Guangzhou
Guangzhou, also known as Canton, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong in southern China.
Located on the Pearl River, about 120 kilometres (75 mi) northwest of Hong Kong and 145 kilometres (90 mi) north of Macau, Guangzhou has a history of over 2,200 years and was a major terminus of the Silk Road.
Worth seeing
Guangzhou's long history can be experienced in the Liwan and Yuexiu districts. Traditional buildings are slowly disappearing due to the city's rapid growth, but they can still be found near Yide Road, Renmin Nan Road and Zhongshan Road. They make great photo spots. Shamian Island (Liwan) was the European settlement in Guangzhou in the 19th century, and colonial buildings can be seen there.
Things to do
Pearl River Night Cruise (珠江夜游) Dashatou Pier (大沙头码头), Tianzi Pier (天字码头), and Xidi Pier (西堤码头) – This is a one- to two-hour cruise in the evening and a great way to see the Guangzhou skyline along the Pearl River, including a light show at Bai-E-Tan. Tickets for the deluxe dinner cruise can be bought from most high-end hotels. Prices from ¥50–200 per person. Higher end cruises usually include dinner buffet.
Where to eat
Cantonese cuisine is well known for its blend of color, fragrance, taste and presentation, and it is ranked among the top four in the country. In particular, dim sum, a delicate pastry, is famous for being simple yet delicious. Local customs, as well as a long history of contact with the West compared to other regions in China, have played a major role in the development and diversity of Cantonese cuisine.
Getting around Guangzhou the local way
- Get inFrom Hong Kong International Airport, there are direct ferries to Guangzhou that allow you to bypass Hong Kong immigration.
- Get aroundFolding bikes are permitted on the subway (but not on buses) and can be carried in the trunk of a taxi at the driver's discretion, but non-folders are not permitted on any form of public transport other than the cross-river ferries.
- Get aroundBicycles are not permitted to cross the river via the Zhujiang Tunnel or Zhujiang suspension bridge, but are permitted to go on the public ferries for ¥1 (see below).
- Get aroundThe ferry is the cheapest way of crossing the Pearl River (Zhujiang).
- Get aroundFerries were very popular in the 1980s and early 90s, carrying tens of thousands of passengers across the river each day.
- Get aroundIt is usually faster and more convenient for people to use the bridges or metro to cross the river, rather than wait for the ferries.
- Get aroundOne still-popular ferry route connects Huangsha Pier (by the seafood market next to Shamian Island) to the pier at Changdi Road on the Fangcun side.
- Get aroundFerries depart every 10 minutes from 06:00 to 22:00.
From Wikivoyage: Guangzhou, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see file page), Wikimedia Commons.