City Guide

Guangzhou, the South Gate of China, is a prosperous metropolis full of vigor.

Guangzhou is the capital city of Guangdong, and the center of its political, economic, scientific, educational and cultural life. Sui (Ears of Rice) is short for Guangzhou and the City of Ram (Yang Cheng) is also an alias of Guangzhou. The kapok is the city flower and the kapok tree is the city tree of Guangzhou.

Guangzhou is located in the middle south of Guangdong Province, north of the Pearl River Delta. It lies close to the South China Sea, Hong Kong, and Macau. Zhujiang (The Pearl River), the third largest river of China, runs through Guangzhou and is navigable to the South China Sea. Situated in such an excellent geographical region, Guangzhou is called China's South Gate.

Covering an area of 7434.4 square kilometers (2870 square miles), Guangzhou is home to more than 11 million people, including a 3.7 million transitory population. With the opening of China to the outside world, a large number of people from other regions of China swarmed into Guangzhou, one of the first 'open' cities in China. This has accelerated its economic development.

Guangzhou is a famous historical city. In ancient days, Guangzhou was the capital city for three Chinese dynasties: the Nan Yue (South Yue), the Nan Han (South Han) and the Nanming (South Ming). Thus it was put in the list of the 24 most famous historical cultural cities and became a tourist destination. You can not understand most Chinese cities deeply until you know their history. This is true of Guangzhou. Many historic sights: the Western Han Nanyue King's Tomb Museum, the Zhenhai Tower and the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall tell us the 2,000-year history of Guangzhou.

Today, Guangzhou retains its ancient customs, but is also a large city full of vigor and current fashions. You can find something worth taking home in Shangxia Jiu Lu, Beijing Lu and Di Shi Fu Lu.

Trying Yue Cai (Cantonese Cuisine), one of eight Chinese famous cuisines, is definitely a must in Guangzhou! Eat delicious food with ingredients you have never heard of.

Hotel facilities and service in Guangzhou are fine. A word of warning: Do make a reservation beforehand if you decide to visit Guangzhou during the Canton Fair. For visitors, especially those plan to attend the Canton Fair, transportation in Guangzhou is more and more convenient. You can choose plane, train, ship or bus.

Guangzhou is famous as a hometown for overseas Chinese. It boasts the largest population of overseas Chinese people. These overseas Chinese do a great deal of good for Guangzhou: opening international markets, bridging Guangzhou and the rest of the world, and establishing many schools, hospitals, nurseries, kindergartens and rest homes in Guangzhou.

Guangzhou is the transportation hub of Southern China. The new Guangzhou Airport is an important International airport in China. Each day there are flights to all parts of China and some foreign countries. Guangzhou's highway system is also well developed. The region's sprawling road can take visitors to the whole country. There is also good water transportation system in which the Huangpu Port is a very important large port in Southern China.

1. By Air

Guangzhou New Baiyun International Airport (CAN) has been in operation since August 5, 2004. The new airport is located between Renhe Town of Baiyun District to the north and Xinhua Town of Huadu District to the east, 17 kilometers (10.6 miles) away from the old airport and 28 kilometers (17.4 miles) away from Haizhu Square, the center of Guangzhou City. Airport Expresses are available. Fares range from CNY 10 to CNY 30 by distance.

Flights from Guangzhou New Baiyun International Airport (CAN) connect Guangzhou with more than 70 domestic cities and over 20 international cities. Direct international flights are to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney, Melbourne, Bangkok, Osaka and Hong Kong.

Since March 22nd, 2007, passengers who pass directly through the territory of China on an international service or stay in Guangzhou less than 24 hours do not need a visa. They must however have a connecting flight and a booked seat.

It is known that starting from July 9th, 2007, a new international service will begin operation to some countries in Southeast Asia. In that case, the passengers can fly to Yangon, Vientiane, Angkor, Phuket without changing plane. Now, the passengers can look up the specific scheduled flights and reserve tickets on the computer sales system. Getting the tickets in advance is also feasible.

Airport Inquiry Number: 36066999 (Mandarin, Cantonese and English languages are available.)

2. By Train

Guangzhou Railway Station located on the Huanshi Xi Lu, northwest of Guangzhou, can be reached easily by public buses. Jing-Guang (Beijing-Guangzhou) Railway Line is the main transportation trunk line between south and north China linking Beijing and Shenyang, Beijing and Chengde, Beijing and Baotou, Shijiazhuang and Taiyuan, Shijiazhuang and Dezhou, Lianyungang and Lanzhou, Hunan and Yunnan, Hunan and Guilin. In addition, railway lines Guangzhou-Maoming and Guangzhou to Shantou connect Guangzhou east and west.

Guangzhou-Hannan Railway has been running since December 5, 2004 offering service in addition to planes and buses. A train departs at 22:26 every day from Guangzhou, arriving 12 hours later at Haihou at 10:26 the next morning; ticket prices vary from CNY 138 (hard seat) to CNY 400 (lower soft sleeper).

Railway construction between Guangzhou and Shenzhen is almost complete. Buses run between these two cities at intervals of fifteen to thirty minutes every day. You can take the train either at Guangzhou East Railway Station or Guangzhou Railway Station. The direct bus charges about CNY 75. It takes 1-1.5 hours for the whole journey.

You can take the direct train to Kowloon of Hong Kong from Guangzhou East Railway Station. The ticket fare is about CNY 200.

Guangzhou Railway Station
Address: No. 159, Huanshi Xi Lu, Guangzhou
Hotline: 020-61357222, 86661789, 86682043

Guangzhou East Railway Station
Address: Linhe Zhong Lu, Tianhe District, Guangzhou
Tel: 020-61346222

Located in Zhongcun Village in Panyu, the Guangzhou New Railway Station under construction now is scheduled to be finished in 2007 and put into operation in 2008. At that time, this station will be one of four railway passenger transport hubs in China.

3. By Road

Expressways have been built linking various cities and in the downtown area of Guangzhou, viaducts, a tunnel under the river, and so on, have been constructed. A long-distance bus station provides buses from Guangzhou to neighboring areas and a direct bus from Guangzhou to Hong Kong.

Guangdong Provincial Long-distance Bus Station
Location: No. 145-149, Huanshi Xi Lu, Guangzhou
Buses here are generally bound for Hunan, Jiangxi, Fujian and Guangxi and cities in Guangdong Province.

Yuexiu South Bus Station
Location: No. 2, Dong Yuan Heng, Yuexiu South, Guangzhou
Buses run to Guilin in Guangxi, Nanchang in Jiangxi, Nanjing in Jiangsu, and Zhengzhou in Henan Province.

Tianhe Bus Station
Location: No. 633, Yanling Lu, Guangzhou
Buses run between Guangzhou and Hunan, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Guizhou and Jiangsu.

The first Tourist Bus Line between Guangzhou and Hong Kong Disneyland has been opened. Now tourists can get to Hong Kong Disneyland from Yitai Square, Jiefang Bei Lu of Guangzhou.

4. Metro

The metro network currently has 4 lines operational, 3 under construction and 4 planned. The total operational length is scheduled to grow to 190.8 km by 2010 and more than 600 km in the long term plan.

Single tickets are bought at a kiosk at every station or by the automatic ticket vending machines. Like most cities in Asia, fares are based on distance. Fares range from 2 yuan (a couple of stations) to 12 yuan (the longest journeys). The ticket itself is a black contactless (RF) plastic token. The user has to tap it on the sensor on the ticket barrier and when he or she exits, the user has to insert it at the exit gate, the token is retained. It will not be valid if it is expired (past 2 and a half hours after validation). The other preferable payment method is the Yang Cheng Tong which is similar in function to that of the Octopus Card in Hong Kong or the Oyster in London. The Yang Cheng Tong offers discounts for riding the Metro.


 

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is one of the three largest air hubs in China. Opened to the public in 2004, it occupies an area of 15 square kilometers (about 5.8 square miles). It has a 4E standard flight area, two runways and a terminal of 320 thousands square meters (about 79 acres). Serving more than 110 air routes from Guangzhou to over 100 domestic and international cities, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport has an average annual passenger flow volume of about 25 million.

Airport Code: CAN 
Location: Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is located on the border of the northern Renhe Town, Baiyun District, and the eastern Xinhua Town, Huadu District. It is about 28 km (17.4 miles) from the airport to downtown Guangzhou.

Facilities:

Medical Service: near the No. 25 Gate on the first floor of the terminal building.
Tel.: 020 - 36066926 (24 hours), 020 - 86122926 (24 hours)
Business Centers: offering long distance phone calls, photo copying and fax services, the centers are near the No. 3 Gate on the first floor and inside the A Departure Area and B Departure Area on the third floor of the Terminal Building.
Parking Lots: there are two parking lots at the airport. One is outdoors and one is a parking station. There is a fee of 8 Yuan for the first hour for small vehicles and 12 Yuan for large vehicles, with 5 and 10 Yuan respectively per additional hour. Taxis are charged 2 Yuan per vehicle.

In addition, there are rooms for mothers and infants, as well as smoking rooms at the A and B departure areas on the third floor. There are shops and restaurants in the domestic lounge on the first floor.

Services:

Airport Enquiries: there are four enquiries desks: opposite the F Island and D Island, and near the No. 15 and No. 11 gates on the third floor.
Tel: 020 - 86137273
Left Luggage Service: The service counters are on the first and the third floors. They offer a left luggage service from 06:00 to 22:00.
Lost and Found: please refer to the counter near the No. 1 Gate in the Departure Hall on the third floor.
Tel: 020 - 36066946
Ticket Center: the domestic ticket counter is located near the No. 3, 11 and 14 gates on the third floor, while the international ticket counter is near the No. 5 and 6 gates on the third floor.
Post Office: to the left of the No. 9 Gate in the Departure Hall on the third floor.
Guangdong Development Bank: it offers foreign exchange opposite the No. 3 Gate in the International Arrivals Hall from 08:00 to 21:00.

Airport Transportation:

Taxi: the flat rate for taxis in Guangzhou is 7 Yuan for the first 2.3 km (about 1.4 miles) and then 2.2 Yuan or 2.6 Yuan per km. Passengers are subject to payment of road/bridge tolls. 

Airport Coach:

Passengers could take airport coach to and from airport. There are two coach companies at the airport. One is "Airport Shuttle Bus Coach"(Ji Chang Kuai Xian), the other is "Airport Express Coach"(Kong Gang Kuai Xian). The difference is the location. Passengers could take the coach to most of the main area of Guangzhou and major cities in Pearl River Delta. 

The Phone for Express Coach(Kong Gang Kuai Xian): 020-86122102;
The Phone for Shuttle Bus(Ji Chang Kuai Xian): 020-61392097

Guangzhou is one of the twenty-four famous historical and cultural cities in China. It does not, however, have the amount of cultural attractions found in some cities such as Beijing and Xian.

Here is a brief introduction to the tourist sights in Guangzhou.

LIURONG Temple(Six Banyan Temple) is situated on the Liu Rong Road. Built in 537, it is a renowned Buddhist cultural site. The temple enshrines three large Buddhist statues--the biggest copper Buddhist statues existing in Guangdong province. The thousand-Buddha copper pillar cast in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) is kept on the top story of the pagoda. The 184-foot pagoda appears to have nine stories; inside, however, there are 17 levels. Because of the colorful exterior carvings, it is popularly known as the Flower Pagoda.

Beijing Road Pedestrian Street is central axis of ancient Guangzhou city and the most prosperous commercial distributing center in the history. Reputed "Famous Street of Lingnan", its average traffic is about 350000 person-times per day, and is the most bustling pedestrian street in Guangzhou. Beijing Road is the main street in Guangzhou in Tang, Song, Yuan and Qing Dynasties, and therefore has become the most prosperous cultural pedestrian mall of Guangzhou since Ming Dynasty.

Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family (Chen Clan Academy) is famous for its exquisite craftsmanship including wood, stone, and brick carving, and metalwork using copper and iron. There are also wonderful murals. As for the carving techniques, both realistic and imaginative styles were employed to give the temple a magnificent yet solemn atmosphere.

White Cloud Mountain (Baiyun Mountain) is easy to reach. Take the public bus, No. 199, 233, 24, 36, 285, or 540. Tourists can take a cable car to reach the top of the mountain. The entrance fee is CNY 5.

Bright Filial Piety Temple (Guangxiao Temple) located at Guangxiao Lu, is the oldest and largest Buddhist temple in the Lingnan Area. The Bright Filial Piety Temple plays an important role in Chinese Buddhism history because many famous Buddhist monks came here to preach religious doctrines, bringing glory to this temple.

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is the most important relic in Guangdong Province. It was built for Dr. Sun Yat-sen after his death in 1925. It was completed in October of 1931.

Five Rams Sculpture and Zhenhai Tower in Yuexiu Park reflects the history of Guangzhou. Yuexiu Park is a perfect combination of cultural relics and ecological tourism, reputed for its pretty water and hills as well as cultural relics including Five Rams Sculpture and Zhenhai Tower.

The Five-Ram Sculpture is one of the most famous structures in Guangzhou. It has become the emblem of Guangzhou City. Legend has it that more than 2,000 years ago, Guangzhou was a barren land with people who despite hard work were suffering from famine. One day five immortals in five-color garments came riding on five rams, playing their legendary music. The rams held sheaves of rice in their mouths. The immortals left the sheaves of rice for the Guangzhou people, gave blessings to the city and left. The rams turned into stone and the city of Guangzhou became a rich and populous place. Guangzhou got the name of the City of Rams and the City of Ears.
 
Zhenhai Tower is better known among the locals as the Five-Story Tower, is one of the landmarks of Guangzhou city. An interesting historical record has it that Zhu Liangzu, Yongjia Marquis of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), saw yellow and purple air rising over Yuexiu Mountain and was told by a sorcerer that it was the omen of a new emperor. To subdue this omen, Zhu Liangzu ordered this tower to be built in 1380. Over the past 600 years, the tower has been destroyed five times and set up five times. Now it is the Guangzhou Museum, housing relics and documents showing Guangzhou's history over 2, 000 years. Known as the first tower in Lingnan (South of Nanling Mountain) Area, Zhenhai Tower now is 28 meters (91.9feet) high and 16 meters (52.5 feet) wide. The striking contrast of green glazed titles and red walls makes the tower elegant.

The Pearl River flows through Guangzhou City. The evening cruise on the Pearl River is one of the tourist highlights in Guangzhou. The beauty of the Pearl River at night can be compared with that of Hong Kong's Victoria Park. The cruise section from the White Goose Pool to Guangzhou Bridge is the highlight of the Pearl River cruise. Scenery along this part is so fascinating, with jade-coloured water, coloured lights on shore.

Chimelong Paradise is one of the leading Amusement Parks in China. Opening in 2006, Chime-Long Paradise has more than 70 high adventure rides and is home to the world’s largest Water Stunt Show, comprising of an international cast of stunt men and women.

Chimelong Xiangjiang Safari Park is recognised as the leading zoological park throughout all of China. It holds a 5A class tourism attraction level, the highest level obtainable and is presently the only zoo in China to hold this ranking. Xiangjiang Safari Park is home to over 20,000 animals from over 450 species including giant pandas, polar bears and koalas to name but a few and it prides itself in its large collection of African and Asian species.

There are more sites to visit than those above listed. Huaisheng Mosque (Remember the Sage Mosque) was built in 7th century in memory of the ancestor of Islam, Mohammed; Western Han Nanyue King's Tomb Museum is the oldest and largest Han tomb with the most funerary objects in Lingnan Area.