Located along the south coastline of China is Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province and the most populous city in China. It's accessible to Hong Kong and Macau, and is known for the countless dining and tourism options it offers.
With so many choices, a first-time visitor might feel a bit clueless on what to see and do, or even where to begin, in this port city. So to make your trip easy and unforgettable, we give you 8 of the most interesting tourist spots to check out in Guangzhou!
Just 17 kilometers from the city center is Yuyin Garden, the former private garden of Wu Bin who was a successful candidate in the imperial examinations during the Qing Dynasty (1644 to 1911).
Today, this 154-year-old scenic spot is considered one of the four most well-known gardens in Guangdong Province, and has maintained its impressive layout complete with bridges, pavilions, rock hills, lotus pool, and various types of beautiful endemic flowers.
The Temple of the Six Banyan Trees is one of the four best Buddhist temples in Guangzhou. Having a long history of 1,400 years, this temple has accumulated a vast collection of cultural relics since it was built in 537.
It houses the Six Banyan Pagoda where Buddhist relics are placed, and is also called the "Flowery Pagoda" by the locals because of its curved roof that resembles dark red petal flowers.
Burning joss sticks is a special event when inside this temple, especially during Chinese New Year and the Lantern Festival, because doing so is believed to bring you blessings from the gods in the coming year.
Covering 741 acres of lush land is the South China Botanical Garden, the oldest and largest South Asian tropical botanical garden in China built in 1929.
It's a must to go and explore all three zones in this garden: Nursery and Exhibition, Research and Residential, and the Dinghushan Nature Reserve.
A book lover's paradise! The Guangzhou Library is heart-stoppingly amazing in every way. On the outside, the building looks like a modern representation of a stacked pile of books, and inside, there are nine floors containing every book imaginable!
This dream of a library covers 100,000 square meters and houses 3.82 million books, has 4,000 seats, and 500 computers for everyone to use.
WiFi is available in the whole building so you can hang in here if you also need access to the Internet.
Based on the concept 'double pebble,' the Guangzhou Opera House, designed by world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid, resembles two rocks that have been washed ashore the Pearl River. It's modern, subtle, and yet imposing at the same time.
Since opening in 2010, this theater has become the biggest performing center in southern China as well as one of the three biggest theaters in the whole country. This impressive structure is truly worth seeing even from afar.
Even if you're not a serious shopper, the Taikoo Hui Mall will keep your adrenaline rushing with its sheer size alone. With a floor area of 138,000 square meters and housing over 180 international luxury brands and other well-known local ones, completing rounds inside this mall can be an all-day event.
Once you've checked out the stores, you can cool down and recharge at any of the restaurants or cafés inside. You'll find everything you need here, and probably more.
Beijing Road is definitely a street you'd want to take a walk on! This ever busy area is a favorite among locals and tourists because of the many shops lining up the road on both sides. But shopping isn't the only thing you can do here.
You will also find a few well-restored ancient stone roads of the Song and Yuan Dynasties from the 11th to 14th centuries, as well as historical city gates and walls from the old China dynasty. Here, you get to know a little about Guangzhou's long history and bargain shop at the same time.
Yuexiu Park is the largest park in downtown Guangzhou and is home to three artificial lakes and seven hills of Yuexiu Mountain.
This wonderfully landscaped park showcases cultural relics as well as ecological tourism, and is known for its main attractions such as the stone sculpture of the Five Rams, Zhenhai Tower, and the sites of the Ming Dynasty Wall and the Square Cannon.
It's so complete that it also has an amusement park, swimming pool, gym, restaurants, stalls, museums, and you can go boating and fishing in the lakes! It's a quick and easy escape from the hustle and bustle of Guangzhou.
Walk on the historical city gates and walls from the old China dynasty to downtown Guangzhou. Check the latest cheap hotel deals and cheap flights deals here!