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Guangdong

Guǎngdōng’s unique culture and natural beauty fly under the radar and have yet to be discovered by many travelers, so you may have a plethora of sublime sights (not to mention great dim sum) all to yourself.

Northern Guǎngdōng (广东) is home to some wild and wondrous landscapes. In the blue pine forests of Nánlǐng, the music of waterfalls and windswept trees boomerangs in your direction. If it’s Unesco-crowned heritage you’re after, Kāipíng’s flamboyant watchtowers and the stylised poses of Cantonese opera will leave you riveted. What's all the fuss about Hakka and Chiuchow cultures? Well, find out in Méizhōu and Cháozhōu.

Historically Guǎngdōng was the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road and the birthplace of revolution. On the scenic byways of the Pearl River delta, you’ll uncover the glory of China’s revolutionary past. While on the surf-beaten beaches of Hǎilíng Island, an ancient shipwreck and its treasures await.

Explore Guangdong

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Guangdong.

  • Arts Centre

    Dafen Oil Painting Village

    This folksy urban village of narrow lanes and alleys is a pleasure to visit in itself, but what makes Dafen simply unmissable is the hundreds of art…

  • Arts Centre

    OCT-LOFT

    By far the best place for strolling or simply hanging out in the city is the breezy OCT-LOFT complex, a warren of repurposed communist-era factories criss…

  • Historic Site

    Shamian Island

    Don't depart Guangzhou without an amble through the concession-era gem that is Shamian Island. The central east–west drag is a time-warp boulevard of…

  • Park

    West Lake

    The moat of ancient Chaozhou is a lake inside a park well loved by locals. Around the lake are a few notable buildings. Hanbi Building served as a…

  • Bridge

    Guangji Bridge

    Originally a 12th-century pontoon bridge with 86 boats straddling the Hán River, Guangji Bridge suffered repeated destruction over the centuries. The…

  • Park

    Lianhua Shan Park

    It's an easy half-hour amble up to the top of this tropical hill in the heart of Futian District for Shenzhen's best skyline photographs. Appropriately,…

  • Taoist Site

    Zumiao

    The 11th-century Zumiao temple is believed to be the site where Cantonese opera flourished. The art is still performed today during festivals to entertain…

  • Village

    Zili

    Zili, 11km west of Kaiping, has the largest collection of diāolóu historic watchtowers in the area, though only a few of the 15 are open to the public…

  • Market

    Qingping Chinese Medicine Market

    Just north of the channel that divides Shamian Island from the city, this tumbledown market is a sensory delight, with open-fronted vendors arranged…

  • Historic Site

    Chen Clan Ancestral Hall

    An all-in-one ancestral shrine, Confucian school and ‘chamber of commerce’ for the Chen clan, this compound was built in 1894 by the residents of 72…

  • Gallery

    Sunrise Art Center

    Built from the vestiges of a century-old Hakka home, this idyllic courtyard gallery was created by Chen Qiuzhi, a contemporary ink artist from Anhui…

  • Notable Building

    Guangzhou Opera House

    Designed by Zaha Hadid, southern China's premier performance venue has transformed the area with its typically commanding, otherworldly aspect. Futuristic…

  • Amusement Park

    Window of the World

    It's 'Around the World in 80 Minutes' (OK, more like half a day) at this endearingly kitsch theme park set in well-tended gardens. From the Houses of…

  • Gallery

    Design Society

    China's first dedicated museum of design, this architectural landmark opened with media fanfare in 2017 on the Shekou shore with its famous founding…

  • Arts Centre

    Nanfeng Ancient Kiln Artists' Village

    This lovely ceramics town of stone-paved paths in Shiwan (石湾, Shíwān) is worth snooping around for its artisans' ceramics workshops and the two ancient …

  • Historic Building

    Xuan Villa

    Foreboding and beautiful Xuan Villa was built in 1936 by a wealthy Malaysian-Chinese member of a secret society tied to Sun Yatsen. Parts of the building…

  • Gardens

    Yuyin Mountain Villa

    One of Guangdong's four famous classical gardens, this graceful property on the outskirts of the city was built in 1871 by an official of the Qing court…

  • Mausoleum

    Mausoleum of the Nanyue King

    You'll feel like Indiana Jones/Lara Croft (select as preferred) as you descend the two-millennia-old steps into an actual Han dynasty tomb. This was the…

  • Historic Site

    Dōngshān

    Tree-lined streets Xinhepu Lu (新河浦路), Xuguyuan Lu (恤孤院路) and Peizheng Lu (培正路) in the historic Dōngshān area offer a welcome respite from the city. Here…

  • Buddhist Site

    Temple of the Six Banyan Trees

    This Buddhist temple complex was first built in AD 537 to enshrine Buddhist relics brought over from India and placed in the octagonal Decorated Pagoda …

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Guangdong.