Guangzhou is known as a shopping paradise, not only for locals but also for foreigners. With beautiful designs and reasonable prices, Guangzhou products receive the attention of many people. Foreign tourists love shopping in Guangzhou because of the ease of buying and the variety of goods. In particular, there are some items that Guangzhou is extremely strong in, so if you come to Guangzhou, don’t miss the items, souvenirs, gifts below.
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So, what is famous in Guangzhou, what souvenirs to buy in Guangzhou, what to buy from Guangzhou, what to buy in Guangzhou, where to shop in Guangzhou, what’s best shopping Guangzhou? Let’s check out our Guangzhou shopping guide with the suggested list of 11+ must buy Guangzhou gifts, Guangzhou souvenirs, best things to buy in Guangzhou as well as best places to shop in Guangzhou as follows!
Guangzhou is known as the largest and most prosperous commercial center in southern China, because there are thousands of manufacturing and processing factories located here to create many different products. You can find a lot of products here at bargain prices made in China. As a tourist, you can not only find great deals but also have enjoyable experiences during your shopping time.
Fashion and accessories (# what to buy in guangzhou)
Compared with most other countries, China has a huge advantage in the garment industry. They have large areas of land to produce input materials for textiles and garments. Besides, weaving, sewing, fabric dyeing, etc. are also handicraft industries with a very long tradition in this country. Therefore, China has certain advantages to increase industry productivity and reduce costs. In short, when mentioning Chinese clothes, you will immediately think of diverse, beautiful designs at affordable prices.
And of all the localities in China, Guangzhou is the place where the garment industry is extremely developed. There are thousands of garment factories with large capacity, allowing hundreds of thousands of clothing models to catch up with trends every day. Therefore, if you come to Guangzhou, you definitely have to buy a few outfits, fashion clothings and accessories as well for yourself and your relatives and friends because of the cheap price and trendy. You should also be careful to limit purchases and avoid items that are difficult to transport to your country.
Besides Shanghai, this is where most of the latest fashion items produced in other provinces in China are concentrated, with beautiful, diverse and trendy designs, and it also gathers fashion items from famous brands in the world. In addition to beautiful and richly designed goods, fashion in Guangzhou is also suitable for many customer segments from low-income customers to middle and high-income customers, and even the lowest quality is at an acceptable level. Yes, the price is affordable and much cheaper in almost anywhere in the world.
Famous fashion stores that you should go to are Baima Garment Market with beautiful, unique, and affordable clothing items, Jiefang Beilu Street and Ziyuangang Leather Wholesale Market – famous streets with leather goods centers, Metropolis Shoes city shoe market…
Hand bags (# what to buy from guangzhou)
China is a paradise for fake goods, that is, products that imitate famous brands in the world. The level of copying and counterfeit goods in China is very high and extremely sophisticated.
Genuine Chanel, Hermes… handbags cost up to tens of millions, even hundreds of millions of dong, while fake goods in China only cost tens of dollars. Besides, there are also many reputable domestic branded products in China sold in Guangzhou. Therefore, with the question of what to buy in Guangzhou, one of the answers is handbags.
Suitcase/Luggage
In fact, if you buy suitcases in Vietnam or somewhere in Asia, the price will be double that of China. The reason is that most Vietnamese suitcases originate from other countries, and when imported, they have to pay shipping fees, insurance or taxes… so the price increases. It’s convenient if you travel to Guangzhou, because you can buy high quality suitcases at a much cheaper price.
Cosmetics (# what souvenirs to buy in guangzhou)
Guangzhou is not only famous for its rich source of fashion products, but it also gathers a large source of cosmetic products, the quality is also quite good with diverse and quality products. Especially famous for Chinese domestic products, extremely loved by youth such as: lipstick, powder, foundation, eyeliner… Famous and sought after Guangzhou cosmetic brands: Dabao, Avon, Caisy…
Jewelry (# best things to buy in guangzhou)
This is also an item chosen by many tourists when shopping in Guangzhou. You should buy jewelry at Taikang Wholesale Market, located on Taikang Lu Road. You can rest assured that the design and quality of this item here is designed quite beautifully, sophisticatedly, eye-catching, and is popular with many customers, especially women. The extremely meticulous and sophisticated engravings on the jewelry will make the person who owns it become more elegant, luxurious and noble. The price here is quite cheap, durable, good, and suitable for buyers’ styles.
Smart phones of Chinese domestic brands (# guangzhou gifts)
Although China’s mobile industry was born late, it has made rapid progress, catching up with other powers such as the US, Japan, Korea, etc. But what if you love other phone brands like Xiaomi or Vivo, Oppo, Huawei, etc. You can absolutely buy it at a few stores or merchants specializing in hand-carried goods. But the risk of swapping devices and accessories is quite high, especially for those who do not know much about phones. Therefore, the safest thing is to buy a mobile phone when traveling here.
Guangzhou souvenirs
Going to Guangzhou or anywhere else when traveling, everyone wants to choose a gift there to bring back as a souvenir or as a gift for relatives. Right at the corner of Yide Lu and Jiefang nan Lu streets, there is a market selling souvenirs with many different genres and materials that are unique, eye-catching, and have bright, striking colors. Surely you will be satisfied, both sightseeing and shopping here.
There are many souvenir shops here for you to visit and shop. The famous souvenir market located on Yide Lu Street specializes in trading souvenir items such as jewelry, toys, decorative statues, stuffed animals… Here you can also find many precious antique items. The great thing is that these souvenirs are not too expensive but are quite sophisticated in design.
Pantang water chestnut cakes (# guangzhou shopping guide)
The Pantang chestnut cake is quite simple to make but has an extremely excellent taste, capturing the hearts of tourists from all over the world. The cake is soft and remains chewy and delicious. If you come to Guangzhou, don’t forget to find and enjoy it.
Dried seafood
The seafood here has a rich flavor and high nutrient content. You can buy it as a gift for relatives and friends very conveniently.
Dried meat, sausage
Drying is a long-standing way of preserving food in China. The dried meat and sausage here have a sweet, aromatic flavor, are very richly marinated, but also have nutritional value.
In addition items above, you can also buy some other souvenirs or gifts such as Chinese calligraphy, scroll paintings, folding fan, handicrafts, ceramics, refrigerator magnets or gemstones…
Where to buy in Guangzhou and best places to shop in Guangzhou?
After you have identified the items you need to buy, find out where to buy each type of product. So, where to shop in Guangzhou? Here are best places to shop in Guangzhou you can refer to.
Buy clothes at Baima garment market (# best things to buy in guangzhou)
Address: 16 Zhannan Rd, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China, 510499
Hours: 8 AM–6 PM
For clothes, go to the leading Baima (White Horse) wholesale clothing market in Guangzhou. Even though it is a wholesale market, this place not only sells goods to wholesalers, but if you want to buy a few clothes individually, the sellers are still willing to sell them to you. Baima Clothing Wholesale Market is the largest clothing wholesale market in Guangzhou with 2,000 wholesale stores, including stores from Hong Kong, Taiwan and other regions in China. The main products are men’s and women’s clothing, uniforms, shirts, pants, skirts, coats…
Baima market is the leading clothing wholesale market in Guangzhou. Not only traders, but even tourists want to experience shopping once at the bustling Baima market. Baima Market is located near the train station so you can move conveniently and quickly. The market was built in 1991 and came into operation in 1993 with an area of up to 6,000 square meters including 4 busy market floors.
This market is at 16 Zhannan Street with the train station right nearby. Therefore, traveling is very convenient for tourists.
Buy bags and suitcases at the Baiyun leather market (# best places to shop in guangzhou)
Address: Baiyun, Guangzhou, China, 510405
This market is located at Jiefang Beilu Road and Ziyuangang Lu Road. Here you can see countless handbags and suitcases with different designs and sizes at extremely cheap prices. Buying these items as gifts for loved ones is also extremely suitable.
The leather market in Guangzhou specializes in selling leather bags and wallets, fake products of branded goods that are 30 – 40% similar or even 99% authentic while the price you have to pay is only 1/10 genuine or even cheaper. Not only can you buy a unique, strange handbag with eye-catching and attractive designs, you can also buy leather wallets for your mother or sister, buy leather wallets for your father or brother, there are many options. choose for you, make sure everyone will like your gift.
Leather market on Jiefang Beillu Street and Ziyuagang Lu Street, centers such as Guihualou leather mall, YiSen Leather Building… sell all kinds of leather bags and leather wallets, the price is very cheap if you buy in large quantities, however If you buy one, it will be very expensive or not for sale.
Shahe wholesale market (# best shopping guangzhou)
If you want to buy cheap things, you can go to this market, Shahe Market sells clothes for everyone from children to adults. The items here are especially cheap, but at the same time the quality is also quite good. And the opening hours of Shahe market are 5am to 5pm.
Buy smart phones at genuine stores (# what to buy in guangzhou)
China’s domestic phone companies have a wide distribution network of stores across the country. And just in Guangzhou, you can buy phones everywhere. The most convenient way is to go to Shangxia Jiu Lu walking street to explore the bustling streets and buy the phone you like.
Onelink International Plaza
Address: China, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, Yuexiu District
One Link International Plaza Toy Market is like a giant supermarket specializing in selling toys for children and souvenirs you can buy as gifts for friends, your children. From One Link International Plaza, go all the way and then turn left and continue for a while, you will see the famous shoe market in Guangzhou. The two markets are connected so you can have a very convenient shopping experience.
This place is like a toy paradise for children. Not only that, you can also buy many unique souvenirs for relatives and friends. You can shop freely here without worrying about the price because the prices of the items here are always very cheap.
Xing Hao Pan Shoe Market
Address: China, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, Yuexiu District.
Xing Hao Pan Shoe Market in Guangzhou was established in 1998. It is the longest-standing and most famous shoe market in Guangzhou. This market is very large with a scale of up to 5 buildings, inside there are more than 1,300 shoe companies with stores here. Coming to Xing Hao Pan shoe market, you seem to be lost in a miniature shoe paradise. There are a variety of footwear products with a variety of designs, styles, sizes, and colors for you to choose from. To get to the market, you should use the train because the market is located right at Guangzhou train station, very convenient when traveling by subway.
Beijing Road Pedestrian Street
Beijing Road is a famous shopping street for most foreign tourists, because this place focus all the items that tourists want to buy for their different needs from purchasing purposes to as gifts, souvenirs or items of high value, etc. Beijing Road will be very suitable for those who want to buy clothes, souvenirs, enjoy food as well as buy unique Chinese snacks. If you want to buy high-end items from famous brands, Beijing Road also has many choices for you from clothes to high-end jewelry that are not inferior to those in the world’s fashion capitals. However, you should pay more attention to the price for these high-end items because they are quite expensive compared to other popular items.
In addition to popular markets, you can also experience branded shopping in Guangzhou in the bustling and vibrant Beijing Road pedestrian street. The neighborhood is known as a quite high-end and expensive shopping center. There are many stores here that specialize in selling branded goods, instead of selling goods in the form of wholesale markets. The price you pay when buying here can be 10, 20 times more expensive than when you buy at the market, but if you are lucky enough to encounter a sale, you will get good items at a very reasonable price.
If you are tired from shopping here all day, you can also take the time to enjoy some street food along with some soft drinks, this will definitely be the most enjoyable experience for you. ever had. However, you should also pay attention because at noon this place is very crowded and may take you longer to be served. In addition, getting here is also very easy because you can use the subway, which is always ready to serve you at any time of the day. You can refer to the specific way to reach the Beijing Road for more convenient transportation: Yuexiu District, 6 km west of Zhujiang new city. Regarding traffic routes, you should choose the most convenient route such as taking line 6 to Beijing Road, or taking line 1 or line 2 to Gongyuanqian, take exit C and go straight
Tianhe Computer Town
Address: China, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, Tianhe District
Hours: 10 AM–10 PM
Electronics are also one of the items you can shop for when traveling and the most famous electronics market you can visit is Tianhe electronics market specializing in wholesale and retail of all kinds of computers and computer components. Although it is a market product, the items here are guaranteed in quality and at reasonable prices. You can rest assured to buy accessories and computer components here. The products at the market are not only exported to Vietnam, but even big countries like Korea and Japan also import goods from the market.
Tianhe electronics market, located on Tianhe Lu street and Shipai XiLu street, specializes in wholesale and retail of all types of computers and computer components. As a large electronics market, most computer companies in Vietnam import goods from here.
Taikang Wholesale Market
As its name suggests, Taikang Wholesale Market is a market specializing in selling artificial jewelry. Coming here, you will not be able to help but be dazzled by the sparkling things and curvy fashion accessories that look like real products, extremely sophisticated and attractive. Like other items, you can choose to buy suitable bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings… for yourself or your loved ones, the prices here are very reasonable.
Zhuangyuan Street
This square has existed for a long time. When coming here, visitors will not be able to take their eyes off the beautiful handicrafts. The handicrafts on sale are meticulously and vividly made, attracting visitors to stop to admire and shop.
These exquisite handicrafts will be unique souvenirs or gifts in this neighborhood. Zhuang Yuan Square is not only a shopping destination, you can also visit and admire ancient Chinese architecture. Don’t miss the famous Chinese tourist destination that brings together all the colors and cultures of China.
Shanghai Street
Shanghai Street is known as an extremely famous commercial pedestrian street in Guangzhou. This famous walking street is one of the popular and famous shopping destinations in Guangzhou among residents and tourists alike.
The items sold here are mainly clothes at cheap prices. Tourists can bargain to choose beautiful, splendid outfits at very reasonable prices.
Stores in this neighborhood are open until very late for visitors to freely shop and visit. Especially at night when the street lights up, the entire walking street will sparkle. This is a place not to be missed for shoppers who are spoiled for choice.
Not only is Guangzhou a famous shopping destination, visitors can also visit the architecture here. Or stop by restaurants or roadside eateries. The typical cuisine in this neighborhood is also a plus point for visitors to enjoy.
Shangxiajiu Street
This walking street is 1237m long with many commercial stalls attracting hundreds of thousands of domestic and foreign visitors to visit and shop. This famous shopping destination in Guangzhou is overflowing with goods, food, drinks and utensils are everywhere.
The architecture of Shangxiajiu Street is one of the oldest ancient architectures. This is a place to visit for those who like history and culture. This neighborhood is also an area for traditional and modern cultural exchange. The cuisine is diverse with dishes from home and abroad, fully demonstrating the culinary culture here.
This is definitely a paradise for nightlife entertainment activities along with enjoying food at restaurants, snack bars or sipping coffee. Coming here, you will see hundreds of large and small department stores on both sides of the 1200 meter long road. The signs are very eye-catching, in a unique Guangzhou style. The shopping stores are mostly clothing stores, very suitable for young people following Japanese or Korean style.
In addition, you can also satisfy your passion for eating at roadside snack shops to have more energy to play and shop here. In general, the bustle and variety of shops here are quite similar to the streets of Beijing, but the products are much more affordable. In addition, there is an advantage here over Beijing, which is that you can satisfy your bargaining pleasure. Best of all, you don’t have to worry about hustle and bustle because this place is far from the main tourist attractions such as Tianhe, Haizhu and Panyu but travel is very convenient thanks to the subway.
The pedestrianized ShangXiaJiu Commercial Street is also one of the most famous streets in the city. Along both sides of the road, there are many shopping centers and large stores, along with ancient architecture here. There are up to 10 shopping streets close together here.
Another unique point is that this place is quite similar to a night market because the stores are open until about 11 pm. The shops are all sparkling with colorful lights. The specific location of the road is 10km west of Zhujiang new town in Huangsha Residential Area. The means of transportation you can refer to is to take Line 1, get off Changshou Road, take Exit A and walk about 500 meters (12 minutes) along Baohua Road.
Taikoo Hui
Suitable for fashionistas who want to shop the world’s most luxurious brands, from fashion brands around the world from clothes, jewelry, watches, etc. The class here also comes from Luxurious restaurants and top luxury hotel chains in the city such as Mandarin Oriental… Prepare your budget to have the most perfect experience here.
Tianhe Teemall
Address: China, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, Tianhe District, Tianhe Rd, 208
This will be a very suitable place for those who want to shop for mid-range and high-end items at more reasonable prices. This is one of the province’s largest shopping malls, centrally located in Tianhe district and easily accessible by taking the subway. It is home to famous international brands such as Lacoste, Zara, H&M and Versace…
Below is the basement with many delicious foods suitable for the tastes of foreign guests at very affordable prices. The specific location is Tianhe District, 2km north of Zhujiang New City and 3km south of Guangdong.
One of the largest commercial centers in Guangzhou with many famous brands, shops, and eateries. This is a shopping destination in Guangzhou that cannot be missed by shopping enthusiasts.
The means of transport you should choose for easy transportation is to take line 1 or 3 to Tiyu West Road station or take the bus to Tianhe or Sports Center, or take APM to Sports Center Station which are all routes optimal route for you.
Zhujiang New Town
This is another interesting shopping destination but suitable for luxury products. This location is also an integrated shopping area with restaurants and cafes. In particular, next to it is a very special tower. The structure of the building is unique and massive as well as having an observatory placed on top, which is the highest observation point in the city and the second highest in the world. In addition, you can also visit the nearby IFC tower to enjoy the view from the 99th floor of the building. Below are luxury shopping centers and royal restaurants.
In the evening, the buildings are lit up with a lighting system, making admirers feel lost in a magical world of light. It will be very interesting to shop while admiring the majesty and newness of the architectural works here. However, you should also limit shopping too much because China will impose quite high tariffs on these items. The specific location of this place is one kilometer north of Canton Tower and 4 kilometers south of Guangzhou East Station.
The route for convenient traveling at the intersection of lines 3 and 5 and APM line through Zhujiang new city station 3 stops east of Guangzhou.
China Plaza
Address: 33 Zhongshansan Rd, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China, 510050
Hours: 10 AM–10 PM
China Plaza is suitable for bargain shopping for mid-priced, quality products such as cell phones, branded clothing, international products and almost anything. This is a popular shopping place for people from low-class to middle-class people. Although this place is not a place that sells luxury goods, it is very suitable for tourists’ shopping experience thanks to the good facilities here. Besides very competitive prices, you can also bargain to buy at a better price. In particular, the electronics and phone area on the 4th floor of the building attracts most of the attention of tourists, from domestic brands to famous brands such as Nokia or Samsung.
Some notes when shopping in Guangzhou
- Shopping places in Guangzhou are mainly wholesale, when buying, you should invite other tourists to buy with you to get attractive prices.
- You should only bring a fair amount of cash. Don’t bring too much money to avoid theft. You should change money before traveling to Guangzhou because the cost of exchanging money here is relatively expensive.
- You should go shopping with native people or people who know Chinese to facilitate transactions and be able to buy unique items at the most suitable prices, because the majority of sellers do not use English to communicate.
- You should exchange a lot of money to avoid having to go to the bank to exchange money and waste time.
- Bring a pocket calculator because most people in Guangzhou do not know English, to easily shop and transact.
- You should learn some basic Chinese sentences to communicate when people in Guangzhou do not know English.
- You should keep the purchase order. If you buy in large quantities, you must prove to customs that you are not a trader.
- To buy your favorite items at cheap prices, remember to bargain and check the goods carefully before paying.
- You should prepare yourself some necessary medicines before going to Guangzhou because it is very difficult to find a pharmacy in Guangzhou.
- Merchants in Guangzhou have a culture of “challenging prices” like Vietnamese people. Therefore, to buy your favorite items at cheap prices, remember to bargain and carefully check the goods before paying.
Surely after reading this article, you no longer wonder what to buy in Guangzhou, right? Let’s combine your discovery trip to buy the above useful items.
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.