Guangzhou, China: 20 best activities

By Anna Purpurpurpur

Guangzhou, the main city of Guangdong in China and known for Westerners as Canton for a long time, was on my travel list for so long – and I must say, it exceeded my expectations (which is a tricky task).

So far, it’s the most impressive city in China I’ve been to (but there’s definitely more to explore).

See my selection of activities to participate in Guangzhou – right on time for the Chinese New Year!

1. Ride the Sky Bubble Tram of Canton Tower

The Canton tower is the main modern symbol of the city and definitely one of the towers widely known across all the country.

A few facts about the Canton tower: it opened in 2010, it’s 600 metres tall and it’s the fifth tallest freestanding structure in the world surpassed only by the Burj Khalifa, Merdeka 118, Tokyo Skytree and Shanghai tower.

There are a few viewing platforms including the highest one 488 metres high and the middle one 450 metres high with the bubble trams. Actually these bubble trams, or the horizontal (slightly inclined) ferry wheel is the reason why I decided to come to Guangzhou.The trip around the platforms of 450-460 metres lasts for 20 min, and you get the most surreal view of the city!

The boats, bridges crossing the Pearl River and Zhujiang New Town aka the Business district are all illuminated with lights. I visited quite a few observational desks, and believe me – this one is outstanding.

Important: You have to choose the platform you intend to visit in advance: for instance, I bought tickets well in advance: I went for the 450 metres one and I couldn’t add to my online ticket the 488 metre one visit there. But even with pre-booked tickets, our visit was extremely exhausting (we visited during the weekend): we spent over 2 hours in various queues (for ticket collection, then for the first lift, then for the second lift, then for the tram), and the overall experience wasn’t very pleasant – however the view was amazing.

2. Attend Pearl River cruise

The Pearl river, the third largest river in China and the main river of Guangzhou.

This river played a significant historical role in the development of the city. Besides that, the Pearl river estuary is famous for being home for rare humpback dolphins also known as Chinese white dolphins.

And you can even spot the mascots of China’s 15th National Games 2025 that took place in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao – these are white and pink dolphins called Xiyangyang and Lerongrong!

Cruises usually start from the wharfs right under the Canton tower – there are plenty of options available, including ones with a dinner. We went for a 50 min scenic tour with snacks, and booked the tickets to the upper floor of our cruise boat in advance to get the best view possible.

And I must say, the view was just crazy! You watch the light show on the Liede bridge and the striking illumination on the skyscrapers on both sides of the river. Probably, one of the most futuristic experiences I’ve ever had in my life!

3. Learn the past of the Shamian Island

Shamian island has a completely different vibe to the rest of Guangzhou – let us start with a bit of history! Did you know that Canton (the western name for Guangzhou) was the only spot opened for trade with foreigners for centuries?

The special political significance was attributed to this site. The 13 factories was the warehouse district where the restrictions of foreign commerce were lifted: it operated from the 17th till the mid -19th century when they were not restored after a fire.

Later on, after 13 factories were gone, Shamiandao, or Shamian island became one of the most special historical sites for the whole of China because the foreigners could live and operate trade from here as the majority of ports were closed for them. On several occasions, Europeans captured the forts here, with probably the most significant events tied up to the beginning of the Second opium war.

Shamiandao was basically the heart of foreign settlement divided between two concessions, British and French. And besides that originally, it wasn’t an island: the channel was dug by the foreigners in 1859. A slightly bigger part of the island belonged to the British, and the rest belonged to the French.

It can be easily distinguished by two churches, one Catholic – Lady of Lourdes Chapel; and another one Protestant – Shamian Christian Church. Now you can enjoy walking along the main street with old style colonial European buildings flanking it from both sides: in the past the embassies were located there.

You can also admire the numerous sculptures, highlighting the glimpses of the past lives that took place here; numerous old trees and flowers blooming; benches, café and souvenir shops. Locals come here to make photo shoots in a very different style from what you expect from China (for instance we saw gangsters or European style old-fashioned clothing on the models there as well as at weddings).

And as fans of Harry Potter, we headed to Shamian island to attend their time-limited Harry Potter pop up cafe! A huge building was all transformed into Hogwarts with everything all dedicated to Harry Potter and staff dressed up like wizards – and can you believe that this is actually a Starbucks café? Actually this looks like a smaller version of Warner Bros studio I’ve shown you recently with everything from that floor tiles to the candle decorations in the ceiling is themed as if you were about to lift your wand and prepare some portions!

Important: my visit took place in late December 2025.

4. Explore the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall

The Chen Clan Ancestral Hall is one of the main landmarks of Guangzhou, and nos uprise it feels very crowded!

It was savaged during the Cultural Revolution in 1966 but it was restored, and you can learn about its history from the photos exhibited in the halls.

The Chen Clan Ancestral Hall is a huge historical complex of the late 19th century that belonged to the powerful Chen clan (which consisted of numerous smaller branches and even the western parts) with 9 halls, 6 courtyards and numerous buildings which used to have a large lotus pond in front of it as well.

The decorative details here amaze visitors: stone vases with fruits, roof details covered with wooden and stone carvings, vivid colours and strategically placed spotted pants all coexist in harmony.

It functioned as a temple and as a venue for the exam preparations from all distant relatives on various branches of the Chen family.

Now you can not only admire its architecture but learn about Arts and Crafts of Guangdong province as the Guangdong Folk Art Museum is located inside: explore skilfully made jade, wood carvings, porcelain, ivory / bone carvings, Kwon-glazed porcelain and porcelain from Fengxi town where masters have been perfecting their art for 1200 years etc.

5. Stroll along the Beijing road

Beijing road pedestrian street is used to be the main road of the old town coming in a favorable feng shui direction.

You can still see the remains of the old cobbled road of the Song dynasty in the middle of the street under the glass cover. Today it’s a busy shopping district where you can see a few monuments such as an ancient water clock, consisting of a few buckets, and temples.

If you have time, you can read the historical blanks telling you where which house used to be located. Just look at this clever system with two hours of water flowing between buckets. And if you’re a Miniso fan, there is Miniso land, the largest Miniso store in the country and the largest I’ve ever seen in my life.

6. Pay a visit to Defo temple

If you’re around the Beijing road, come and visit this amazing temple located in the very heart of Beijing road district.

This is a magnificent Defo, or grand Buddha temple, – its origins can be traced back to the 10th century to the rule of Emperor Liu Yan – but of course the temple was just destroyed and rebuilt many times since then and now it looks pretty much brand new. The latest restoration dates to the late 20th century.

The temple consists of large courtyards and halls: in one of them you can spot murals of Buddha and various spirits all made from precious colourful jade; and in the other one you can see Three large copper Buddha each 6 m tall and representing past, present and future. Photography is limited inside some halls.

7. Spend a day at Lychee bay

The area around the Lychee bay, Liwan district, is our favorite district of Guangzhou.

This is a historical area known for its canals and lakes, historical buildings, restaurants, traditional, Chinese dress rentals, shops, Bruce Lee ancestral house and the Cantonese Opera museum (see more info about some of them below).

My other recommendations for Lychee Bay District would be to shop for some tea at BlanBunny, buy some cute souvenirs, such as food-shaped candles like dim sum or cakes, or to make your own name with Chinese characters at a shop with an old typecasting press.

There’s also a tiny free art center on Yongqing street where you can see the most amazing pieces of arts and crafts of this area, including the Chinese embroideries, ivory carvings, wood pieces and porcelain. To be honest some exhibits are just mind blowing, considering how much skill and time one should’ve put in it.

And finally come to Nanxin milk dessert venue founded in 1934 for some sesame cream, ginger pudding and mango, pomelo and sago!

8. Don’t miss Bruce Lee’s ancestral house

Bruce Lee’s ancestral house belonged to his father Lee Hoi-chuen who professionally performed Cantonese opera as the Clown character.

You can learn here about the family and the influence of the king of kung fu (to be precise, quanfa, the martial arts, as kung fu term can be applied to any skill one has been mastering all life) – and to see the interior of traditional Xiguan house, local to the Liwan district of Guangzhou where the Lychee bay is located.

9. Learn about Yuesu at Cantonese opera museum

The Cantonese opera museum is a partly open – air large museum with a garden sitting on a canal bank.

It features numerous pieces of Cantonese art – and besides that, you can even listen to some opera Yuesu pieces here too!

Many visitors just come here to enjoy it live on stage surrounded by a scenic background and koi pond with water lilies. The Yueju opera is included into the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

Small museum there features some costumes and exhibits related to the performance and the characters there. The entry is free, and you must check the schedule of performances in advance.

10. Get a Hanfu Photoshoot

As Lychee Bay is very cinematic, there is no surprise many come here to take a photo shoot with the absolute amazing surroundings.

You can notice many ladies and young gentlemen doing their make up and renting clothes on one of the venues here – and so did I as well. Many opt for Hanfu, traditional Chinese clothing made from delicate fabrics, featuring long sleeves, nature inspired motives and several layers of textiles.

I must say that overall experience here was much quicker and more efficient than I had in South Korea near Gyeongbokgung Palace. You can hire a professional photographer, but as we were in a hurry we just took some photos by ourselves. This is also allowed for a very reasonable price. Save this spot (it might be named Hongmen Lupaiguan but I cannot guarantee that) in a house with the Human drink sign!

11. Hike at the Yuexiu park

Yuexiu park is a beautiful large green space with flowers, giant trees and the remnants of the Northern part of the old city wall. Get ready for some hiking too!

It’s the largest park of the city located in between hills and it even has several lakes, so there are a lot of things to do!

But there’s one landmark you can’t miss: the Statue of Five rams, or goats, reflecting the old legend of immortals who decided to help people here: they descended from heaven riding five goats each holding the stalks of rice in its mouth and gave them to humans – and grains from these stalks helped people here to have good harvests.

The statue dates to 1960, and you can even buy an ice cream there featuring it as well!

12. See the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall

Sun Yat-sen was a prominent political figure in early 20th century China. Trained as a doctor and with a good western education, he became one of the most influential characters of revolution against the Chinese empire, and after the last emperor’s abolition he became one of the founders of Republic of China established on 1 January 1912, its provisional president and the founder of Kuomintang party (now the main party in Taiwan).

This site was initially a place for his presidential palace, but as he gradually lost his power, the initial palace was damaged during an attack in 1922, and what you see today is an octagonal restored memorial to Zhongshan (this is his name is Cantonese) initially dating to 1929.

If you conquer quite a steep long staircase up to the mountain behind the Memorial, you’ll find a tall obelisk dedicated to Sun Yat-sen with the words of his last will embedded there in gold.

13. Visit Guangzhou Museum and Zhenghai tower

Guangzhou Museum must be on your itinerary for a few reasons.

First, it’s located inside the five-story Zhenhai Tower, or Sea Guard Tower, dating back to 1380 and now reinforced with concrete and turned into a museum in 1929.

This tower was rebuilt quite a few times but it remained one of the most important buildings in Guangzhou and it’s been its highest building for centuries! Secondly, it’s a nice museum where you can learn about the history of Guangzhou from prehistoric times till our days.

The collection stretched through several floors, and besides that, some exhibits are placed outside such as cannons used during the Opium wars. And finally, the view from the top floor is incredible! Just walk to the terrace through the shop and enjoy the scenery.

14. Explore the Nanyue King Museum

The Nanyue King Museum is an archaeological museum constructed around the recently excavated king tomb (and the sacrificed human skeletons alongside him) buried inside the hill. Actually this discovery was pretty accidental as the burial was uncovered by some construction works on this site in 1983.

The king’s name was Zhao Mo, he ruled the Nanyue kingdom and ruled in 137 – 122 BC, meanwhile the Nanyue kingdom existed for 93 years, from 203BC to 111BC and started with the Zhao Tuo’s reign who was the grandfather of Zhao Mo buried here.

This museum showcases the artifacts found in the tomb and explains life back to 2000 years ago.

Stamps, religious and ritual objects, large collection of jade and the king’s jade burial suit, arms, medicines from multi-colored stones, musical instruments, kitchen utensils, treasure obtained by trade (for instance, with Arabian countries) and other objects that belonged to the kings’ servants and concubines who were buried with him – you can easily spend a few hours there!

The museum is very well made, and you’ll enjoy it (and it’s really interesting to compare this burial to the Terracotta warrior army in Xi’an too!).

15. Pass by the Qingping Medicine Market

Qingping Medicine Market is the most traditional Chinese medicine market you can imagine with all the strange creatures dried, chopped and squeezed.

Mollusks, sea horses, fungi, fruits, meat and tendons, probably deer antlers – and some ingredients for traditional Chinese dishes can all be found here. The market is located close to the Shamian island.

16. Admire the Guangzhou Opera House

If you have time, quickly stop by Guangzhou Opera House, a true architectural marvel designed by Zaha Hadid. It opened in 2010 and is located in the Central Business District overlooking the Pearl river.

The whole building looks mesmerizing, especially at the sunset! You can also explore the area around it: it’s called the Zhujiang New Town where the headquarters of many large companies are located.

17. See pandas at Chimelong Safari park

Chimelong is a Chinese company specializing in entertainment parks, and Chimelong Safari park Guangzhou is one of them.

It’s one of the largest parks of its kind in the world! It has a few zones including Panda village, Koala kingdom (with dozens of koalas!), Green hill and Jurassic world area and so on. In total, there are about 500 different species of animals!

There are three main highlights there. First one is the cable car: there are two lines (shorter Swan lake one and longer circular one that goes above the African area), and the ride is an absolutely pleasant experience! Although get ready to queue. With a glass floor, you can easily watch all the animals below.

Panda village is the second attraction, and it’s home not only for ordinary giant pandas but to the world’s only surviving panda triplets (Meng Meng, Shuai Shuai and Ku Ku) who were born here in 2014!

There are actually many pandas here, and every one of them has its own large pile of ice and a little playground. And yes, everything is panda – themed here! Of course, it’s less impressive than the Chengdu reserve I went to 6 years ago, but still it’s a must for panda – lovers!

And the third highlight of this parki is the Safari on wheels trail where you board one of the windowless trains and head off exploring the animals in their enclosures! We’ve been to quite a few safari tours like this in Dubai and Singapore, and I must say, this one was amazing – the amount of animals, especially giraffes, zebras and other African species, is astonishing.

And the zoo – themed treats are one of the bonuses of your visit you’ll like.

To comfortably visit the majority of Chemilong’s territory, you’ll need at least 5 hours.

18. Feed capybaras at the Grandview

Grandview mall is one of the large malls of Guangzhou in the Tianhe district where you can find a bunch of attractions.

In this multi-floor building you’ll see a Pokémon Centre, an aquarium, a rainforest and museum of Natural sciences inside, not to mention numerous restaurants and shops.

Yes, you probably know that in China animals are usually treated to different standards than in Europe but just to let you know that in the Rainforest Grandview mall you can feed capybaras and llamas and explore numerous exotic plants. As for the other animals, there are toucans, parrots, pigs, llamas, fish, rabbits, capybaras and many others.

19. Shop at the Tianhe district

Tianhe district should be high on your list if you came to Guangzhou for some luxury shopping, and Chinese shopping malls are just another level!

Can you imagine having such a giant snow globe just in the courtyard of one of the shopping malls?

Numerous malls along the Tianhe road are incredible – look for the Teemall, One Link Central and Parc Central malls if you’re into high-end shopping and modern cafes!

For instance, go for the Mango, sago and pomelo dessert which is a beloved Southern China delicacy – you can find it everywhere here.

Besides that, our hotel was interconnected with Takoo Hui, a large complex with office towers, cultural centre and a shopping mall with boutiques such as Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Prada etc, a hypermarket, and numerous restaurants and cafes.

In one of them we tried some delicious chinese cuisine including some of my fav local ingredients: jellyfish and intestines. The second one was referred to as the Museum of Bread (Musee du Pain), and it definitely featured various options of savory and sweet pastries.

20. Stay at the Mandarin Oriental

Guangzhou is not short of the most luxurious hotel options, but we decided to stay at the Mandarin Oriental Guangzhou, one of the gems of the city’s hospitality sector.

One feature which really stood out for us was the Panda-themed suite, and as we travel with a kid, we had to go for it!

George had a two story bed with a slide, numerous sweets, games, a Panda soft toy (we already have a few others from other MO hotels and this is a nice addition to our collection), and basically everything is panda or jungle-themed here, even his slippers. And this is our master bed with a panoramic view over Guangzhou.

The hotel’s lobby had lovely Christmas decorations – can you imagine that the Christmas trees here were decorated with real flowers and apples, a stylish cafe and overlooked the Dior boutique.

The MO has a decent breakfast selection in a stylish restaurant space – all you need before exploring the city! Of course, we made good use of the noodle station too.

Some relaxing experiences are not to be missed as well – I had an amazing set of treatments (Chinese massage to let the Qi energy circulate through the meridians and a scrub) – and at the end you get this set of food to nourish your body. And how would you rate this outdoor pool?