Yuexiu Park

Lonely Planet review

A bright swathe of green plunked down in the middle of Guǎngzhōu, the vast urban Yuexiu Park encompasses over 93 hectares of gardens, shaded wood paths, historical monuments and museums. Within it, you'll find Guǎngzhōu's Five Rams Statue (Wǔyáng Shíxìang), a statue of the five immortals attributed to Guǎngzhōu's founding.

On top of a hill in the centre of the park is the five-story Zhenhai Tower (Zhènhǎi Lóu), built in 1380. Later incorporated into Guǎngzhōu's city wall, it was used as a watchtower to keep out the pirates that once pillaged China's coastal cities.

Now the red-walled tower stands alone, the city walls long since removed. During the First Opium War, British troops occupied the tower and the grounds around the tower hold some of the cannons used by the British during that time. There are sweeping views of Guǎngzhōu from the top storey. Take metro line 2, Yuèxiù Gōngyuán station, or bus 5, 10, 33, 63, 122 or 244.