Guangzhou

Guangzhou is the home of Cantonese food, where yum cha is the everyday morning meal, and Shamian Island keeps the city's former foreign concession on the Pearl River.

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Guangzhou, also called Canton, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China, on the Pearl River about 120 km northwest of Hong Kong. It has more than 2,200 years of history and was for long periods China's main port for foreign trade. Shamian Island, a former foreign concession occupied by Britain and France from 1861 for more than 80 years, still has Western-style buildings. Cantonese cuisine is one of China's major culinary traditions, and locals say 'Eat in Guangzhou'. Yum cha, the morning tea meal with dim sum, is the city's best-known food custom.

Plan around food, trade history and rail links to Hong Kong. Baiyun International Airport handles most international flights, and high-speed trains from Guangzhou South reach Hong Kong West Kowloon in at least 47 minutes. October to December is the best time to visit, when temperatures are moderate and autumn is dry and clear. The rainy season runs roughly April to June, and July to September is the hot, typhoon-prone season.

Guangzhou in five

Know the 6-day group-tour rule from Hong KongForeign nationals who enter Hong Kong or Macao first and join a tour group run by a travel agency registered there can visit Guangzhou and nine other Guangdong cities visa-free for up to 6 days.NIA regional policies
Check your entry rule firstEntry depends on your passport: the 30-day list, the 240-hour transit or a visa. The visa checker shows which applies to you.Visa checker
Eat dim sum in the morningCantonese teahouses are built around morning and early afternoon service, and weekend tables fill early. Go at opening, share small dishes and order tea first, then move to roast meats or noodles for dinner.
Plan around the Canton FairHotel rooms and rates tighten when the Canton Fair trade fair is on, usually in spring and autumn. Check its official dates before you lock in a stay.
Use Guangzhou as the rail start for GuilinHigh-speed trains from the Pearl River Delta reach Guilin, which makes Guangzhou the natural start for a Li River and Yangshuo trip.Guilin and Yangshuo

Things to do in Guangzhou

See all attractions in Guangzhou

a group of people sitting on a bench in a courtyard

Temple · GuangzhouTemple of the Six Banyan Trees

Sight · GuangzhouGuangzhou Opera House

Museum · GuangzhouGuangzhou Museum of Art

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to GuangzhouPut the places you like in Guangzhou on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Airport: Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN), a major southern gateway
Getting there: Flights worldwide; high-speed rail from Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guilin
Getting around: Metro, buses and taxis; pay by QR code or card at stations
Best base: Tianhe for transport, Yuexiu for old Canton, Shamian for calm
Time needed: 2 nights for food and Shamian; 3 with Foshan or Zhaoqing

Weather by month

Rainy days

Best
Good
Mixed
Poor

JanuaryPartly cloudy7 rainy daysHigh20°Low13°Cool, dry
FebruaryPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh21°Low14°Damp, cool
MarchRain15 rainy daysHigh25°Low18°Mild, drizzle
AprilRain17 rainy daysHigh28°Low21°Humid
MayRain22 rainy daysHigh30°Low24°Hot, rainy
JuneRain26 rainy daysHigh32°Low26°Wet, hot
JulyRain23 rainy daysHigh34°Low27°Hot, typhoons
AugustRain26 rainy daysHigh33°Low27°Hot, typhoons
SeptemberRain20 rainy daysHigh32°Low26°Hot, drier
OctoberPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh29°Low22°Clear, mild
NovemberPartly cloudy6 rainy daysHigh26°Low19°Dry, clear
DecemberPartly cloudy3 rainy daysHigh21°Low14°Cool, dry

Average daily high and low in Guangzhou, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Right now in Guangzhou

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 26°
Humidity: 67%
Wind: 9 km/h
Chance of rain: 65%

Guangdong

04:40 AM

Tuesday, November 3

GMT+8

Today31°23°65%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 31°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 65%.
Wed30°24°100%Wednesday: Rain. High 30°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 100%.
Thu30°24°87%Thursday: Rain. High 30°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 87%.
Fri30°24°76%Friday: Drizzle. High 30°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 76%.
Sat29°23°42%Saturday: Clear. High 29°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 42%.
Sun31°22°18%Sunday: Clear. High 31°, Low 22°. Chance of rain 18%.
Mon27°18°16%Monday: Cloudy. High 27°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 16%.

Updated 01:13 AM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 6.661 CNY

Amount

Converted to

CNY · Chinese Yuan

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

Day trips by train

Foshanshort regional rail or bus rideAncestral temples and martial-arts heritage in a neighboring Guangdong city.
Zhaoqingregional rail or coachSeven Star Crags lakes and a city wall, a calmer break from Guangzhou.
Macauvia Zhuhai and the land borderA separate border check and a UNESCO-listed old center; allow a full day.Read the guide

Before you go to Guangzhou

Guangzhou food and city toursGuided dim sum and old Canton daysCompare tours

Hotels in Tianhe and YuexiuMetro-linked bases for rail and foodCheck availability

eSIM for GuangzhouMaps and ride-hail from arrivalRead the guide

Insurance for GuangzhouCancellation cover for fair datesRead the guide

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Rules for Guangzhou, checked

Visa-free up to 6 days: foreigners who enter Hong Kong or Macao first and join a tour group run by an agency registered there may visit Guangzhou.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source

Plan around Guangzhou

All of China

Visa-free entry, payments, trains and cities

Read the guide Hong Kong

Harbor skyline and the bigger international hub

Read the guide Macau

A UNESCO-listed old center beyond the delta

Read the guide Guilin and Yangshuo

Li River karst by high-speed rail

Read the guide Shanghai

The other big rail and air gateway

Read the guide China visa-free entry

The 30-day list and the 240-hour transit

Read the guide Money and costs in China

Cashless payments and backup cash

Read the guide

Guangzhou FAQ

How many days do you need in Guangzhou?

Two nights cover dim sum, the Pearl River at night, Shamian Island and one museum or temple. Add a third day for Foshan or Zhaoqing. One night works if Guangzhou is only a rail connection.

Is Guangzhou worth visiting?

Yes for food and as a southern China gateway. It has fewer headline monuments than Beijing or Xi'an, so its value is in teahouses, old streets and onward rail to Guilin, Hong Kong or Macau.

Can I go from Guangzhou to Hong Kong without a new visa?

Hong Kong has its own entry rules, and coming back counts as a new mainland entry. The Hong Kong guide covers both, including the UK note on second entries for visa holders.

What is the best time to visit Guangzhou?

October to December, when it is warm, drier and clearer. Summer is hot and wet, and typhoons can disrupt flights and trains, mainly from mid-year into early autumn.

Do I need to register where I stay in Guangzhou?

Hotels register foreign guests at check-in. A private apartment needs registration within 24 hours; the China guide has the rule and the online route.