Yu Garden: The Complete Visitor Guide (Tickets, Lantern Festival, Best Photo Spots & How to Get There)

If there is one place in Shanghai where the noise of the modern city vanishes and you find yourself walking through a 450-year-old Ming Dynasty world of moon gates, dragon walls, and koi-filled ponds, it is Yu Garden (豫园). Built in 1577 by Pan Yunduan — a government official who created this sanctuary as a…

Oriental Pearl Radio & Television Tower: The Complete Visitor Guide

Rising 468 meters above the Pudong skyline, the Oriental Pearl Radio & Television Tower (东方明珠广播电视塔) is the building that defines Shanghai. Completed in 1994 and once the tallest structure in Asia, its distinctive silhouette of eleven spheres threaded along three massive columns has become the international symbol of modern China — appearing on postcards, in…

Shanghai Disney Resort: The Complete Visitor Guide

In 2026, Shanghai Disney Resort is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a year-long party that makes this the best time ever to visit China’s most magical theme park. Since opening in June 2016, the resort has grown into one of the most innovative Disney destinations in the world — home to the tallest Disney castle…

The Bund: The Complete Visitor Guide (Free Entry, Best Photo Spots, Night Lights & How to Get There)

No trip to Shanghai is complete without standing on the waterfront promenade of The Bund (外滩), watching the sun set behind the futuristic towers of Pudong while 19th-century European architecture glows golden at your back. This 1.5-kilometer stretch along the west bank of the Huangpu River is not just Shanghai’s most famous landmark — it…

Canton Orchid Garden: The Complete 2026 Visitor Guide (Photo Spots, Best Route, Tickets & How to Get There)

Tucked away on Jiefang North Road, directly across from the bustling gates of Yuexiu Park, lies one of Guangzhou’s most enchanting hidden gems — the Canton Orchid Garden (广州兰圃). For just ¥8 (about $1 USD), you can step through a moon gate and find yourself transported from the noise of downtown Guangzhou into a world…

South China Botanical Garden: Complete 2026 Visitor Guide (Greenhouses, Photo Spots, Tickets & How to Get There)

If you are looking for a place in Guangzhou where you can walk through a tropical rainforest, stand inside a desert of giant cacti, and photograph golden dawn redwoods reflecting in a mirror-still lake — all without leaving the city — the South China Botanical Garden (华南国家植物园) is your answer. Upgraded in 2022 to become…

Temple of the Six Banyan Trees: The Complete Visitor Guide

Hidden among the high-rise buildings and busy shopping streets of downtown Guangzhou lies one of the city’s oldest and most spiritually significant landmarks: the Temple of the Six Banyan Trees (六榕寺, Liurong Temple). Founded in 537 AD during the Southern Dynasties, this 1,500-year-old Buddhist sanctuary has survived fires, wars, and dynastic collapses to stand today…

Guangzhou Ocean World: Complete Visitor Guide (Tickets, Shows, Photo Spots & How to Get There)

If you are traveling to Guangzhou with kids, planning a rainy-day indoor activity, or simply want to escape the tropical heat inside one of China’s most beautifully upgraded urban aquariums, Guangzhou Ocean World (广州海洋馆) is a must-visit. Located inside Guangzhou Zoo in the heart of Yuexiu District, this 20,000-square-meter marine park reopened in June 2024…

Haixinsha Asian Games Park: The Complete Visitor Guide (Free Entry, Best Photo Spots & Night Views)

If you are planning a trip to Guangzhou and want to capture the city’s most iconic skyline without spending a single yuan, Haixinsha Asian Games Park (海心沙亚运公园) is the place to be. Located on a 176,000-square-meter alluvial island in the heart of the Pearl River, this free-entry park offers the best unobstructed views of Canton…