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Major city · China

Guangzhou广州

Pick Guangzhou over Shenzhen if food is the priority: it's the historic home of Cantonese cuisine and dim sum, with a high-speed rail link to Hong Kong under an hour; 2 nights is enough for the old town and a few meals.

Weather
see forecast
Best months
Oct–Dec: warm days, lower humidity and little rain
avoid Jun–Sep (heat, high humidity, frequent rain and typhoon risk), Chinese New Year week (markets and many restaurants close)
Airport
CAN
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7
  • East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
  • East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
  • China ↗Most nationalities need a visa, a unilateral visa-free entry (the list and end dates change) or the transit exemption below. Confirm your route on the official sites before you buy a ticket.
  • China ↗Transit stay without a visa: up to 240 hours (10 days) for citizens of about 55 listed countries who pass through China to a third country or region, with a confirmed onward ticket and a stay inside the permitted area (Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei count as one area). It replaced the 144-hour rule in December 2024, which some older pages still quote. Use the transit lane at immigration, show the onward ticket, and check the current nationality list. Hong Kong and Macau count as separate regions; check whether your ticket qualifies.
  • China ↗Foreign visitors must register their address with the police within 24 hours; hotels do it at check-in with your passport. Carry the original passport at all times: hotels, trains, museums, Tiananmen Square and police checks ask for it.
  • China ↗Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card before you fly. QR payment is the default in shops, taxis and many stalls, and some places refuse cash or a foreign card. Carry cash as a backup.
  • China ↗Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and many news sites are blocked. Use an eSIM with roaming (it routes through your home network) or install and test a VPN before you fly; VPN sites and app stores are hard to reach inside China, and only government-approved VPNs are officially permitted.

Guangzhou is the capital of Guangdong province and a trading port with over two thousand years of history. It is the historic centre of Cantonese cuisine and dim sum culture, and it sits an hour from Hong Kong by high-speed rail. Modern towers such as the Canton Tower stand beside Qing-dynasty temples, colonial-era Shamian Island and the wholesale markets that make Guangzhou a manufacturing hub.

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Dim sum and Cantonese cuisine, especially in Yuexiu's old-town restaurantsCanton Tower and the Pearl River night cruiseShamian Island's colonial-era architectureChen Clan Academy's carved ancestral hallWholesale markets for clothing, fabric and electronics
Airports
CAN Guangzhou Baiyun (Metro Line 3 (about 1 hour to the centre) or the airport express bus)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Guangzhou: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

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Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The metro reaches most sights and both rail stations; buy a transit card on arrival. Taxis and ride-hailing (Didi) are cheap but drivers rarely speak English, so have your destination written in Chinese characters.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Tianhe

Business district with the Guangzhou East rail station and Canton Tower nearby.

Yuexiu

Old-town temples, parks and dim sum restaurants, walkable and on the metro.

Shamian Island

Quiet colonial-era streets close to Liwan's food scene.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Watch out

Safety

Low risk of violent crime; the main hazards are pickpocketing in crowded markets and summer heat exhaustion.
  • Summer heat and humidity make midday sightseeing uncomfortable; plan indoor stops or a siesta.
  • Wholesale-market districts are crowded and a common spot for pickpockets; keep bags zipped and in front.
  • Foreign visitors need a valid visa or transit exemption; confirm current rules with official sources before booking.

Emergency numbers

Police
110
Ambulance
120
Fire
119

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Guangzhou. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Oct–Dec: warm days, lower humidity and little rain · avoid Jun–Sep (heat, high humidity, frequent rain and typhoon risk), Chinese New Year week (markets and many restaurants close)
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast
  4. 3 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
  2. Walking clusters with bag rules
  3. Day plans checked against opening hours
  4. Field-verified times and fares

Meanwhile

Back to China

Sources