Guangzhou · Guangdong · Place

Canton Tower

600-meter TV-tower landmark on the Pearl River with night skyline views and a 450-meter skywalk.

Written and signed by Alex Chu

4.9/5RatingCNY 100–300 depending on tier. The base 433m indoor deck starts at around CNY 100; higher decks like the 450m skywalk, 460m Ferris wheel, and 488m rooftop cost extra. Combo passes for multiple decks available from CNY 400.Ticket09:00-21:00 (ticket office), last entry 22:00Opening hours

What it actually is

Canton Tower is a 600-meter twisting TV-tower on the southern bank of the Pearl River in Guangzhou, completed in 2010 as the third-tallest freestanding tower in the world. Visitors ride to the 450-meter skywalk, the 460-meter horizontal Ferris wheel (glass bubble tram), or the 488-meter outdoor observation deck for full-Pearl-River-panorama views that turn from blue hour to neon after dark.

Editor's take

Alex ChuWritten and signed by

The verdict

Worth it as a night stop for anyone who wants the light show and skyline — go after dark, shoot it from across the river, and check the fountain schedule first. If you're afraid of heights or just want photos, skip the high-deck ticket and do the riverside walk or ferry instead.

What's great

Go at night, not during the day. Someone who went by daylight complained it was dead and the tower looked flat — the whole point is the LED light show after dark, and the skyline across the Pearl River lights up too.

The best shots of the tower aren't from the tower — they're from across the river. People keep asking where the good photo spots are, and the answer is the far bank (Huachenghui / Flower City Square area), where you get the full twisting silhouette plus the skyline.

The rooftop Ferris wheel is the signature thing to do up top. If you're paying to go up, that's what people single out doing — just know it's a separate ticket on top of your deck admission.

Pair it with a Pearl River ferry ride. One family skipped going up entirely, took the river ferry and walked the bridge for photos, and were happy — you can enjoy this place without buying the pricey high-deck ticket at all.

Worth knowing

The ticket structure is a trap. The base deck is around CNY 100, but the skywalk, rooftop, and Ferris wheel all cost extra, and combos climb past CNY 400. One person insisted they only paid ~180, so shop the tiers carefully — it's easy to overpay for decks you won't use.

The fountain show at Haixinsha is a moving target. Half the questions I see are people who showed up and missed it or couldn't find the schedule — times shift and it's not always running, so confirm the exact night and time before you plan your evening around it.

The glass skywalk is genuinely unnerving. More than one person balked at the see-through floor 450m up — if heights bother you, you'll pay extra for a deck you can't enjoy.

Whether the very top is even open changes. People kept asking if they could get to the rooftop 'in July' or 'on the 7th' — access to the highest decks isn't guaranteed, so don't assume the top is open the day you go.

Grounded in 57+ traveller reviews. Distilled by our editors from traveller reviews on Xiaohongshu and Douyin.

Essentials

Opening hours09:00-21:00 (ticket office), last entry 22:00

TicketCNY 100–300 depending on tier. The base 433m indoor deck starts at around CNY 100; higher decks like the 450m skywalk, 460m Ferris wheel, and 488m rooftop cost extra. Combo passes for multiple decks available from CNY 400.

Contact020-89338222

Rating4.9/5

Good to know

No petsNo pets allowed inside the tower

ID or passport required ID or passport required for ticket exchange

Bring a light jacket for outdoor skywalk

Check wind speed before 450m outdoor loop

Pack snacks; tower food is expensive

Use Metro Line 3 to avoid traffic

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Twisting 600-meter silhouette

Canton Tower's narrow-waist twisting silhouette, completed in 2010 for the Asian Games, reads as a single sculptural gesture from any riverside angle. The hyperboloid lattice of 6,800 LED-lit steel members is the third-tallest freestanding tower in the world.

450-meter outdoor skywalk

The 1,068-step outdoor skywalk ring at 450 meters includes 16 glass-floor panels, so visitors can look straight down to the Pearl River. The 90-minute loop is best done at 17:30-19:00 when sunset and city lights overlap.

Night LED light show

After 19:00, the tower's 6,800 LED panels run a programmed 90-minute show, shifting the upper third through color gradients that read as a glowing sculpture against the dark river. The cleanest view is from Haixinsha Island on the opposite bank.

Getting there

metroMetro Line 3 or APM to Canton Tower Station, exit A direct plaza access.

busTram THZ1 to Canton Tower Terminal stops at the south entrance.

didiDiDi from Tianhe CBD in roughly 20 minutes, fare around CNY 35.

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