Yuexiu Park, Guangzhou

Is Yuexiu Park free? Tickets and opening hours

Yes — entry to Yuexiu Park is free, with no booking, and the park is open daily from about 6:00 to 22:00. Every source we checked agrees on free entry; one guide gives a 21:00 close, so don't leave the summit for the last half-hour.

The only real ticket is for Zhenhai Tower, which houses the Guangzhou Museum: about ¥10, Tuesday to Sunday 9:00–17:30, last entry 17:00, closed Mondays. The price comes from travel guides rather than an official price list, so expect small changes. The museum's art gallery in the Zhongyuan building next door is listed as free. Boats on the lakes are paid separately.

Paying in China works through Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to a foreign Visa or Mastercard; set them up before the trip. By law, cash must be accepted, but change can be a problem, so carry ¥10–50 notes. On the metro, foreign contactless cards work at marked gates.

What to see in Yuexiu Park

• Five Rams statue (五羊石像) — 11 m tall, carved from 130 granite blocks in 1959. A mother ram holds an ear of rice in her mouth with four lambs around her. It sits on its own knoll, up a short flight of steps.
• Zhenhai Tower (镇海楼) — a red, five-storey fortress tower from 1380, 28 m high. Inside is the Guangzhou Museum's city history display; outside it's free to admire.
• Ming city wall — a surviving stretch of the old city wall runs beside Zhenhai Tower. The rest of Guangzhou's walls were pulled down long ago.
• Sun Yat-sen Monument (中山纪念碑) — a white granite obelisk on the main summit. Chinese Wikipedia dates it to 1929 and credits Lü Yanzhi, architect of the Memorial Hall below.
• Sifang Fort (四方炮台) — old gun emplacements on a hilltop that once guarded the city's northern approach.
• Dongxiu, Nanxiu and Beixiu lakes — three man-made lakes with rowing boats on some. Mornings bring tai chi, dancing and Cantonese opera sung to portable speakers.
• Yuexiu Stadium — an old football ground at the foot of the hill; a glance from outside is enough unless there's a match.

Zhenhai Tower and the Guangzhou Museum

Zhenhai Tower — 'the tower that guards the sea' — is the park's main paid sight. It was built in 1380, when the early Ming expanded Guangzhou and ran the city wall over Yuexiu Hill, and it has been burnt and repaired several times since. In 1928 it was rebuilt with a reinforced-concrete frame inside the original Ming brick and stone walls.

Since 1929 it has housed the Guangzhou Museum, one of the first city museums in China. Each floor covers a stage of the city's past, from early settlement to the 20th century, and the top floor looks out over the park and city. It's a national-level protected monument.

Our take: if you're curious about why Guangzhou became China's great trading port, the museum is worth its small fee and 45 minutes. If not, the tower's best side is the outside — photograph it from the lawn below, then walk the stretch of Ming wall next to it.

The Five Rams legend: why Guangzhou is the City of Rams

Legend says that in a year of famine five immortals rode into Guangzhou on five rams of different colours. They handed the people ears of rice, wished the city would never go hungry and flew away — and the rams turned to stone. That's why Guangzhou's nickname is Yangcheng (羊城), the City of Rams.

The statue was carved in 1959 (some sources say 1960) by Yin Jichang, Chen Benzong and Kong Fanwei. It's the park's most photographed spot, so by midday there's a queue for the classic shot. Come early in the morning or towards sunset for a clear frame.

Is Yuexiu Park worth visiting, and how long do you need?

Yes, on a first trip to Guangzhou, especially if you like history. The statue, the tower with its museum and the old wall fit into 1.5–2 hours, two metro stops from Beijing Road. Add a boat on the lake and the climb to the obelisk and you've got half a day.

Skip it if you're after manicured gardens: Yuexiu is a wooded hill with plenty of steps, and in summer heat the climbs are hard work — go before 10:00 or after 16:00. For a big view over the skyline, Baiyun Mountain does it better; for the city's story, Yuexiu wins.

Yuexiu Park vs other Guangzhou sights

Prices from guides and local press — check on the day.

Historic sights in Guangzhou: compare and choose

Every historic sight in Guangzhou rated by YesGo. Tap a column header to sort.

Nearby and on your route

38

Temple of the Six Banyan Trees

Guangzhou, China

30 min · Free · 25 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Temple of the Six Banyan Trees

44

Beijing Road

Guangzhou, China

1 h · Free · 34 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Beijing Road

45

Dafo Temple

Guangzhou, China

30 min · Free · 35 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Dafo Temple

How to do it right

• Arrive by 8–9 am: it's cooler, locals are singing and dancing by the lakes, and the Five Rams statue is still quiet.
• Start at the main gate by Yuexiu Park station — Zhenhai Tower and the statue come first, and the summit obelisk makes a good finish.
• The museum closes on Mondays; on a Monday, see the tower from outside and head for the lakes instead.
• The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is at the southern foot of the hill and pairs neatly with the park.
• Afterwards, eat along Jiefang North Road or ride two stops back to Beijing Road.
• There are toilets and water kiosks, but few cafés — bring a snack.
• Google Maps doesn't work in China without roaming or a VPN; save the Chinese name and an offline map before you go.

Questions