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Capital of Guangdong, China
Photo: Tim Wu, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Guangzhou (广州; pronounced Gwóngjāu in Cantonese and Guǎngzhōu in Mandarin; traditionally known in English as Canton) is the capital of Guangdong Province in southern China.
Guangzhou's historical sites are concentrated here, including the colonial Shamian Island, Saikwan Old Houses, Shunghaagau shopping district, and Chen Clan Ancestral Hall.
The political and cultural centre of Guangzhou, including 東山TungShan (the heart of the Old local Political and Military areas). Highlights include Yuexiu Park, Beijing road (old times known as 雙門底 Saung Mun Dei) Shopping District, and Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall.
The new city center and business district, full of skyscrapers and shopping malls. It is also home to most expat communities. Highlights include Guangdong Museum, Central Library, Opera House and Shipai village.
Home to the Guangzhou Tower, the Guangzhou Fair Pavilion and Exhibition Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, and the Pearl River Promenade.
Panyu is a newly developed area, focusing on technology. Highlights include the Lianhua Mountain, various theme parks and the University Mega Center. Nansha is an industrial area at the southern tip of the city, home to Guangzhou's high speed rail station.
These districts are mostly rural: *Baiyun (白云 Báiyún, baak6 wan4) — This district has a big rural touch, but is slowly being taken over by new developments. Highlights include the Baiyun Mountain. *Huangpu (黄埔 Huángpǔ, wong4 bou3) — Not well known among foreign tourists, this district is to the east of the city center. Highlights include the former Huangpu Military Academy. *Huadu (花都 Huādū, faa1 dou1) — A developing industrial area. Highlights include Huadu Square and the New Baiyun International Airport. *Zengcheng (增城 Zēngchéng, zang1 sing4) is famous for its lychee fruit, which are picked in June and July. *Conghua (从化 Cónghuà, cung4 faa3) is known for its hot springs and Tianhe (Heavenly Lake) Recreation area.
By train
Guangzhou has impressive high-speed rail services across China, focused on Guangzhou South ("Nan") Railway Station. Chief connections are:
By bus
Coach services are available to bring passengers from Hong Kong International Airport to several locations in Guangzhou.
By boat
There are two major passenger ports - Nansha Port and Lianhuashan Port, and many other smaller ones.
By metro
Guangzhou's Metro opened in 1999 and has been expanding at a breakneck pace ever since. Most places in Guangzhou of interest to visitors are within walking distance of a metro stop.
By bus
There is also a comprehensive public bus service that covers Guangzhou from end to end. By far, it is the cheapest way to move around.
By BRT
The Bus Rapid Transit system went into service in early 2010.
By taxi
Guangzhou taxis are very affordable.9 miles.6 for each km. No fuel surcharge is added. A 20% and 50% surcharge is automatically added when the trip reaches 15 and 25 km respectively.
By car
While driving in Guangzhou is an option, drivers unfamiliar with the driving conditions in China's large and densely populated cities should be aware that the experience can be extremely daunting and…
By motorcycle
Although a convenient way to navigate the city's back alleys and lanes, motorcycles are banned in the city center, and riding a motorcycle into these prohibited areas can lead to fines and possible…
By bicycle
Due to the improvement of public transportation and increasing affordability of private cars, bicycles are in sharp decline in Guangzhou.
By ferry
The ferry is the cheapest way of crossing the Pearl River (Zhujiang). Ferries were very popular in the 1980s and early 90s, carrying tens of thousands of passengers across the river each day.
On foot
Due to the sheer size of the city, walking is not advisable if you are trying to reach destinations in different districts.
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Guangzhou (Huadu) · International · CAN
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