I only had a few days in Guangzhou, and originally I came for one very specific reason: fabric. I’d heard about the massive textile markets and warehouses — designer heaven. I knew there was a chance they’d be closed for Lunar New Year… and they were.
Guangzhou China Fabrics & Accessories Center
Still, I figured if I couldn’t shop bolts of high end cotton, I could at least explore the city.
Guangzhou is sometimes nicknamed “Chocolate City” because of its long-established African business community. I thought maybe I’d find a Black hair salon while I was there — but from what I gathered, Black hair care operates more informally, mostly through word of mouth rather than visible storefronts.
A Rough Start: Why Women Choose the Bear
Shortly after arriving, I left my hotel and was standing at a crosswalk when a man with the worst teeth I've ever seen, approached me and asked me to scan his WeChat. Out of politeness, and because women know rejecting men can escalate quickly, I scanned it but walked away without adding him. He kept following me. I shook my head, said no repeatedly, and even a restaurant security guard tried to wave him off. He ignored it and kept getting uncomfortably close...pressing his body against me.
With the language barrier and no obvious police presence, I had to handle it myself. I finally turned around, loudly and angrily told him to go, and aggressively shooed him away. That worked.
Travel reminder: politeness is optional. Safety isn’t.
Apps You Absolutely Need in China
China runs on apps. Download before arrival:
- Astrill VPN (works to best)
- Alipay (metro + payments)
- WeChat (many museum tickets are only sold here)
- Baidu Maps
- Didi (Chinese Uber)
- Translator app
- Railway 12306 (tickets go on sale 14 days in advance)
Going to or from Hong Kong? When booking rail tickets, input HKWestKowloon.
For metro payments: open Alipay → Payment → Transport → select Guangzhou.
Be prepared to upload a copy of your passport to verify Alipay and WeChat. And physically carry your passport — many sites require it.
Where I Stayed
Stargazing Platform Inn — excellent location near the pedestrian street and Liwan District.
What I Visited
Tianhe
Tianhe is the sleek, modern district with more Western restaurants and malls like Teemall (good restaurants on floors 6 and 7). Beijing Lu is a huge, lively shopping area.
Guangzhou feels more commercial and business-oriented than touristy (big conferences happen here), but there’s real history if you seek it out.
One thing that pleasantly surprised me: Guangzhou is very clean, and the public bathrooms I used had toilet paper and soap, which isn’t always guaranteed in mainland China. Small victory.
Pro tip: restaurants usually do not provide napkins, so bring your own.
Liwan Museum
Four historic Xiguan-style mansions showcasing traditional architecture, Cantonese folk life, a revolutionary figure (no English explanations), and a wealthy businessman’s mansion with a basement recreation of old Guangzhou street scenes.
Guangzhou Uprising Memorial Hall
Honors the 1927 Communist uprising. Spread across three restored Western-style buildings. One featured a police exhibit (including confiscated drug displays), another temporary Chinese-only exhibit, and a bilingual section explaining the uprising.
Nanyue Kingdom Palace Museum
A preserved archaeological site of the Nanyue Kingdom (204–111 BCE). Ancient palace foundations, wells, and drainage systems over 2,000 years old.
Dafo Temple
My favorite. Dating back to the 10th century, with towering Buddha statues and a powerful incense-filled atmosphere.
Dafo Temple
Cantonese Opera Art Museum
Lingnan-style architecture and elaborate embroidered opera costumes that look like something straight out of a 70s funk concert.
Shamian Island
Former British and French concession with Neoclassical and Victorian buildings. Quiet, leafy streets and heavy colonial history. Did a walking tour of this area.
While there, I also visited Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel, a small French-built Catholic chapel from the late 19th century that adds to Shamian’s European atmosphere.
Guangzhou Sacred Heart Cathedral
Built entirely of granite between 1863–1888. Dramatic Gothic spires and one of the few all-stone cathedrals in the world.
Guangzhou Sacred Heart Cathedral from the rooftop of Mottle Café
Temple of the Six Banyan Trees
Founded in 537 AD. Home to the Flower Pagoda and three massive bronze Buddhas. A must-see.
Bruce Lee Ancestral Home
Small museum honoring Bruce Lee’s family roots in Guangdong. Interestingly, there was a friends and family tree of Bruce Lee that included his mistresses.
Bruce Lee Ancestral Home
Chen Clan Ancestral Home
I tried to visit Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, but it was fully booked — no walk-ins allowed. Be sure to book in advance using the Wechat QR code below.
QR code to purchase tickets to the Chen Clan Ancestral Home
Where I Ate
Over Easy – Western breakfast
Paix Café – jasmine apple Americano + Earl Grey mochi Basque cheesecake
Mottle Café – pricey but unbeatable cathedral views
Sesame dessert shop – I couldn't find its proper name, location below
Baihua Traditional Dessert – milk & egg yolk pudding
Chocmons – delicious cookies (expensive)
Panxi Restaurant – elegant waterfront Cantonese dining
Xin Dou Ji - Fantastic local meal in Liwan District
Lock Chuck - Western breakfast, sadly closed when I went
36 Cafe Bar - Apparently, good brunch and expat style vibe located in a cool western building on the river. Sadly, closed when I went
Location of the sesame dessert shop near one of the Liwan district gates
Thai Spa QR Code and Opening HoursFinal Thoughts
Guangzhou doesn’t cater to tourists. English is limited. It takes effort. But beneath the commercial exterior are ancient kingdoms, colonial layers, revolutionary history, and deeply rooted Cantonese culture.
Would I come back?
Yes.
Next time — when the fabric warehouses are open.
You can follow Busty Girl Travels @curvycurlyjourneys on Instagram.