Greater Bay Area is a big area that includes almost all the best tourist destinations in the southernmost China, including the cosmopolitan city - Hong Kong, Gambling Paradise - Macau, rising star - Shenzhen, vibrant provincial city - Guangzhou, Kung Fu and Cantonese home - Foshan, hometown of oversea Chinese - Jiangmen, etc. For visitors, there are so many places you can and should pay a visit to in this massive area. And here are our pick of the top 20 places you can’t miss on your next trip.
Picture Hong Kong and the first thing that comes to your mind must be the Hong Kong Skyline snapped from Victoria Peak (aka The Peak): the soaring high-ends of Hong Kong city are divided into two parts by the dazzling flowing Victoria Harbor, in which there are ferries in blue, red and white passing by and fading out of sight gradually. And from distance, there are lush mountains loomed behind the towering buildings... No matter you are first-timers or frequenter, the skyline from Victoria Peak must be included in your Hong Kong itinerary. The views on daytime are fascinating that will never disappoint you. And the glittery views in the dark of the night are spectacular too.
Usually, taking a Peak Tram to the top of Victoria Peak is the thing visitors want to do most in their Hong Kong Vacation. It is not only a leisure way to get to the top, but also a great way to relive the historical yesteryear nostalgia of Hong Kong. Apart from the tram, you can also hike up to the peak top by foot, which is not that tough task. Find out where it is, when to go, what to see and how to get to The Peak at Victoria Peak.
◇ Opening Hours: 07:00 - 24:00
◇ Tickets: Sky Terrace 428 is the special viewing point for panoramic view which needs HK$52 pp.
◇ Recommended Trip Length: 2-3 Hours
>> 1 Day Hong Kong Culture Tour with A Savory of Victoria Harbor
Looking for a way to get a rest from walking around Hong Kong city all day? Then take a ride on an iconic Star Ferry between Tsim Sha Tsui and Central or Tsim Sha TSui and Wan Chai! Those aged ferries in distinctive green and white livery have witnessed a lot of the past years of Hong Kong since the late 1800s. It used to be a major transfer between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, and today they are also unbeatable way to catch a glimpse of the magnificent skyline of Hong Kong. The classic Star Ferry is also be ranked as one of "50 places of a lifetime" by National Geographic.
Star Ferry has altogether 3 traveling routes. Usually, travelers prefer the journey between Tsim ha Tsui of Kowloon Peninsula and Central of Hong Kong Island most, which has ferries every 8 minutes around from 6:30am to 11:30pm. There are also ship services between Tsim Sha Tsui and Wan Chai from 07:20-22:30 too. And if you are looking for a longer ship journey, Star Ferry also runs a 1-hour Vitoria Harbor tour with pickups at Tsim Sha Tsui, Wan Chai and Central.
◇ Opening Hours: 06:30 - 11:30, 07:20-22:30
◇ Tickets: HKD 2
◇ Recommended Trip Length: Central to Tsim Sha Tsui
◇ Tsim Sha Tsui Sky Pier Address: Star Ferry Pier, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
◇ Central Sky Pier Address: Central Pier, Central, Hong Kong Island
◇ Wai Chai Sky Pier Address: Wan Chai Ferry Pier, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island
◇ Recommended Trip:
>> 2 Days Essence of Hong Kong Tour (Hong Kong Island + Lantau Island)
About 14km west of Hong Kong Island sits Lantau Island, which is the biggest island of Hong Kong and boasts many dramatic ocean views, picturesque villages, and also some iconic tourist attractions of Hong Kong City. Once you are here, you will find the most famous Tian Tian Buddha statue (Big Buddha), Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car, Po Lin Monastery, Tai O Fishing Village and Hong Kong Disneyland…
Leave yourself about one whole day if you want to have an in-depth visit of those highlights in Lantau Island. At that day, you are suggested to ride the Ngong Ping Cable Car from Tung Chung Town Centre to Ngong Ping Village first. On the way you can get really great and broad views of the lush forest covered Lantau Island and the glittering South China Sea from the glass windows and floors. Once on the Ngong Ping Village, treat yourself with some snacks or head to Po Lin Monastery, from where you can not only encounter with great shrines and gardens, but also can start your hiking journey to the awe-inspiring Big Buddha. About 268 steps later, you will be at the foot of the Buddha.
cIn the afternoon, you can visit the Tai O Fishing Village on the northwestern coast of Lantau Island or Hong Kong Disneyland on the northeast coast. Tai O Fishing Village can bring you to the life of Hong Kong in 1900s. And in Hong Kong Disneyland, the first Disneyland in China, you can create happy memories with your kids and family.
>> 2 Days Essence of Hong Kong Tour (Hong Kong Island + Lantau Island)
>> 3 Days Hong Kong Disneyland Tour for Family with Kids
Chen Clan Ancestral Hall - A Must-visit Academy and Hall-Folk Craft Museum in Guangzhou
The day will pass by quickly while wandering inside this academy, because there are so many things to see and to do there. Almost all the folk arts of Linnan Area can be found there, like wood carvings, stone carvings, brick carvings, potteries, stucco reliefs, iron and copper castings and colored drawings, etc. It is a so huge and wonderful site that deserves hours visiting and even a whole half-day staying. And never feel trouble about your kids. There is also a special house, where your kids can enjoy some happy time to learn paper cutting or make Chinese knot under the guidance of the staff (free of charge).
Check more about Structure & Layout and how to get to the academy at Chen Clan Ancestral Hall.
◇ Opening Hours: 08:30~17:30 Everyday
◇ Tickets: CNY 10 per person
◇ Recommended Trip Length: 2 hours around or more
◇ Address: No.34, En Long Li, Zhongshan 7 Road, Liwan District, Guangzhou
◇ Recommended Trip:
>> 2 Days Guangzhou Best Essence Savory Tour
Foshan Ancestral Temple, commonly called Zumiao Temple, gets its name because it ranks at the top among all the temples in Foshan. It worships the Taoist God Beidi (also called Xuanwu). This elegant temple is also known as a folk museum as there are extensive displays of folk relics. However, the exquisite temple clusters and dazzling folk relics are not all that Ancestral Temple wants to show for visitors, but a beginning. What make this temple that famous are its martial art culture, Kung Fu and Lion Dance performance…
Foshan is home to Kung Fu icons like famous Kung Fu master Huang Feihong and Wing Chun master Ip Man (Kung Fu star Bruce Lee is one of his most distinguish disciples). If you've ever been wowed by one of these great man's skills, this temple is a must-visit. In order to introduce the Kung Fu culture and commemorate these famous Kung Fu stars, the Ancestral Temple sets up the Ip Man Tong and Huang Feihong Memorial Hall, where you can not only know the legendary life of the two masters and also enjoy wonderful martial arts performance.
◇ Opening Hours: 8:30-19:00
◇ Tickets: CNY 20 per person
◇ Recommended Trip Length: 3 hours around
◇ Address: No.21, Zumiao Road, Chancheng District, Foshan (佛山市禅城区祖庙路21号 祖庙)
◇ Recommended Trip:
>> 4 Days Foshan Culture Seeking with Guangzhou Must-sees
Kaipping Diaolou and Villages are in Kaiping City of Guangdong Province. Those unique tower-like Diaolous are all multistoried defensive village houses that built to defend the attacks of banditries in history and rebuilt in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Though the tradition of banditries in this region is appealing, what make Kaiping Diaolou and Villages mostly attractive are the symbolic significance of hometown to Overseas Chinese, a complex and confident fusion between Chinese and Western architectural styles and the harmonious relationship with the surrounding landscape. And in 2007, UNESCO named the Kaiping Diaolou and Villages as a World Heritage Site.
Usually, a visit to Kaiping Diaolou and Villages needs at least half day, because it needs about 2 hours to get there from Guangzhou city area by car. Check more about detailed highlights and ways to get there at Kaiping Diaolou and Villages.
◇ Opening Hours: 08:30-17:30
◇ Tickets: 5-150 CNY for different single spot
◇ Recommended Trip Length: 1-2 days
◇ Address: Kaiping City, Jiangmen City, Guangdong
◇ Recommended Trip:
>> 4 Days Kaiping Diaolou and Villages Admiration Tour with Guangzhou Bests
Hong Kong - Zhuhai - Macau Bridge (HZMB) is an overlong sea-crossing bridge connecting Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macau (Macao). This mega-size bridge is about 20 times the length of Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and can withstand magniture-8 quake and super typhoon. Tourists from home and abroad are fascinated by this world-class marvel and so will you.
In addition to the wonderful view of the bridge itself, HZMB is also a great choice to catch flights in Hong Kong, because Hong Kong side of the bridge is situated just right next to Hong Kong International Airport. And since its opening in late 2018, the traveling hours between Hong Kong and Zhuhai, and Hong Kong and Macau have been shortened to 45 minutes around (on the bridge), which are used to be more than 4 hours by driving.
Check how to cross the bridge and where to have selfies with the bridge at Hong Kong - Zhuhai - Macau - Bridge.
◇ Opening Hours: 24 hours a day
◇ Address: Hong Kong/ Zhuhai / Macau
◇ Recommended Trip:
>> 6 Days Hong Kong Macau Shenzhen Fusion Tour
As its name implies, Wong Tai Sin temple is dedicated to the great Taoist immortal Wong, who is regarded as the bringer of good luck in horse-rising and a healer of illness by the locals. This temple in Kowloon is the busiest and most popular temple in Hong Kong and is also said it can answer anyone' wishes. And the way to get an answer from Wong Tai Sin is by using the fortune-telling bamboo sticks. To get your personal fortune stick, you are required to hold bundles of burning incense and bow to Wong Tai Sin three times and then shake the fortune sticks box until the one of yours falls out. Once get a stick, you can get interpretation from the fortune tellers of the temple. Get all the travel ideas and tips you need for going there at Wong Tai Sin Temple.
◇ Opening Hours: 07:00 - 17:30
◇ Tickets: free of charge
◇ Recommended Trip Length: about 1 Hour
◇ Address:Chuk Yuen Village, Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon, Hong Kong
◇ Recommended Trip:
>> 1 Day Hong Kong Culture Tour with A Savory of Victoria Harbor
Which is the best recommended attraction in Macau apart from those world-renowned casinos? It must be the best-known Ruins of the St. Paul, which were officially listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. Remember to stop by during your stay in the city and snap a quick picture under the building's historic facade.
There is used to be beautiful old church at the site of ruins stand, the interior of which was original made of wood. However, all the wood was burned down in a fire during a typhoon in 1835, leaving only the beautiful granite façade and a grand staircase of 68 stone steps leading up to it, and that’s all what tourists can see when visiting this site. Though the ruins cannot shows you that much as a really church do, the elegant stone carvings on the facade can also give you a glimpse of the real church standing there in the ancient times.
◇ Opening Hours: whole day
◇ Tickets: free of charge
◇ Recommended Trip Length: 1-2 hours
◇ Address: Daba Street, Macau
◇ Recommended Trip:
>> 2 Days Hong Kong & Macau Highlights Tour (by Ferry)
>> 3 Days Hong Kong & Macau In-depth Cultural Tour
Canton Tower, which is warmly called “Xiao Man Yao (Slim Waist)” by locals, is usually a must-visit site for visitors touring Guangzhou. Guangzhou Tower, with its twisted and tight appearance, has also been regarded as a beautiful female with slim wait standing on the bank of the Pearl River. And if you want to have a date with this beautiful “lady”, you can visit its highest point - Observation Deck, and then she will introduce you the great 360 degree view of whole Guangzhou city. Also, you can appreciate its amazing appearance and take selfies with her at the Flower City Square at the opposite of the Pearl River. For the tourists who like night cruise journeys, you can also have a Pearl River Night Cruise experience, and then you can take the Canton Tower in sight from far to close.
Check more anout Canton Tower >>
◇ Opening Hours: 9:30~22:30 for Canton Tower and whole day for Flower City Square
◇ Tickets: CNY 150-398 for Canton Tower and free of charge for Flower City Square
◇ Recommended Trip Length: 1-3 hours
◇ Canton Tower Address: No. 222 Yuejiang West Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou (广州市海珠区阅江西路222号 广州塔)
◇ Flower City Square Address: No 89, Huachengda Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou (广州市天河区花城大道89号 花城广场)
◇ Recommended Trip:
>> 3 Days Guangzhou Short Stay with All Highlights
Have you ever saw the picture of five stone rams holding wheat seedlings in their mouths? That famous statue symbolling the legend of Guangzhou city just sits in Yuexiu Park. Sun Yat-sen Monument can be also found in the park. And they are also the reasons why tourists usually treat Yuexiu Park as their first stop in Guangzhou - it’s important to know the history and source of a city before visiting other tourist spots.
Another attraction that makes Yuexiu Park more appealing must be the Guangzhou Museum built in the Zhenhai Tower, one of the oldest landmarks of Guangzhou. In this 5-stories building, there are countless historic exhibits, showing visitors the life and work of Guangzhou from 2,000 years ago to nowadays.
Aside from the attractions and historic stories of Yuexiu Park, this Park is a popular site especially in summer days, as it’s a great place to beat the heat of hot summer. Visit Yuexiu Park to get more highlights about it if you are interested.
◇ Opening Hours: 06:00~22:00 everyday
◇ Tickets: Free for the park and CNY 10 per person for Guangzhou Museum.
◇ Recommended Trip Length: 1-3 hours
◇ Address: No. 988 Jiefang North Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
◇ Recommended Trip:
>> 3 Days Guangzhou Short Stay with All Highlights
>> 4 Days Guangzhou Family Tour with Chimelong Safari Park
Splendid China Folk Village consists of two areas including Splendid China Miniature Park and China Folk Culture Village. In the Splendid China Miniature Park, there are 82 reproductions of beautiful scenery, grand architecture, historical sites and traditional dwellings of the whole China, each of which is positioned e according to their real location in China. If you have no time to have long and in-depth visit of China, you can visit this site and have vivid understanding of iconic attractions in China before heading back to your home. Another vital part - China Folk Culture Village is a museum of 56 ethnic groups of China. Once you get there, you will have chance to appreciate various buildings and clothes of each ethnic group and enjoy Chinese folk dancing up close.
Know more about what you can Do & See in Splendid China Folk Village if you are interested.
◇ Opening Hours: 9:00-21:30 everyday
◇ Tickets: CNY 100-225 per person
◇ Recommended Trip Length: About 3 hours
◇ Address: No. 9005, Shennan Avenue, Nanshan District, Shenzhen
◇ Recommended Trip:
>> 3 Days Classic Shenzhen Tour with Visit to Splendid China Folk Village
If there is only one museum you can pay a visit to in your Shenzhen tour, that must be Shenzhen Museum, where you can get an answer of how does Shenzhen transform from a mere town into an economically thriving hub in the Chinese economy in a mere three decades. You must have heard a lot of legend development stories of Shenzhen, while only in Shenzhen Museum you can get the most complete one of that. About 1-2 hours is enough to enjoy the stories in the museum.
◇ Opening Hours: 10:00-18:00
◇ Tickets: free of charge
◇ Recommended Trip Length: 1-2 hours
◇ Address: Fuzhong Road, Futian District, Shenzhen
◇ Recommended Trip:
>> Shenzhen Day Tour from Guangzhou
Avenue of Stars is mostly famed for the bronze statue of martial arts legend Bruce Lee and other movie stars of Hong Kong, and thence the name. In additional to those movie stars, this place is also a vantage point to view the neon skyline view of Hong Kong Island, especially for a night out visit. At 8:00pm every day, those high-ends on both sides of the Victoria Harbour will also be the stage of the world’s largest permanent light and sound show - A Symphony of Lights. This 15-minute show will light and transform the Hong Kong skyline into an outdoor audiovisual feast.
Warm tip: Due to its vantage location, there will be gathered by crowds at night. Once you encounter with the crowds, you can get out of the crowds and enjoy leisure walking along the Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront instead of staying there.
◇ Opening Hours: whole day
◇ Tickets: free of charge
◇ Recommended Trip Length: 1 Hour around
◇ Address: Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
◇ Recommended Trip:
>> 3 Days Hong Kong In-depth Tour with Escorted Walking Experience
Want an exploring tour about Chinese emperors in a history 2,000 years ago? Museum of Mausoleum of Nanyue King Zhaomo will be a good choice. This site includes not only a museum with relics of Nanyue (204 BC - 112 BC) in West Han period, but also a 2000-year-old stone chamber tomb of the emperor? China is rich in museums. However, a museum with entire stories of a whole dynasty is not that common. And this museum is such a wonder that can show you the development history of Nanyue Period from its birth to its death.
Want more info about Zhaomo and its tomb? Visit our page of West Han Museum of the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King for more ideas.
◇ Opening Hours: open all year around from 9:00am to 17:30pm (on 28th February and 31st August of every year, it will be closed for maintenance)
◇ Tickets: CNY 12 per person
◇ Recommended Trip Length: 1-3 hours
◇ Address: No. 867, Jiefangbei Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
◇ Recommended Trip:
>>3 Days Guangzhou History & Culture Experience Tour
A-Ma Temple is dedicated to A-Ma, a goddess of seafarers. There is also a legend about the seafarer and the temple. According to the legend, a poor girl A-Ma was looking for help of free passage on a boat but was refused by rich boat owners. At last, a small fishing boat came along and took her onboard. Once the boats were at sea, a typhoon blew in, destroying all boats except the boat carrying the girl. After arriving in Macau Island, she went missing and reappeared as a goddess on the spot the fishermen built a temple.
The history of the temple can date back to more than 600 years. Strolling around in the ancient temple, you can get a peace feel. And if you happen to the temple on the 23rd day of the Third Lunar Month every year, you will be welcomed to enjoy the A-Ma Festival together with other tourists.
◇ Opening Hours: 7:00-18:00
◇ Tickets: free of charge
◇ Recommended Trip Length: 1-2 hours
◇ Address: Matge Mountain, Macao Peninsul, Macau (澳门半岛南端妈阁山)
◇ Recommended Trip:
>> 2 Days Hong Kong & Macau Highlights Tour (by Ferry)
>> 3 Days Hong Kong & Macau In-depth Cultural Tour
OCT Loft Creative Culture Park is the creative heart of Shenzhen City. Filled with exhibition spaces, outdoor installations, design shops, and open-air cafes, this abandoned-factory-turned-cultural space is a great way to get a feel for the city’s emerging artsy tenor. And also, it is somehow strong evidence that the metropolis Shenzhen has changed from workshop of the world to innovation hub.
Visiting this daring space is a way to cheer you up and also calm you down. There are design works and dynamic exhibitions, photo contests, Oct-Loft Jazz Festival… Indulge yourself in one or several of the exhibitions and performances, and take a sip of coffee or fruit juice, all of them will become happy memories.
◇ Opening Hours: whole day
◇ Tickets: free of charge
◇ Recommended Trip Length: 1-3 hours
◇ Address: Overseas Chinese Town, Nanshan District, Shenzhen
The name of the Temple of the Six Banyan Trees was given by the great poet Su Dongpo of Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). He noticed there were six conspicuous and alive banyan trees when he visiting there, hence the name Temple of the Six Banyan Trees.
In nowadays, there are only 5 banyan trees left inside the temple area. However, banyan trees are not the all of the temple. The 57-meter-tall pagoda, Buddhist Statues, Maitreya Hall, mini Lotus Garden and the awe atmosphere are what make this compact temple unique and popular. Get more stories about Temple of the Six Banyan Trees >>
◇ Opening Hours: 08:00~17:00
◇ Tickets: free of charge
◇ Recommended Trip Length: 2 hours around
◇ Address: No.87, Liu Rong Road, Zhong Shan 6 Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou (广州市越秀区中山六路六榕路87号 六榕寺)
◇ Recommended Trip:
>> 3 Days Guangzhou Short Stay with All Highlights
The Temple Street Night Market in Yau Tsim Mong District of Hong Kong is more than just a clothing shopping street. It's more than just a place to buy snacks and drinks, too. It's food... and drinks... and creative gadgets... and that's just to start. Foodies come to these street areas for locally-produced foods, drinks and snacks. Shopping lovers will search for treasures and souvenirs among the different kinds of items there, like a pair of chopsticks, dress, affordable jewel and more. Besides, the Temple Street Night Market is sometimes also known as Men's Street as it is popular for men's fashion. Therefore, man can also find some items you like there.
Not far from the Temple Street, you can also find more great shopping streets like the Ladies Street, Nanthan Road, Mong Kok, etc.
◇ Opening Hours: whole day, but many of the shops may be closed after 3:00 am
◇ Tickets: free of charge
◇ Recommended Trip Length: 2-3 hours
◇ Address: Yau Tsim Mong, Hong Kong (香港油尖旺区 庙街夜市)
◇ Recommended Trip:
>> 1 Day Hong Kong Culture Tour with A Savory of Victoria Harbor
Where to go to have fun when the sun goes down in Hong Kong City? Well, the Lan Kwai Fong in Central must be on the top of your list. Lan Kwai Fang (LKF) is home to over 100 restaurants and bars. And most of the shops, bars and clubs there open till the midnight.
In this hidden world, you can sip on a cocktail at a cool speakeasy, grab a bite of classic dim sum at a tea house, join a club or a bar for jazz or other music, and treat yourself with foot massages…
◇ Opening Hours: whole day
◇ Tickets: free of charge
◇ Recommended Trip Length: 3-4 hours
◇ Address: Central, Hong Kong (香港中环 兰桂坊)
◇ Recommended Trip:
>> 2 Days Essence of Hong Kong Tour (Hong Kong Island + Lantau Island)
Like much else you can do in Greater Bay Area, it pays to be prepared. Otherwise, you can end up unhappy that you aren't going where you expected to. Usually, tourists will stay about 7-9 days in Greater Bay Area, including 2-3 days in Hong Kong, 1 day in Macau, 2-3 days in Shenzhen, 2-3 days in Guangzhou and its nearby Foshan and Shunde. 8 Days Amazing Greater Bay Area Tour >>.
Learn More About:
◇ How to Plan a Trip to Hong Kong
◇ How to Plan a Trip to Guangzhou
◇ How to Plan a Trip to Shenzhen
And if you have more days in China, you can also add more wonderful tourist destinations outside of Greater Bay Area into your journey. The closest Guilin, Guizhou and Zhangjiajie are our pick of best recommends. Other hot tourist destinations like Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Chengdu, Zhangjiajie, Kunming, Yangtze River, etc. are also great choices to create lifelong memories.
Looking for leisure and relaxing tours in Greater Bay Area without worries of your visa, accommodation and transportation? Travel with China Discovery and all your problems will be solved. We will give you advices on applying visas for the tour. Besides, during the whole journey, you will be accompanied with professional local drivers and guides. Therefore, you can focus all your passion and energy on the highlights you are interested!
The tour can be customized according to your time, budget, interests and needs! If you are interested, please feel free to contact us and tell us your needs!
Top 3 tours chosen by most customers to explore in the best way. Check the detailed itinerary, or tailor your own trip now with us.
Hong Kong / Shenzhen / Macau / Hong Kong
Hong Kong / Guangzhou / Shenzhen / Macau / Hong Kong
Guangzhou / Foshan / Shunde / Guangzhou
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