Standing at 600 meters tall, the Canton Tower, also known as Guangzhou New Television Tower, is a defining feature of the Guangzhou skyline. Currently ranking as the tallest TV tower in China and the third tallest in the world, it is primarily dedicated to tourism and entertainment.
Its distinctive curved design, which has earned it the nickname “Xiaoman Yao” or “Slim Waist,” has made it an iconic symbol of the city. The tower offers unique experiences, including the world’s highest horizontal Ferris wheel and one of the highest thrill rides. For these reasons, it has become a must-visit destination for photos and sightseeing in Guangzhou.
Canton Tower Facts
- Type: Observation Decks & Towers, Modern Buildings & Landmarks
- Address: No. 222, Yuejiangxi Road, Haizhu District,Guangzhou
- Overall Height: 600 meters
- Height of Main Structure: 454 meters
- Floors: 112
- Opening Date: October 1, 2010
- Recommended Visiting Hours: About 1~3 hours
- Opening Hours: 09:30 – 22:30
- Tickets: ¥150~¥566. Trip.com discount
- Best Time: All Year Round
Canton Tower is located at the intersection of Guangzhou’s New City Central Axis and the Pearl River, directly facing Haixinsha Island and Zhujiang New Town. Its construction began in 2005 and was completed in 2009. It was once the tallest structure in the world, though it was later surpassed by the Shanghai Tower.
Canton Tower is a comprehensive sightseeing building and a renowned tourist attraction. The tower serves multiple functions, including sightseeing, adventure, food & beverage, wedding services, MICE, a 4D cinema, sci-tech exhibitions, education, and shopping.
Canton Tower Designing Highlights
The Canton Tower’s design is distinguished by its unique spiral structure that gracefully narrows at the center, creating a “Slim Waist” silhouette. This iconic form, created by designers Mark Hemel and Barbara Kuit, is not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional. It consists of 24 steel columns, 46 steel rings, and intercrossing braces, which together form an external steel lattice. This lattice integrates with the inner reinforced concrete core to create a stable yet elegantly hollowed structure.
This innovative design provides exceptional resilience, enabling the tower to withstand earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.8 and typhoons up to force 12. Its design service life exceeds 100 years. The architectural concept was inspired by the image of a graceful lady turning her waist, with the initial form derived from rotating two ellipses. This approach resulted in a dynamic and slender profile that has become a defining landmark of Guangzhou.
Things to do at Canton Tower
The Canton Tower is divided into five zones based on height: Zone Tower Top, Zone E, Zone D, Zone C, Zone B, and Zone A. Visitors can experience different attractions and activities in each zone.
Zone Tower Top – 488M Look Out
The 488m Lookout, situated at the top of the Canton Tower, is the world’s highest outdoor observation deck and the highest point accessible to visitors. From this platform, which covers a total area of 177 square meters (including 122 square meters outdoors), people can enjoy a complete 360-degree view of Guangzhou. This location offers an ideal spot for photography, providing clear views of the cityscape, the Pearl River, and the sky. Advanced safety systems, including weather monitoring and lightning detection, ensure secure operation at this elevation.
Zone Tower Top – 480M Sky Drop
The Sky Drop at Canton Tower is a vertical thrill ride located between 455 and 485 meters above ground. Recognized by Guinness World Records as the “Highest Thrill Ride,” it offers two descent styles: a traditional seated drop and a standing free-fall. The ride descends rapidly from its peak height, allowing participants to briefly experience weightlessness while overlooking the cityscape. This attraction is designed for those seeking an adrenaline-filled activity at extreme heights.
Zone Tower Top – 460M Bubble Tram
The Bubble Tram at Canton Tower operates at about 460 meters above ground, recognized as the world’s highest Ferris wheel installation. Unlike traditional Ferris wheels, this attraction features a 15-degree inclined horizontal track along which 16 transparent capsules glide smoothly. Each spherical cabin carries 4-6 passengers through a 20-minute revolution, providing uninterrupted panoramic views of Guangzhou. The unique engineering allows the wheel to withstand seismic and severe weather conditions, offering both safety and distinctive visual perspectives that make it particularly popular for romantic occasions and cityscape viewing.
Zone Tower Top – 450M Look Out
The 450m Lookout is an outdoor observation platform at the Canton Tower that provides visitors with 360-degree views of Guangzhou. This circular walkway allows people to see the cityscape from all directions. The platform is particularly suitable for photography, offering clear, unobstructed views of the urban landscape.
Zone E – Star Observation Deck & Cloud Observation Deck
The Star Observation Deck and Cloud Observation Deck are located on the 108th and 107th floors of Canton Tower respectively, providing the highest indoor viewing experience. At these levels, visitors can observe different sky conditions – from daytime clouds to the night stars – while overlooking the city’s central axis and Pearl River scenery. A distinctive feature is the transparent glass walkway that allows visitors to look directly down to the ground below. The area also includes a space-themed post office where guests can purchase souvenirs and postcards.
Zone D – Spider Walk
The Spider Walk at Canton Tower is the world’s longest spiral staircase, stretching approximately 1,000 meters between heights of 168 to 334.4 meters. This walkway features transparent glass flooring throughout its 1,096-step ascent around the tower’s core. The climb offers continuously changing perspectives of the city and Pearl River through the tower’s structural framework. As visitors ascend through multiple levels, the unique vantage point provides an immersive experience of the tower’s architectural design.
Zone D – Alpha Exploration Park
The Alpha Exploration Park is China’s first theme park focused on high-altitude adventures at an urban landmark, located between 168 and 330 meters high on Canton Tower. Designed by France’s MND Group, it features specialized facilities including the Sky Walk and Wind Adventure courses.
Its main attraction, the Sky Walk, is a 90-meter circular pathway at 325 meters elevation, featuring transparent sections that allow for 360-degree views. The Wind Adventure offers three color-coded routes with varying difficulty levels: the Green Line for beginners, Blue Line for intermediate level, and Red Line for advanced adventurers featuring elements like rope bridges and climbing challenges. All activities are conducted under professional guidance using EU-certified safety equipment to ensure visitor security throughout the experience.
Zone A – Pearl River Photography Platform
The Pearl River Photography Platform is situated on the second floor’s Outdoor Plaza within Zone A, which extends from ground level to 32 meters in height. This location provides visitors with a 360-degree panoramic view of the Pearl River, making it particularly suitable for photography. The open design of the plaza offers clear, wide-ranging views of the river and surrounding cityscape.
The Canton Tower Light Show
The Canton Tower light show is a captivating visual display that utilizes advanced full-color LED technology and computer control systems. These systems create diverse thematic presentations, ranging from traditional Lingnan cultural motifs to modern digital and artificial intelligence themes. The tower’s lighting frequently changes for special occasions, using colors like red for Spring Festival and golden tones for National Day, all synchronized with music to create a dynamic spectacle.
The best viewing locations for this complimentary show include public squares around the tower such as Huacheng Square, Haixinsha Square, and the Pearl River waterfront areas. Visitors are advised to arrive early to secure optimal viewing positions for this prominent feature of Guangzhou’s nightscape.
Best Time to Visit Canton Tower
The optimal time to visit Canton Tower is around 3:30 PM. This timing allows for ticket purchase and security checks, typically enabling visitors to reach the observation decks between 4:30-5:00 PM. This schedule provides the opportunity to experience Guangzhou in daylight, witness the sunset, and observe the city’s transition into night.
As dusk settles, the tower’s colorful lights gradually illuminate, creating a striking visual effect against the darkening sky. During summer months, it’s advisable to shift this schedule approximately two hours later due to longer daylight hours. The period between 7:00-8:00 PM generally sees smaller crowds, offering a more comfortable visiting experience with reduced waiting times while still allowing visitors to enjoy the illuminated tower.
Restaurants in Canton Tower
The tower’s dining options are mainly located in Zone E, offering diverse culinary experiences:
- TWIST Mediterranean Buffet Revolving Restaurant (106th Floor) – Features rotating panoramic views while serving Mediterranean cuisine
- COLOUR CANTON (408 meters) – Chinese fine dining with private rooms and Pearl River vistas
- LUTECE French Revolving Restaurant – French gourmet dishes in an elegant, romantic atmosphere
- CHOPSTIX (Basement Level) – Casual dining serving authentic Cantonese dishes
How to Get to Canton Tower
By Metro
Take the metro line 3 or line APM, get off at Canton Tower Station and get out from Exit B.
- If you’re coming from Guangzhou South Railway Station, take Line 7 (toward University Town South) and transfer to Line 3 at Hanxi Changlong Station.
- If you’re arriving from Baiyun International Airport, simply take Line 3 (via T1 or T2 station) all the way to Canton Tower—just stay on the train through Tiyu Xilu Station, where it switches from the northern extension to the main southern section toward Panyu.
By Bus
- Take bus 262, 468 or tourist line 1, and get off at Guangzhouta Xi (Canton Tower West) Station.
- If you’re coming from Wanshengwei Station, you can take the Haizhu Tram Line 1 directly to Canton Tower Station.
Canton Tower Tickets & Opening Hours
Book Canton Tower Tickets Now| Ticket Type | Adults | Children (1.2 -1.5m) |
| Cloud & Star Observation Decks | CNY 150 | CNY 75 |
| Cloud & Star Observation Decks + 450 Lookout | CNY 228 | CNY 114 |
| Cloud & Star Observation Decks + 450 Lookout + Sky Walk | CNY 496 | CNY 248 |
| Cloud & Star Observation Decks + 450 Lookout + Bubble Tram | CNY 298 | CNY 149 |
| Cloud & Star Observation Decks + 450 Lookout + Sky Drop | CNY 268 | CNY 134 |
| Cloud & Star Observation Decks + 450 Lookout + 488 Lookout | CNY 328 | CNY 164 |
| Cloud & Star Observation Decks + 450 Lookout + Bubble Tram + Sky Drop + 488 Lookout | CNY 398 | CNY 199 |
| Cloud & Star Observation Decks + 450 Lookout + Sky Drop + Sky Walk | CNY 536 | CNY 268 |
| Cloud & Star Observation Decks + 450 Lookout + Bubble Tram + Sky Walk | CNY 566 | CNY 283 |
Cloud & Star Observation Decks + Wax Museum Combo | CNY 198 | CNY 99 |
| Sky Walk | CNY 388 | CNY 194 |
| Rope Course-Red Course | CNY 688 | CNY 344 |
| Rope Course-Blue Course | CNY 588 | CNY 294 |
| Rope Course-Green Course | CNY 488 | CNY 244 |
| Items | Opening Hours |
| Canton Tower | 09:30 – 22:30 |
| Bubble Tram / Landmark α | 10:00 – 22:30 Monday: 15:00 – 22:30 The last Monday of each month: 17:00 – 22:30 |
| 450 Lookout / Sky Drop / 488 Lookout | 10:00 – 22:30 Monday: 12:00 – 22:30 The last Monday of each month: 17:00 – 22:30 |
Nearby Attractions
Located in the city center, Canton Tower is conveniently close to several notable attractions.
- The Pearl River Night Cruise: offers scenic views of the city’s illuminated skyline from the water.
- Shamian Island: features European-style architecture and provides excellent photo opportunities.
- The Chen Clan Ancestral Hall: renowned as a pearl of Lingnan architecture, serves as a folk museum showcasing exquisite traditional craftsmanship through its wood, stone, and brick carvings as well as painted decorations.