Guangzhou
Canton Tower & Pearl River Day Tour
The city from 450 metres, a Cantonese dinner on the south bank, then an hour on the water while the riverfront lights come up.
From US$109/per person
View tourGuangzhou
Cantonese Dim Sum & Old Guangzhou Day Tour
Morning tea at a hall that opens before 07:00, then the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, Shamian Island and the medicine shops of the old town.
The short version
Guangzhou is the capital of Guangdong and the home of yum cha, and the two belong in the same morning. This day starts with dim sum in a hall that opens before 07:00, then moves to the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall — the finest Lingnan folk architecture in the province — and finishes on Shamian Island and in the old town's medicine shops. About 7 hours.
- Dim sum is a morning institution here; the good halls fill by 08:30.
- Chen Clan Ancestral Hall packs wood, brick and stone carving into one courtyard complex.
- Shamian Island is the old foreign concession — quiet European streets 20 minutes from the centre.
- Small group, capped at 8, so the tea table works properly.
What not to miss
07:45
Hotel pickup
Metro or private vehicle to an old tea hall in Liwan. Late arrival means a queue, so we do not negotiate this time.
08:15
Morning tea
Har gow, siu mai, rice noodle rolls and a pot of pu'er, ordered by a guide who knows what the kitchen does best that day.
10:00
Chen Clan Ancestral Hall
A 19th-century clan complex of nine halls: wood carving, brick carving, stone carving and the grey-tiled roofs of the Lingnan style.
11:45
Old town and the medicine shops
The arcade streets west of Beijing Road, where dried seafood, ginseng and herbal prescriptions are still sold across a counter.
13:00
Clay-pot lunch
A clay-pot rice with cured sausage, then wonton noodles at a shop that has been at it for three generations.
15:00
Shamian Island
The old concession: plane trees, 19th-century consulates and a promenade along the Pearl River. Coffee on the island to finish.
What's included and what isn't
Includes
- Licensed English-speaking guide
- Morning tea — six to eight dishes per two guests
- Chen Clan Ancestral Hall ticket
- Clay-pot rice and wonton noodle lunch
- Metro fares for the day
- Coffee on Shamian Island
Not included
- Dinner
- Gratuities
- Herbs and dried seafood bought in the old town
- Alcoholic drinks
Pickup, timing and getting around
Pickup at 07:45 from hotels in Yuexiu, Liwan and Tianhe districts. Elsewhere we meet at a metro station on Line 1 or 2 and go from there.
Tell us at booking if anyone in your party avoids pork, shellfish or gluten. A yum cha kitchen can work around all three with a day's notice; it cannot do it when you are already at the table.
Route diagrams are schematic and illustrative, not to scale.
More day tours from Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Lingnan Gardens & Shunde Food Day Tour
A Qing-dynasty garden in Shunde, a village of silk and fish ponds, and the Cantonese country cooking that Guangdong's chefs grew up on.
From US$95/per person
View tourFrequently asked questions
What exactly is dim sum?
Small plates — dumplings, buns, rice rolls, chicken feet — served with tea from early morning to mid-afternoon. Locals go with family and read the newspaper. It is breakfast, not brunch.
Why so early?
The halls open around 06:30 and the best of them are full by 08:30, especially at weekends. Arriving at 08:15 means the full cart selection and no wait.
How much food is included?
Six to eight dishes for every two guests, plus tea and a full clay-pot and noodle lunch. Most people skip breakfast and are not hungry again until evening.
Is Shamian Island worth the detour?
Yes, for the contrast. It is a car-free grid of 19th-century European buildings 20 minutes from a Chinese megacity, and the riverside promenade is where locals walk in the evening.
Explore next
More in this city
Before you fly
- Do I Need a Visa for China? Requirements, Costs and How to Apply
- China's 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit: Who Qualifies and How It Works
- Paying in China: Alipay, WeChat Pay, Cards and Cash
- China's High-Speed Rail: How to Book, What It Costs, How Fast It Goes
- Is China Safe for Tourists? Honest Risks and How to Avoid Them
- Best Time to Visit China: Month by Month, Region by Region
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