Canton Tower Sky Wheel Ticket Guangzhou

Canton Tower, Guangzhou's 600-metre landmark

Completed in 2010, the Canton Tower stands 600 metres tall on the south bank of the Pearl River in Haizhu district, facing the business towers of Zhujiang New Town. Its open steel lattice twists as it rises and narrows at the middle, which earned it the affectionate local nickname of the slender waist. At night the whole structure glows with LED lights that change colour and pattern.

The tower was built as a television and sightseeing tower and is now the symbol of modern Guangzhou, appearing on postcards, in photos from every bridge and on the city's night cruises. Is the Canton Tower worth visiting? For a first visit to Guangzhou, yes: nowhere else shows you the scale of the city and the curve of the river so clearly.

The Sky Wheel at 460 metres

The Sky Wheel is the crown of the tower: a ring of transparent glass capsules that travel slowly around the outer edge of the roof, at 460 metres above the ground. Unlike a traditional wheel it turns horizontally, so each capsule stays level while the panorama changes around you. One full revolution takes about 20 minutes.

The capsules are enclosed and air-conditioned, with clear walls and seats for a small group, so you can sit back, take photos and watch the city turn beneath you: the old districts to the north, the Pearl River winding west and east, and the new towers to the south. On a clear day the view stretches for dozens of kilometres across the Pearl River Delta.

The 450-metre lookout and 433-metre observation level

Your ticket also includes the 433-metre indoor observation level, a wide gallery with floor-to-ceiling windows where you can get used to the height, and the 450-metre lookout just below the Sky Wheel. From here the river traffic and the bridges look like models, and you can pick out Haixinsha Island, Huacheng Square and the shape of the opera house.

Allow around 30 to 40 minutes for these levels, before or after the wheel. They are the best places for unhurried photos, and in the evening for watching the city lights come on. Other attractions in the tower, such as the drop ride, are not included in this ticket and are paid for separately on site if you wish to try them.

Opening hours, getting there and the best time to visit

Canton Tower opening hours are usually from about 09:30 to 22:30, and this ticket lets you choose an hourly entry time on your date. How to get to the Canton Tower: take metro Line 3 or the APM line to Canton Tower station, which is right at the foot of the tower, or a taxi to the ticket entrance in Haizhu district. Bring your passport.

The best time to visit the Canton Tower depends on what you want: late afternoon gives you daylight views and then the sunset and city lights in one visit, while clear mornings in autumn and winter offer the longest views. In summer haze and storms are more common, and the Sky Wheel may pause in thunderstorms or strong wind for safety.

Around the tower: Haixinsha and the river

At the foot of the tower, a pedestrian route leads across the river towards Haixinsha Island and Huacheng Square, the green axis of Zhujiang New Town lined with the Guangzhou Opera House and the Guangdong Museum. The riverside paths on both banks are lively in the evening, with families and joggers enjoying the breeze.

Many visitors combine the Sky Wheel with a Pearl River night cruise, seeing the tower from the top and then from the water. If you need a meal before or after your visit, Guangzhou has many halal (qingzhen) restaurants run by Hui Muslim families, as well as Cantonese restaurants serving dim sum. The whole area is easy to explore on foot after you come down.