, we did not opt to pay a higher price and opt for the dinner buffet. Instead, we had tea on the lower deck and listened to the commentary in Chinese then went up to the top floor to appreciate the views.
Notes:
- Admission fee depends on the ship you choose, the deck, and the time. We rode the Bright Pearl of the Pearl River, first floor, at 8:05PM and paid RMB 58 pax. The ship was well furnished to satisfy visitors (280 people capacity) with a range of requirements.
- How to get there: Take Subway Line 2 and get off at Haizhu Square Station or take Bus 1, 128, 131B, 194, 219, or 238 and off at Haizhu Square (Qiaoguang East) Station.
7. Taikoo Hui (太古汇)
天河区天河路383号
Tai Koo Hui is the most expensive mall in Guangzhou hosting high-end boutiques and luxurious Chinese and Western restaurants. It’s more like Greenbelt in the Philippines but only in one building. This stylish shopping center is a great place for those who want retail therapy. To catch some fresh air, go up to the top floor where you can find a garden and relax a bit.
Notes:
- Operating hours: 10AM-10PM
- How to get there: Take the subway Line 1 and get off at Shipaiqiao.
8. Canton Tower (广州塔)
510000天河路208号天河城内
The Canton Tower (Guangzhou Tower) is the famous landmark of Guangzhou inspired by the design of the female hip joint. Standing at 600 meters (1968 feet), it is the highest TV tower in China and the third highest in the world. From the top, visitors must have a birds-eye view of the whole city.
Unfortunately, when we got there at the Star Observation Deck (108th floor), all we saw was smog and no clear panoramic view of Guangzhou City. 🙁 It was a huge disappointment since we paid RMB 228 pax for the 450 Lookout. To make the most of it, we just stayed longer to feel the cool breeze and appreciate our bonding time together. We even witnessed a surprise wedding proposal with props and video cameras waiting. Aww…how cute! 😛
Notes:
- Admission fee: Cloud & Star Observation Decks is RMB 150 pax. With 450 Lookout is RMB 228 pax. We got 10% discount by showing our Canton Fair Buyer’s ID. 🙂
- Operating hours of the tower: 9AM-11PM
- How to get there: Take the subway line 3 and get off at Canton Tower Station. Alternatively, you can take bus 262, 468 and tour line 1, and get off at Canton Tower West Station, or take bus 121a, 121, 204, 262 and tour line 2, and get off at Zhujiang Dijingyuan Station.
9. Chimelong Xiangjiang Safari Park (长隆野生动物世界)
Address: Dashi street, Panyu District (511430番禺区大石街)
The Chimelong Xiangjiang Safari Park is located inside the Chimelong Holiday Resort. It bagged the title “2014 Travellers’ Choice” in TripAdvisor.com, so we supposed that this “national-grade wildlife world” is truly a must-visit. After all, it’s the biggest wild animal theme park in Asia!
We explored the entire park from 12NN to 6PM (closing time) and there was never a dull moment. We were much awed by the animal shows and rare animal exhibits including giant pandas, koalas, Honduras anteaters, pygmy hippopotamus, black rhinoceros, white tigers, and white lions.
One drawback for non-Chinese speakers, however, is that language spoken in all shows is either Cantonese or Mandarin. Anyway, watching the animals perform may be educational and entertaining enough.
Lots of restaurants are found inside, so you can be rest assured that great treats can’t be missed midway through your adventure.
As the layout is spacious and set in tropical rainforest-like gardens, this park is also great for photoshoots. The pathways were modern and the map provided a big help in navigating the numerous sections by foot. All in all, I can say that this is by far the best zoo I have visited in the world. The kids will absolutely love it! 🙂
Notes:
- Admission fee is RMB 250 pax.
- Operating hours: 9:30AM-6:00PM
- How to get there: Take bus 304 to Xiangjiang Safari Park or bus 288, 288A, 301, 301A, 305, 309 to Xiangjiang Zoo Station and walk 300 meters then to the main entrance of Xiangjiang Safari Park.
10. Beijing Road Walking Street / Shopping District (北京路步行街)
Address: Beijing Road, Yuexiu District 510055越秀区北京路
The best description of this district can be put as “Ancient China meets Modern China.” Bustling with upmarket stores, Beijing Road Walking Street (part of Old Guangzhou) is one of the best shopping spots for tourists and shoppers. The place gets really crowded during weekends and holidays. We just had dinner here one night and have stumbled upon many stores selling both international branded stuff (expensive) and also fake stuff (cheaper) in parallel roads. Bargaining is welcome in some shops.
Notes:
- Most stores are open from 9AM to 10PM.
- How to get there: ou can take subway line 1 or 2, get off at Gongyuanqian (公元前站), and then walk to Beijing Road.
Wrap Up
Our DIY tour itinerary in Guangzhou went smoothly and we returned home happy after careful planning. The five-day trip has been wonderful and also a little bit stressful since we had to make sure that we’re not wasting time going nowhere while trying to locate the proper bus or train heading to our destination.
We have to thank people in Guangzhou who are really nice and friendly in helping us. No one hesitated to give advice and directions when asked. 🙂 I guess it was also a big advantage that I know how to speak their native language (Mandarin/Cantonese) so it’s easier for us to survive day to day.
Have you visited Guangzhou or are planning to travel to China soon? What are your recommended sites? Feel free to share your thoughts and experience below. 🙂
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
wohoooo!!!! How long did you guys stay in China? with all the places you guys went to… I hope you enjoyed!!!! Galing galing!!! Its been a couple of years since I went to China. Maybe I will go back in a couple more years. Just to check out how they are and if a lot improved… One thing i did notice though. , most of the malls Ive visited had a 168 vibe and layout. Is this the same for the majority of the malls? hopefully you guys enjoyed!!!wait.., just you and the bf? wheres tita? hahahaha ikaw na!!!! Enjoy enjoy girl. see you soon
We stayed in Haiyue Hotel, a business hotel that’s near the Canton Fair in Pazhou. That’s the reason why we chose to stay there! 🙂 It has been a decade na rin since I last visited China, and so many has changed. The malls in Tianhe Street are more like those in Orchard Road in Singapore. If you prefer that kind, you should keep Tianhe in mind. Otherwise, most malls here are selling wholesale products like that of 168. Yes I toured GZ with my bf. Mom was at home, resting (or busy doing her favorite house chores). Haha see you soon, Jeng!
I very much enjoyed reading this post! My husband has a book coming out in Chinese sometime in the next year, and I’m hoping I can tag along on his book tour! We travel a lot, but China would be the trip of a lifetime 🙂
Although Guangzhou doesn’t have the high-caliber historical sites and monuments that are on the China tourist route like the Great Wall or the Terracota Warriors, there is plenty to see and keep you both occupied. 🙂
The architecture there is amazing – so sleek and clean! We have no buildings like that here in Ireland. It’s great that you got to visit so many places on your trip. The Canton Tower looks AMAZING!
I have to say, the Canton Tower looks amazing only from the outside. It’s okay if you don’t go up the tower and spend for the tickets since the view isn’t all great anyhow. Haha.
I’ve always wanted to visit China. I’ve wanted to visit the Far East in general for years. I’d love to visit the safari park looks amazing.
The Chimelong Safari Park is highly recommended. Now we see why it’s awarded as the top choice of tourists. Actually if you have the time, I bet it would be worth exploring the entire Chimelong Resort. 🙂
I would LOVE that. I just have to find the time for all of our family to get over to China. We live in the States, so it’s kind of a big deal.
Yeah, flight hours would be really long. I think that’s also why we saw only a few people from the US. Most of the foreigners came from Asian countries all the same.
Ok, Starbucks truly is everywhere! Your pictures were great. That library is the most gorgeous one I’ve ever seen! And the boat looks like it was a fun date night!
…looks like I’ll be having nightmares about that snake (at the safari) tonight! 🙂
Yeah, we saw Starbucks everywhere literally and there’s a long queue of foreigners who order drinks most probably to have a sense of “home” while they’re far away from it. The Pearl Night River Cruise is a great experience for romantic couples. Haha, the park features a wide variety of snakes. You must see them!
I have never had the opportunity to visit China. I hear that once you get away from the very busy cities, you can really see how beautiful the country is. It looks like you had a great time in Guangzhou. It sort of reminds me of Orlando, FL. Great post.
Thanks, Christi. I was surprised to see all these great sites in Guangzhou since my impression of it was more like a mecca for trade fairs and exhibitions and a leading manufacturing and trading center. 🙂
Thank you for this wonderful guide! I love seeing the pictures, and you brought me there to see things through your eyes. The library is very modern, and it does remind me of the one in Singapore. If I ever visit China, I will definitely swing by Guangzhou.
You’re welcome, Anita. Yup, the library was really a fun place to hang out in if you’re a bookworm. Also, Guangzhou’s proximity to Hong Kong, a tourist magnet, makes it a great day outing for those who have not had a chance to see Mainland China before.
Oh what a wonderful post! I enjoyed reading it! I have always been curious about Guangzhou because I have a friend who lives there. I have been to Shanghai and gone up the Pearl Tower. But it would be awesome to see Canton Tower as well! 🙂
Oh yes, once you have started traveling to China, you would want to be back and visit its other cities as well. There are plenty more sights in Guangzhou. We had a fun time exploring the different neighborhoods, the markets, the traditional Chinese architecture along with modern skyscrapers and colornial relics, and of course, the wonderful food this area is so famous for. 🙂
You fit in a ton of stops in your trip!! Looks like a ton of great places to visit and see while traveling there. I love the all the buildings they are quite a work of art in and of themselves!
This trip had made me more confident in making our own itinerary in touring to foreign places. It was our first time to not book with a travel agency. Ultimately, our plan turned out to be a success. The buildings in the business and commercial district in Guangzhou are all high and the external architecture and design look modern. 🙂
It sounds like you guys did a TON when you were there. My husband would have wanted to visit the library, too.
With lots of books to enjoy, he can stay here all day while you go elsewhere to shop. 😉
I went to China only once and that was when i was very young (11 or 12), it was enchanting (we joined a 17 days tour package) but it’s been so long and i definitely would love to come back! I love the pic of you and you boyfriend at the safari park looking away, it’s so nice-almost like a pre-wedding picture!
Haha thanks, we always get the same comment from our friends. 🙂 Definitely going back to China with a different group of people and different sites to visit sound exciting. It’s awesome if you are also adventurous when it comes to tasting street food!
I don’t know if I’ll ever get to visit China, but these places would be on my list! That library is amazing. I read all of the time! I think I would live in that library!
Oh yeah, spending time in the library is like relaxing in a hot tub of words. With books, you can learn the mix of cultures, interests, and ages all.
These are all fantastic places! I love the pictures. The night cruise and the safari look so amazing!
Thanks, Lisa! Those two are my favorites among all in the list. 🙂
I have never been to China. I would love to go. I love the mix of traditional and ‘old world’ with the sleek and modern. I will have to add these places to my bucket list and maybe one day we will be able to go!
China is a mix of natural beauty, rare historical treasures and bustling cities. Don’t miss it out when planning to travel in Asia. 🙂
Such a beautiful places and photos! Thank you so much for the wonderful post 😀
I’m glad you like them, Diana. Thanks for your comment! 🙂
Wow, the architecture of the Canton Tower, the Fair Complex and the Library are so inspiring! You must have had a wonderful time. I feel like I’m visiting vicariously through you!
Haha that’s the point of this post anyway. It’s to inspire readers and help them out in creating their own itineraries when going to Guangzhou. 🙂
China looks like a beautiful place to visit. I have never traveled out of the USA. One day I do hope to experience travels in another country.
Well, I have never traveled out of Asia. Hehe maybe someday I will find budget and time to discover more faraway places in US and Europe.
I love your second photo! The architecture is so abstract and interesting. I’m not usually drawn to architecture, but that is beautiful.
Yeah, we could not stop staring at it. There were two locals that time who observed us. With our cameras, tripod, and map on hand, for sure they know we’re foreign visitors. 🙂
Whoa! That library is really gorgeous inside. Looks like it could almost be a shopping mall hehe. The park is so gorgeous too, ugh – what a wonderful adventure.
The escalators and the lights looked fascinating. I wish we also have the same in our home country.
Wow you hit a lot of great places. I would have loved to do the river cruise and see the cityscape.
Just note the schedule of the river cruise and the packages if ever you want to go for a tour/ride. 🙂
Beautiful photos. Looks like there are a lot of great places to visit in China. I’ve never been there before, but I think it would be a wonderful place to visit.
Oh yes, get ready to know more about its tradition and modernity, scientific innovation and spiritual belief, historical significance and cultural progression. 🙂 Everything is in one vast place!
This looks like a nice vacation destination. I love all the vibrant colors that all throughout China. You all have taken some nice pictures together too.
Thanks, Trisha. With all our pictures together, it becomes hard to think of new poses every time. Haha. 🙂
I have never visited Guangzhou in China. The Zoo looks amazing!
Yup, that’s a great place to bring your kids. 🙂
Wow! So many beautiful places and things to see! How awesome. You saw quite a bit!
We did. 🙂 It’s a relief that we passed through all places safely, thank God!
These places sound amazing, I would love to visit China one day; thanks for the beautiful places!
Welcome! What will also draw you in more is the food. Food is amazing here. If you get to know the right locals, you’ll be in for a real treat. 🙂
First, you and your boyfriend look really sweet! Kakainggit haha… My favorite would be the library, I mean wow, looks really chic and modern. I will bookmark this post for when I finally get a chance to go to China 🙂
Hehe, thanks! 🙂 The library is so cool! When in China, you can find anything your heart desires here–and for a cheap price if you play it smart.
I would love to visit China and visit all of those sites. That river cruise looks like so much fun.
Yup, you just have to be careful not to get fooled by the “agents” selling tickets outside the ticket booth. They assure you of seats but offer higher prices.
These are truly amazing place to see for tourist attractions in Guangzhou China. I would so love to see all of these but the The Chimelong Xiangjiang Safari Park would be totally awesome to see. Thanks for sharing.
We really found a huge number of tourists in the safari park. Take the map with you and plan out where you want to go first so you can manage to cover more places with the limited time. 🙂
There sure is a lot of great things to do in Guangzhou, China! I think my favorite/top of the list thing would be the Pearl River Night Cruise.
For the sake of enjoying the views at night, the Pearl River Night Cruise is really recommended. They just need to step up with entertaining those travelers who do not understand Chinese by having an English translation of the guide.
I’ve never visited China before but this sounds like an amazing adventure! Looks like you had a lot of fun!
We did, and it went over my expectation. I thought Guangzhou was a boring city since it’s more known as a business center.
Wow the Canton Tower is just breathtaking! I also loved the photos of the Chimelong Xiangjiang Safari Park. I feel like with all the information you gave, I would have an easy time guiding around. It looks like it was a pretty incredible trip.
We took so many pictures of animals inside the safari park, but I cannot share everything here ’cause the page will load very slowly. Anyway, you just have to visit it yourself soon. 🙂 I promise that you will also have a great time.
I have always wanted to visit China. There are so many amazing things to see there. It would be a trip of a lifetime.
Yup, taking a trip to visit the actual places is always better than just reading stories from books, hearing experiences of friends who have been there, or watching the documentary shows or travel guide on TV. 🙂
There is truly a Starbucks everywhere, right?! I love the glass library – what a beauty.
Yup, I think Starbucks will thrive for as long as people love coffee. 🙂 Guangzhou is a busy city so people need to have their caffeine fix constantly to catch up every minute and every second.
I would love to one day visit China. It looks like you had a wonderful trip. Your photos are beautiful.
Thanks, Christina. There’s more to China than these pictures and snippets of description. It’s a very interesting country to visit in Asia. 🙂
[…] time can be spent visiting the famous attractions in Guangzhou, China just like we did. Read this post to know about the places we have visited as tourists in […]
It looks like you had an amazing trip! I think I would defintiely love to visit a library to make my inner NerdGirl smile. Oooh and the Canton Tower looks stunning!
You will be happy to read some books in the library. The reading area is very convenient. It’s also easy to find books that are available. 🙂
wow, those look awesome!! I would love to visit!
To visit all these beautiful places, you just need three full days. 🙂
OMG, I would love to visit these places too. Looks like you had a great time!
Yup! Another helpful reminder is to make sure you carry a tripod with you so you won’t have the dilemma of taking pictures when you’re with someone. 🙂
I’m glad to see a library on this list of attractions, that’s something you don’t see often. And, whenever I visit somewhere, I always make a point to visit a zoo.
Haha, I feel that you’re like my boyfriend. He always wants to visit the zoo. 🙂
So happy to have stumbled upon this page! Such a great help. Me and hubby is going to Guangzhou for our wedding anniv this October, and I am such a nervous wreck! LOL (first time to China) Is it hard to go around Guangzhou? And which part of the city would you recommend we stay? Thank you so much!