Take a breather at Guangzhou's largest urban park and see the Chinese at play.
Like everything else in Guangzhou where nothing is done on a small scale, Yuexiu Park, Yuexiu Gongyuan, in Mandarin, is immense. Covering 86 hectares with seven hills, three lakes as well as monuments, an amusement park, swimming pool, restaurants, stalls and museums, there’s plenty here to occupy the whole family. Chinese people of all ages use the park for tai-qi, swimming, opera singing and even ballroom dancing. Yuexiu Park was first built in 1952 under the suggestion of Chinese leader Sun Yat-sen, and it has been in use as a park ever since. Despite being in the centre of town, the park is a peaceful place to while away a few hours. Although the park can get busy, there are plenty of places where you can escape the crowds: in the charming little gardens and clearings off the main drag, you're likely to be the only person there. One interesting sight is the five-storey Zhenhai Tower, which was built in 1380 as a watchtower during the Ming Dynasty. Today, it serves as a museum housing relics from 2000 years ago. Another interesting historical site is a memorial hall dedicated to Sun Yat-sen, the first president of the Republic of China. Within the grounds of the memorial complex, look out for the 300 year old ceiba tree, said to be the oldest in Guangzhou. If you feel like getting some exercise, there's gym equipment that's free to use, or you could rent a boat and see Beixiu Lake from the water. For more aquatic fun, there is also a small swimming pool.Yuexiu Park Station on Subway Line 2 is close to the main entrance. The park is open daily from 6 am – 9 pm and is free of charge to enter.
