Walk Voyage

Guangdong travel guide

Guangdong - 21 Cities & Top Attractions

Guangdong is China's southern gateway and most economically dynamic province, linking Hong Kong and Macau through the Greater Bay Area. Travelers come for Cantonese cuisine, Lingnan culture, coastal scenery, and theme-park clusters, while route planners can stitch together three very different travel styles: the Pearl River Delta urban belt, the Hakka and Danxia mountain interior, and the Chaoshan food-and-coast corridor in the east.

21

Cities

16

A-5A Sites

238

Total A-Grade

Cuisine overview

What Guangdong tastes like

Guangdong hosts three major cuisine families. Cantonese cuisine (Guangzhou, Foshan, Shenzhen, Dongguan, Zhuhai, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing) is light, fresh, and obsessed with ingredient quality. Chaoshan cuisine (Chaozhou, Shantou, Shanwei, Jieyang) is precise, seafood-led, and famous for beef hotpot and fish balls. Hakka cuisine (Meizhou, Heyuan, Shaoguan, Qingyuan mountain areas, eastern Huizhou) leans salty-savory with cured meats, stuffed tofu, and salt-baked chicken. Dim sum, slow-cooked soup, and roast meats run across all three.

Quick navigation

Jump to a city

Each section below lists top-rated attractions in that city, with a one-line highlight.

Guangzhou

4 featured · 36 total A-grade · 2 × 5A

Birthplace of Cantonese cuisine - dim sum, white-cut chicken, wonton noodles.

Baiyun Mountain Scenic Area

5ANature

South Yue famous mountain, Mou Star Peak overlooks the whole city.

Chen Clan Ancestral Hall

4ACulture

Lingnan architectural masterpiece with intricate carvings and folk art.

Canton Tower

4ALeisure

Iconic 600m tower on the Pearl River with panoramic city views.

Chimelong Tourist Resort

5ALeisure

Mega-resort with safari park, water park, and theme park clusters.

Shenzhen

4 featured · 15 total A-grade · 2 × 5A

New-generation Cantonese meets global dining - seafood, roast goose, Hakka in eastern districts.

Shenzhen Overseas Chinese Town (OCT)

5ALeisure

Theme park cluster with Windows of the World and Splendid China.

Xixi Wetland

4ANature

Coastal wetland with migratory birds, easily accessed from downtown.

Shenzhen Safari Park

4ALeisure

Drive-through wildlife park, family-friendly half-day trip.

Qiniang Mountain

4ANature

Coastal peak with sea views and the famous Kpengpeng trail.

Foshan

3 featured · 17 total A-grade · 2 × 5A

Cantonese culinary capital - double-skin milk pudding, Foshan sausages, Shunde fine cuisine.

Mount Xiqiao Scenic Area

5ANature

Volcanic peak with 72 peaks and ancient Song academy ruins.

Foshan Ancestral Temple

4ACulture

Lingnan Taoist temple complex with Wong Fei-hung memorial hall.

Shunfeng Qinghui Garden

4ACulture

Lingnan classical garden in Shunde, paired with Wenhua Lu food street.

Huizhou

3 featured · 12 total A-grade · 2 × 5A

Eastern gateway with Hakka mountain cooking and fresh Xunliao Bay seafood.

Huizhou West Lake

5ANature

Three-lake wetland historic district, Su Causeway-style walks.

Mount Luofu Scenic Area

5ACulture

One of China's Ten Great Grotto-Heavens, Taoist sacred mountain.

Xunliao Bay

4ALeisure

Long sandy beach popular for weekend coastal escapes.

Qingyuan

3 featured · 20 total A-grade · 1 × 5A

Qingyuan chicken, Lianzhou cured meats, Yingde black tea country fare.

Lianzhou Underground River

5ANature

Drift-boat cave system through giant karst chambers.

Gulong Gorge Eco Resort

4ALeisure

Glass bridge, canyon rafting, and waterfall hikes.

Yingxi Peak Forest

4ANature

Karst peak-forest landscape, a quieter Guilin-style alternative.

Meizhou

3 featured · 14 total A-grade · 1 × 5A

Hakka heartland - salt-baked chicken, stuffed tofu, Meicai cured pork.

Yannanfei Tea Field Scenic Area

5ACulture

Hakka tea culture estate with terrace views and tea-tasting.

Ye Jianying Memorial Park

4ACulture

Memorial museum of Marshal Ye Jianying, Hakka heritage context.

Lingguang Temple

4ACulture

Ancient Hakka Buddhist temple in Meixian district.

Jiangmen

3 featured · 13 total A-grade · 1 × 5A

Kaiping walled villages, Xinhui chenpi (dried tangerine peel), seafood on the coast.

Kaiping Diaolou & Villages

5ACulture

UNESCO World Heritage fortified towers in Hakka-Pearl River fusion style.

Guifeng Mountain

4ANature

Cable-car hill overlooking Xinhui with temples and trails.

Xinhui Bird Paradise

4ALeisure

Wetland park famous for its resident heron flock.

Shaoguan

3 featured · 14 total A-grade · 1 × 5A

Northern Guangdong mountain food - cured meats, Nanxiong duck, Hakka noodles.

Danxia Mountain

5ANature

UNESCO red sandstone landform, two-day hike recommended.

Nanhua Temple

4ACulture

Birthplace of the Caodong school of Chan Buddhism.

Maozi Peak Forest

4ANature

Golden ginkgo forest and mountain lake, autumn favorite.

Zhaoqing

3 featured · 8 total A-grade · 1 × 5A

Star Lake river fish, Dinghu mountain vegetables, signature zongzi wraps.

Seven Star Crags & Star Lake

5ANature

Karst hills rising from a city lake, paired with Dinghu Mountain.

Dinghu Mountain

4ANature

Nature reserve with original subtropical forest and waterfall trails.

Panlong Gorge

4ALeisure

Canyon rafting and hot spring complex.

Yangjiang

2 featured · 5 total A-grade · 1 × 5A

Chengcun oysters, Hailing Island seafood, Yangjiang fish knives (cutlery).

Dajiao Bay & Maritime Silk Road Museum

5ALeisure

Long sandy bay on Hailing Island with sunken-ship museum.

Lingxiao Rock

4ANature

Karst caves with a 100-meter stalagmite column.

Zhongshan

2 featured · 5 total A-grade · 1 × 5A

Cantonese classics - Shiqi pigeons, Henglang river fish, traditional roast meats.

Sun Yat-sen Former Residence

5ACulture

Memorial complex of the founding father of modern China.

Zhan Garden

4ACulture

Lingnan-style private garden with classical pavilions.

Dongguan

3 featured · 14 total A-grade

Hokklo roast goose, river fish, lychee in May-June.

Opium War Museum

4ACulture

Site of the 1839 destruction of British opium at Humen.

Guanyin Mountain National Forest Park

4ANature

Hillside park with a 30m Guanyin statue and trails.

Songshan Lake Eco Park

4ANature

Lake ring road popular with cyclists and photographers.

Heyuan

3 featured · 10 total A-grade

Wanlu Lake freshwater fish, Hakka salt-baked chicken, mountain bamboo shoots.

Heyuan Dinosaur Museum Park

4ACulture

World-class dinosaur egg fossil collection.

Bavaria Manor

4ALeisure

European-style resort with hot springs and theme gardens.

Wanlu Lake

4ANature

Large reservoir surrounded by Hakka villages and tea fields.

Maoming

3 featured · 10 total A-grade

Coastal seafood, lychee, Xianli coconut capital cuisine.

Fangji Island

4ALeisure

Offshore island with clear water and coral reefs.

Romantic Coast

4ALeisure

Long white-sand resort beach, popular weekend escape.

Lady Xian Cultural Park

4ACulture

Memorial to the Tang dynasty Li ethnic female governor.

Chaozhou

3 featured · 8 total A-grade

Chaoshan heartland - beef hotpot, fish balls, rice noodle soup, almond tea.

Guangji Bridge

4ACulture

Historic 12-century pontoon bridge, paired with Paifang Street.

Hanwengong Ancestral Hall

4ACulture

Memorial to Han Yu, view of the Han River.

Zilian Forest Resort

4ALeisure

Mountain retreat with tea gardens and Buddhist halls.

Shantou

2 featured · 7 total A-grade · 1 × 5A

Beef hotpot origin, hand-pulled beef balls, fish rice, Chaoshan cold dishes.

Nan'ao Island Eco Resort

5ANature

Offshore island with lighthouse, beaches, and seafood villages.

Queshi Scenic Area

4ANature

Coastal rock formations and walking paths near the bay.

Shanwei

2 featured · 7 total A-grade

Red Bay seafood, Hakka stuffed tofu, port-town snack culture.

Red Bay Tourist Resort

4ALeisure

Long arc beach popular for swimming and windsurfing.

Fengshan Ancestral Temple

4ACulture

Coastal folk temple with views over Shanwei harbor.

Zhanjiang

3 featured · 6 total A-grade

Leizhou Peninsula seafood, white-cut chicken, charcoal-grilled oysters.

Huguang Crater Lake

4ANature

Volcanic lake ringed by tropical forest.

Jinsha Bay

4ALeisure

Urban beachfront promenade with sunset views.

Leizhou Ancient City

4ACulture

Ming-era walled town with local snack streets.

Zhuhai

3 featured · 8 total A-grade

Macau-border seafood, Hengqin oysters, Gongbei night-market snacks.

Dong'ao Island Resort

4ALeisure

White-sand island with boutique resorts, day-trip from Zhuhai.

Wuliting Island

4ALeisure

Outer island popular for hiking, diving, and seafood.

Fenghuang Mountain

3ANature

Central Zhuhai hilltop park with bay panoramas.

Jieyang

2 featured · 6 total A-grade

Chaoshan fusion - braised goose, jade carvings, Puning rice dumplings.

Jinxianmen Tower

3ACulture

Ming-era city gate, icon of old Jieyang.

Wangtian Lake Eco Resort

4ALeisure

Lake resort with hot springs and Hakka village walks.

Yunfu

2 featured · 4 total A-grade

Stone-material hometown cuisine, Xinxing river fish, Hakka-style slow-stewed dishes.

Dawang Mountain

3ANature

Karst peaks and cave temples southwest of the city.

Liuzu Monastery

3ACulture

Chan Buddhism temple set against forested hills.

Methodology

Data & scope

Stats reflect publicly-listed A-grade scenic areas as of 2026-07-09. Featured attractions per city are curated picks (3-4 per location) to keep this page scannable. For exhaustive listings, see the official registry referenced in the footer.

Source: Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, A-grade scenic area public registry, cross-referenced with travel guides.