Being one of the most famous historical cities in China, Guangzhou boasts a whole host of fascinating attractions to explore. While those who are short for time can cover the highlights with a guided tour booked through their Guangzhou hotel, people who have more time can spend several days exploring this vibrant city. Top seven "Must See" destinations of Guangzhou are listed below.
Temple of Six Banyan Trees
One of the city's most famous Buddhist temples, the Temple of the Six Banyan Trees dates back to the Liang dynasty. People travel here from all over the city to worship and the extensive temple grounds are also home to a number of other interesting buildings such as a pretty pagoda and the Grand Hall, while sitting under the shade of the banyan trees is an uplifting experience.
Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall
Covering an impressive area of 12,000 square meters, the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall can be found of the southern slope of Yuexiu Hill and offers stunning views of the city of Guangzhou.
This magnificent building serves as a tribute to Dr. Sun Yat-Sen and was built in 1931. Visitors will be able to admire a five metre tall bronze statue of Dr Sun Yat-Sen, which can be found in front of the hall.
Yuexiu Park
Located near a number of leading Guangzhou hotels, the large and lovely Yuexiu Park is the perfect place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city for a while. This is the largest park in the whole of downtown Guangzhou and visitors will be able to spend a pleasant afternoon wandering amongst the trees and exploring Zhenhai Tower, which is also known as the Five-Storey Pagoda.
The park even features an amusement park and a children's play area for those who need to keep the kids entertained.
Chen Family Ancestral Temple
Also known as the Chen Clan Academy, this magnificent temple was built between 1890 and 1894 using donations from the residents of 72 nearby villages. Also serving as the Guangdong Museum of Folk Art, this enormous building consists of nine main halls, six courtyards and nineteen other buildings. Among the many highlights here are models of historical figures, which have been created from wood, brick, clay and iron.
Dongfang Amusement Park
A popular attraction with families, Dongfang Amusement Park was established in 1986 and is the city's largest fun zone. More than 100,000 visitors flock here each and every day for the chance to ride on roller coasters such as the Lin Zhong Flying Squirrel. Dongfang Amusement Park also features replicas of folk buildings located all around the world and entertainment from folk dancers, magicians and acrobats.
Shamian Island
A good way to get a feel for Guangzhou's past, the riverside district known as Shamian Island boasts a large number of stunning colonial buildings. After exploring the 18th and 19th century buildings here, visitors will be able to sit at one of the riverside cafes or restaurants that can be found here and indulge in high tea served, which is served in style by waiters wearing colonial costumes.
White Cloud Mountain
Located just ten miles from the heart of Guangzhou, White Cloud Mountain is one of the city's most stunning natural attractions. Praised for its natural beauty, this is South China's most famous mountain and people travel from all over the world to take in the stunning views from the very top. While it is possible to climb to the very top of White Cloud Mountain, visitors can also choose to reach the summit by taking a cable car and save their energy for wandering along the numerous pathways that circle the summit.
Top 7 "Must See" in Guangzhou