Lifestyle in Guangzhou

Guangzhou is a vibrant city that combines modern shopping malls and skyscrapers with rich traditions. It’s a major cultural and historical hub, home to ancient temples and relics over 2,000 years old.

For those seeking fresh air, Guangzhou offers many green spaces perfect for relaxing or enjoying a picnic. The lifestyle in Guangzhou also includes great dining options, from Cantonese restaurants to lively nightclubs. Residents can even experience world-class performances at the famous Guangzhou Opera House.

Shopping in Guangzhou

Known for its growing industries, Guangzhou gives residents easy access to countless products, including inexpensive clothing and electronics. The city has some of the best supermarkets in China and a vibrant wholesale clothing sector.

Two of the most famous wholesale markets are located near the Guangzhou Railway Station in the city’s Yuexiu District. Tianma International Fashion Wholesale Center and Baima Garment Market sell international and domestic clothing brands.

Shopping areas include Beijing Road, a bustling pedestrian road with more than 300 stores. The Global International Trade Center Buyun World is another shopping hotspot that offers an endless variety of shoes at much better prices than in the West.

Another well-known consumer attraction is the Fenghe Tianxiong Textile City. The market features an abundance of knitting, chemical fibres, cotton weaving, linen, leather, and silk and has more than 700 vendors.

Sports and outdoor activities in Guangzhou

Guangzhou offers a range of outdoor activities. Rock climbing and hiking in places such as the Yingxi Fenglin are popular pastimes. This scenic area is home to dense forests, iconic rock formations, caverns, grasslands, and rivers. Paragliding at Lufeng in southeast Guangdong is another popular activity. If you have older children who can put on their battle fatigues, you can try your hand at paintball.

Sports enthusiasts will also have a variety of options in the city. There are several golf courses and country clubs that offer members and non-members access to their impressive facilities. The city is also home to the Guangzhou Sport University, which trains athletes and referees and offers students a range of options in sports sciences, research, and sports management.

Guangzhou is home to several large sports centres, including the Tianhe Stadium, which provides facilities for football, basketball, badminton, and table tennis. City residents often use the stadium's offerings to exercise, play sports, and take classes.

See and do in Guangzhou

Besides towering skyscrapers and sprawling shopping malls, Guangzhou also boasts a rich history. Known for being a centre of trade and cuisine, the city’s warm climate and natural and cultural attractions give expats a variety of options both indoors and out. Here are some of the best things to see and do in Guangzhou.

Yuexiu Park

One of the best known scenic spots in the city, Yuexiu Park is the largest natural space in Guangzhou. It allows residents to surround themselves with nature in the middle of the sprawling urban landscape. It also contains a number of Ming Dynasty cultural relics and a stone statue of the Five Rams, one of the city’s emblems.

Chimelong Paradise

A massive amusement park, Chimelong Paradise offers a dizzying range of entertainment options, including a circus, a water park, a wild-animal-themed park and one of the world’s most exhilarating rollercoasters.

Guangdong Museum

Often hailed as the best museum in China, the Guangdong Museum contains over 160,000 artefacts and has been open to the public since 1959. Exhibitions of the local culture, natural environment and history are contained in its modern facilities, making for a perfect day out with the family.

Pearl River

One of the country’s longest rivers, the Pearl River is strung along 1,490 miles (2,400 km) of the Chinese landscape and is especially beautiful at night. The four river systems that make up the Pearl join up in Guangzhou before spilling into the South China Sea. 

As it cuts through the city at night, the river’s surface reflects the city’s neon lights, providing a unique view of Guangzhou’s urban beauty. You can walk along the river’s ‘Scenic Corridor’ while enjoying the gentle evening breeze, and take a ferry or river cruise.