Guangzhou, 3. biggest city in China. Do you know South China?

Guangzhou, the former Canton. A formidable, Chinese growth locomotive

China is so large that it is almost impossible to understand. And yet most of us may only know Beijing and Shanghai and then not much more, despite the country’s enormous influence, innovation power and also high interest as a travel destination. Let’s go to Southeast China and take the pulse there: Today, Guangzhou is China’s third-largest city with approx. 13 million inhabitants, and close to. 20 million live in the region. Say what? (See the map for location under this article.) With a location approx. 12o km from Hong Kong’s financial center and as a huge and old port city, it is a gateway of dimensions to mainland China to and from the outside world. Here, freight is transported in and out of the country in unimaginable quantities.

Guangzhou, China - September 16, 2017: Asian tourists walking in a scenic city park among modern buildings in the Tianhe District of the Zhujiang New Town. Guangzhou is a popular tourist destination.

Guangzhou, China – Asian tourists walking in a scenic city park among modern buildings in the Tianhe District of the Zhujiang New Town. Guangzhou is a popular tourist destination.

What to see in Guangzhou

This video shows what the Chinese have been able to build in 20-30 years. You will hardly believe your eyes.

Night cruise on the Pearl River

The third longest river in China, the Pearl River with a length of more than 2,000 kilometers (about 1,243 miles) consists of the Xi River, the Bei River, the Liuxi River, and the Dong River. They finally meet and converge in Guangzhou and become the famous river, we know. Cruising on Pearl River is one of the best things to do in Guangzhou at night. Sailing along the river, lets you get a whole new take on the city. You can enjoy the Haizhu Square, the famous Canton Tower, as well as various towering skyscrapers. The beautiful night scene under the LED and neon lights turning tall buildings into shimmering, huge jewels will be sure to leave you with a lasting impression.

View of Canton tower (600m) in Guangzhou. One of the most famous landmark in Guangzhou city.

Canton Tower, 600 meters tall and what a breathtaking view up there

Guangzhou was before named “Canton”, a name remembered by many and now honored by Canton Tower that has become an impressive landmark of the city, so it is also one of the must-see places in Guangzhou. As the highest tower in China, Canton Tower has a height of 600 meters (1,968 feet). Ascending Canton Tower, you can enjoy a wonderful bird’s view of the whole city but also have a chance to experience some fairly extreme challenges. For instance, you can take the world’s tallest horizontal sky wheel to enjoy the panorama; the Spider Walk, a wholly transparent outside the tower spiral aerial ladder with see-through glass floor will very likely give you a unique experience. The Sky Drop, where you can experience 30-meter free fall at a height of 485 meters, has won the Guinness World Records of the highest vertical free fall in the world. Make sure you won’t miss this interesting place.

Facts on Guangzhou

Guangzhou is the administrative center of the Guangdong region of the People’s Republic of China and with its 13,080,500 inhabitants is one of the largest cities in China. Guangzhou-Foshan metropolitan area is the third most populous metropolitan area in China with 19,075,000 inhabitants. Guangzhou is located on the coast towards the South China Sea.