City guides
Guangzhou
Guangzhou is a huge, modern trading city on the Pearl River in south China, known for its wholesale markets, the twice-yearly Canton Fair and some of the best food in China. It is safe, clean and easy to move around by metro, but daily life runs on phone payments and Chinese apps, so a little preparation before you fly makes a big difference.
Good for
- Trade and wholesale buying
- Canton Fair
- Food
- City breaks
- Shopping
A good length: 4 days
Keep business days and sightseeing days apart: the markets and the fair are tiring, so plan one calm half day of sights after every two days of trade.
Best months
March, April, October, November, December
Per person per day
- Budget
- US$50
- Mid-range
- US$110
- Comfort
- US$280
Per person per day in 2026, sharing a double room: bed, three meals and metro or Didi rides. Hotel prices can triple during the Canton Fair.
Where to stay and spend time
Tianhe and Zhujiang New Town
Good baseThe modern centre with big malls, international hotels, wide streets and the best metro links. The Iranian consulate is on Linjiang Avenue here.
For: Business travellers, families, first-timers
Watch out: Hotels and restaurants cost more than in the older districts.
Open in mapYuexiu and Beijing Road
Stay or visitThe old heart of the city, with pedestrian shopping streets, Yuexiu Park and many mid-range hotels close to the metro.
For: First-timers, older travellers, shoppers
Watch out: Beijing Road is packed at weekends and in the evening; watch your bag.
Open in mapLiwan: Shamian and Shangxiajiu
Stay or visitOld Guangzhou: the tree-lined colonial island of Shamian, the Chen Clan hall and busy food streets serving traditional Cantonese dishes.
For: Culture lovers, couples, older travellers
Watch out: Most local food here is pork-based; Muslim travellers should eat in Xiaobei or at halal places.
Open in mapHaizhu: Canton Tower and Pazhou
Stay or visitSouth of the river, with the Canton Tower, riverside walks and the Canton Fair Complex at Pazhou on metro Line 8. Staying here saves long rides during the fair.
For: Canton Fair visitors, families
Watch out: Hotels near Pazhou fill up and become very expensive during the fair; book months ahead.
Open in mapXiaobei and Huanshi Road
Stay or visitThe area where many Middle Eastern, South Asian and African traders stay, with halal restaurants, cargo agents and cheaper hotels near the markets.
For: Traders, Muslim travellers
Watch out: Streets are crowded and some hotels are basic; read recent reviews before booking.
Open in mapRailway Station wholesale area
Worth a visitAround Guangzhou Railway Station are large clothing and wholesale buildings such as Baima, where traders buy in bulk.
For: Clothing and goods buyers
Watch out: Pickpockets work the crowds, and many sellers only sell inside China; confirm export and payment terms before ordering.
Open in mapPanyu
Worth a visitHome of the Chimelong theme parks, including a large safari park, about an hour south of the centre by metro.
For: Families with children
Watch out: Too far to stay if you have business in the centre; visit as a day out.
Open in map
Places worth your time
- Views
Canton Tower
Haizhu · 2 hours
The city's twisted landmark tower with high viewing decks. Go just before sunset to see the city by day and by night, and buy tickets only at the official counter or website, not from touts outside.
- Views
Pearl River night cruise
Haizhu and Yuexiu · 1 to 2 hours
An evening boat ride past the lit-up towers and bridges. Easy for older travellers and children; buy at the official piers, not from street sellers.
- SightsFree
Shamian Island
Liwan · 1 to 2 hours
A quiet island of old European buildings, shady trees and cafés. Flat and car-free, it is one of the most relaxing walks in the city.
- Museums
Chen Clan Ancestral Hall
Liwan · 1 hour
A beautiful old family hall covered in wood, stone and pottery carvings, now a folk art museum. It sits right next to a metro station.
- ShoppingFree
Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street
Liwan · 1 to 2 hours
A long street of old arcaded shophouses selling clothes, snacks and souvenirs. Busy and lively in the evening.
- ShoppingFree
Beijing Road Pedestrian Street
Yuexiu · 1 to 2 hours
The main shopping street of the old city, where you can see layers of ancient road surface under glass panels in the pavement.
- ParksFree
Yuexiu Park and the Five Rams
Yuexiu · 2 hours
The city's largest central park, with lakes, hills, the Five Rams statue that symbolises Guangzhou and an old tower with a small museum. The park is free; the museum charges a small fee.
- SightsFree
Huaisheng Mosque
Yuexiu · 30 minutes to 1 hour
One of the oldest mosques in China, with a tall lighthouse-like minaret. Muslim visitors can pray here. Dress modestly and avoid the Friday midday prayer if you only want to look around.
- MuseumsFree
Guangdong Museum
Tianhe and Zhujiang New Town · 2 hours
A large modern museum on the history, crafts and nature of the province, beside the Opera House. Book a free time slot in advance and bring your passport.
- ViewsFree
Huacheng Square
Tianhe and Zhujiang New Town · 1 hour
A long green square between the skyscrapers, with the Opera House at one end and a straight view to the Canton Tower. Best after dark when the towers light up.
- Parks
Baiyun Mountain
North of the centre · Half a day
Green hills just north of the city with walking paths and a cable car, so older travellers can reach the views without a hard climb. Go on a clear weekday.
- With children
Chimelong Safari Park
Panyu · Full day
A very large safari park with a train ride past animals and many shows. Tickets are expensive, so arrive at opening and stay all day.
- MarketsFree
Baima and Shahe clothing markets
Railway Station area and Tianhe · Half a day
Two of the best-known wholesale clothing areas: Baima for better quality, Shahe for low prices. Go early in the morning, Monday to Saturday, with a translator app or agent.
- ShoppingFree
Canton Fair Complex
Pazhou, Haizhu · 1 to 3 days
China's largest trade fair runs twice a year, from mid April to early May and from mid October to early November, in three phases with different products. Register as a buyer online before you travel and take metro Line 8.
Getting around
From the airport
Metro Line 3about 50 min
From Airport North station at Terminal 2, Line 3 runs south to Tiyu Xilu in Tianhe. Terminal 3 has no metro station yet: take the airport shuttle bus from Terminal 3 to Gaozeng station (Lines 3 and 9), about 15 minutes. Terminal 1 has been closed for renovation since May 2026. Pay by ticket machine, phone QR code or a tapped Visa or Mastercard.
about 7 to 10 yuan (2026)
Airport Express busabout 75 min
Coaches leave from Terminals 2 and 3 to the Railway Station, Tianhe and big hotels. Buy tickets at the counters or machines in arrivals with cash, Alipay or WeChat Pay. Good if your hotel is near a stop and you have heavy bags.
from about 20 yuan, depending on the route (2026)
Official taxiabout 50 min
Use only the official taxi queue outside arrivals and ignore drivers who approach you inside. The meter is used; you also pay the road toll. Show the hotel address in Chinese.
about 100 to 150 yuan to the centre, toll included (2026)
Didiabout 50 min
China's ride app has an English version and accepts foreign Visa and Mastercard. Pickup is at marked car park zones (P8 at Terminal 2, P12 at Terminal 3); follow the signs for online car hailing.
about 100 to 160 yuan to Tianhe or Yuexiu (2026)
In the city
Guangzhou Metro
Fast, clean and signed in English, with fares of about 2 to 14 yuan (2026). Pay with a phone QR code, a tapped foreign Visa or Mastercard at marked gates, or a single ticket from the machines. Every station has a bag scanner. A 1-day pass is about 20 yuan.
Didi ride app
The easiest door-to-door option, in English, with the fare shown before you ride. Useful with luggage or at night after the metro closes around 11 pm.
City buses
Cheap and frequent but signed mostly in Chinese. Pay with a phone QR code or exact coins and small notes.
Taxis and ride apps
Official taxis use the meter and are fairly cheap; drivers rarely speak English, so keep your hotel address in Chinese on your phone. Didi is easier and accepts foreign cards. Never take unmarked 'black cars' offered by touts at the airport, stations or the Canton Fair.
On foot
Each district is walkable and pavements are good, but the city is very spread out, so use the metro between areas. Summers are hot and humid; stations are far apart and involve stairs, so check which exits have lifts if you travel with older people.
Food
Halal food: Halal food is easy to find if you know where to look. Look for the Chinese sign 清真 (qingzhen), which means halal. Xiaobei and Huanshi Road have Middle Eastern, Pakistani and Indian restaurants, and the streets around Huaisheng Mosque on Guangta Road have Chinese Muslim noodle and lamb shops.
Persian food and community: There is no Iranian neighbourhood, but Persian-speaking traders are common in the wholesale areas and at the Canton Fair, and Xiaobei has many Middle Eastern restaurants with familiar kebabs and rice. The Iranian consulate is in Zhujiang New Town.
- Cantonese food uses a lot of pork, even in dumplings and soups; ask or stick to qingzhen places.
- Picture menus and phone translation apps make ordering easy.
- Tap water is not for drinking; hotels give free bottled or boiled water.
- Lanzhou-style beef noodle shops with the qingzhen sign are cheap and found all over the city.
Money and phone
Cash: Bring clean US dollars and change them at the airport or at a Bank of China branch with your passport. By Chinese law shops must accept cash yuan, so cash always works, but keep small notes because some vendors struggle with change. Bank of China and ICBC ATMs usually accept foreign Visa and Mastercard.
Cards: Iranian cards do not work. Most Chinese pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay. Foreigners can use both by linking a Visa or Mastercard issued outside Iran and verifying a passport in the app; payments over 200 yuan carry a fee of about 3 percent. Set the apps up and test a small payment before you fly. Without such a card, cash is your main way to pay, so bring enough for the whole trip.
SIM and internet: China Unicom and China Mobile sell SIM cards at official stores and airport counters with your passport, about 50 to 120 yuan for a month of data (2026). On a Chinese SIM or hotel Wi-Fi, Google, WhatsApp, Telegram and Instagram are blocked. A foreign roaming eSIM bought before the trip usually keeps them working.
What travellers say
Advice that travellers from many countries repeat, chosen for Iranian visitors.
- Install Alipay, WeChat, Didi, a map app such as Amap and a translation app before you fly, and test them.
- Save your hotel name and address in Chinese characters to show taxi drivers.
- Avoid the metro at rush hour (about 7:30 to 9:30 and 17:30 to 19:30) with big luggage.
- Carry tissues: many public toilets have no paper.
- Every metro station has a bag scanner; do not carry knives or aerosol cans.
- Book hotels months ahead for Canton Fair dates, when prices can triple.
- Summer is hot, humid and rainy with typhoons; October to December is the most pleasant time.
- Buy Canton Tower and river cruise tickets only at official counters or websites.
For Iranian travellers
- Iranians need a Chinese visa (see our visa page). For the Canton Fair, register as a buyer online early; the fair system can issue an invitation letter for the visa.
- Bring enough cash in clean US dollars; Iranian cards do not work and bank transfers linked to Iran are often refused by Chinese banks, so agree payment methods with suppliers before you travel.
- Telegram and WhatsApp are blocked on Chinese networks. Buy a foreign roaming eSIM before the trip and move key contacts to WeChat.
- Halal food is in Xiaobei, around Huaisheng Mosque and at any shop with the 清真 sign.
- The Iranian consulate is on Linjiang Avenue in Zhujiang New Town; keep a copy of your passport and visa on your phone.
- Many traders hire a local agent or translator for market days; check reviews and agree the fee in writing first.
- Check your ticket for the terminal: in 2026 international flights use Terminal 2 (mainly China Southern) or Terminal 3, linked by a shuttle bus. Terminal 1 is closed.
Stay safe
- Guangzhou is generally safe, but pickpockets work crowded markets, Beijing Road and the Railway Station area.
- Walk past strangers who invite you for tea or to an art gallery near tourist sights; it ends with a huge bill.
- Do not buy 'discount' Canton Tower or cruise tickets from touts, and avoid unmarked taxis.
- Be careful with goods and deals that look too cheap in wholesale markets; check samples and pay only part in advance.
- Emergency numbers: police 110, ambulance 120, fire 119.
Checked 7 November 2026