True to its history as a trading port for more than 1,000 years, Guangzhou was among the first cities to open up to the rest of the world in modern China. Guangzhou also enjoys a convenient location near the major international hub of Hong Kong, which is only two hours away by train or ferry.
The Guangzhou TV Tower, or ‘the supermodel’ as it’s locally known, gracefully acts as the centerpiece to Guangzhou’s architectural statement: the Zhu Jiang New Town - and what a statement! At 600 metres high, visitors have the opportunity to visit the TV tower, where they can ride the Ferris wheel as the city’s lights shine from below. Not a fan of heights? Enjoy a view of the tower from Shangri-La Hotel, Guangzhou, a view that architect Mark Hemmel promises to be one of a kind; no two angles of sight share the exact same perspective.
Designed by Zaha Hadid, a renowned international architect, the opera house is associated with the Beijing National Theatre and the Shanghai Theatre; a group considered as the three big theatres in China. With a 1,800-seat capacity and a multi-functional digital hall with an area of 2,500 square metres, it offers a unique opportunity to experience live performances across a variety of genres.
The ‘Beautiful Book’ is 98,000 square metres of pure literary splendor in the heart of the new city – Zhu Jiang New Town. The library is an architectural marvel where kids can explore comics and storybooks while adults peruse through a limited, but interesting selection of English titles.
While it’s worth the trip just to see the building’s famed ‘jewelry box’ design, the new Guangdong Museum showcases an array of unseen treasures within. This five-storey building consists of four large exhibition halls with a collection of over 160,000 exhibits. The paleontology exhibit, host to an army of prehistoric dinosaur bones, from the wacky-looking Stegosaurus to everyone’s favourite, the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
You won’t want to miss the experience of gliding down the Pearl River on a leisurely cruise taking in the abundance of neon lights on both banks.
On a full-moon night, you may even see the large 'pearl' reflected in the waters of the Pearl River, as described in the legend from which the name of the river originates.
Xiangjiang Safari Park is home to more than 10,000 animals of 300 species from different parts of the world. Come here to see performances by polar bears, South American sea lions and Thai elephants.
The animals that reign supreme here are the 60 white tigers, the largest collection in the world.
Once an ancestral temple for the Chen families from 70 counties in the 19th century, the Chen Clan Academy has become a museum for local arts and culture.
Its exquisite carvings and stylish architecture represent the region. A famous Chinese poet once stated that visiting the temple is "better than reading books for 10 years."
Guangxiao temple is a Buddhist temple that occupies an important position in the history of Buddhism in South China.
Master Hui Neng made a name for himself in this temple and later became the founder of the Southern stream of Zen Buddhism.
The temple is full of Buddhist relics and ancient architecture.
At the moment, Xiao Zhou Village is a classic water village of South China. It has been regarded as the South Lung of Guangzhou. Generations of inhabitants earn their living by running the orchards. With decent family temples, a quiet and comfortable environment and harmonious community, Xiaozhou Village calls itself traditional. The place can be likened to a Chinese wash painting. The architecture on the island greatly reflects South China, but the oyster shell houses attract the attention. The materials used in building these houses keep them cool during summer and warm in winter, making the homes suitable for the southern weather.
Once a sprawling canning factory on the outskirts of town, Redtory embodies the post-industrial transformation Guangzhou craves. Today, the area is very much within the heart of the city, where Shangri-La Hotel, Guangzhou is not a stone’s throw away across the river. Redtory is an expression of community through art, and the village is immense, with wide boulevards lined with industrial sculpture pieces and funny bronze statues granting easy access to any number of exhibition halls and showrooms. This sanctuary for those who appreciate art in an informal setting represents a clear sign of Guangzhou’s newly found diversity of tastes.
Guangzhou is an important retail distribution centre in South China.
Taikoo Hui at Tianhe Road offers genuine designer clothes, with high-end fashion brands such as Versace, Louis Vuitton and Prada. Next door, Grandview and Teemall are also amongst the largest shopping malls in the city.
Beijing Road is always active, as thousands of Guangzhounese pour into the street every day.
Shangxiajiu pedestrian street is a hot spot for shoppers, with a mixture of Chinese and Western architecture.
For arts, crafts and cultural goods, go to Daxin Road or Wende Road. If you are looking for jade, visit Changshou Road.
Although Guangzhou is full of shopping attractions, the Wholesale Markets on Yi De Road are amongst the largest in the country.
Thousands of wholesalers line up at this 1,200-metre long street selling seafood, dried fruits, snacks and gifts.
The Canton Fair, which is also known as the China Import and Export Fair, has been held biannually (spring and autumn)in Guangzhou since 1957.
The Canton Fair attracts more than 24,000 of China's foreign trade companies with good credibility and sound financial capabilities and over 500 overseas companies to take part in the event.
The Canton Fair is mainly a platform that allows import and export companies with various patterns of trade to connect and do business. In addition to traditional ways of negotiating against samples, the Canton Fair provides Canton Fair Online. Various business activities, such as the sharing and exchange of economic information and technical resources, commodity inspections, insurance deals, transportation services, advertising and consultations, etc., are also carried out in flexible ways at the event. Business people from all over the world gather in Guangzhou to exchange business information and develop friendships.
The Canton Fair complex is located on Pazhou Island of the Haizhu District in Guangzhou. As a big complex for such an event in Asia, the site has important global significance. Shangri-La Hotel, Guangzhou, is the official five-star hotel of the Canton Fair. The hotel is just a 3-minute walk from the Canton Fair complex, making it the ideal place to stay for travellers attending any trade show in Guangzhou, China.