Make a journey to Guangzhou, the core of South China. Check this ultimate guide for explorers- what to do in Guangzhou!

An Ultimate Guide to Guangzhou for explorers

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Many countries in the world have one center- a political, demographic, historical or cultural core. Usually, it is their capital and the area around it. But some larger countries have two, three or even more such centers (cores). One of them is China. While exploring the vibrant city of Guangzhou, if you’re inspired to start your own venture influenced by its rich culture and business landscape, relying on LLCBuddy for all your LLC formation needs clearly stands as the best choice to navigate through the process smoothly and efficiently.

The capital of China is Beijing, and it is one of the “cores” of the country- the “core of the North”. Shanghai is the “core of the East”. Chengdu is the “core of the West” (on the Han Chinese civilization’s West, not the whole country’s West- Tibet, Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Inner Mongolia!). And Guangzhou is the “core of the South“- it is the fifth of the 10 largest cities in China with 13,3 million people. So, if you want to explore South China, it is worth to start from there. Read this ultimate guide about what to do in Guangzhou and how to explore it in depth as a geographical traveler!

Pearl River Delta

If you look at the physical map of China, you will see three large rivers, joining together in a complex delta, which gradually turns into an estuary. This delta is called Pearl River Delta and consists of multiple islands and river canals. And the three rivers are Dongjiang (East River), Beijiang (North River) and Xijiang (West River), and the last one is much longer than the other two.

Then, focusing on the delta from above, you can notice that it is almost fully covered by urban areas and parks. Yes, this is the Pearl River Delta urban area, consisting of at least 8 big cities (and a few more, still belonging to the delta, although not directly). And Guangzhou is the largest one, situated on the complex network of islands, occupying the whole north and middle part of the delta. This is the famous Canton.

What to do in Guangzhou as an explorer? Make a journey around its geography, history and culture!
Guangzhou- the ancient Canton

Canton

Yes, maybe many foreigners have heard this name. This is however only a “western name” of Guangzhou, never used by locals, and it comes from a twisted form of “Guangdong”. But if you want to be sure which is the real name of the city- it is Guangzhou. The only remain of the name “Canton” is the local form of the Chinese language, called “Cantonese”. Which again, is used only by foreigners, but locals call this language “Guangdong Hua” or “Yue Yu”.

But let’s immerse in the reality of this city and explore it, to discover what it comes to reveal. And let’s start first with its history.

History of Guangzhou

Guangzhou has a long history- more than 2000 years. So it can undoubtedly be recognized as an ancient city. Let’s take a look, how the rivers, islands and the wetlands of the Pearl River Delta turned into the present day megacity.

The Hundred Yue era

This is the unknown ancient beginning. You can imagine this network of islands and canals, marshes, bamboos, bananas, and thick rain forests, along with salty crocodiles and mosquitos. And only some fishermen from the local tribes, fishing in this wilderness. This has been today’s Guangzhou, a few thousand years ago. Nothing even close to a city, but only (maybe) some temporary wooden villages scattered across the delta.

There is a name “Nanwucheng”, known from the historic annals of Zhou Dynasty in Middle and North China. It is mentioned as a “city” on the delta, but most likely it has been nothing more than just one of the bamboo villages.

Nanyue Kingdom and Han Dynasty

Finally, 3rd century BC came, and a significant change started in this wet place. The armies of Qin Dynasty united the whole of what was China at that time and reached the Pearl River Delta. At that time the first “real” city was built in the area, initially to serve for Qin, but after the empire’s collapse- to be a capital of a new kingdom. This city was called Panyu, and the new kingdom- Nanyue (Southern Yue).

Although Nanyue was a “Chinese” kingdom, its kings adopted some strange and unique burial traditions. When they died, they have been covered by a jade costume, which actually turned into their grave. Now you can see it in Nanyue Kings Museum in Guangzhou.

But this kingdom didn’t last too long. After only a century of existing and a conflict with the authorities of Han Empire, the Han armies invaded the whole area and conquered Nanyue. From then it became a part of the empire, and Panyu- just turned into a provincial capital.

What to do in Guangzhou as an explorer? Visit the Nanyue King Mausoleum and its Jade Burial Suit of the king!
The Jade Burial Suit of Nanyue King Mausoleum

Three Kingdoms and Southern Dynasties

In the 3rd century, the large Han Empire was divided into Three Kingdoms for about 50 years, and Panyu appeared to be in Wu Kingdom. At that time, since the name of the local province was Guang, the name of Panyu also changed into Guang, with added “Zhou” (which means prefecture center). Thus the well-known name of the city was born.

During the next few centuries, China was mostly divided into smaller kingdoms, and Guangzhou was a part of the southern dynasties until the whole country was reunited by Sui.

Sui and Tang Dynasties

The period between the end of the 6th and the beginning of the 10th centuries was one of the golden ages of the united Chinese empire, ruled by Sui and Tang Dynasties. Guangzhou was a flourished trade center, and the trade relationship with the other civilizations of the world was very active, especially with the Arabs.

However, these relationships were not always in peace. The Muslims conquered Guangzhou in 758 AD, and the city remained under Muslim control for more than a century. Then the Chinese rebel Huang Chao reconquered Guangzhou again in 878 and massacred all the foreigners that he found there.

The Five Dynasties, Song Dynasty, and the Mongols

Although there was often instability in China during that era, Guangzhou had a relatively peaceful life. Its culture flourished, especially during Later Liang kingdom in the 10th century. In the 13th century, the Mongols came and conquered the whole of China, but there is no record of some serious devastation of Guangzhou and the area.

Ming and Qing Dynasties

It was a new era for China when finally the whole Chinese civilization was united until the present day. For Guangzhou, however, it started with some affairs with the first Europeans, who were trying to set foot on China- the Portuguese. In the same time, the first Ming emperors closed China for foreign trade with the outside world.

So, in this situation, a new picture of the area was formed- Portuguese pirates, terrorizing the locals, in rival with the other Portuguese, then with other Europeans too (Dutch, English). After some clashes and unrest of the area, the Ming emperors gave Macau to the Portuguese, and Guangzhou was gradually entered a new golden age.

When Qing Dynasty came to power, the city soon became one of the biggest and most important international trade ports in the world. It grew in size and many architectural masterpieces were built there- in Chinese traditional and Lingnan style. This is the age when the old parts of the city and many old buildings (which now are beautiful tourist attractions) came to life.

But all this was disturbed in the events from the middle of the 19th century. Qing Dynasty was in decline, and the Opium Wars started, affecting mainly the area of the Pearl River Delta. During that time Guangzhou was conquered temporarily by the British, then it suffered a bloody civil war between the local clans, until eventually the peace back again.

What to do in Guangzhou as an explorer? Visit Baomo Garden and its long tale painted wall!
The long tale painted wall of Baomo Garden

Republic of China

Guangzhou played a significant role in overthrowing the Qing Dynasty. After two unsuccessful revolts, finally, the newly established Guomindang (Kuomintang- KMT) seized the power of the new Republic of China.

However, the time between 1912 to 1949, which is the KMT era, was full of unrest and instability. Guangzhou was a headquarter of KMT governments at least a few times. There were often fights between KMT and the Communists, between KMT and the independent warlords of the North, and between the wings and branches within the KMT itself. Add to this the complicated relations with the West, and the Japanese occupation between 1938 and 1945, and you can imagine the chaotic picture of these times. No wonder that some of the unrest events were really bloody and brutal.

Anyway, there are some interesting places to visit, which came from that period. One of them is Shamian Island- the main neighborhood of the Westerners in Guangzhou. Other sites include Whampoa (Huangpu) Military Academy and 72 Martyr’s monument (although it is related to an event slightly before the fall of Qing Dynasty, and related with the new period).

Modern (Communist) China

In 1949 the Communist take control over China and the remains of KMT withdrew from Guangzhou and the other major cities. Guangzhou remained unchanged until the Cultural Revolution when a lot of temples, churches, and mosques were destroyed by the crazy “Hong Wei Bin”s. But in the ’80s of the 20th century, Guangzhou was one of the first cities adopting the new economic program of Deng Xiao Ping. Since then, the city entered its last era of rapid development, to the image of a super modern mega city, which it is now.

All this long history remained a lot of traces and sites across the city and its suburbs, telling various stories from the past and the present. And if you want to explore Guangzhou by visiting its places of interest, of course, you have to start with the most significant and emblematic places (as in every other city to explore). Let’s see which are these places.

What to do in Guangzhou as an explorer? Make a cruise on Pearl River and enjoy Guangzhou's cityscape!
The cityscape of Guangzhou and Pearl River

7 emblematic destinations in Guangzhou, presenting its reality

We can start with the 7 most important landmarks of Guangzhou. They are all located in the central parts of the city, and you can make a convenient route, connecting all of them. Besides, they can be ordered presenting the historical events chronologically. So, here they are:

Yuexiu Park and the Five Rams Symbol of Guangzhou

There are many parks in Guangzhou. Some of them are established on hills, others- just on plain land. But Yuexiu Park is the most special of them. It is located on a hill (actually there are seven hills, from where the name Yuexiu is derived, but the park itself is located only on one of them). And what makes it special, is that this park contains two very important symbols.

The first one is the Five Rams sculpture. This is the emblem of the city. It came from a legend- a story, happened more than 2000 years ago, somewhere during the time of Qin and Nanyue (or maybe before). This land was wild, and the locals- poor, suffering famine. Then five immortals, riding five rams, came to the area and gave some rice to the people. Later, the immortals left, but the rams remained. They turned into stones and from that moment the city entered its glorious age of prosperity.

Of course, the sculpture that you can see there is not the real “stone rams” from the legend, but since it represents the events from this story, it became the most important symbol of Guangzhou.

And the other important symbol in the park is Zhenhai Tower. It is known as the first Lingnan tower in the area. Built in 1380, it is also related to another legend, telling a story, in which a marquis of Ming Dynasty saw yellow and purple air over the top of Yuexiu Hill. It has been considered as a sign of a new emperor’s coronation, so he ordered the building of this tower. Now it is turned into the Guangzhou Museum, presenting the long history of the city.

Besides these two important symbols, there are three lakes, a lot of amusement and relax facilities, which makes the history and culture well combined with nice leisure.
Entrance fee: free
Entrance fee for Guangzhou Museum: 10 CNY

What to do in Guangzhou as an explorer? Visit and explore Yuexiu Park and its important symbol of Guangzhou- the Five Rams!
The Five Rams in Yuexiu Park

Xiguan Antique City and Liwan Lake

The “Old Towns” in the world are full of local charm and unique atmosphere. Guangzhou also has its “old town”, although it doesn’t look as old as some other “old towns” in China, made exclusively in traditional Chinese architecture. Anyway, this part of Guangzhou is really impressive, that’s why it is really worth to be one of the main sites of the city.

When you go there, you can see its old few-story buildings, separated by narrow picturesque pedestrian alleys. And among them, you can also find a lot of old traditional mansions, many small museums, temples and art pieces, such as Ziyantang Private Museum, Liangshi Ancestral Hall, China Folk Culture Art Expo Hall, Xiguan Culture Life Hall, and many others.

But the most attractive of them are Liwan Lake Park and Liwan Museum beside it. Liwan Lake Park is a really impressive place to relax, full of old Chinese traditional culture. And Liwan Museum is located at its eastern coast. It is a splendid building, dating from the late 19th century, and presenting the wealthy family’s life from that era.
Entrance fee: 10 CNY

What to do in Guangzhou as an explorer? Take a walk around Xiguan Antique City and its Liwan Lake!
Liwan Lake and the park around it

Chen Clan Academy

It is a splendid complex of old traditional buildings, made in Lingnan architectural style. This complex is an art center of the highest class. Chen Clan Academy was built at the end of the 19th century by the wealthy Chen clan, with a purpose to serve as an ancestral temple and an education center for Qing Dynasty government exams.

But after the fall of Qing, it became just a high-class school for the members of the Chen clan. I can’t find information about what happened later with these famous families, but from the middle of the 20th century, this beautiful place became a Folk-Art Museum, still preserving its educational characteristics.

Chen Clan Academy consists of 19 buildings, 9 halls, and 6 yards. When you enter inside, you can see a lot of art- wood carving, stone carving, plaster carving, pottery, and many other art genres. Some of them are so incredibly fine and exquisite that you can’t believe how is possible to be made, to the last detail of the work. You can also see some art students and teachers, currently working on their pieces and selling some of them.

Entrance fee: 10 CNY

What to do in Guangzhou as an explorer? Visit Chen Clan Academy and its high class art masterpieces!
The highly ornamented roofs of Chen Clan Academy

Sun Yat-Sen Memorial

Now, with the next destinations, we little by little go closer to modern times. As we already looked at the history of Guangzhou, we saw that this city played a very important role during the Republic of China era. And the life and activity of its emblematic leader Sun Yat-Sen were closely related with Guangzhou. So, no wonder that there is a magnificent shrine, dedicated to him.

This shrine is actually the largest memorial hall in the world, dedicated to Sun Yat-Sen. It is built in traditional Chinese architecture and features a museum, presenting everything related to Dr. Sun. There is also a big bronze statue of him, in front of the shrine. And there are unique trees, planted around it. Thus everything formed a really beautiful site, which has become one of the landmarks of Guangzhou.

Entrance fee: 10 CNY

What to do in Guangzhou as an explorer? Visit Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall and investigate the history of Guangzhou from 100 years ago!
Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall

Shamian

Guangzhou had significant relations with the West. As we know from its history, it has been one of the biggest international trade ports in the world. And now there is a whole neighborhood, presenting a very different environment- a “small Europe” in the heart of this Asian city. This is Shamian- a small, but really unique Pearl River island.

Shamian has been a trade base for many foreigners from the 18th and 19th centuries. Its first buildings were called “Thirteen Factories”, and it was not an island yet. Later the British dug the north river canal, making it an island, for defense purposes. Then the Chinese government divided Shamian into two concessions- French and British. Many buildings of Baroque style has been built until it gradually reached its modern image.

When you cross one of the bridges, you will enter in a “different world”, far from the noisy streets beside Shamian. Quiet alleys, large splendid classical European buildings, statues, and gardens- this is the picture of this place. Today some of the buildings are turned into offices, others- into museums, some of them are residential, and others- souvenir shops.

Your walk around Shamian can finish at the river bank, from where you can start exploring your next emblematic destination- Pearl River.

What to do in Guangzhou as an explorer? Take a walk in its European island- Shamian!
A street in Shamian

Pearl River

When we talk about Pearl River, geographically we mean the whole network of river canals, formed by the East, North and West rivers. But one of these canals is “more special” than the others. This is the canal, flowing from Liwan and Shamian area eastward to Pazhou and Canton Tower. And this is the most representative of all canals. That’s why many people mentioning the name “Pearl River” actually mean only this particular canal.

And there really is a reason for that. This canal flows through the central and most essential part of Guangzhou and reveals a lot of magnificent panoramas to the skyscrapers and the whole cityscape. So, it can rightly be called one of the main destinations of the city.

The best way to explore it is to start your walk from Shamian, on the northern bank of Pearl River. You will pass by the old Cantonese Custom building, which is one of the historical sites in the area. Then, not far from there, you can see a wharf, from where you can take a regular ferry to the Canton Tower. The price is 2 CNY only and the views from the board are really spectacular. Finally, you arrive at the last of the basic Guangzhou landmarks- the Canton Tower.

What to do in Guangzhou as an explorer? Make a cruise on Pearl River and enjoy the best views of the city!
Pearl River and the skyscrapers of Tianhe

Canton Tower

This is the newest basic site of Guangzhou, and it quickly became one of its symbols. The Canton Tower is one of the tallest buildings in the world. It is significant not only for its height- 604 m but also for its unique design- like a maiden, twisting its waist while turning right.

Canton Tower is worth to visit from below- it is rising above magnificently. And it is worth to visit it inside, ascending to its highest floor. It is full of various kinds of entertainment like free-fall dropping, bubble tram, and many others. But the best of all is its highest panoramic terrace, offering stunning views to Guangzhou from bird view.

Basic entrance fee (including two observation decks): 150 CNY (75 CNY for children).

Anyway, if you are outside of the tower, go some 200 m south of it. You will see another tower, much lower. This is Chigang Pagoda. This pagoda is just a normal Buddhist shrine, but its location near Canton Tower and the opportunity to compare these two towers, presenting different eras of history is a really interesting experience.

What to do in Guangzhou as an explorer? Visit its newest symbol, the Canton Tower!
Canton Tower

Get deeper in Guangzhou

Those were the seven basic sites- the landmarks of Guangzhou, which are a must to see if you want to explore the city. Normally, you can visit all of them within two days, and if you have only two days in Guangzhou and want to explore it- head to these places.

But if you have more time- proceed deeper. Guangzhou has much more to reveal. There are a lot of places- some just presenting modern life, but others are hidden gems of history, nature, and culture. Let look to them by areas of the city.

More places to explore in Liwan and Yuexiu

This area is the oldest part of Guangzhou and is full of sites. But first, it is worth just to walk around its streets- its normal residential streets, full of old few-story buildings, narrow alleys, gardens, and various kinds of markets. There are some modern buildings and housing complexes too, but the older style of architecture is everywhere.

Most of the main landmarks are located here- Yuexiu Park, Liwan Lake, and Xiguan Antique City, Shamian, Chen Clan Academy and Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall. Around these landmarks, you can discover many other minor places which are really worth to visit. Here are some of them.

Cantonese Opera and Art Museum

This is a new site, designed to present the Cantonese culture and art. It contains a beautiful garden with a lake and old traditional Cantonese architecture, as well as a modern hall, presenting a lot of art pieces and the Cantonese Opera. Entrance fee: free.

What to do in Guangzhou as an explorer? Visit the Cantonese Opera and Art Museum!
In the garden of the Cantonese Opera and Art Museum

Nanyue King Mausoleum

It is an important museum, sharing the story of Nanyue Kingdom. Its main attraction is the burial jade suit of a Nanyue King- one of the most important archaeological discoveries in Guangzhou. Entrance fee: 12 CNY.

Liurong Temple and Flower Pagoda

It is one of the most significant Buddhist sites in Guangzhou. The name of the temple means “Six Banyan Trees” and it is dated back to 6th century AD. And the pagoda is newer, from only 300 years ago, and is the most popular one in the city. Entrance fee: 5 CNY + 10 CNY for the Flower Pagoda.

Other temples

There are a lot of other temples in this area- most of which Buddhist and Taoist, like Guangxiao Temple, Wuxianguan Temple, Hualin Temple, and Sanyuan Temple. Islam is represented by Huaisheng Mosque. And there is a big Christian Catholic church, not far from the north bank of Pearl River, which deserves more attention.

Shishi Sacred Heart Cathedral

This is the mentioned above Catholic church. It is really large- actually the largest in South China and one of the largest not only in China but in the whole world. In fact, it is mostly what makes it really worth to visit. The Cathedral is actively opened for worship. Entrance fee: free.

Now let’s look at the shopping areas. I am personally not into shopping (as not every traveler really likes shopping), but here I mention these shopping places mainly for their colorful atmosphere, and the local life impression.

What to do in Guangzhou as an explorer? Visit one of the biggest Catholic Cathedrals in the world- Shishi Sacred Heart Cathedral!
Shishi Sacred Heart Cathredral

Shangxia Jiu

So, let’s look to Shangxia Jiu- one of these shopping areas. Its name can be translated as “Up Down 9” (whatever that means). This is actually a pedestrian street, full of shops and markets, relatively cheap. And seems it is surrounded mainly by old Cantonese architecture buildings, it really makes an impression as an “Old town” area.

Beijing Road

It is another shopping pedestrian street, but compared with Shangxia Jiu, it is more modern. It presents a few large malls and is a favorite place for locals, for shopping and walking. In fact, it is one of the most central spots of Guangzhou today.

While proceeding eastward, let’s take a look at two historical places, presenting some tragic events from the first half of the 20th century.

Guangzhou Uprising Martyrs’ Cemetery

This is the first one. A cemetery, dedicated to a Communist uprising in 1927, related to the break between KMT and the Communists after their short period of collaboration. Entrance fee: free.

Huanghuagang Tomb of 72 Martyrs

Next to the Martyr’s Cemetery is Huanghuagang Tomb of 72 Martyrs. This place is related to an earlier event, from 1911. At that time the Nationalists went into a battle with Qing Dynasty forces in Guangzhou, but they lost the battle. Many of them were killed and 72 of them are commemorated here in this park. Entrance fee: free.

Guangzhou Zoo and Ocean World

Finally, this is the easternmost more significant point of interest in Liwan and Yuexiu area. I really like zoos (despite some controversies about animal rights, etc.). This one is quite large and has a really rich collection of animals, living in relatively good conditions, as more as possible closer to their natural habitats. Of course, one of them is the giant panda, which is one of the symbols of China. And Ocean World, located within the Zoo, presents a lot of fish kinds, as well as dolphin and seal performances. Entrance fee for the Zoo: 20 CNY. Entrance fee for the Ocean World: 100 CNY.

Tianhe

Heading east of Yuexiu, we go out of Guangzhou’s old parts and enter some more modern areas. This is Tianhe district, where you can find the tallest skyscrapers and the most modern representative central city areas. So, as an important part of Guangzhou’s image, it is also worth to explore. Let’s see more.

The center of Tianhe

It is a large, long, narrow and symmetric area, established in meridian direction (south-north). There are a few important modern buildings in this place: CITIC Plaza- a large mall with one of the most prominent skyscrapers. The other one is Guangzhou International Finance Center- the tallest skyscraper of the city. Beside it- the Sports Center. And in the south is one of the largest malls in China- Tee Mall (Tianhe Cheng). There you can also find Wawawa Amusement City and many other smaller malls, restaurants and gardens.

What to do in Guangzhou as an explorer? Walk around the most modern part of city- Tianhe!
CITIC Plaza in Tianhe

But the axis of the landmarks in Tianhe proceeds southward to Pearl River. You can walk to the spectacular Flower City Square, and before reaching the river, you will see two other important landmarks from both sides. They are Guangzhou Opera House on the west and Guangdong Museum on the east. And on the south, right in front of you and beyond the river, the magnificent view is marked by the Canton Tower.

So you can take a walk from north to south, enjoying the modern cityscape, shopping and eating in the malls and visiting Guangdong Museum. This museum presents a lot of historical and cultural artifacts from the whole province of Guangdong. Entrance fee: free (but with a limit of 5000 visitors per day).

Haizhu

Let’s see what’s beyond the main Pearl River canal, where Canton Tower is built. This area is called Haizhu. It is an island, containing mainly residential districts. But there are some really worth to visit places, beside Canton Tower and the neighboring Chigang Pagoda.

Pazhou Canton Fair

This is the most famous trade fair in China. Yes, it is interesting mainly for business travelers. Anyway, I include it as an explorer’s destination just because it also became of the popular spots of the city. Guangzhou is well known for its international trade traditions and this is the places that currently represents it.

Yingzhou Ecological Park and Xiaozhou Village

Yingzhou Ecological Park is one of the oldest parks in Guangzhou. It is founded during the Mongol era, Yuan Dynasty, some 700 years ago. Now it is an amusement park, containing a lot of river canals, some old traditional pavilions, and attractions, such as wooden bridges, dinosaur statues, and many others. Entrance fee: 10 CNY.

And beside it is Xiaozhou Village. It is part of the same area, but it is residential. Its buildings are mainly in old Cantonese architecture and is another “Old town” type of destination.

Taikoo Wharf

Honestly, the nightlife is not my main passion, so if you ask me where can you find some best bars, night clubs and other kinds of entertainment like this, I can’t tell you too much. But there is one place which is a nightlife spot. And not just an ordinary spot. It has a historical and panoramic view value.

This is Taikoo Wharf, located on the western end of Haizhu. It has been a wharf some 80-100 years ago, with a few large warehouses. But later the wharf is abandoned, and the warehouses temporarily remained unused. Until recent years, when someone decided to turn the ugly warehouses into beautiful restaurants, night clubs, and other nightlife attractions. And its location at the bank of a Pearl River canal makes it really worth to visit.

What to do in Guangzhou as an explorer? Try its nightlife at the Pearl River bank in Taikoo Wharf!
Mr. Rocky club-restaurant in Taikoo Wharf

Normally, you can visit it during the daytime. But it reveals its best in the evening when the nightlife begins. There are a lot of places to visit and enjoy. I can mention one of the best club-restaurants- Mr. Rocky. You will recognize it by its wooden sculpture of a western cowboy, riding a horse. Other club-restaurants include Tangyuan, Tanyu No.9 Beach Bar and Sanhecang.

Huangpu and Luogang

Guangzhou is much larger than it looks. After you explore its central parts, you can proceed to its suburbs. Huangpu and Luogang are in the eastern part of the city. Actually, now it is one administrative district of Guangzhou, consisting mainly of industrial zones, scattered villages, and residential areas and some low mountains covered by lush forests and turned into parks.

Among the mountain parks in this area, the best ones are Longtoushan Forest Park, Dashuikeng Scenic Area, Xiangxue Park, Tianluhu Park, and Liantang Magnolia Forest park, in the far northeast. These areas are really nice to visit, but they are mainly for locals to relax, or for explorers, looking for natural sites, rather than traveling in a big city.

But there is a place in Huangpu, which is really worth to visit, and it is of great historical value. This is Huangpu Military Academy

Huangpu Military Academy

This place had a significant role during the Republic of China era when the KMT and the Communists were together. There are a lot of political leaders, related to this academy. Some of them were its founders. Others were its students and graduates. Among them, I can mention all the important politics of that era- Sun Yat-Sen, Chiang Kai Shek, Zhou En Lai, Wang Jing Wei, and even some foreign leaders like Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam.

It’s interesting that during the first years of the Academy, both KMT and Communists have studied together and lived like brothers. But later, during the Chinese Civil War, they fought against each other, on both different sides, using the skills which they learned here. Now, this Academy is turned into a museum, where you can learn a lot of this era and the life of the students.

Finally, if you want to go further, to the far ends of Guangzhou, you can proceed in two directions. On the north are four districts, two of which are now turned into counties. They are Baiyun, Huadu, Zengcheng, and Conghua. And on the south are Panyu and Nansha. All these areas are actually scattered towns, villages and other residential areas, among low mountains, fields and river canals.

These areas are really large, so I will mention only the most interesting and unique places to visit. So, let’s first look to the north.

The Northern Suburbs and counties: Baiyun, Huadu, Zengcheng, and Conghua

This area can be a starting point for explorers to “attack” the northern parts of Guangdong province. But let’s start from Yuexiu, in the center of Guangzhou. North of Yuexiu Park and the Railway Station, you will see a chain of hills, covered by other parks, such as Luhu Park and Guangzhou Sculpture Park. Then they gradually join together in the most famous mountain area of Guangzhou- Baiyun Mountain.

Baiyun Mountain

It is the favorite place for locals to relax. So it can be a little crowded, especially during the weekends. And since it is turned into a park, you can’t expect too much “wild adventures” there. But anyway, it is a travel site just because it is so popular, that it became even one of the city’s symbols.

In Baiyun Mountain, you can walk, relax, hike (on alleys, don’t except “wild hidden paths”), and even enjoy a cable car and tram. Entrance fee: 5 CNY. Cable car round trip ticket- 40 CNY. Tram- 20 CNY.

Beyond Baiyun Mountain, there are plains, villages and other mountain parks, in my opinion, a bit “wilder” since they are not so popular. Among them, I can mention Tianluhu Park, Maofengshan Forest Park, and Shanding Scenic Area.

The ancient historic sites of Huadu

Huadu is quite separated from the urban area of central Guangzhou and is like another city. But there are some ancient historic sites that are really worth to visit and explore, quite off the beaten. Here I would mention three of them.

Former Residence of Hong Xiu Quan

It is a historical site. Hong Xiu Quan was the leader of the Taiping Rebellion- a bloody civil war during Qing Dynasty focused against all the foreigners in China in the second half of the 19th century. His hordes killed many foreigners and their Chinese supporters, as well as many Christians and everybody who was somehow related to the western world. But in the bloody chaos, almost 20 million people died. And this “hero” later claimed that he has seen “visions” that he is “a brother of Jesus Christ”. In result, he created a heresy, which had some influence in China in the next years.

And this place in Huadu is his residence. Hong Xiu Quan and his “project” fell, but now his residence remained, just as historical value.

Yuanxuan Taoist Temple

It is a large temple complex, consisting of three main buildings. Richly decorated, it is much more than just a religious site but has a high architectural and artistic value. Entrance fee: 10 CNY.

Langtou Village

If you explore the area west of the urban part of Huadu, you will see a lot of scattered villages, among rice fields, river canals, and small hills. They are just normal villages, but one of them is different. It is a hidden gem and it is called Langtou Village.

What to do in Guangzhou as an explorer? Visit Langtou Village- a hidden gem in the far northern suburbs of the city!
Langtou Village

This village has preserved its old traditional Cantonese architecture. Combined with lakes, a small river beside it, and a garden, it is a beautiful example of village life during the Ming and Qing times. There is also a small museum in the village, giving some information about its culture.

Besides these three places, there are more mountains, forest parks, and even some nice waterfalls and attractive villages like Wangzishan Forest Park, Gaobaizhang Scenic Area, Timian town and Hongshan village.

The other two northern districts of Guangzhou are actually counties, separate cities, but still belonging to Guangzhou prefecture as satellites. These are Zengcheng and Conghua.

Zengcheng

Zengcheng is a nice city, but there is nothing special in most of its area. It is known for its lychee gardens, and its popularity comes mainly from it. But there is another spot in its territory, on the far northeastern edge of Guangzhou- Baishuizhai Waterfall

Baishuizhai Waterfall

It is known as one of the highest waterfalls in China. Its name can be translated as “White Water Village”. The waterfall is tiny and is related to various legends. Once enter in the area, there are two roads to choose, to climb to the mountain top and the source of the waterfall. One of the roads is designed as a “9999 steps road”, and the other is known as the Plank Road. Both require good physical condition. Entrance fee: 70 CNY.

Conghua

It is the northernmost county of Guangzhou. It is so far from the city, that it is hard to feel that you are still in Guangzhou. Conghua is mainly known for its hot springs. There is a hot spring area with a few resorts, where you can enjoy a nice spa and relax.

Besides the hot springs, Conghua is a mountainous area and it has a few mountain parks. They are nice, and they are closer to the north part of Guangdong province, rather than Guangzhou itself.

But maybe the most interesting spot in Conghua is a small park in Taiping town. It would be nothing special, but for those who are interested in geography (and we travelers definitely should be interested), it is worth to visit. This is the Tropic of Cancer spot. There is a tower, built exactly on this line around the Earth, and it would be exciting to visit, remembering your knowledge of geography.

What to do in Guangzhou as an explorer? Improve your geographical knowledge and visit the Tropic of Cancer!
Tropic of Cancer

This is the northern edge of Guangzhou. Beyond it is the land of Qingyuan and the Northern Guangdong- much wilder and exotic place, a goal for a next trip. But let us first back to the southern periphery of Guangzhou.

The South suburbs- Panyu and Nansha

The first area, south of Haizhu and Huangpu is Panyu district. It is located around the southern canals of Pearl River. Most of this area is urbanized, but there are still some countryside fields and villages nearby.

In Panyu, you can find some of the most beautiful historical sites, as well as a famous safari park. But let’s see in details.

Lingnan Impression

It is a well preserved old traditional village, now turned into a theme park. This village presents beautiful Cantonese architecture, oyster shell walled houses, a mansion-museum, two ancestral temples, and Hong Kong-Macau goods stores. A nice “old town” type of destination. Entrance fee: 60 CNY.

Yuyin Mountain House Garden

This place is a typical Chinese traditional garden, known for its tranquility among beautiful old architecture. There is a pond, an artificial hill with a waterfall, a pagoda, as well as many other halls, water canals, and masterpieces. Among the attractions inside is a giant stony Chinese chess. Entrance fee: 15 CNY.

Shawan Old town

There are villages and towns scattered across Panyu. And one of the towns is different than the others. It is Shawan Old Town. Yes, it is another “old town” theme destination- with its narrow streets, old traditional Cantonese architecture, souvenir shops, local food street stalls, a lot of spots for nice photos, art pieces, and own nightlife. There is also a large square with a pond, and two ancestral temples beside it. Just another really nice place to enjoy.

What to do in Guangzhou as an explorer? Visit the Lingnan Impression Park!
Lingnan Impression Park

Baomo Garden

This is maybe the most beautiful old traditional garden style site that I have seen in China. It dates from Qing Dynasty times, it was destroyed, but later again restored. And now it is a maze of beauty. Ponds with colorful fish and turtles, pavilions, bridges, temples, artificial stone hills and only part of the things that you can see inside. There is a hall for Cantonese Opera performance. And maybe the most attractive element inside is a long wall, carved by an art tale- one of the longest in China. Entrance fee: 45 CNY.

Lianhua Mountain

It is the best mountain park in Panyu and one of the most beautiful in whole Guangzhou. There are two more such mountain parks in Panyu- Dafushan, and Dishuiyan, but Lianhua Mountain (in English- “Lotus Mountain”) is the most spectacular of them. The park presents a beautiful pagoda and many other traditional constructions and statues. It is known to be used as red stone mining site some 2000 years ago. Entrance fee: 50 CNY.

Chimelong Resort

This is the largest amusement park area in China, one of the largest in the world. There are actually a few parks- Safari park, Paradise park, Water park, and Birds park. Safari park is a large zoo, much closer to the natural habitat of the animals. Paradise and Water parks are full of amusement facilities, some of them quite extreme. And Birds park is mainly focused on birds watching. Entrance fees: quite expensive- from 150 CNY and up, per (only one) park.

Nansha

Finally, we arrive at the southernmost part of Guangzhou. This is Nansha, located on the southern part of the Pearl River Delta, where it gradually turns into an estuary type of sea bay. Most of this area is just the countryside, with a few towns scattered around. And the only things that are really interesting to see are the few parks.

There are two hill parks- Shiba Luohan Mountain park and Huangshanlu Forest Park. And there is another small riverside park, called Puzhou Garden.

But the most famous place in Nansha is the so-called Nansha Wetland Park, known for its birds’ migrations. The area was quite polluted, but in recent years significant efforts have been made to clean it. And it really has some result, so this park is worth to visit too. Another nearby garden is Million Sunflowers Garden- an area, especially made by planted sunflowers.

Finally, we reach the southern end of Guangzhou. From here the Pearl River opens into the South China Sea. What follows further is Zhuhai, Zhongshan, Shenzhen, Macau and Hong Kong. And then- the endless sea.

What to do in Guangzhou as an explorer? Enjoy the silence of Yuyin Mountain House Garden!
Yuyin Mountain House Garden

As you can see, Guangzhou has really a lot to explore. Here I focused on the places to visit, which are the main purpose for traveling in this city. Let’s see shortly some important travel tips now. There is a lot to say about it too, so I will mention just the basic info.

Travel tips

What do you need to know as a traveler in Guangzhou? A GPS map (installed on your phone), how to travel around the city, and where to sleep. In addition- some other important info about money changing, ATM service, and… basically that’s all. About the food- unless you are a food lover, you just need to eat something”normal”- which you can find everywhere. But anyway, if you want to know more about the local food and to try it- see more info here.

Transportation in Guangzhou

Yes, it is important, otherwise, how could you move everywhere in such a large city? Fortunately, Guangzhou has a lot of options to travel, and it makes the trip quite comfortable. By the way, most of the transportation kinds are the same like everywhere in the Chinese big cities. 

The fastest way of transport is by speed train. Yes, Guangzhou is so large that even speed train can be used. But only between the northern and the southern suburbs, between Huadu and Nansha.

Inside the city, the metro system is very convenient if you just want to move fast from one place to another. And the metro network is really well developed. The price depends on the distance, but in general, it is from 2 to 10 CNY.

There is also a good public bus network, which is slower and cheap, but you can reach more places beyond the metro stations. Besides, it is more proper if you want to see Guangzhou and its local life.

Taxis can be found everywhere too, but of course, they are more expensive. Another version of car transport is DiDi, but it requires installed WeChat with an attached bank account to it, and most importantly- some basic Chinese language skills.

Maybe the most convenient (although slow) way of transport is the shared bikes. You can find them everywhere. But again, the problem with them is the initial installation of the proper application with the attached bank account, which may be a headache in some cases. See more about the shared bikes here

Check out your transport to Guangzhou and beyond!

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Accommodation in Guangzhou

Concerning the accommodation- of course, there are a lot of places to sleep in Guangzhou. There are hotels of every category. So here I will not recommend specific hotel names, but I have to mention an important detail- not every hotel accepts foreigners! It is especially for the cheaper hotels- they don’t have the right license to allow foreigners to sleep there. See more here

So, if you book a hotel, especially if it is cheap, I would advise checking its availability to accept foreigners (by sending a message). But even you don’t do it and the hotel that you have booked can’t accept you, don’t worry (unless you have already made the payment)- there are really a lot of other hotels everywhere around, so you can find another one.

Check out your accommodation in Guangzhou!



Booking.com

Other tips

Install your VPN, if you want to have access to Google, Facebook, and all other western social media networks. It is not only for Guangzhou, but it is also for the whole of China! Yes, this service is paid, but it is not expensive for one month- you can prepare for something between 15 and 20 USD. The main VPN providers are Astrill and Express VPN- both with very good quality. There are a lot of WiFi spots everywhere- in hotels, restaurants, malls, so the internet would be not a problem. Anyway, check out here for more information. 

About the money- it is unlikely to find money changers on the streets (and even if you find in some areas- it is better to avoid them). So the best way is to change your money in the bank. It is slow, complicated, but is safe. You can also use ATM, which can be found mainly at the banks.

Mobile CIM cards- it is again important info concerning the whole of China. Basically, there are three Mobile providers in China- China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom. Check more about them and the service that they offer here.

And finally- safety. Guangzhou is a quite safe city. There are only two things that you have to consider, and they are not different than in most of the cities in the world. Beware of pickpocketing, especially in the crowded malls or pedestrian streets. And avoid walking in the night alone in some areas near the Railway Station and the trade zones.

Go on a journey to Guangzhou!

If you consider all of this, you can have a wonderful experience in one of the largest cities in China and the whole world. There would be many purposes to visit Guangzhou, and everybody has different ways of travel. But if you are an explorer- just immerse in this city and you can discover a whole local world.

Check out some travel books and other info about Guangzhou!

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Make a journey to Guangzhou, the core of South China. Check this ultimate guide for explorers- what to do in Guangzhou!  Make a journey to Guangzhou, the core of South China. Check this ultimate guide for explorers- what to do in Guangzhou!

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