Top things to do in Guangzhou — 10+ must & best things to do in Guangzhou

As one of the most prosperous cities in mainland China, Guangzhou is known as one of China’s 10 most popular tourist destinations, with countless things to do, places to visit, delicacy for visitors. During your trip to Wuyang city (former name of Guangzhou), you can find a wide range of interesting things to do, from shopping at the “Asian shopping paradise” with the cheapest prices to China’s best amusement and entertainment recreational areas or visit its skyscrapers and luxury malls.

In addition, coming here, you can also learn about the history and culture of the Guangdong region in particular, and China in general at museums – where history has been preserved quite well, especially Shamian Island. So, what to do in Guangzhou? Let’s check out our top rated 10+ best things to do in Guangzhou, fun things to do in Guangzhou and top things to do in Guangzhou as follows.

Here are the top 10 best things to do in Guangzhou that you shouldn’t miss.

Night cruise on the Pearl River (# best things to do in guangzhou)

Known as the third longest river in China, the Pearl River (Zhujiang River) with a length of more than 2,000 km (about 1,243 miles) includes tributaries Xi River, Bei River, Liuxi River and Dong River. Finally, the small rivers converge together in Guangzhou, creating an extremely charming landscape. Cruise on the Pearl River must be one of the most wonderful experiences in Guangzhou when night falls. Admiring the colorful Wuyang city from a boat along the riverbank will give visitors a completely new perspective on this “shopping paradise”. 

Indulging in the cool breeze on the cruise at night, visitors can also enjoy and view from afar the beautiful Haizhu Square, the famous Canton Tower, as well as other high-rise buildings and skyscrapers. The beautiful night scene under neon lights will definitely leave you with an unforgettable impression.

Canton Tower (# top things to do in guangzhou)

As the tallest tower in China, Canton Tower with a height of 600 meters (1,968 feet) has become a special highlight of Guangzhou city, not only because of its remarkable height but also because of its extremely unique design. Inspired by a woman’s hip joints, Mark Hemel, the tower’s designer, created a slim waist in the middle of the tower with the thinnest part only about 30 meters in diameter! 

At night, the Canton Tower looks like a gorgeous, graceful dress with colorful neon lights. Visiting the Canton Tower, you can not only enjoy a panoramic view of the city from a bird’s eye view, but also have the opportunity to experience adventurous and thrilling challenges. Canton Tower in Guangzhou is also divided into 5 zones according to different heights and functions: zones A, B, C, D, E. In particular, area E is the highest area with many types of attractive and interesting entertainment.

If you love taking photos or watching the city, visit area E with the world’s highest outdoor observation deck, where you can capture wonderful moments of sunrise, moonlight, and starry sky. or panoramic views of the city. If you want a little romance, try the Bubble Tram experience with a 16-cabin crystal tram that rotates around the tower and offers panoramic views of the city. The Sky Drop area allows you to experience the feeling of free falling from a height of 485m, equivalent to 100 feet, giving you the opportunity to escape stress, anxiety and boredom. 

In addition, you can also experience watching 3D or 4D movies with a huge screen in area B, or go Spider Walk on the world’s longest 1096 spiral stairs in area D like a spiderman. Or you can enjoy coffee and dinner with your family in area A, enjoying a 360-degree view of the Pearl River from the outdoor center at a height of 32 m. It’s truly an attractive place that’s hard to miss, isn’t it?

Shamian Island (# what to do in guangzhou

One of the best places to explore architecture in Guangzhou is Shanmian Island, where you can find ancient European-style spaces with streets lined with statues, pavilions, and wooden chairs and fountains. There are more than 150 European-style buildings on the island, including 42 baroque, pseudoclassical, neoclassical architecture and some typical Chinese and European buildings. 

Strolling around there, you can breathe in the fresh, ancient air and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Furthermore, on Shamian Island there are also extremely impressive bars, which can bring you a vibrant nightlife.

Take a walk in Yuexiu Park (# fun things to do in guangzhou)

Walking in Yuexiu Park is one of the free but equally interesting experiences in Guangzhou. As the city’s largest park, in addition to enjoying the natural scenery, you can see the Five Goats statue with the image of 5 goats gathering in Yuexiu park, one of the most famous sculptures and is the symbol of the city.

Bright green trees, calm lakes, as well as green mountains provide a comfortable atmosphere so visitors can enjoy the best leisure time. After visiting the picturesque scenes, you can visit the Guangdong Museum and the ancient city wall in the park. The museum requires an admission ticket for 10 yuan per person. In addition, the park also has a number of entertainment areas specifically for children, extremely suitable for families with young children.

Enjoy morning tea and Cantonese Dim Sum

One of the typical customs and habits of Cantonese people is enjoying morning tea and eating Dim Sum with family and friends, often called Yum Cha culture. This is a common habit, especially among the elderly. If you are in Guangzhou, don’t miss the opportunity to experience this special culture.

Yum Cha in the Cantonese region is like a great breakfast that includes tea and traditional Dim Sum dishes. Nowadays, Cantonese Dim Sum is quite diverse with more variations to suit your taste, but we advise you not to miss the typical dim sum dishes here, including Shrimp Dim Sum, Steamed Shaomai and Steamed Vermicelli Roll.

Have fun at Chimelong resort complex

The Chimelong resort complex includes a series of theme parks, including Chimelong Paradise, Safari Park, Water Park, International Circus and Bird Park. Just entering the Chimelong resort complex, you will experience many levels of emotions with high-class entertainment facilities, exploring 60-70 different amusement attractions, including 10 rounds roller coasters that breaking Guinness record, Motorbike Coaster, Half Pipe, state-of-the-art 4D theater with blockbuster movies,…

Meanwhile, the Safari park is the largest safari theme park in China with the most animals, helping you immerse yourself in the wild world at the zoo. At night, watching a wonderful circus performance at the international circus will be one of the best experiences with family and friends. If you visit in the summer, playing in the cool water at Chimelong water park will definitely be the best choice for you with friends or family.

Visit the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall

Visiting the Chen clan ancestral hall is a must-do in Guangzhou, especially for history buffs. Built in 1888, the ancestral hall still retains almost intact its ancient features from many generations ago. In the past, this temple was built to provide accommodation for students studying from all over to participate in the royal exam. And today, this temple has become a place that preserves historical values intact. In addition to ancient architecture, many different exquisite sculptures such as wood carvings, stone carvings, brick carvings and ceramic sculptures will definitely impress you. Furthermore, the colorful paintings with different styles and characteristics here are also worth visiting and admiring.

Visit Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is one of the must-see places in Guangzhou because of its historical significance. The building was built to commemorate the great Chinese revolutionary leader Sun Yat-sen (1866 -1925). This memorial hall serves as a witness to many important historical events of China. The Memorial Hall is now an important venue for major meetings and performances in Guangzhou.

The main building of the project is a magnificent octagonal palace with traditional Chinese characteristics. In the hall, you can easily find a place to record and introduce this great man and his life experiences. In addition, in the courtyard area of the memorial house there is also the oldest kapok tree and two largest magnolia trees in the city.

Shopping at Guangzhou wholesale markets

Dubbed “Asia’s shopping paradise”, Guangzhou owns a large number of wholesale markets and the most famous is the garment wholesale market. Every day, many businessmen from all over the country gather in these markets to buy and sell all kinds of clothes. Shopping at these wholesale markets is truly one of the top experiences in Guangzhou. You can find many fashionable garments at much lower prices. Recommended major markets include Huimei Garment City, Baima Clothing Market and Zhanxi Market…

If you interested in shopping, plz read more: What to buy in Guangzhou & where to shop in Guangzhou.

Hiking on Baiyun Mountain

As the city’s most famous mountain, Bach Van Mountain is an attractive destination for all visitors with great hiking routes. The locals here also love this mountain very much and often spend their weekends walking on the roads here. The entire Baiyun range includes more than 30 peaks, of which Moxing Ridge is the highest peak in the entire range. Standing on the top of the mountain, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city with an extremely interesting feeling.

Especially after the rain, you can see white clouds drifting lazily around the mountain peaks. That is why this place is called White Cloud Mountain (Baiyun in Chinese means White Cloud). Additionally, on the journey to conquer the peak, there are a total of 7 viewing areas and trams are available among the spots if you get tired of hiking. The best time to visit Baiyun Mountain is spring, when flowers bloom everywhere. Strolling, admiring the peaceful lakes and breathing in the fresh air will help you escape the hustle and bustle of city life.

In addition above must-visit attractions, you can combine to go to other worth well places to visits such as Guangdong museum, Bejing Road, Baoma Garden, Liurong temple, Museum of the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King, Sacred Heart Church, Guangxiao Temple …

 

With a favorable geographical location and rich history, Guangzhou has always been an interesting destination, attracting tourists around the world because of its cultural diversity, the mixture of the old and the traditional. of the Guangdong region, China and the newness and modernity of international integration and world culture. Stroll along charming poetic streets, immerse yourself in challenging and adventurous fun activities, learn about local culture and history or go shopping at shopping centers and wholesale markets… you can all find it in Weiyang city. Above are the top 10+ best things to do in Guangzhou that we think you should not miss. Wishing you a happy and meaningful trip!

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.