Overview

The busy city of Guangzhou offers a wide range of fun and interesting attractions to see and enjoy. There are numerous museums and art galleries including the famous Guangdong Museum of Art, which is the largest Chinese contemporary art gallery in all of Asia. In the centre of town is the beautiful Yuexi Park, home to stunning gardens with historic monuments and museums. The city of Guangzhou truly has something that will interest everyone.

Guangdong Museum Of Art

Situated on the eastern end of Ersha Island is the fantastic Guangdong Museum of Art, which was founded in 1997. The large sprawling museum is home to twelve exhibition halls and hosts over 50 exhibitions every year, ranging from works by contemporary artists as well as Chinese and international exhibits. Guangdong Museum of Art is the largest of its kind in all of Asia and can easily take up a whole day for art lovers.

Baiyun Shan — White Cloud Mountain

Located just eight miles from the city centre, Baiyun Shan also known as ‘White Cloud Mountain' is the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of busy Guangzhou's downtown. From the base of the mountain you can either hike up to the top, which takes approximately one hour, or there is a convenient cable car for those wishing to not break a sweat. On top of the stunning mountain there are temples, cafés and lookouts that provide spectacular views of the city and surrounding areas. Although the lush green mountain is a peaceful escape, on weekends the attraction is a favourite with locals and at times a little crowded.

Zhenhai Tower

Originally built during the Ming dynasty in 1380, Zhenhai Tower in Guangzhou is one of the most popular and famous landmarks of the city. Inside the tower is a great museum which houses over 2,000 years of Guangzhou history. There are five levels of the tower and each shows a different stage of Chinese history. On the top level there is a viewing platform with a café and shop, which offers stunning views of downtown Guangzhou. Although the tower is a great attraction, you can easily see everything within a few hours.

Chen Clan Ancestral Hall

The Chen Clan Ancestral Hall is a large sprawling complex that is made up of 19 buildings. Built by master craftsmen using ornate woodwork in the traditional Lingnan style, which is a mixture of traditional Chinese, Japanese and Western methods, the buildings were completed in 1894. Inside the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall there is an extensive museum of ancient carvings, paintings, Chinese literature and beautiful scrolls on display. Guided tours are offered that take you through the spectacular grounds explaining the history along the way.

Yuexiu Park

Positioned in the heart of downtown Guangzhou, Yuexiu Park is over 93 hectares of beautiful parklands with historical monuments and fascinating museums. One of the main attractions inside the park is the Five Ram Sculpture, which is not only impressively beautiful but also believed to bring good luck and fortune to the city. The park is home to spectacular gardens with arched bridges, lakes and pathways, which make for a great place to enjoy an afternoon walk.

Overview

Guangzhou has a host of fun and exciting sports and outdoor activities to enjoy whilst visiting the lovely city. Golf lovers will enjoy the world-class courses, as will tennis enthusiasts, with numerous courts located across the city. For something a little more exciting, there is paintball skirmish and also the world's best and largest water park located within the city limits.

Golf

With relatively cool and damp weather conditions the golf courses in Guangzhou are always lush and green, perfect for an enjoyable game. There are several world-class courses available for visitors including the Guangzhou Luhu Golf and Country Club, which offers 18 spectacular and challenging holes set amongst stunning natural surrounds. Also well regarded are the Sino Golf Club and Guangzhou International Golf Club, which both are open to non-members. You will be able to hire all equipment and rent golf caddies for play.

Paintball

For an exciting and fun filled day, the paintball centre located close by to the downtown district of Guangzhou is the perfect choice. The large and sprawling grounds offer realistic combat conditions that will keep you entertained for hours. You can book with a large or small group and either play against each other or assigned opposition on the day. You will be guaranteed to leave with a few bruises and scratches but wanting to come back for more.

Tennis

Tennis is a popular sport for locals of Guangzhou and there are a plethora of courts available to enjoy a game. The Ramada Pearl Hotel has several courts on the hotel grounds that are open for anyone to play on. Throughout the city you will also find courts at the Tian He Stadium, Guangzhou Luhu Golf and Country Club, Sha Mian and Er Sha Dao. Tennis equipment is available for hire and if you need playing partners most clubs will have players on hand that will be happy for a game.

Walking and jogging

Although the city of Guangzhou is busy with cars and people, there are several beautiful green parklands within the city centre. Yuexiu Park is the city's largest and offers numerous paved pathways perfect for a walk or run. You will also see the manicured gardens and impressive monuments along the way. Orchid Park is another great place to enjoy some walking or jogging with a plethora of pathways leading through the beautiful gardens and outdoor exhibits.

Guangzhou Chimelong Water Park

Situated just 30 minutes from the city centre in the Panyu District is Chimelong Water Park, which is the world's largest and newest water park. Completed in 2007, the park is home to an impressive man-made beach with a fantastic wave pool that has proper waves for board riding. Some of the fastest water slides in the world also await, which will be sure to scare even the most seasoned thrill park veteran. Children will be kept entertained with a host of low-key rides and swimming pools to enjoy the summer sun.

Dining and shopping

With a wide choice of restaurants serving Chinese and international foods coupled with a plethora of modern and traditional shopping options, Guangzhou is a great place to visit. You will be able to try authentic Chinese dishes in the numerous local eateries. Shopping lovers will be in paradise with a vast selection of fashion and high-tech items.

Guangzhou is spoilt for choice with an abundance of fantastic restaurants and eateries serving a mixture of Cantonese, Chaozhuo and Dongjiang flavours and cuisines. There are also numerous western style restaurants serving flavours from around the world including Japanese, Italian, French, Turkish and Indian.

With a variety of unique dishes in Guangzhou it is important to taste some of the local delicacies. Some of the famous dishes that are distinctively Guangzhou style include kao ru zhu, which is roasted suckling pork with a special sauce and long hu dou, which is stewed snake and wild cat. Also available is taiye ji, stewed dog meat with a spicy sauce.

There is also a great choice of less adventurous foods which are both fresh and tasty. Dim sum in Guangzhou is regarded as the best in all of China with over 1,000 different varieties available. Chang en, a steamed vermicelli roll, is popular with both locals and tourists alike. Generally after a meal fruits are served to cleanse the palate; mangoes, litchi, bananas, longans and pineapple are all local favourites.

Across the city there are literally thousands of great restaurants although there are several with a special reputation. The area of Di Shi Fu Lu is home to Taotao Ju Restaurant, which is known for wengchang chicken and also fried duck palm. Lianxiang Lou Restaurant also located in the Di Shu Fu district is best known for vegetarian spring rolls and dim sum.

Guangzhou is teeming with an abundance of shopping choices spread over the large city. Everything from brand name boutiques and designer clothes to locally made handicrafts and cutting edge electronic devices are available. The large shopping malls will satisfy shopping aficionados with an array of speciality shops and department stores.

There are several large mainstream department stores located in downtown Guangzhou. The most famous is Teem Plaza, which is home to local market stalls as well as brand name boutiques. Another popular choice is Zhonghua Guangcheng, also known as China Plaza. There are hundreds of great shops here selling everything from antiques and souvenirs to clothes and electronics.

One of the best shopping areas to visit is Shangxia Jiu Lu, which is a pedestrian street filled with countless brand name clothing shops coupled with electronic stores as well as restaurants and eateries. Shops here are opened from 13:00 until 21:00 everyday. The atmosphere along the walking street is fantastic and well worth a look even if you're not planning on buying anything.

Guangzhou city is filled with an abundance of great restaurants cooking local Cantonese cuisine. The traditional Chinese flavours and cooking styles are so vast compared to Chinese restaurants in the West. You will also find some other cuisines available including Japanese, Thai, Indonesian and Turkish. Weekends are popular in Guangzhou for eating out with family and the restaurants are consistently packed.

Overview

The most common and convenient way to arrive in Guangzhou is by air. The city's New Baiyun International Airport is located just 30 minutes' drive from the downtown district. There are daily flights arriving from all around the globe and also within the country. Guangzhou is conveniently positioned on the main railway lines travelling in all directions within China. Transport within the city is extensive and easy to use with buses, trains and metered taxis available.

Airports

Located approximately 17 miles from the centre of the city is Guangzhou New Baiyun International Airport. The airport caters to an array of flights from other parts of China as well as a host of international cities including Sydney, Melbourne, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok, Osaka and Hong Kong. Guangzhou New Baiyan International Airport also acts as a major air hub for the region with connecting flights to numerous destinations around the globe.

The airport has a free bus shuttle service that connects the domestic and international terminals. There are a host of world-class facilities including restaurants and eateries, bars, banking and postal services, duty-free shopping, newsstands and wireless internet. Situated next to the airport terminal is a 460-room hotel that is convenient for late or early flights. Most major car hire companies also have offices located in the airport-providing pick up and drop off services.

Travelling to and from the airport to the centre of Guangzhou city is relatively easy with great connections by airport express buses and coaches. There are four routes that travel to different parts of the city and generally take around one hour travel time depending on the destination. Taking a metered taxi to the city is the most convenient way to travel and relatively inexpensive.

Public transportation

The train network in China is fast and efficient, providing a fun and interesting mode of transport that allows you to see the varied landscape. Guangzhou Railway Station is situated in the northwest of the city and is conveniently accessible by public buses and the metro line number two. There are three national lines travelling through the city, Beijing-Guangzhou, Guangzhou-Shantou and the Guangzhou-Maoming railway. Trains are easily booked in advance or tickets can be purchased at railway stations.

There are long distance public buses as well as private coaches that offer connections to other cities within the country. With the continually improving national highways, travelling by bus is a viable option. There is a bus service that travels between Guangzhou and Hong Kong Disneyland that takes approximately two hours. Car hire and self-driving is a possibility although navigating the roads can prove difficult with most roads signposted in Chinese.

Within Guangzhou city there is a host of public transport options available to get you about. The metro system is a fast and efficient mode of transport which has stations at most of the major attractions. There are a total of four lines and tickets can be purchased from automated machines at stations.

There is a public bus specifically for tourists stopping at several of the city's major attractions. Buses start travelling at 09:30 and continue every 20 minutes until early evening. Tickets are good for a whole day and you jump on and off where you please. Guangzhou recently started using waterbuses that travel between four ports on the Pearl River.

Metered taxis are a safe and convenient way to travel, particularly at night. You will see an abundance of taxis travelling through the city streets, and taxis stands are also around most major attractions and hotels. Fares are inexpensive and you can even barter with the driver when travelling at night.