22Lazy GagaC5
5Eating
Big Buddha Temple VegetarianE5
23Bǐngshèng RestaurantG7
24Chén TiānjìB6
25Guăngzhōu RestaurantB6
26Huìfú VegetarianD5
27Pànxī RestaurantA5
28Tiger PrawnE5
29Wilber'sH4
6Drinking & Nightlife
30Kuí YuánH5
31Shāmiàn ClubhouseH1
7Shopping
32Shàngxiàjiǔ Pedestrian StreetC6
33Xīguān Antique StreetA5
8Information
American Express GuǎngzhōuF3
34Canadian ConsulateD3
35CanAm International Medical CentreG3
China Travel ServiceE6
36French ConsulateF3
37Guǎngzhōu First Municipal People's HospitalC4
New Zealand ConsulateD3
38Tourist Information CentreC5
39Tourist OfficeE6
UK ConsulateF3
Transport
40China Southern AirlinesD2
41Guǎngdōng Long-Distance Bus StationC2
42Guǎngzhōu Main Train StationC1
43Hotel Landmark Canton buses to Hong Kong & MacauE6
44Liúhuā Bus StationC2
45Malaysia, Thai International, United & Vietnam AirlinesG3
46Thai Airways InternationalG3
1Sights
Zhūjiāng Xīnchéng (Zhūjiāng New Town)
New Guǎngdōng MuseumMUSEUM
(广东省博物馆新馆; Guǎngdōngshěng Bówùguǎn Xínguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020 3804 6886; www.gdmuseum.com; 2 Zhujiang Donglu, Zhūjiāng New Town; h9am-4pm Tue-Sun; c; mLine 3, Zhūjiāng Xīnchéng, exit B1)F
This ultramodern museum has an extensive collection illuminating the human and natural history of Guǎngdōng, as well as Cantonese art, literature and architecture. English explanations are unfortunately limited to brief leaflets, but there are plenty of self-evident visual treats for kids, including dinosaur fossils and model whales. Inspired by the Chinese lacquer box, the museum’s appearance is a striking contrast against the curvilinear design of the Guǎngzhōu Opera House further to the west. ID required for entry.
Guǎngzhōu Opera HouseNOTABLE BUILDING
(广州大剧院; Guǎngzhōu Dàjùyuàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020 3839 2666, tour bookings 020 3839 9847; http://guangzhouoperahouse.org; 1 Zhujiang Xilu; ¥30, tours in English per person ¥200; h9am-4.30pm Tue-Sun, tours 10am, 11am, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm; mLine 3, Zhūjiāng Xīnchéng, exit B1)
Authored by architect Zaha Hadid, southern China's biggest performance venue has transformed the area with its other-worldly appearance. With futuristic glass panels knitted together to form subtle curves, it's been described as pebbles on the bed of the Pearl River. To enter, you have to join one of five 45-minute daily tours. Tours in English require booking a day in advance.
Hǎizhū District
Memorial Hall of the Lǐngnán School of PaintingMUSEUM
(岭南画派纪念馆; Lǐngnán Huàpài Jìniànguǎn GOOGLE MAP ; %020 8401 7167; www.lingnans.org; 257 Changgang Donglu; h9am-5pm Tue-Sun; mXiǎogǎng, exit A)F
This small but excellent museum on the leafy campus of the Guǎngzhōu Academy of Fine Arts (广州美术学院; Guǎngzhōu Měishù Xuéyuàn) pays tribute to the founders of the Lǐngnán school of painting, such as Gao Jianfu, and shows the colourful ink and brush works of contemporary artists versed in the Lǐngnán style.
Lìwān District
oChen Clan Ancestral HallHISTORIC SITE
(陈家祠; Chénjiā Cí MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020 8181 4559; 34 Enlong Li, Zhongshan Qilu; ¥10; h8.30am-5pm; mLine 1, Chénjiācí, exit D)
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 villages in Guǎngdōng, where the Chen lineage is predominant. There are 19 buildings in the traditional Lǐngnán style, all featuring exquisite carvings, statues and paintings, and decorated with ornate scrollwork throughout.
Islands
oShāmiàn IslandHISTORIC SITE
(沙面岛; Shāmiàn Dǎo MAP GOOGLE MAP ; mLines 1 & 6, Huángshā)
To the southwest of Guǎngzhōu is the dappled oasis of Shāmiàn Island. It was acquired as a foreign concession in 1859 after the two Opium Wars. Shamian Dajie, the main boulevard, is a gentle stretch of gardens dotted by old houses, cafes and galleries. The Church of Our Lady of Lourdes (天主教露德圣母堂, Tiānzhǔjiào Lùdé Shèngmǔ Táng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 14 Shamian Dajie; h8am-6pm; mLine 1, Huangsha), built by the French in 1892, is on the eastern end. Shāmiàn is so picturesque that you're sure to spot photo shoots for online clothing stores on the streets.
Guǎngdōng Museum of ArtMUSEUM
(广东美术馆; Guǎngdōng Měishùguǎn GOOGLE MAP ; %020 8735 1468; www.gdmoa.org; 38 Yanyu Lu; h9am-5pm Tue-Sun; g89, 194, 131A)F
At the southern end of Èrshā Island (Èrshā Dǎo), this worthy enormous museum showcases the works of important Cantonese artists and has been the site of the Guǎngzhōu Triennale.
East Guǎngzhōu
1Sights
Guǎngzhōu Opera HouseB6
1New Guǎngdōng MuseumB6
4Sleeping
2Westin GuǎngzhōuB2
5Eating
3Social&CoA6
3Entertainment
4191 SpaceA5
5Guǎngzhōu Opera HouseB6
Yuèxiù District
oMausoleum of the Nányuè KingMAUSOLEUM
(南越王墓; Nányuèwáng Mù MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020 3618 2920; www.gznywmuseum.org/nanyuewang/index.html; 867 Jiefang Beilu; ¥12; h9am-4.45pm; mLine 2, Yuèxiù Park, exit E)
This superb mausoleum from the 2000-year-old Nányuè kingdom is one of China’s best museums. It houses the tomb of Zhao Mo, second king of Nányuè, who was sent south by the emperor in 214 BC to quell unrest and established a sovereign state with Guǎngzhōu as its capital. Don’t miss Zhao Mo’s jade burial suit – the precious stone was thought to preserve the body.
DōngshānHISTORIC SITE
(东山区; Dōngshān Qū MAP GOOGLE MAP ; mLine 1, Dōngshān Kǒu, exit E)
Tree-lined 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. There are schools and churches raised by American missionaries in the 1900s, and exquisite villas commissioned by overseas Chinese and military bigwigs of the Kuomintang. Take the metro to Dōngshān Kǒu station: from exit E, walk left along Shuqian Lu until Miaoqianzhi Jie, then left again till Xuguyuan Lu.
Yuèxiù ParkPARK
(越秀公园; Yuèxiù Gōngyuán MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020 8666 1950; 988 Jiefang Beilu; h6am-9pm; mLine 2, Yuèxiù Park)
A statue of the symbol of Guǎngzhōu – the Five Rams (五羊石像, Wǔ Yáng Shíxiàng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Yuèxiù Park; h6am-9pm; mLine 2, Yuexiu Park) (五羊) that supposedly carried the five immortals who founded the city – stands guard at this park. On a hilltop is red-walled Zhènhǎi Tower (镇海楼; Zhènhǎi Lóu), built in 1380 as a watchtower to keep out pirates. The tower is home to the excellent Guǎngzhōu City Museum, which traces the city’s history from the Neolithic period. To the east is Guǎngzhōu Art Gallery (广州美术馆, Guǎngzhōu Měishùguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Yuèxiù Park; h9am-5pm; mLine 2, Yuexiu Park), which has displays on the city's trading history with the West.
Guǎngzhōu City MuseumMUSEUM
(广州市博物馆; Guǎngzhōushì Bówùguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020 8355 0627; www.guangzhoumuseum.cn/en/main.asp; 2 Zhujiang Donglu; ¥10; h9am-5pm; mLine 2, Yuèxiù Park)
Housed inside the red-walled, five-storey Zhènhǎi Tower (Zhènhǎi Lóu) in Yuèxiù Park, the museum has an excellent collection of exhibits that trace the history of Guǎngzhōu from the Neolithic period. There are remnants of the ancient city wall.
Temple of the Six Banyan TreesBUDDHIST SITE
(六榕寺; Liùróng Sì MAP GOOGLE MAP
; %020 8339 2843; 87 Liurong Lu; ¥5, pagoda ¥10; h8am-5pm; g56)
This Buddhist temple was built in AD 537 to enshrine Buddhist relics brought over from India and placed in the octagonal Decorated Pagoda (Huā Tǎ). The temple was given its current name by the exiled poet Su Dongbo in 1099, who waxed lyrical over the (now gone) banyans in the courtyard. You can see the characters 'six banyans' (liùróng) that he wrote above the gates.
Guāngxiào TempleBUDDHIST SITE
(光孝寺; Guāngxiào Sì MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020 8108 7421; 109 Guangxiao Lu; ¥5; h6am-5.30pm; mLine 1, Xīmén Kǒu, exit C)
‘Bright Filial Piety Temple’ is the oldest temple in Guǎngzhōu, dating back to the 4th century. By the time of the Tang dynasty it was well established as a centre of Buddhist learning in southern China. Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism, taught here. Most of the current buildings date from the 19th century, including a main hall with double eaves and a 10m-tall Buddha statue.
Guǎngzhōu Big Buddha TempleTEMPLE
(大佛古寺; Dàfógǔsì MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 21 Huifu Lu, cnr Beijing Lu; mLine 6, Běijīng Lù)
Hidden behind bustling Beijing Lu and spanning a whole block is this calm complex featuring three 10-tonne bronze Buddha statues (representing the past, present and future). Equally gigantic are the 350-year-old cinnamon and avocado trees donated by (modern-day) Vietnam and decorated in red lanterns. The temple was built in the Nanhan period (907–971), with the latest iteration from 1649, and renovations in 2016. By night, you might hear monks chanting, and the complex is lit up spectacularly neon-like.
Qīngpíng Chinese Medicine MarketMARKET
(清平市场; Qīngpíng Shìchǎng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Liu'ersan Lu; h9am-9pm; mLine 1, Huángshā, exit E)
In this busy market you’ll see and definitely smell barrels of dried seahorses, ginseng, goji berries, enamel-like black mushrooms, antler horns and ingredients you can’t identify at all. A sensory experience even if you don't buy a thing from the small stores. A short walk from Shāmiàn Island.
ENNING ROAD
If you like history, a stroll down century-old Enning Road (恩宁路; Ēnning Lù) can be rewarding. Located in the area known traditionally as Xīguān (西关), the western gate and commercial hub of old Canton, it retains a few cultural relics such as teahouses and antique trinket stores, despite earnest urban renewal efforts.
The highlight is Bāhé Academy (八和会馆, Bāhé Huìguăn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 117 Enning Lu; mLine 1, Changshou Lu, exit D2), a guild hall for Cantonese opera practitioners. The original academy opened in 1889 to provide lodging, schooling, medical and funeral services to Cantonese opera troupes. It’s now a gathering place for retired artists. It is not open to the public, but you can see the original 3m-tall wooden door from 1889. The only item that survived a bombing by the Japanese in 1937, it was used during the Great Leap Forward as a parking plank for 4-tonne vehicles, and clearly survived that as well.
Turn right as you leave the academy and walk for about a block before making another right into a lane called Yongqing Daxiang (永庆大巷). Turn left into the second smaller lane. The second-last unit here is Luányú Táng (銮舆堂 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Yongqing Daxiang, 永庆大巷 h10am-3pm; mLine 1, Changshou Lu, exit D2), a 200-year-old union for actors playing martial and acrobatic roles in Cantonese opera. The union still gives martial-arts training for the stage to children, and its members come for operatic ‘jamming’ sessions on the 2nd floor. Visitors may be let in at their discretion. Otherwise there is little to see.
Interestingly, the last unit in this lane used to be the ancestral home of Bruce Lee ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Yongqing Daxiang, 永庆大巷 mLine 1, Changshou Lu, exit D2), the kung fu (gōngfū) icon, whose father Lǐ Hǎiquán (李海泉) was – you guessed it – a Cantonese opera actor and a member of that union. There’s now a wall in its place, but if you retrace your steps out of the alleys, turn right and head up Ēnnìng Lù, you’ll pass the gates of a school. In the right corner, just past the entrance, you can barely see the shuttered house.
Enning Road is easily walkable from metro station Chángshòu Lù or from Shāmiàn Island.
2Activities
Shāmiàn Traditional Chinese Medical CentreMASSAGE
(沙面国医馆; Shāmiàn Guóyīguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020 8121 8383; 85-87 Shamian Beijie, 沙面北街85-87号 h11am-1.30am; mLines 1 & 6, Huángshā)
Shāmiàn Traditional Chinese Medical Centre, at the western end of Shāmiàn Island, offers body massages for ¥238 per hour. English is spoken for consultations by a Chinese doctor, though not for complicated issues. Appointments accepted.
Guǎngzhōu Star Cruises CompanyBOATING
(广州之星游轮有限公司; Guăngzhōu Zhīxīng Yóulún Yŏuxiàn Gōngsī MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020 8333 2222; cruises ¥48-88; h6-11pm; mLine 6, Hǎizhū Square)
The Guǎngzhōu Star Cruises Company has eight two-hour evening cruises on the Pearl River. Boats leave from the Tiānzì Pier (Tiānzì Mǎtou; Beijing Lu), just east of Hǎizhū Bridge (Hǎizhū Qiáo; catch metro line 6 to Hǎizhū Square station), and head down the river as far as Èrshā Island (Èrshā Dǎo) before turning back.
zFestivals & Events
Birthday of the Fire GodCULTURAL
(h28th day of the 9th lunar month)
Every year on the birthday of the Fire God, usually around November, Bāhé Academy guild hall throws a banquet for the opera industry. From early morning, you’ll hear gongs and drums, and ceremonies are performed at Luányú Táng. Hundreds show up for the day-long feasting that takes place both indoors and on the pavement.
Canton Trade FairTRADE FAIR
(中国出口商品交易会, Zhōngguó Chūkǒu Shāngpǐn Jiāoyì Huì %020 2608 8888; www.cantonfair.org.cn)
The 15-day Canton Trade Fair is held twice yearly, usually in April and October, on Pázhōu Island south of the Pearl River in Guǎngzhōu.
4Sleeping
Guǎngzhōu has few good budget and lower-midrange choices, but there are plenty of excellent top-end and upper-midrange hotels. During the Canton Trade Fair (usually in April and October), prices go up. All hotels offer wi-fi and air-conditioning.
In Guǎngzhōu, Shāmiàn Island is by far the quietest and most attractive area to stay in.
Koala's HomeHOSTEL$
(广州考拉青年旅舍; Kǎolā Qīngnián Lǚshè MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020 8319 0988; 505 Huifu Donglu, 3rd fl; 惠福东路505号三楼 d & tw ¥188-268; mLines 1 & 2, Gōngyuán Qián, exit D)
An excellent, clean hostel with cheery furnishings, movies on demand and spotless modern bathrooms. From the inward-facing rooms, there isn't a peep from nearby bustling Beijing Lu. There's little social interaction, though some staff speak English and there are plans to build a rooftop bar. Access by lift inside an egg-tart shop in an alley opposite Tiger Prawn restaurant.
Lazy GagaHOSTEL$
(春田家家; Chūntián Jiājiā MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020 8192 3232; www.gagahostel.com; 215 Haizhu Zhonglu; 海珠中路215号 dm ¥55-65, d & tw ¥178, tr ¥240; aiW; mLine 1, Xīmén Kŏu, exit B)
Only five minutes' walk from the metro, Lazy Gaga has 45 cheerful rooms and homey communal areas enlivened by colourful walls and furniture. Guests can have free use of the spotless kitchen and a cheap laundry service; and the pleasant English-speaking staff are up for a chat when they're not busy. In-room lockers come thoughtfully embedded with chargers for mobile devices.
Guǎngzhōu Riverside International Youth HostelHOSTEL$
(广州江畔国际青年旅舍; Guǎngzhōu Jiāngpàn Guójì Qīngnián Lǚshè GOOGLE MAP ; %020 2239 2500; www.yhachina.com; 15 Changdi Jie; 长堤街15号 dm ¥65, s ¥140, d ¥185-288, tr ¥268; iW; mLine 1, Fāngcūn, exit B1)
Located in Fāngcūn next to a bar street, this YHA-affiliated hostel can feel chilly on cold nights but has spotless rooms and a welcoming vibe. Turn right from the metro exit and go through the back lane next to the hospital to reach tree-lined Luju Lu (陆居路). Turn left and walk towards the river, turn right a
nd you'll see the hostel after five minutes.
Ferries depart frequently from Huángshā pier on Shāmiàn Island to Fāngcūn pier right in front of the hostel.
Guǎngzhōu Youth HostelHOTEL$$
(广东鹅潭宾馆; Guǎngdōng Étán Bīnguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020 8121 8298; 2 Shamian Sijie; 沙面四街2号 d ¥200-290, tr ¥300; i; mLines 1 & 6, Huángshā)
The English name remains, but the youth hostel has long gone. Dorms have been converted into huge, spotless rooms, making for great value if you want loads of space. The cheapest decent beds on Shāmiàn Island.
7 Days Inn Guǎngzhōu Shimao CenterHOTEL$$
(7天连锁酒店; Qītiān Liánsuǒ Jiǔdiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %/fax 0208364 4488; 32 Huale Lu, 华乐路32号 r ¥219-355; aiW; mLine 5, Táojīn)
This chain hotel is the cheapest decent option amid the five-star enclave in Yuèxiù (越秀) District. It's just south of the Garden Hotel.
oGarden HotelHOTEL$$$
(花园酒店; Huāyuán Jiǔdiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020 8333 8989; www.gardenhotel.com; 368 Huanshi Donglu; 环市东路368号 r/ste from ¥1128/2628; aiWs; mLine 5, Táojīn)
One of the most popular luxury hotels in Guǎngzhōu, with waterfalls and lovely gardens in the lobby and on the 4th floor. The modern rooms are just as classy, with Chinese design accents. Bookings are essential.
Lonely Planet China Page 113