Guangzhou

Canton Tower

The Pearl River landmark, best seen lit up at night

By EvanFacts reviewed 4 October 2026

Why it's worth the trip

Come down to the river at dusk and the tower fills the sky. Its 600 metres of steel lattice pinch in at the middle and flare out again above. After dark the lattice itself lights up, and colours ripple up and down its whole height. At its foot, look up through the open lattice to the grey core rising inside. From the open-air roof, more than 450 metres up, Guangzhou's new centre lies straight across the water, a long green square running away between the skyscrapers.

Guangzhou people call it Xiaomanyao, ‘Xiaoman’s waist’, after a Tang poem in which Bai Juyi praised his dancer Xiaoman’s willow-slim waist. The shape comes from two ovals, a big one at the ground and a smaller one at the top, turned against each other. The turn pulls the 24 steel columns in tight at the middle, like a wrung rope, then lets them open out again. Its outline changes as your angle changes, so watch it shift as you walk round it or cross the river.

Going up is optional, and the best view of the tower itself is free, from the far bank. If you do go up, choose a clear day; in haze or low cloud you may see little but grey. Tickets come in tiers. The basic one takes you only to the indoor halls at about 430 metres. The open-air roof, its glass cabins, the Sky Drop on the mast and the deck at the very top all cost more, so decide which you want before you book.

Don't miss

A slow circuit in a glass cabin
Sixteen glass cabins, each about three metres across, creep round the edge of the roof on a tilted track. They stay level the whole way while the city turns slowly beneath you, and one circuit takes twenty minutes or more.
Stand on the highest deck
Go on up past the rides to the deck on the mast at 488 metres, the highest point visitors can reach, open to the sky. Look north across the river and the new city lines up in front of you: the Guangdong Museum, the opera house and the towers of Zhujiang New Town.
Turn round on the far bank
After dark, walk over the Haixin Bridge, the curving footbridge just west of the tower, to the north bank. Turn round on the far side and the lit tower stands over the river with its reflection beneath it, no ticket needed.

Fitting it in

Time to give it: About two hours at the tower, including security and the queues for the lifts; longer if you add a ride or stay from sunset into dark. Watching from the north bank takes as long as you like.
When to go: Pick the clearest day you have. In Guangzhou, October to December is the driest and clearest season, and March and April are usually the greyest months. Arrive about an hour before sunset to see the city by daylight and then lit up. The tower's lights come on in the evening and stay on until late, but the times shift with the season and on holidays, so check them for your date. Weekdays are calmer than weekends, and the early October and May Day holidays are very busy.
Pair it with: Cross the Haixin Bridge, about 500 metres long, to the north bank near Haixinsha and Huacheng Square, ten minutes or so on foot. The Guangdong Museum stands beside the square, about half an hour's walk from the tower over the bridge. The museum in the afternoon and the tower at sunset make an easy pair, but the museum needs booking. Pearl River night cruises leave from a pier by the tower and take 50 to 90 minutes, depending on the route.
Who can skip it: If heights, queues or ticket prices put you off, stay on the ground. The lit tower seen from the north bank is the picture most people take home, and it is free. If you have already been up the Shanghai Tower or a deck like it, a second high view brings less of a thrill. Spend the evening on the river instead.

Questions travellers ask

Is Canton Tower worth going up?

Yes, on a clear day. From about 430 metres up, the Pearl River and the new city centre spread out below you, and a dearer ticket takes you out onto the open-air roof above. The glass cabins and the Sky Drop add a thrill if you want one. On a hazy day, skip the ticket and watch the tower light up from the north bank, which is free.

What is there to do at the top of Canton Tower?

The basic ticket covers the indoor viewing halls at about 430 metres, and everything higher costs more. Above them is the open-air roof at about 450 metres, where glass cabins circle the rim, a loop of twenty minutes or more. The Sky Drop on the mast plunges you 30 metres. The open deck at 488 metres is the highest point visitors can stand on.

When is the best time to visit Canton Tower?

About an hour before sunset on a clear day, so you see the city in daylight and then lit up. October to December is Guangzhou's driest, clearest season, and March and April are usually the greyest months. Weekdays are calmer than weekends, and the national holidays in early October and early May are very busy.

Where is the best place to see Canton Tower at night?

From the north bank of the Pearl River, around Haixinsha and Huacheng Square. Walk over the Haixin Bridge, the curving footbridge about 500 metres long just west of the tower, and turn round on the far side. A Pearl River night cruise, 50 to 90 minutes long, also passes right below the tower.

Do I need to book Canton Tower tickets in advance?

Booking ahead is wise for a sunset visit, weekends and public holidays. Tickets are sold in each visitor's own name, so foreign visitors use their passport. The rules change from time to time, and we can check them for your date and book for you.

Sources: Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism: 广州塔 (Canton Tower)Guangzhou International (Foreign Affairs Office of Guangzhou): Canton Tower international neighbourhoodHaizhu District government: 广州塔 (Canton Tower)Guangzhou City Construction Investment Group: 海心桥 (Haixin Bridge)China News Service: Guangzhou's ‘slender waist’ and the Bai Juyi line behind the name (2014)