Things to do in Guǎngzhōu
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Guangzhou City Museum
Near the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King is Yuexiu Park. Within, you’ll find Guangzhou’s Five Rams Statue, a statue of the five immortals attributed to Guangzhou’s founding. On top of a hill in the park is the red-walled, five-storey Zhenhai Tower (Zhènhǎi Lóu), which houses the Guangzhou City Museum. The museum boasts an excellent collection of exhibits that trace the history of Guangzhou from the Neolithic period. On the east side of the tower is the Guangzhou Art Gallery, showcasing Cantonese embroidery, carved ivory decorations, and (oddly) displays outlining Guangzhou’s trading history with the West.
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Shāmiàn Island
The leafy oasis of Shāmiàn Island , which was acquired as a foreign concession in 1859 after the two Opium Wars, is a peaceful respite from the city. Back in the 19th century, the British and French were granted permission to set up their warehouses on this 'sand surface island'. The sandbank was connected to the mainland by several bridges, with iron gates that prohibited any Chinese from entering the island. Major renovation has restored some of the buildings to their original appearance, transforming them into chic restaurants and hotels.
Shamian Dajie is a tranquil stretch of gardens and trees. The Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, built by the French in …
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Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
The French were granted permission to build this cathedral after the second Opium War. The twin-spired Roman Catholic cathedral was designed in the neo-Gothic style and built entirely of granite, with massive towers that reach a height of 48m. Take metro line 2 to Haizhu Sq.
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Thài Zhēn Cow & Bridge
For the best Thai fare in Guǎngzhōu, head to this bizarrely named restaurant on Shāmiàn. The menu boasts the most extensive choices of curries and the desserts are superb.
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Guāngxiào Temple
The 'Bright Filial Piety Temple', about 400m west of the Temple of the Six Banyan Trees, is the oldest temple in Guǎngzhōu, dating back to the 4th century. By the Tang dynasty it was well established as a centre of Buddhist learning in southern China. Bodhidarma, the founder of Zen Buddhism, once taught here.
Most of the current buildings date from the 19th century. The most impressive is the main hall, with its double eaves. Inside is a 10m-high statue of the Buddha. At the back of the hall sits an equally impressive statue of Guanyin, Goddess of Mercy. Take metro line 1 to Xīmén Kǒu station.
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Yuèxiù Park
You'll find gardens, shaded wood paths, historical monuments and museums in this vast urban park. On top of a hill in the centre of the park is the red-walled, five-storey Zhènhǎi Tower (Zhènhǎi Lóu), built in 1380. It was used as a watchtower to keep out the pirates who once pillaged China's coastal cities. In 1928 the tower was rebuilt to accommodate the Guǎngzhōu City Museum, which has an excellent collection of exhibits tracing the history of Guǎngzhōu from the Neolithic period. There are sweeping views of Guǎngzhōu from the top storey. On the east side of the tower is the Guǎngzhōu Art Gallery (Guǎngzhōu Měishùguǎn). In addition to Cantonese embroidery a…
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Orchid Garden
Across from Yuèxiù Park off Jiefang Beilu is this charming garden famous for its blossoming orchids. With its winding paths, arched stone bridges and willow-fringed ponds, you may forget you're even in Guǎngzhōu. An old Muslim cemetery sits on the western edge of the park, supposedly the burial site of Abu Waqas, the uncle of the Prophet, who is credited with bringing Islam to China. The cemetery is closed to non-Muslims.
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Qingping Market
Just north of Shamian Island, what is bizarrely translated as 'Peaceful Market' has vast displays of medicinal herbs, dried mushrooms and other plants, live birds, and tubs of squirming turtles, fish and frogs. Much harder to stomach, though, are its cages of live animals, including kittens and puppies, and more exotic creatures such as bats, owls and monkeys - all put out for human consumption, and some in the most pitiful distress. It is one of the most notorious markets in China, and though it has cleaned up its act in the past several years it remains a disturbing place and is not recommended.
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Shamian Traditional Chinese Medical Centre
To the southwest of the city is the leafy oasis of Shamian Island. It was acquired as a foreign concession in 1859 after the two Opium Wars and is now a peaceful respite from the city. Shamian Dajie, the main boulevard, is a gentle stretch of gardens, trees, and old men playing Chinese checkers. Travellers recommend Shamian Traditional Chinese Medical Centre, at the western end of the island, for its massage (Y68 per hour).
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Temple Of The Five Immortals
Not far from the mosque is the Taoist Temple Of The Five Immortals . It dates back to 1377 and is named after the mythical founders of Guǎngzhōu. A statue of the immortal five depicts three men and two women riding their legendary rams through the clouds. The temple includes a main hall, built in typical Ming fashion. To the east of the hall is a small pond with a foot-shaped depression, said to be the footprint of one of the immortals.
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Mausoleum of the Nanyue King
A must on your itinerary in Guǎngdōng, this superb mausoleum from the 2000-year-old Nanyue kingdom, accidentally discovered in 1983, is now one of China's best museums.
The mausoleum houses the tomb of Zhao Mo, second king of Nanyue and grandson of the fabled Qin general Zhao Tuo, who was sent south by the emperor in 214 BC to quell unrest and established a sovereign state with Guǎngzhōu as its capital. Shortly after Zhao Mo's death, the Han plundered the kingdom, claiming the territory as their own. One of the mausoleum's highlights is Zhao Mo's burial suit, made of thousands of tiny jade tiles – jade was thought to preserve the body and make one immortal. The English a…
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Chen Clan Ancestral Hall
This enormous compound is an ancestral shrine, a Confucian school and a 'chamber of commerce' for the Chen clan, built in 1894 by the residents of 72 villages in Guǎngdōng; the Chen lineage is the predominant family. The complex encompasses 19 buildings of the traditional Lingnan style (southern Chinese style). All buildings contain exquisite carvings, statues and paintings, and are decorated with ornate scrollwork throughout. Take metro line 1 to Chénjiācí station.
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Wilber’s
Wilber’s is a gem that is hidden down an alley in a historical villa. It has something for everyone: the patio is popular with ladies looking for a quiet natter, indoors is a gay-friendly drinking den, and upstairs is a fine-dining restaurant. It serves the best martinis and margaritas in town.
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Grandview Shopping Mall
Those with modern tastes might want to head to the Tianhe area, with its fashionable shopping plazas. Grandview Shopping Mall - the largest in Asia - is Guǎngzhōu's newest shopping mall.
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1920 Restaurant & Bar
Guǎngzhōu's expats highly recommend this German restaurant on the riverfront. Enjoy an imported beer (from Y30) on its patio. The menu includes sausages, meatballs and stuffed goose.
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Temple of the Six Banyan Trees
This Buddhist temple was built in AD 537 to enshrine Buddhist relics brought over from India. The relics were placed in the octagonal Decorated Pagoda (Huā Tǎ). The temple was given its current name by the exiled poet Su Dongpo in 1099, who commemorated the banyan trees in the courtyard with a poem. The banyan trees are long gone but you can see the characters (liùróng) he wrote hanging above the temple's gateway. To get here, take bus 56.
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Whampoa Military Academy
Day tripping on Chángzhōu Island (长洲岛; Chángzhōu Dǎo) is simply fun. Apart from a dozen of relatively undisturbed villages, the highlight on this island is this academy. Established in 1924 by the Kuomintang, it trained a number of military elites for both the Kuomintang and the CCP who went on to fight in many subsequent conflicts and civil wars. It was destroyed by the Japanese in 1938 and the present structure was restored in 1965. Today the complex houses a museum dedicated to the military history of modern China.
Take metro line 2 to Chìgǎng station, then exit C1. Board bus 262 on Xingang Zhonglu to Xīnzhōu pier (新洲码头; Xīnzhōu Mǎtou). Ferries (Y1.50) to the…
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Memorial Museum of Generalissimo Sun Yatsen's Mansion
In Hǎizhū district, this beautiful Victorian mansion was where Sun Yatsen lived when he established governments in the then Canton in 1917 and 1923. Take metro line 2 to Shì Èrgōng station (the Second Workers Cultural Palace), and then take a taxi (Y9).
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China by Bike
18 days (Guangzhou)
Cycle stunning rural landscapes along with visits to Xian and Beijing.
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Bǐngshèng Restaurant
This exquisite Cantonese restaurant surprises us every time we visit, and the price is right! Shùndé (a town south of Guǎngzhōu) cuisine is the speciality here, where freshwater fish is prepared in many different ways. The dòufuhuā zhēngxiègāo (豆腐花蒸蟹羔; bean curd with crab roe) and hǎilú cìshēn (海鲈剌身; sea bass sashimi) are outstandingly tasty. Also try the cuìpí chāshāo (脆皮叉烧; crispy barbecued pork). It has a handful of branches in town but the newest one in Zhujiang New Town is by far the best. No English menu; grab a Chinese friend to communicate.
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Pearl River Cruises
The northern bank of the Pearl River is an interesting area, filled with people, markets and dilapidated buildings. It's a wonderful place for a morning or evening stroll, or Pearl River cruises (珠江游览船).
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Church of Our Lady of Lourdes
To the southwest of the city is the leafy oasis of Shamian Island. It was acquired as a foreign concession in 1859 after the two Opium Wars and is now a peaceful respite from the city. Shamian Dajie, the main boulevard, is a gentle stretch of gardens, trees, and old men playing Chinese checkers. The Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, built by the French in 1892, is on the eastern end of the thoroughfare.
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Guǎngzhōu Star Cruises Company
The Guangzhou Star Cruises Company has nine evening cruises on the Pearl River (Y68 to Y128, 1½ hours) between 6.40pm and 8.50pm. Boats leave from the Tiānzì Pier, just east of Hǎizhū Bridge (Hǎizhū Qiáo; catch metro line 2 from Hǎizhū Guǎngchǎng station), and head down the river as far as Èrshā Island (Èrshā Dǎo) before turning back.
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Guǎngzhōu Museum of Art
The Guǎngzhōu Museum of Art has an extensive collection of works, ranging from ancient to contemporary Chinese art and sculpture, including artists such as Guan Shanyue, Li Xiongcai and Lai Shaoqi. Other interesting exhibits include a fantastic room on the top floor with displays of rare Tibetan tapestries. Another highlight is the room devoted to Liao Bingxiong, a political cartoonist of the 20th century. Take bus 10 or 63.
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Ping Pong
This speakeasy-like bohemian watering hole hosts live music from time to time and offers a mix of theatre and exhibitions. It's hard to find, though. Flag down a taxi and tell the driver to drop you at the rear entrance of Xīnghǎi Conservatory (Xīnghǎi Yīnyuè Xuéyuàn Hòumén; 星海音乐学院后门). And make sure the driver isn't taking you to Xīnghǎi Concert Hall on Èrshā Island!
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