It is HOT, it is HUMID, you’re melting as soon as you step out the door, your kid looks like they’ve lost a water gun fight after a mere 5min outside and you’ve been to all the soft play/indoor entertainment areas around. Your kids are going nuts at home but GZ weather doesn’t seem to cooperate with parents at this time of year. Sure, you could go to one of MANY indoor attractions or you could turn getting there into a fun adventure in itself!

The problem with many indoor spaces is that they tend to get a tiny bit crowded during holidays/weekends. Whilst our kids don’t mind the noise and crowds, we do. Luckily, little ones don’t need much to have a good time, do they? So why not take them for a ride on one of Guangzhou’s wide variety of transport? Who wouldn’t find an underground tram, a cable car or a boat ride fun, especially if they’re air conditioned!? Not to mention that they could help you discover somewhere new AND wouldn’t involve much effort!

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I realise it may sound a bit strange (and a tad desperate). Normally, means of transport are just ways to get somewhere, they aren’t generally destinations in themselves, right? But why not? Doesn’t a nice, cool ride around the city or along the river sound enticing in this weather? To carers, yes, but to kids? Nah, it probably sounds really boring but sell that bus/metro/tram ride well and you’ll see yourself exploring Guangzhou in a leisurely manner with your child glued to the windows, happy as Larry.

So let’s take a look at how your family could make the most of Guangzhou’s wide array of transport.

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Cable Car

Baiyun Mountain is an awesome attraction in itself but let’s face it, entering it through a normal gate and entering it via the fantastic cable car is another experience entirely! This is by far the most exhilarating way to travel within the city centre though I guess it can be a bit scary for the really young kiddies. Imagine the kids pointing at tiny people down below, admiring the beautifully designed Yunluo Botanical Garden and of course the actual mountain, which looks like a jungle from above.

You can enjoy this special ride from 9am-5pm, every day, for 25rmb if going up, 20rmb when coming down, kids under 1.2m ride for free:) Purchase your tickets at the counter next to the entrance to the wonderful Yuntai Garden at the South Gate of Baiyun Mountain. As a side note, I highly recommend to stop over for breakfast or lunch for delicious dim sum at DIM DOU DUK, located in a mall right next to South Gate. It has beautiful views of the mountain and the cable cars going up and down. There are also a few other eateries there and a massive bouncy castle, very convenient. Nearest metro station is Yuntai Garden on Line 11. Once you’ve arrived on the mountain, you have a choice of hiking, walking along wide paved paths or taking…

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The EV

While not air-conditioned, this is another transport at Baiyunshan that kids love! Those small electric vehicles transport visitors to various parts of this wonderful area. Drivers do tend to ride rather fast, which makes the ride more exciting, very cool (they are covered but have no walls) and fear not, there are seat belts to keep your kid safe.

EVs can be taken from various stations around Baiyun mountain, with most leaving from West Gate. Tickets cost 10rmb unless your child is only little, in which case you’ll be allowed to hold them on your lap for free. My son loves sitting right at the back and waving to all the (sweat-covered) people we pass by:) Sometimes we take the EV just for the fun of it, not because we’re so tired (or lazy). Note that the 10rmb ticket will only get you from one stop to another; you’ll need to get off and buy another ticket to go up to the next stop. Also worth mentioning are the queues-go during the week, if possible, or early in the morning to avoid having to wait in long lines for the EV; they are popular!

You can easily spend an entire day exploring the mountain this way and your kids will surely enjoy it! Our favourite spot is the Peach Blossom Brook, which is very close to the first EV stop, starting from West Gate. You can take a picnic, splash in the stream, play table tennis and eat lunch in a nice restaurant on the lake, where your kids can feed hundreds of large koi fish! Then take the EV back (last one leaves at 7pm) or take a walk back down and stop at Bee World, where you can buy some Baiyunshan honey and where kids can play at a playground, if they still have energy (and let’s face it, they ALWAYS do!).

Near Bee World, you’ll also find many smaller hiking paths and a small tea farm! If you wish to enjoy a really quiet walk surrounded by stunning nature but had enough of Baiyun mountain (impossible, in my view!), you could end your day by exiting West Gate and walking 10min west to Yunxi Botanical Garden to chill on the lawns with kids there and sip tea in an incredibly cool cafe. Nearest metro station is Guangzhou Gymnasium on Line 12.

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Water Bus/taxi

Can you believe that aside from metro and buses, Guangzhou residents can also commute to work by boats?! Of course, everyone is welcome to use the public water buses, which operate on 12 routes. Admittedly, I have only taken this transport once, to the tranquil, historical Changzhou Island because I live far from Pearl River and let me tell you, it was a much more memorable experience than getting there by metro or by car! How often do your kids get to travel by boat within a city centre? My son was super excited when we got on the small ferry for the symbolic fare of 2rmb and slowly cruised along the Pearl River to our chosen destination. The ride was short and the views might have not been stunning (it’s not the coast, after all) but it was still pretty and really interesting to see the riverside on both sides, from the river. While water taxis don’t operate at night, the late afternoon ones are very popular by those wishing to see the city lights reflected in the Pearl River.

The most popular tourist route is by far the one leaving from Haixinsha pier, near Guangzhou Opera House. Some of the water buses even have an upper deck (you’ll have to pay 5rmb for a spot there). Note that not all routes run regularly, some depend on how many people reserve spots (so called ‘Ruyue’ routes) but others, namely S4-S11, run according to schedule, which you can find HERE.

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Cruise ships

Whilst we’re on the topic of boats, who could forget about Guangzhou’s wide fleet of river cruise ships? From small and simple ones to large, extravagant ones serving buffets and hosting live bands! Slowly cruising along the Pearl River may not sound like much fun for the younger kids, but add going under numerous bridges and the evening animations on buildings, especially the ones near Haizhu Bridge, plus live performances and you’ve got yourself a winner. While not the cheapest of transport options, take a look online (trip.com is a good starting point) and you’re likely to find a decent deal for family tickets. Just to give you an idea, we have been both on cruises that cost 80rmb and 200rmb so it really depends what kind of a journey you wish to have. Bear in mind, the cost does reflect value of what you’ll get so if a price seems too low to be true, be prepared to potentially experience some disappointment.

If you want to combine the cruise with some early evening sightseeing, I highly recommend taking one of the cruise ships from the historical Tianzi Wharf (or finishing there), which is located in an old part of Guangzhou. Nearby(within a 10min walk) you can find Shamian Island and Cultural Park, where Guangzhou Opera performances are held regularly, visit the super interesting Thirteen Hongs Museum or the old Post Office building. And if your kids just want to have fun, you could go to Yuexiu Children’s Park.

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Canal boats

I don’t know what the technical name for those boats is but what I mean are the lovely, wooden, decorated tourist boats you can hire to get from YongQingFang to Lychee Bay (LizhiWan) and back, in style! They aren’t super cheap but they offer such a beautiful, leisurely way of seeing historical Liwan district. They remind me of Venice’s gondolas but without the singing and charm:)

Around 10 years ago, when I first visited Yongqingfang, the buildings and streets along the boat route were somewhat run down but Enning Road area has experienced a lot of (controversial) development in recent years and now the canal views are very pleasant, especially in the spring when the trees lining the canal are in full bloom or in the evening, particularly around the ‘moon’ bridge-stunning! Each boat has a ‘roof’ and so taking it beats walking in this heat, that’s for sure! Kids will enjoy waving to passersby, going under bridges, enjoying gentle breeze and seeing the grand buildings of Cantonese Opera Art Museum(which has lots of interactive bits for kids and frequent live performances) from the comfort of their boat seat rather than being dragged around it:) I know my son did!

Canal boats can be hired either in the beautiful Liwan(or Lizhiwan) Park or in YongQingFang, near the attractive ZhongShuGe Bookshop (hidden terrace!)/Liwan District Museum (located right opposite the bookstore-small but really good). Cruise tickets can be purchased from the official stands or on trip.com.

I’m not even going to try to mention possible stops in that area because the list would be VERY long. Note, that in addition to all the architectural wonders you get to see and the yummy food you’ll inevitably eat, there are also plenty of cultural events taking place there, from traditional festivals with huge costume parades to street dance performances. Trip.com (as well as Dianping and similar apps) also offers the possibility of booking a spot at one of DYI workshops run by artist studios there, specialising in traditional forms of local art. My son is too young to join any but in the future we’d like to try the paper cutting🙂

You can also take fancy sightseeing canal boats in other cities around Guangzhou, e.g. in Foshan’s Chancheng district as well as much simpler though charming ones in water villages around Guangzhou, e.g. the excellent Fengjian Water Village in Shunde district of Foshan.

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APM

My son loves taking the APM so I try to entertain him with a ride whenever I can. Why is this short metro line so attractive to kids? Because the huge front windows allow passengers to see the tunnels that the train is moving along, feel like they are train drivers and it’s actually quite exhilarating! Though the length of the APM line is short and it doesn’t take long to get from one end (Linhexi station) to the other (Canton Tower station), your kids will be super excited sat on large-window seats staring at the lights underground. It will cost you a grand total of 2rmb pp to experience this special train.

APM trains don’t depart as often as normal metro trains but you won’t wait longer than 10min and they’re way less crowded so if you want to go to Guangzhou Library, Mall of the World Park, Parc Central mall (if only for the rooftop views!) and the attractive TianheNan cafe area behind it (hidden playgrounds!) or Tianhe Fashion Plaza, I’d encourage you to take your kids on this special train!

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Underground Tram

I wasn’t sure whether to include this underground tram in this post but I decided it was a mean of transportation after all, even if a ride on it only takes about 10 minutes! We’ve taken this classic, old-fashioned, ‘open-air‘ tram multiples times, starting at either end (nowadays you only seem to be able to embark at the Parc Central/BRT entrance to Tianhe Fashion Plaza). The tram ride is slow and rightly so because the tracks run along the narrow lanes of this underground shopping/entertainment maze and many people cross them every given minute. This ride might not be as exciting as some of the others but little ones really like it, especially when they hear the bell ring! Tram tickets cost 20rmb per person (yes, that’s 20 kuai for your kiddie too) and can be purchased directly from staff at the point of embarkment. They leave every 20min on weekends and you often need to wait in line for your turn. They go less often during the week but you might have the tram all to yourself:)

Note, this is only one of many attractions Fashion Plaza has on offer for kids of different ages and if you prefer to spend some time above ground, how about roller skating, bowling or playing ping pong around the newly renovated Tianhe Stadium, which is directly above Fashion Plaza?

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Sightseeing Tram

Aside from cycling, Haizhu Tram (Line 1) is the best way to see the riverside along the Pearl River. Use your GZ transport card to buy a ticket at the departure station-Canton Tower, and be whisked away on this bright, colourful and modern train. If your child is anything like mine, they’ll want to keep switching from left to right side of the carriage to be able to see everything on both sides! I’ve never let him do that but he still tries. Every.Time. The views are great on a clear, sunny day and my favourite part of the route is near the end, when the train turns towards the ancient Chigang Pagoda and drives away from the river. I bet Party Pier must look great at night too!

Whilst you could just jump on the tram for the pure joy of it and ride it without the need to get off anywhere particular, I recommend taking it to reach Huangpu Ancient Port. The tram won’t take you all the way there but get off at the last stop (Wanshengwei), grab supplies at the nice mall there and then take a quick taxi/bus ride to this tranquil water village, which used to be China’s only port, where foreign ships were allowed to dock! Fascinating place and feels like a world away from the buzzing city centre though sadly, compared to a few years ago, it has become a bit more run down. More visitors are needed!

There is also Tram Line 2 in Huangpu district, which can take you to the lovely Xiangxue park. It’s already on my list of places to visit once the weather cools down!

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Rental bikes

I love cycling and exploring Guangzhou by bike as it allows so much more flexibility than a car or metro and makes traveling quicker and less tiring than walking (especially in this never-ending summer we’re having!). I have used rental bikes for years and once my son grew bigger, I wanted to go on family rides with him but unfortunately, Guangzhou does not offer (as far I know) bikes with child seats built in, like some other cities (e.g. lovely city of Yichang in Hubei province, where you can cycle along the Yangtze River for miles and miles with your child, stopping at fabulous playgrounds and admiring the stunning mountains).

Then we discovered that you could buy portable, detachable child seats that fit rental bikes perfectly! Duh! Thank you, Taobao:) Since buying such a seat, we’ve been enjoying zooming around our favourite family-friendly bike routes, such as Dafushan Forest Park, Bio-Island or around Huangpu’s Sports Park. And if you wish to ride a family bike with ‘benches’, well you’re in luck, because several spots in Guangzhou offer those, e.g. South China Botanical Gardens, Seagull Island in Panyu and Huadu Lake Park.

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Sightseeing buses

I use the word sightseeing loosely here because, yes, there are special sightseeing tour buses driving around Guangzhou but I’m also including ordinary double-decker public buses driving around town as a ride on those will be just as fun for the little ones! Up here in Baiyun we don’t have many of the double-deckers anymore but I know they can still be taken in other districts. Can you imagine the excitement of a 3-4 year old sitting in the front seat, on the upper deck?! What an adventure it is for them! I’m crazy in this way and instead of taking a ‘normal’ bus, I used to wait around for ages, especially to take the double-decker bus because I knew it turned our journey home into an exciting experience for my son. And for 2rmb, bargain!

I couldn’t find much info about the proper sightseeing buses but it appears they would cost you significantly more, however also offer much more in terms of comfort and service. I haven’t had a chance to ride one so cannot recommend but I’d love to try the Xiguan Style one with dim sum and Cantonese Opera playing during a journey around the historical parts of the city-what a fantastic way to explore the city!

There are supposed to be three sightseeing lines operating from 9am-5pm plus a separate Night Tour one and depart from Canton Tower/Beijing Road. If you know more-let me know!

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Driverless mini buses

Whilst I don’t find a ride on those particularly exciting, my child certainly does because it’s like ‘riding inside a robot’! Those tiny electric vehicles are something new and cool(in every meaning of that word) and kids love them so why not give them a try? You can see them driving around Nansha (where you could enjoy the new beach coastal road!) and Bio-Island, which is also a perfect place for a family bike ride! Apparently, if you enter Baiyun Mountain through the less popular Bamboo Forest Gate, you can take advantage of the driverless EVs there too, complete with AI guide to educate and entertain you!

I’m sure I missed some amazing, cheap ways to travel around Guangzhou that would entertain the kiddies on these HOT days. Feel free to let me know in the comments!