The Pearl River night cruise is unique to Guangzhou. For dozens of yuan, you can cruise on a luxury boat along the Pearl River and enjoy the enchanting landscapes on both banks. You can stand on the deck and feel the breeze of the river on your face and hear the sound of water splashing against the side of the ship. The cruise is immensely popular among local residents and tourists alike.
The Pearl River is composed of three river systems including the East River, the West River, and the North Riverr. The three river systems converge in Guangzhou, resulting in fascinating vistas. At night, under sparkling lights, the boat carrying passengers depart from the Xidi Wharf near the People's Bridge, sailing eastward, passing the Liberation Bridge, Haizhu Bridge, Haiyin Bridge, Guangzhou Bridge, and Hedong Bridge, before returning to the wharf. This section of the river offer visitors vistas such as "the Red Heart of the Pearl River", "the Spring Dawning on the East Lake", "Wall of Sails at Huangpu", and "Night Moon over the Goose Pond", which are among Guangzhou's top eight sights; it also provides views of the Southern Building, Aiqun Building, Guangzhou Hotel, Huaxia Hotek, Jiangwan Hotel, Ersha Haizhu Plaza Garden, the White Swan Hotel, and Shamian Foreign-style Building Complex. The cruise takes approximately two hours.
Sights on Pearl River Night Cruise
● White Swan Pond (Bai'etan): "Night Moon over the Bai'etan" ranks among Guangzhou's top eight sights. At night, in the midst of the refreshing breeze, the White Swan Hotel stands erect under the bright moonlight. "The Fangcun Floral Land", with twittering birds and fragrant flowers, exudes elegance. Looking east, visitors will see several bridges spanning the river in the midst of shining lights. The enchanting vistas attract an endless stream of visitors.
● Shamian Building Complex: Shamian is possibly the most exotic place in China. This 0.3-square-kilometer island contains hundreds of historical buildings of neo-classical, neo-Baroque and Gothic styles and with arch corridors. The White Goose Pond in the distance appears all the more charming, living up to its reputation as "the ninth most enchanting sight of Guangzhou".
● Aiqun Mansion: Built in early 1934, Aiqun Mansion is a typical Western arcade building; it was once the highest building in China. At nightfall, visitors can ascend to the top of the building for a panoramic view of the sparkling city down below. The building tends to invoke nostalgia.
● Tower Shadow Building: This Western-style building has four floors, with Chinese-style upturned eaves on the roof. It serves a lighthouse at night for ships returning to the harbor. It stands diagonally opposite the Customs Building, which is of the traditional European architectural style.
● Riverside Bar Corridor: With the progress of the landscaping works on both banks of the Pearl River, a number of bars and cafes with distinctive decors have emerged along Central Riverside Road, forming a strip of bars and cafes.
● Ersha Island: A sandy islet floating on the Pearl River, Ersha Island is Guangzhou's most exotic place, home to the Xinghai Concert Hall, the Guangdong Museum of Arts, luxury residential estates, and sports training bases. Artistic sculptures of various styles are set in the midst of the luxuriant foliage, adding to the elegance of the island.
● Haixinsha: Haixinsha, the venue of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Asian Games, will be converted into an Asiad-themed park, and the Asian Games Stadium is expected to become Guangzhou's largest open-air theater, which will be equipped with a number of high-end restaurants and bars. Upon the completion of the works, Haixinsha will become a large-scale cultural activity center interacting with the museum and the opera house. It's poised to become a leading heritage site in Guangzhou.
● Guangzhou Tower: Standing in the heart of the city and at the intersection of the city's new central axis and the landscape axis of the Pearl River, this tower soars 600 meters into the sky, making it the highest one in China. It faces Haixinsha Island and Zhujiang New Town, Guangzhou's CBD for the 21st century, across the river.
※ Location and Transportation:
- Tianzi Wharf, located on Central Riverside Road (on the northern bank of the Pearl River), is accessible by Bus Nos. 1, 57, 64, 183, 194, 219, 281, and 544.
- Xidi Wharf, located diagonally across the South Building (on the northern bank of the Pearl River), is accessible by Bus Nos. 31, 38, 181, 186, 202, 217, 219, 227, 251, 236, 239, 288, 281, 527, 538, 541, 556, and 823.
- Dashatou Wharf is accessible by Bus Nos. 7, 12, 18, 36, 44, 57, 61, 80, 89, 125, 128, 131, 182, 184, 188, 192, 194, 208, 277, 287, 543 and 546, as well as Tour Bus No. 2.
