My spending habits collapsed after 3 days in Guangzhou
A must-see checklist before departure 🧳
✅ Documents: ID card 📄, student ID/senior citizen card (essential for discounts at attractions)
✅ Outfit Guide: Guangzhou in May is humid and rainy 🌧️. Prepare light and breathable short-sleeved shirts and shorts 👚🩳, waterproof and sunscreen umbrellas ☂️, and sunscreen clothing 🧥; a pair of non-slip sandals or sneakers 👟 to cope with the changeable weather.
✅ Other goodies: Power bank 🔋, camera 📷, gastrointestinal medicine 💊 (for spicy food), portable mini fan (savior for sultry weather)
Transportation Guide 🚇
🚄 External Transportation:
• Guangzhou South Railway Station has high-speed trains to all over the country. It only takes 30 minutes from Shenzhen and about 1 hour from Hong Kong 🚝. It is safer to book tickets in advance.
• Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport has routes covering the world ✈️, and Metro Line 3 North Extension goes directly to the city center.
🚌 City Transportation:
• The subway lines are dense. It is recommended to use the "Guangzhou Metro" APP to scan the code to take the subway 🚇, and easily reach various attractions.
• Buses cover a wide area, but are prone to congestion during peak hours 🚌; Taxis are convenient, it is recommended to use taxi software.
• It is very pleasant to take a water bus to tour the Pearl River, and experience "water transportation" from CNY 2 🛥️
3 Days and 2 Nights Itinerary ✨
Day1: First Experience of Old Town Life 🔥
📍 Shamian Island: Free! A holy place for taking photos of European-style buildings, with shady green trees. You can take retro blockbusters with a casual shot 📸. The century-old foreign-style building cafes are very atmospheric.
📍 Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street: Lingnan arcade old street, visit time-honored shops, buy Cantonese pastries, check in at "Tao Tao Ju" for morning tea, shrimp dumplings and siu mai are must-orders!
📍 Baohua Road: Food paradise! Chen Tianji Fish Skin, Shun Kee Ice Room Coconut Ice Cream 🍦, an average of CNY 50 per person to eat until full.
Day 2: Romance on both sides of the Pearl River 🌉
📍 Canton Tower: Tickets start from CNY 150 🎫, overlooking the whole city from the "small waist"! The 111th floor Ferris wheel + extreme speed cloud car are super exciting, and the night view lights are gorgeous 🌃.
📍 Pearl River Night Cruise: Take a boat for CNY 80–180 to see the bright lights on both sides of the river. Haixinsha and Liede Bridge have a panoramic view. It is very pleasant to blow the river breeze 🚢.
📍 Taikoo Hui: High-end business district, visit luxury stores, check in at Fang Suo Bookstore 📖, and take photos in the rooftop garden in a super-ins style.
Day 3: Niche Secret Realm and Cultural Exploration 🎨
📍 Redtory Art and Design Factory: Free! A literary and artistic mecca transformed from an old factory, with many art exhibitions and creative shops. The photo atmosphere is full 🎞️.
📍 Chen Clan Academy: Ticket CNY 10, a pearl of Lingnan architecture! The brick carvings, wood carvings, and plaster sculptures are exquisite, and you can feel the cultural heritage of Guangzhou 🏯.
📍 Huangpu Ancient Port: Experience the old Guangzhou customs, eat Nai Po Ginger Milk Curd 🥛, visit the ancient wharf, and see the tranquility and fireworks of the century-old ancient village.
Guangzhou on the Tip of the Tongue 🍜
🍜 Must-eat classics:
• Morning tea: Shrimp dumplings, barbecued pork buns, chicken feet, rice noodle rolls... Recommended "Dian Dou De", an average of CNY 80 per person for exquisite Cantonese snacks.
• Claypot dishes: Snakehead and field chicken are cooked and eaten now. The casserole sizzles and the aroma is tangy. "Hui Shi Jia" is recommended.
• Beautiful soup: Old fire soup nourishes and nourishes health, coconut chicken soup, sea coconut and lean meat soup, warm your stomach after drinking 🥣
🍢 Featured snacks:
• Wonton noodles: The bamboo-raised noodles are chewy, and the fresh shrimp wontons are plump. "Wu Cai Ji", a time-honored brand, is a must-try.
• Double-layer milk: Shunde specialty, the milk skin is mellow, rich and sweet, Nanxin Dessert Expert is super authentic 🍮
• Beef offal: Radish beef offal, curry fish balls, the aroma of street carts is overflowing, CNY 10 per serving
Photo Tips 📸
1️⃣ Shamian Island: When the afternoon light is soft, take photos of European-style buildings and people interacting.
2️⃣ Canton Tower: Use a telephoto lens to take night scenes, or take a photo with the CBD in the same frame in Huacheng Square.
3️⃣ Redtory: Use abandoned railway tracks and old factories to take industrial-style blockbusters.
Tips to avoid pitfalls ⚠️
❌ Popular morning tea shops need to queue, it is recommended to stagger the peak or get a number in advance
❌ Book Pearl River night cruise tickets online in advance, there may be no good seats if you buy them on site
❌ It rains a lot in May, so bring rain gear with you and don't wear shoes that are not resistant to dirt.
❌ Don’t trust the "low-price one-day tour" around the scenic spot, and recognize regular travel agencies.
Hidden Gameplay 🎁
1️⃣ Dongshankou: A gathering place for literary and petty bourgeoisie, visit buyer shops and coffee shops, and encounter retro arcades.
2️⃣ Shawan Ancient Town: Free! Lingnan water town ancient town, see oyster shell walls, eat Shawan ginger buried milk.
3️⃣ Guangzhou Grand Theater: Zaha-designed landmark building, listen to a concert and feel the artistic atmosphere 🎵