12 Interesting Things to Do in Guangzhou
Guangzhou is a tier-one supercity and mega-port with a long history as a major trade hub in China. The city rests on the banks of the gorgeous Pearl River. The city is famous as a starting hub for the transcontinental trade route, the Silk Road.
As a modern city, Guangzhou is an amazing place to visit. The Cantonese food culture is profound, the weather is tropically pleasant and the city is full of activities. Visitors can enjoy quiet parks, bustling shopping centers, cultural hubs and river scenery. There are many other things to do in Guangzhou while walking around the quieter Panyu District or cruising down the Pearl River. The city also has easy access to other nearby supercities including Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macau.
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Advice When Visiting Guangzhou
Guangzhou is known as the central location for the Canton Fair, an extremely popular trade expo held twice yearly from Mid-April to Early May and Mid October to Early November. The event has a large number of attendees, making public transport crowded. This isn’t the best time to visit.
Most people prefer to visit Guangzhou in the Autumn and Winter, as it’s still tropically warm but not too rainy.
Guangzhou is fairly cosmopolitan with many food and entertainment options. The majority of the population is bilingual and speaks Mandarin and Cantonese. Additionally, the main food Guangzhou is known for is Cantonese cuisine.
Visiting the Canton Tower area is best done on weekday evenings, as the weekends are quite busy.
The public transportation of Guangzhou is very robust, so getting around using public transit methods is easy.
Things to Do in Guangzhou
Canton Tower
One of the tallest towers on Earth, this superstructure is a brightly lit marvel with a specialized bubble-ride that loops around a rail which rings the top of the tower. The rooftop, splendid for watching sunsets, also hosts a transparent aerial ladder (The Spider Walk) and the Sky Drop. The interior of the table has glass floors which overhang terrifying drops. The whole structure is the most iconic feature of Guangzhou.
Pearl (Zhujiang) River
Guangzhou’s geography is defined by the beautiful Pearl River, which flows through the center of the city. The river is actively used as a major shipping route, but guests can also take boat tours throughout the city from the waterway. The Pearl River is the final waterpoint for numerous southern-Chinese rivers, providing water access all the way to Kunming. The river is named for the pearl-hued shells which are found at the bottom of the river near Guangzhou.
Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family
A large temple created to provide accommodation for students of the Chen Family while taking the imperial examinations. The temple is extremely ornate with artwork embedded in bricks, stones, wooden panels and pottery sculptures.
Shamian Island
An older part of the city, Shamian Island was a British and French divided territory and important sheltered port for the surrounding Chinese region. The modern island is home to an enclave of European structures and villas. There are over 150 European-style buildings showcasing neo-classical, pseudo-Gothic and baroque architecture. The area is very relaxing and famous for local bars, atmosphere and café.
Yuexiu Park
This is a large park in the heart of Guangzhou showing the landmark Five Ram Statues, which depicts the five immortals who arrived in the area to deliver grain to starving people. The park is a large and serene green space for strolls and relaxation. The park also hosts part of the Old City Wall and a small museum (which costs a small fee to enter).
Guangzhou Restaurant – Guangzhou Jiujia
This is one of the oldest operations restaurants in Guangzhou, famous for dim sum dishes. The restaurant has expanded into a franchise, but the original and authentic venue is located in Guangzhou. The Har Gao Shrimp Dumplings, Classic Dim Sum Options and BBQ Pork Buns are particularly popular.
Redtory
The Redtory is a unique area and home to a series of renovated, abandoned production factories. The floors of the factories have been repurposed as a vast series of art galleries and fashion venues. The area is also home to numerous cafés, restaurants and shops.
Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall
Sun Yat-Sen is considered the father of modern China. He served as the Republic of China’s first provisional president after overthrowing the Qing Dynasty, effectively ending 2,000 years of conservative monarchy practices. The museum if Sun Yat-Sen is decorated with a bronze statue of the man, a ornate, traditional-Chinese main-buidling, various historical artifacts and information on his philosophies, statesmanship and personal life. The Memorial Hall is also home to a famous 100 year-old Banyan tree famously called “Tree-in-Tree” since the elder, giant banyan tree holds ten smaller growing trees in her branches.
Sacred Heart Cathedral
An enormous and beautiful granite cathedral which has mass on weekends in Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean and English. The 130-year-old Roman Catholic structure is called the “Stone House” locally. It is the largest granite Catholic structure in Southeast Asia. The surrounding area is peaceful and easy to walk around. The interior of the cathedral is open to visitors.
Party Pier
Located overlooking the Pearl River, this small row of bars and shops serve some of the best nightlife food in the city. Some options around the Party Pier include The Clock. This is a pleasant bar located on the Pearl River, this rooftop venue overlooks the Guangzhou skyline and many neon lights. It is one of the recommended places to visit along Guangzhou’s Party Pier.
Shiwan Park in Foshan (Toilet Bowl Waterfall)
Aside from a collection of odd ceramic sculptures, this exhibit is a collection of thousands of recycled toilets connected to one another. A singe flush sets off a huge waterfall. The rest of the park contains ancient ceramics statues there, antiques, museums and a serene lake.
Qingping Market
This is a notorious counter-culture market located in Guangzhou. The zone if famous for its sales of strange foods and goods, including starfish, scorpions, centipedes and more. The buildings of the area are interesting, since they predate the colonial influences in Guangzhou. Other pockets of the market sell dried seahorses, enormous mushrooms and strange artifacts. It is one of the few places in Guangzhou which showcases old Chinese market culture.