The Best Day Trips From Guangzhou

Not only is Guangzhou a wonderful city, but it is also in a wonderful location. Being situated by the ocean, and close to Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and other major tourist areas, Guangzhou equips visitors with the ability to take amazing day trips. In this article, we have laid out the best day trips from Guangzhou – continue reading to find out what they are!

1. Shamian Island

Natural Feature

Accessible by bus, subway, and car, Shamian Island is a 3,000-foot by 1,000-foot crescent-shaped sandbar in Guangzhou. During the Song and Qing Dynasties the island was used as a foreign trading port, but since then its buildings have been transformed into official government buildings, factories, and homes. Shamian Island makes the perfect leisurely day trip; tourists can wander around the quaint island, exploring its Gothic and Baroque architecture, all the while not straying far from Guangzhou.

2. Kaiping Diaolou

Ruins, Architectural Landmark, Historical Landmark

This rural UNESCO World Heritage Site is just two hours outside of Guangzhou, making it an ideal day trip from the bustling city. Kaiping Diaolou is a nearly abandoned village on the outskirts of Kiaping that during the 20th century was used as defensive housing against thieves and criminals alike. Today, more than 1,800 incredible buildings remain intact and standing, making it a truly worthwhile trip.

3. Danxia Geological Park

Park

Best known for its erotic-shaped rocks, Danxia Geopark is a national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park’s red sandstone mountains are not only breathtaking but also quite amusing; tourists come from all over to hike and gawk at the phallic-shaped stones. Taking a day trip to Danxia Geopark will be unlike any other!

5. Mount Xiqiao

Natural Feature

Approximately an hour outside of Guangzhou, located in Foshan, lies Xiqiao Mountain. Once an active volcano, and now a historical national park, Xiqiao Mountain is accessible from Guangzhou by bus. The national park is home to many temples, as well as a 217-foot statue of goddess Guanyin. Xiqiao Mountain also has many hiking trails and makes for an absolutely amazing place to spend a day.

6. Shenzen

Architectural Landmark

Itching to see another city to break up your time in Guangzhou without the hassle of border checks and customs? In that case, making the trip to Shenzhen is a perfect fit! A trip from Guangzhou to Shenzhen is a fast and painless one; tourists can commute between the two cities by bus or high-speed train. Getting to and from each city only takes about two hours and is well worth it!

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.