Guangzhou, a beautiful city lying on the banks of the Pearl River, has long been known as the cradle of Guangdong culture. Throughout its history from the first centuries AD, Guangzhou has always been a place with outstanding economic development, especially foreign trade. Today, joining the global tourism trend, Guangzhou has become an attractive destination with many interesting things that always need to be discovered.
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So, where to go in Guangzhou, where to visit in Guangzhou? Let’s check out our top rated 15+ top places to visit in Guangzhou including best places to go in Guangzhou, best places to visit in Guangzhou, must go places in Guangzhou, must see places in Guangzhou, must visit places in Guangzhou and top 10 places to visit in Guangzhou as follows!
Guangzhou, also known as Wuyang Cheng, which translates to “City of Five Goats” or City of Thousand Flowers, is the largest city as well as the economic and political center in South China, with a history of more than 2,000 years. Known as a large metropolis that combines tradition and modernity, Guangzhou offers tourist attractions for everyone, whether you are a history buff or looking for a vacation destination. Have a nice vacation with your family. Not only does it attract tourists because of the excitement and richness of the landscape, but the cost here is also relatively cheap, or completely free. Below are some attractions that you cannot miss in Guangzhou city.
Guangzhou tourist places are always among the top places worth visiting in the country of billions of people. With an admirable history and endowed natural features, Guangzhou city is always proud of its diverse beauty in both nature and human culture. In this article, let’s take a look at 14+ beautiful tourist attractions in this beautiful city with Living Nomads.
Canton Tower (Guangzhou New TV Tower) – A luxurious symbol by the Pearl River (# best places to visit in guangzhou)
This is probably the first image that most people think of when mentioning Guangzhou. With a height of more than 600m, the number of floors up to 112, designed and built by a Dutch company, Canton Tower has always been considered a bright spot in Guangzhou architecture.
Known as the tallest TV tower in China, ranked second in the world after Tokyo Skytree Tower, Canton Tower not only performs a communication function, it is also one of the tourist attractions in Guangzhou attracts the most tourists.
Visitors come to Canton Tower can not only admire the luxurious beauty of the tower considered a symbol of the city, this is also a place that integrates many utility service complexes, divided into many areas to Maximum meet the needs of customers for sightseeing and experience.
From different heights in the Canton tower, visitors can free their vision and enjoy the wonderful night falling on the Pearl River (Zhujiang river), combined with the night lights radiating from every part of the city to create a stunning visual effect.
Lotus Mountain (Lianhuashan) – Peaceful beauty in Buddha’s land (# best places to go in guangzhou)
About 30km from Guangzhou, the complex on Lotus Mountain is considered one of the city’s most sacred places. The name lotus also comes from a block of stone shaped exactly like a blooming lotus flower. This is also the place where many temples gather with many monks and nuns practicing asceticism day and night.
Most visitors to Lotus Mountain want to immerse themselves in the peaceful scenery of Buddha’s land, washing away all burdens and dust. In particular, this place is always crowded with both indigenous people and tourists from everywhere when there is the Lotus Festival, a separate festival of Guangzhou people specializing in displaying and introducing products made from lotus.
People still call Lotus Mountain “Guan Yin Garden” because the number of Guan Yin Buddha statues here is up to thousands, notably the Guan Yin Buddha statue over 40m high. Looking down from above, the gentle and kind Buddha sowed blessings to all living beings.
Besides the spiritual tourism element, Lotus Mountain also has a wild beauty that attracts tourists with its clear, four-season Shizi Lake, featuring ancient mossy rocks and fresh air. cool, worthy of a beautiful scene in Guangzhou that you must visit once in your life.
Baiyun Mountain – A majestic sight of Guangzhou (# must go places in guangzhou)
The next Guangzhou tourist destination that nature lovers definitely cannot miss is the Baiyun mountain range located in the north of the city. If you are fascinated by majestic natural landscapes, you should try to visit once to enjoy the wonderful freshness that nature has to offer.
It is no coincidence that Baiyun mountain is always fondly called by the people of mainland China with the name “the most beautiful scene of Yangcheng”. Because this is a combination of more than 30 overlapping mountains, Baiyun appears with all that is wild and pure. With green vegetation almost covered, visitors will be immersed in a fresh and airy atmosphere.
In particular, visitors can participate in canoe rowing activities in the early morning, this is considered the purest time of the day when the sun has not yet risen. The traveler will be immersed in the mist of the morning mist still printed on the surface of the lake, breathing in all the aftertaste of the jungle, listening to the gurgling water and the chirping of birds. This will definitely be an unforgettable experience for every tourist on their journey to temporarily leave the bustle of the city and find a peaceful place.
Dafu Mountain Forest Park – A place in the heart of the delta (# must see places in guangzhou)
Beautiful scenery in Guangzhou If talking about Baiyun, we cannot help but mention Lafu mountain. Since ancient times, this has been known as the Fairy Mountain with many strange flowers and mysterious stories that visitors cannot miss. Legend has it that this was once a place where humans and fairies lived together, and there were monks who attained enlightenment and became fairies. These mysterious stories were recorded by poet Su Shi (Dongpo), who was curious while walking here.
Besides ancient legends, Lafu also has a strong appeal because of its somewhat surreal natural landscape. Seen from above, Lafu is vast with deep green forests and mountains, seemingly a convergence of heaven and earth with hazy clouds always covering it. This is the reason why tourists can choose Lafu as the ideal place to check-in in Guangzhou.
Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall – The heart of Guangzhou (# must visit places in guangzhou)
Located in the center of Guangzhou city, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is considered the heart of the city, the place where the whole mainland China turns to, bowing respectfully to the merits of talented leader Sun Yat-sen, who was instrumental in establishing the Republic of China. By preserving many valuable documents surrounding the revolutionary path of this first Chinese leader, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is gradually becoming a tourist destination in Guangzhou chosen by many people.
Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street – Symbol of a bustling Guangzhou (# top places to visit in guangzhou)
There is a Guangzhou that is always crowded and bustling with people at Shangxiajiu pedestrian street. The walking street is surrounded by buildings with ancient Guanxi style architecture, any area or alley in the neighborhood has its own unique cultural features, especially in terms of cuisine. For many years in a row, this place has always been voted as an outstanding Guangzhou tourist destination thanks to the culinary cultural diversity here.
On both sides of the street, visitors can walk and choose dishes from Europe to Asia. But perhaps the most crowded are still the traditional cuisine shops such as noodles, offal, sausage, and cakes. If you have the opportunity to visit Shangxiajiu, don’t forget to try the sweet radish beef noodles of Baohua Mian restaurant or the dumplings and dim sum of Dao Dao Cu Xian restaurant, surely the unique traditional flavors here will linger in your mind. tongue and urges us to come here to eat a few more times, eating until we crave it.
Guangdong Museum – Priceless treasure box (# where to visit in guangzhou)
- Address: 2 Zhujiang E Rd, Tianhe District, Guangzhou
- Hours: 9 AM–5 PM/Monday: Closed
It would be truly omission if the list of best places to visit in Guangzhou does not include the name of the Guangdong Museum. This is a complex building that stores ancient antiques of Guangdong culture, which has been established and developed for more than 60 years now. With its unique box-shaped architecture and the most modern facilities in China, the Guangdong Museum is a familiar venue for events related to culture and history.
A special feature of this museum is that tickets are completely free for visitors. Up to 5,000 free tickets are given out every day regardless of audience. If you are interested in learning about ancient relics or historical events associated with this beautiful land, the Guangdong Museum will certainly be a good suggestion.
Located in Tainhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Museum is a complex museum with more than 1600,000 sets of artifacts, collections, divided into 3 parts and 5 exhibition halls, including history galleries, art halls, ceramic gallery, calligraphy room and nature museum room. If the history gallery is where the history and culture of the Guangdong region is recreated, the art hall is where paintings from the Song and Yuan dynasties and calligraphy from all dynasties are displayed. If you love ceramics and terracotta, visit the next gallery.
Shamian Island – A green gem in the heart of the city
Nestled in the heart of bustling Guangzhou, Shaiman is an artificial island covered with a cool green color of flowers and grass. Shaiman with buildings of classical European architecture is a living testament to the colonial period under the British and French empires.
All create a seductive, peaceful beauty, dispelling all the heat and pressure of life. The fairy-tale-like scenery here seems to guide visitors back to their sweet childhood and will be the first tourist destination in Guangzhou dedicated to romantic souls.
Chimelong Ocean Kingdom – The origin of masterpieces
The next fascinating place to visit in Guangzhou that we want to introduce to you is Chimelong Ocean Kingdom. Looking from the outside, this marine park will surprise visitors with its remarkable progress in modern Guangzhou architecture.
Standing proudly on a large area of land, the park is a complex with a unique design, both shaped like a fish and resembling a ship in science fiction movies. This is not only the pride of Guangzhou but of the whole of China because this is considered the largest marine park in the world.
Citic Plaza
Citic Plaza is an 80-story skyscraper located in Tianhe District, Guangzhou. This 391 m high building was built in 1997 with many stores of high-end brands. Citic Plaza is an ideal Guangzhou tourist destination for tourists with a passion for shopping.
Yuexiu Park
Yuexiu Park is a project built according to the wishes of President Son Yat-sen. This is the largest park in Guangzhou city. Visiting this Guangzhou tourist place, visitors will feel the flow of Guangzhou history through the ages.
Haizhu Square
Haizhu Square is a public Guangzhou tourist attraction located on the banks of the Pearl River in Yuexiu District. The center of Haizhu Square is the Guangzhou Liberation Statue erected in 1959.
Pearl River (Zhujiang River)
The Pearl River, also known as the Zhujiang River, is the third largest river in China after the Yangtze River and the Yellow River. Taking a boat trip along the Pearl River, seeing Guangzhou city helps you understand more about Guangzhou culture with skyscrapers and bright lights. Floating on this river is an extremely interesting experience during your trip to Guangzhou.
If the beautiful scenery of Baiyub Mountain fascinates you, Pearl River brings tourists traveling to Guangzhou a world of peace, immense waves of water in harmony with the beautiful city. The Pearl River flows through the city, so people give it the affectionate name “Mother River”. Peaceful during the day, bringing spirit to the city. When the city lights up, visitors to Guangzhou will admire the shimmering scenery on the Pearl River, both sides of the river are illuminated by buildings as splendidly as a galaxy full of stars, when looking from afar, sometimes you even think it’s a rainbow with countless colors sparkling or flowers blooming on the surface of the water.
Chen Clan Ancestral Hall
Chen Clan Ancestral Hall was both a library, a temple, and also the residence of a large class of aristocrats in ancient Southern society. The temple has diverse architecture, imbued with Southern culture. The temple is an interesting tourist destination in Guangzhou that makes visitors admire and impressed.
Guangxiao Temple
Guangxiao Temple is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Guangzhou city. The location of this pagoda was previously the place where Prince Trieu Duc Kien during the Nam Viet period chose to build his mansion. Currently, the pagoda is located on Guanghui Street, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, and is one of the city’s most famous Guangzhou tourist attractions.
Liurong Temple
Liurong temple or Temple of the Six Banyan Trees is located in Yuetxiu District, Guangzhou. This temple dates back to 537 AD. This is a beautiful, peaceful temple. In the temple, there are also many exquisitely sculpted Buddhist statues that bring many interesting things.
In the bustling space of the city, the Guangzhou tourist place Liurong Temple brings a peaceful, calm, and surprisingly simple atmosphere.
Chimelong Entertainment Complex
When traveling to Guangzhou, don’t miss the cluster of entertainment venues in the Chimelong Paradise in Panyu district. The first location is Chimelong entertainment paradise with more than 70 entertainment rides bringing many different emotions. This amusement park is a tourist destination in Guangzhou, a game paradise for young people.
Chimelong Zoo
Chimelong Zoo is a paradise for rare animals. This is a Guangzhou tourist destination that anyone who likes animals must visit. This place currently has more than 500 unique animal species and about 20,000 rare animals, including some of the top precious animals in the world.
Baomo Garden
Located in Panyu, about an hour’s drive from downtown Guangzhou, Baomo Garden is a fine example of ancient Chinese architecture and horticulture. Originally, this garden was built at the end of the Qing Dynasty, but was unfortunately destroyed in the 1950s. A few years later, its reconstruction began and the garden is now back to its former glory.
Baomo Garden is one of the most famous landscapes on the Guangzhou tourist map, located in Panyu not far from the city center. The garden covers an area of more than 3,300 square meters and dates back to the late Qing Dynasty and the first years of the Republic of China.
Sacred Heart Church
Sacred Heart Church is located on Yide Street, on the north bank of the Pearl River. This is one of the few cathedrals in the world built entirely of granite. The church is the headquarters of the Archbishop of Guangzhou, and is an interesting place on the Guangzhou tourist map.
Museum of the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King
- Address: Guangzhou, Yuexiu District
- Hours: 9 AM–5:30 PM
Museum of the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King is located on Jiefang North, Yue Xiu District, Guangzhou. This is the tomb of Nanyue King, a king of Southern Viet during the Western Han Dynasty. This tomb is the clearest proof of the 2,000-year history of Guangzhou city.
Tianhe Waterfall
Waterfall in the city? It may sound strange, but it is true that in the inner city of Guangzhou there is a giant artificial waterfall. Arriving at Guangzhou East Station, walking around the high-end shopping areas at CITIC Plaza and then heading to the square near the station, Guangzhou tourists will be overwhelmed by the waterfall as if bringing the whole city back to nature. The strip of silk flying between heaven and earth in Guangzhou – is the name people give to this landscape.
Guangdong Olympic Center
Guangdong Olympic Sports Center. 5 Olympic rings – “Five Rings in the Morning Sun” (5 circles in the morning sun) is the common name given by the people of Guangzhou to the venue for the Asian Games and the Olympic Games, including: Sports Center Tianhe Sports Center, Guangdong Olympic Sports Center, City University Stadium and some other locations.
Tianhe Sports Center or Tianhe Stadium today has become a symbol of urban construction in Guangzhou. Not only does it have modern sports equipment and facilities, but it also attracts Guangzhou tourists with its beautiful green landscape. Here, in addition to sports, events also take place such as international cultural and tourism festivals, international culinary festivals, spring flower festivals…
Haixinsha Island
As a small island on the beautiful Pearl River, Haixinsha Island with many cultural attractions and mansions along the riverbank is an attractive destination for many tourists. Haixinsha Square on the island is where the opening ceremony of the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games was held, with a unique boat-shaped stadium that has become a symbol in the memories of many tourists. The annual International Festival of Lights is also held here.
When night falls, Haixinsha is immersed in the colorful light of the sparkling lights on the banks of the Pearl River. This is an ideal spot to enjoy the night view of the changing lights on the Canton Tower, Guangzhou West Tower, Guangdong Provincial Museum, Liede Bridge and Guangzhou Opera House. If you want to explore the nightlife of Wuyang city, don’t miss this place.
Whampoa Military Academy Memorial Site
This is the relic of China’s first Military Officer Academy, which once nurtured the nation’s military elite. The building was built during Sun Yat-sen’s Great Revolution. This is also the school where former Prime Minister Zhou Enlai and Chiang Kai-shek studied and worked. Among the ten great generals of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, five of them came from Whampoa Academy.
Whampoa Museum has two main exhibition halls: the Whampoa history hall and the Whampoa elite oil painting gallery. Inside the Whampoa history hall are more than 200 photographs and 100 historical documents that bring to life the lives and military glory of those who fought against Japanese invaders and wartime warlords. The oil painting room area of the Whampoa elite contains up to 42 remaining oil paintings by great people who studied at the Huangpu Military Academy. They included Sun Yat-sen, Chiang Kai-shek, Zhou Enlai and Liao Zhongkai.
Like the Guangdong Provincial Museum, the Whampoa is open from 9am to 5pm, closed on Mondays and on Chinese New Year’s Eve.
Redtory
If you are a photography lover or simply want to enjoy a unique and new space, Redtory is an optimal choice for you. Once an industrial factory, Redtory is now an area of art galleries, studios and art spaces, with event halls, fashion boutiques and art cafes. Visitors come here to enjoy the art exhibitions, but others also visit for the creative and inspiring surroundings for photography and other arts. If you pass by Tianhe Road in Guangzhou, don’t miss this place.
Sanyuanli Anti-British Invasion Memorial Park
This is a historical monument when the Sanyuanli people fought against the British Army during the Opium War in 1941. It was an ancient temple built during the Qing Dynasty and later became a memorial after historical events.
Inside the memorial house remains four cannons, a sandstone, swords and spears used in the battle, as well as star-shaped banners, British Army uniforms captured from the British Army and documents about events.
Not as noisy and crowded as Beijing city, Guangzhou has a strangely peaceful beauty. Owning itself with a history of more than 2000 years along with cultural features rich in national identity and unique cuisine. So this place has become a destination that promises many interesting things for tourists when choosing to travel to China.
Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Guangzhou you can refer to
- Guangzhou Sunac Snow Park Admission Ticket
- Guangzhou Chimelong Safari Park
- Chimelong Hotel Guangzhou
- Guangzhou Sunac Water Park Admission Ticket
- Chimelong International Circus Guangzhou
- Chimelong Water Park Ticket in Guangzhou
- Chimelong Birds Park Guangzhou
- Private City Transfers between Guangzhou and Hong Kong
- Guangzhou Chimelong Hotel Buffet
- Qingyuan Gulong Gorge Drifting Glass Grand Canyon
- Guangzhou Sunac Land Admission Ticket
- Chimelong Paradise Guangzhou
- Guangzhou Science Center Ticket
- Canton Tower
- Chimelong Safari Park and Birds Park Tickets in Guangzhou
- Guangzhou Zhengjia Penguin Ice and Snow World Tickets
Read more Guangzhou travel guide here.