# One day in Guangzhou: an itinerary in the best order > One day in Guangzhou covers the new city and the old. Morning at the 600 m Canton Tower on the south bank of the Pearl River. Then Beijing Road, where 11 layers of old roadway from the Tang dynasty to the 20th century show under glass in the pavement, and lunch. After lunch, Dafo Temple with three bronze Buddhas, the Six Banyan Temple with its 57 m Flower Pagoda and Shamian Island's European mansions under banyan trees. Transfers take 3–33 minutes. Web page: https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/in-1-day ## Plan 1. [Canton Tower](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/canton-tower.md) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · From ¥150, under 1.2 m free ↓ 33 min by transport 2. [Beijing Road](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/beijing-road.md) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free Lunch break, about 1 h ↓ 3 min on foot 3. [Dafo Temple](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/guangzhou-dafo-temple.md) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free ↓ 18 min on foot 4. [Temple of the Six Banyan Trees](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/six-banyan-temple.md) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free ↓ 24 min by transport 5. [Shamian Island](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/shamian-island.md) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free, open 24 hours Total with walks: 7 h 48 min ## What to do in Guangzhou in one day The Canton Tower is on the south bank; the rest is in old Yuexiu and on Shamian Island. The tower is best at night when it is lit — drag it to the end of the day with ≡. Remove any stop with the cross or drag it with ≡, and add another one nearby — the times recalculate. ## An evening on the Pearl River Evening [Pearl River](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/pearl-river) cruises leave roughly 18:30–22:00: 50–90 minutes past the lit-up tower, 90–220 yuan depending on the pier. ## More to see The [Chen Clan Academy](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/chen-clan-academy) is a richly carved 19th-century clan temple, 10 yuan, closed Tuesdays. Zaha Hadid's [Opera House](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/guangzhou-opera-house), [Yuexiu Park](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/yuexiu-park) with the 1380 Zhenhai Tower, and [Baiyun Mountain](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/baiyun-mountain) with its city view. ## Tips - Go up the Canton Tower for sunset. - Cantonese food means dim sum in a teahouse in the morning. - Many museums and parks in China admit visitors only with a passport booking — via WeChat, the website or a mini-app, usually 1–7 days ahead. Carry your passport. - China runs on Alipay and WeChat Pay — link a foreign card before you go; keep some cash yuan as a backup. - The metro beats taxis in Guangzhou. ## Questions ### What can you do in Guangzhou in one day? The Canton Tower, Beijing Road, Dafo and Six Banyan temples and Shamian Island. ### How much is the Canton Tower? 150 yuan for the indoor decks, 228 with the 450 m open deck. ### Is Shamian Island free? Yes, open 24 hours. ### Where can you see the ancient road? On Beijing Road — 11 layers under glass. ### How much does the day cost? About 150–230 yuan with the tower; the rest is free. ### Is it good with kids? Yes: the tower and the island are fun. ### Can you explore Guangzhou on your own? Yes, by metro and on foot. ### How much is a Pearl River cruise? 90–220 yuan depending on the pier. ### When is the best time? October to December. ### How do I pay in Guangzhou? China runs on Alipay and WeChat Pay — link a foreign card before you go; keep some cash yuan as a backup. --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.