East Haizhu in Half a Day: Huangpu Old Port, Xiaozhou Village and the Wetland
Choose one East Haizhu outing: Huangpu Old Port, Xiaozhou Village or the wetland. They offer different experiences and sit on awkward transport lines, so forcing them together spends the half-day in transit.
The short answer
Pair Huangpu Old Port with Xiaozhou Village, which are 25-40 minutes apart by bus or taxi. Get to the Old Port on Line 4 Wanshengwei and bus 229, and from Xiaozhou back via bus 252 to Line 3 Kecun. Both are free and open every day. Only the Old Port's small memorial hall closes on Mondays.
Do the two villages only. The Old Port memorial hall, Shixiang Garden and the Nanhai God Temple are closed (except public holidays), and so is the whole of Haizhu Wetland, free lake included.
Decide which part. Haizhu Lake is free, 7:30-21:00, from Line 3 Datang exit B, and has the view of the tower across the water. Phases 1 and 2 cost ¥20, open 9:00-18:00 with sales to 17:00, and cap entry at 3,000 a day. For Phase 1, use Line 18 Longtan exit D. Buy on the '海珠湿地' WeChat official account, or at the north gate window with ID; whether a passport works there is not published. Go in March-April for the blossom.
It is in Huangpu district, 45 minutes from the centre on Line 13, so it is a separate trip. Make it the far end of a day with Changzhou Island. The ferry from Huangpu Old Port to the island no longer runs; go via Yuzhu. ¥10, closed on Mondays, open every day during the Boluo Dan fair.
It is at the western end of Haizhu (Lines 2/8 Changgang exit C2), not near the villages. Pair it with the Deng Shichang memorial and Tongfu West Road, 15 minutes' walk through the old lanes. It is free and closed on Mondays.
Side by sideEach cell ends with the date of the notice it was checked against
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Huangpu Old Port & Village
黄埔古港 · 黄埔村Open the place →- What you see & how long
- The anchorage where every foreign trading ship had to moor from 1757. Today it has a real village with fifteen ancestral halls, a free maritime-trade memorial in a customs compound rebuilt in 2006, and a snack street. Allow 90 minutes · 2026-09-16
- Ticket / price
- Free: scenic area and memorial hall (district government) · 2024-10-16
- Hours & closed days
- Memorial hall Tuesday-Sunday 9:00-17:00 (entry to 16:30), closed Mondays but open on public holidays. The village and waterfront are open ground · 2024-09-14
- Booking & ID
- No booking, just walk in; no ID rule published. Enquiries 020-84135758 · 2024-09-14
- Getting there
- Line 4 Wanshengwei exit B (or the tram stop there), then bus 229 or tourist bus line 3 to the Old Port stop. A taxi from Pazhou takes 10-15 minutes · 2024-10-16
- What to eat on the way
- The snack street is why locals come: Huangpu egg (a soft folded omelette) and boat congee. We vouch for no particular stall · 2026-09-16
- Don't get this wrong
- Not in Huangpu district and not the Whampoa Military Academy: the old port is in Haizhu near Pazhou. There is no longer a ferry from here to Changzhou Island; go via Yuzhu · 2026-09-16
Xiaozhou Village
小洲村Open the place →- What you see & how long
- A Lingnan water village in the orchard belt: tidal creeks, stone bridges, a Qing ancestral hall, a 1959 Soviet-style hall and the last oyster-shell houses. Around the north gate it has turned into an art quarter; further in, people still live there. About two hours · 2026-09-21
- Ticket / price
- Free: open village, no ticket (district page) · 2026-09-21
- Hours & closed days
- Open ground, all day (district page); no closing day · 2023-08-31
- Booking & ID
- Nothing to book. It is a village of several thousand residents: keep your voice down and don't point your camera into doorways · 2024-11-15
- Getting there
- No metro. Line 3 Kecun exit C, then bus 252 to Xiaozhou Village; or Line 8 Chigang exit D2, then bus 45 to Xiaozhou terminus. A taxi from Pazhou or Kecun takes 20-30 minutes · 2023-08-31
- What to eat on the way
- Cafés and studios near the north gate; if you sit down in a courtyard, buy something · 2024-11-15
- Don't get this wrong
- Not just the 'Xiaozhou Art Village' signs: the old village is further in along the creeks. The Yingzhou park across the road is an orchard park, not part of the village · 2024-11-15
Haizhu Wetland
海珠湿地Open the place →- What you see & how long
- 1,100 hectares of orchard and creek wetland south of Canton Tower, in three zones: the free Haizhu Lake with the tower behind it, and two paid wetland zones. Allow 2-3 hours for Phase 1 alone; Phase 2 is bigger and wilder · 2026-03-02
- Ticket / price
- Lake free; Wetland Phase 1 and 2 ¥20 (city page 2018; same on 2026 platforms); family ticket (2 adults, 1 child) ¥40 · 2018-09-12
- Hours & closed days
- Lake 7:30-21:00; Phase 1/2 9:00-18:00, ticket sales to 17:00, capped at 3,000 a day. All zones close on Mondays for maintenance, shifted when a holiday falls on one · 2025-08-20
- Booking & ID
- The '海珠湿地' WeChat official account (Chinese only), or buy at the gate with 'valid ID'. Whether a passport works is not published, so ask at the north gate window. The lake needs no ticket · 2026-03-02
- Getting there
- Phase 1 north gate: Line 18 Longtan exit D, 300 m. The lake: Line 3 Datang exit B, 200 m east. Phase 2 south gate: 1.7 km from Lijiao station by bus, taxi or bike · 2026-03-02
- What to eat on the way
- Phase 2 has no cafés; bring water and insect repellent · 2026-03-02
- Don't get this wrong
- Not just Haizhu Lake: the free lake is the northern third, while the paid 'wetland' is Phase 1 at Longtan and Phase 2 further south, with different gates and stations. The lake's booking and the wetland's ticket are two items on one WeChat official account · 2026-03-02
Shixiang Garden
十香园Open the place →- What you see & how long
- The 1856 home and studio of the painters Ju Chao and Ju Lian, cradle of the Lingnan school of painting: three original pavilions, a 2010 exhibition hall, and since 2024 a small rotating gallery. Allow 45-60 minutes · 2024-09-29
- Ticket / price
- Free (district page; city museum list) · 2023-06-16
- Hours & closed days
- Tuesday-Sunday 9:00-17:00, entry to 16:30 (city museum list 2024) · 2024-09-14
- Booking & ID
- No booking listed, just walk in; no ID rule. Enquiries 020-84410760; temporary closures are posted on the district museum centre's WeChat official account · 2024-09-14
- Getting there
- Lines 2/8 Changgang exit C2, then 8-10 minutes north along Jiangnan Avenue into Huaide Street. This is west Haizhu, not the east · 2023-06-16
- What to eat on the way
- Nothing listed; pair it with the old arcades of Tongfu West Road · 2024-09-29
- Don't get this wrong
- Not the Guangdong Museum of Art: the house itself holds few paintings, and the gallery added in 2024 is small. Closed on Mondays · 2023-06-16
Nanhai God Temple
南海神庙Open the place →- What you see & how long
- The imperial sea-god temple of 594, where Maritime Silk Road ships first made landfall. It has a stele forest of imperial inscriptions and the Yuri pavilion, with the free Guangzhou Maritime Museum next door · 2024-09-14
- Ticket / price
- ¥10 full, ¥5 half; one free day a month · 2024-09-14
- Hours & closed days
- Tuesday-Sunday 9:00-17:00, sales and entry to 16:30. Closed Mondays, except public holidays and the Boluo Dan fair · 2024-09-14
- Booking & ID
- Real-name purchase, online via the '广州海事博物馆' WeChat official account or at the on-site ticket window. Passports are not mentioned. During the Boluo Dan fair both sites require booking · 2026-07-28
- Getting there
- In Huangpu district: Line 13 Nanhai Shenmiao station, Line 5 Miaotou or the BRT; about 45 minutes from the centre · 2024-09-14
- What to eat on the way
- Nothing listed · 2026-09-21
- Don't get this wrong
- Not the Guangzhou Maritime Museum, the free museum next door with a different ticket and a different queue. This temple is the one in Huangpu district; Huangpu Old Port is not · 2026-09-21
| Compare | Huangpu Old Port & Village | Xiaozhou Village | Haizhu Wetland | Shixiang Garden | Nanhai God Temple |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What you see & how long | The anchorage where every foreign trading ship had to moor from 1757. Today it has a real village with fifteen ancestral halls, a free maritime-trade memorial in a customs compound rebuilt in 2006, and a snack street. Allow 90 minutes · 2026-09-16 | A Lingnan water village in the orchard belt: tidal creeks, stone bridges, a Qing ancestral hall, a 1959 Soviet-style hall and the last oyster-shell houses. Around the north gate it has turned into an art quarter; further in, people still live there. About two hours · 2026-09-21 | 1,100 hectares of orchard and creek wetland south of Canton Tower, in three zones: the free Haizhu Lake with the tower behind it, and two paid wetland zones. Allow 2-3 hours for Phase 1 alone; Phase 2 is bigger and wilder · 2026-03-02 | The 1856 home and studio of the painters Ju Chao and Ju Lian, cradle of the Lingnan school of painting: three original pavilions, a 2010 exhibition hall, and since 2024 a small rotating gallery. Allow 45-60 minutes · 2024-09-29 | The imperial sea-god temple of 594, where Maritime Silk Road ships first made landfall. It has a stele forest of imperial inscriptions and the Yuri pavilion, with the free Guangzhou Maritime Museum next door · 2024-09-14 |
| Ticket / price | Free: scenic area and memorial hall (district government) · 2024-10-16 | Free: open village, no ticket (district page) · 2026-09-21 | Lake free; Wetland Phase 1 and 2 ¥20 (city page 2018; same on 2026 platforms); family ticket (2 adults, 1 child) ¥40 · 2018-09-12 | Free (district page; city museum list) · 2023-06-16 | ¥10 full, ¥5 half; one free day a month · 2024-09-14 |
| Hours & closed days | Memorial hall Tuesday-Sunday 9:00-17:00 (entry to 16:30), closed Mondays but open on public holidays. The village and waterfront are open ground · 2024-09-14 | Open ground, all day (district page); no closing day · 2023-08-31 | Lake 7:30-21:00; Phase 1/2 9:00-18:00, ticket sales to 17:00, capped at 3,000 a day. All zones close on Mondays for maintenance, shifted when a holiday falls on one · 2025-08-20 | Tuesday-Sunday 9:00-17:00, entry to 16:30 (city museum list 2024) · 2024-09-14 | Tuesday-Sunday 9:00-17:00, sales and entry to 16:30. Closed Mondays, except public holidays and the Boluo Dan fair · 2024-09-14 |
| Booking & ID | No booking, just walk in; no ID rule published. Enquiries 020-84135758 · 2024-09-14 | Nothing to book. It is a village of several thousand residents: keep your voice down and don't point your camera into doorways · 2024-11-15 | The '海珠湿地' WeChat official account (Chinese only), or buy at the gate with 'valid ID'. Whether a passport works is not published, so ask at the north gate window. The lake needs no ticket · 2026-03-02 | No booking listed, just walk in; no ID rule. Enquiries 020-84410760; temporary closures are posted on the district museum centre's WeChat official account · 2024-09-14 | Real-name purchase, online via the '广州海事博物馆' WeChat official account or at the on-site ticket window. Passports are not mentioned. During the Boluo Dan fair both sites require booking · 2026-07-28 |
| Getting there | Line 4 Wanshengwei exit B (or the tram stop there), then bus 229 or tourist bus line 3 to the Old Port stop. A taxi from Pazhou takes 10-15 minutes · 2024-10-16 | No metro. Line 3 Kecun exit C, then bus 252 to Xiaozhou Village; or Line 8 Chigang exit D2, then bus 45 to Xiaozhou terminus. A taxi from Pazhou or Kecun takes 20-30 minutes · 2023-08-31 | Phase 1 north gate: Line 18 Longtan exit D, 300 m. The lake: Line 3 Datang exit B, 200 m east. Phase 2 south gate: 1.7 km from Lijiao station by bus, taxi or bike · 2026-03-02 | Lines 2/8 Changgang exit C2, then 8-10 minutes north along Jiangnan Avenue into Huaide Street. This is west Haizhu, not the east · 2023-06-16 | In Huangpu district: Line 13 Nanhai Shenmiao station, Line 5 Miaotou or the BRT; about 45 minutes from the centre · 2024-09-14 |
| What to eat on the way | The snack street is why locals come: Huangpu egg (a soft folded omelette) and boat congee. We vouch for no particular stall · 2026-09-16 | Cafés and studios near the north gate; if you sit down in a courtyard, buy something · 2024-11-15 | Phase 2 has no cafés; bring water and insect repellent · 2026-03-02 | Nothing listed; pair it with the old arcades of Tongfu West Road · 2024-09-29 | Nothing listed · 2026-09-21 |
| Don't get this wrong | Not in Huangpu district and not the Whampoa Military Academy: the old port is in Haizhu near Pazhou. There is no longer a ferry from here to Changzhou Island; go via Yuzhu · 2026-09-16 | Not just the 'Xiaozhou Art Village' signs: the old village is further in along the creeks. The Yingzhou park across the road is an orchard park, not part of the village · 2024-11-15 | Not just Haizhu Lake: the free lake is the northern third, while the paid 'wetland' is Phase 1 at Longtan and Phase 2 further south, with different gates and stations. The lake's booking and the wetland's ticket are two items on one WeChat official account · 2026-03-02 | Not the Guangdong Museum of Art: the house itself holds few paintings, and the gallery added in 2024 is small. Closed on Mondays · 2023-06-16 | Not the Guangzhou Maritime Museum, the free museum next door with a different ticket and a different queue. This temple is the one in Huangpu district; Huangpu Old Port is not · 2026-09-21 |
Canton Fair Complex (Pazhou)：Ten to fifteen minutes by taxi from Huangpu Old Port, but not a sight: it is closed to visitors outside the fair. The 140th session runs Oct 15-19, 23-27 and Oct 31-Nov 4 2026 (draft entry). In those weeks hotels in Haizhu and Tianhe double in price and Line 8 at Pazhou is packed, so plan around the dates. Buyers only; everyone else, avoid the fair weeks.
Sun Yat-sen University South Campus：The red-brick Lingnan University campus of the 1900s-1930s, at Line 8 Zhongda station. The public can enter only on weekends and holidays, by real-name booking on a mini-program that accepts only PRC ID cards, and foreigners are told to 'contact a host unit on campus' (draft entry). Without someone on campus to invite you, admire it from the road. Only with an invitation from someone on campus.
One by one
Huangpu Old Port & Village
黄埔古港 · 黄埔村Come for the setting, the ancestral halls and lunch, not for a museum of Canton's trade. Much of what you see was rebuilt in 2006 around a real but ordinary village, and the memorial hall is small. It is free and needs no booking. Allow 90 minutes, and pair it with Xiaozhou rather than making a special trip. For lunch and a village walk.
Open the place →Xiaozhou Village
小洲村Two slow hours of creeks and ancestral halls, not a sight. It is 40 minutes out by bus and partly taken over by cafés, and it is also a place where people live, so you are a guest. Follow the district's route A from the north gate through to the south, and come on a weekday morning for the village itself. With only three days in Guangzhou, this is the first thing to drop. For a slow weekday in the creeks.
Open the place →Haizhu Wetland
海珠湿地Three zones with three sets of rules. The lake is free, open to 21:00, and gives the tower-across-the-water photo. Phases 1 and 2 cost ¥20, open 9:00-18:00, and cap entry at 3,000 a day. Everything, the free lake included, closes on Mondays. Outside the March-April blossom and the autumn flower fields it is a pleasant walk, not a sight. If you have only one afternoon on this bank, the villages feel more like Guangzhou. For spring blossom, or the tower photo from the lake.
Open the place →Shixiang Garden
十香园Very small and very specific: if Cantonese painting means nothing to you, it is a pretty courtyard and forty minutes. It is also at the other end of Haizhu, by Changgang, so it does not fit an afternoon of the eastern villages. Pair it instead with the Deng Shichang memorial and Tongfu West Road for a walking half-day in old west Haizhu. Closed on Mondays. For Lingnan painting, on a west-Haizhu walk.
Open the place →Nanhai God Temple
南海神庙Not part of the Haizhu afternoon. It is a rebuilt temple 45 minutes from the centre, with tickets sold mostly through a Chinese-only WeChat flow (there is also a paper-ticket window). Come if you are in town for the Boluo Dan fair, or make it the far end of a Huangpu day with Changzhou Island. It does not deserve a day of its own. See the free Maritime Museum first, which explains why the temple exists. For the Boluo Dan fair, or the end of a Huangpu day.
Open the place →