Baiyun Mountain Guangzhou — The City's Green Lung, the 382m Moxing Summit & the Cable Car 2026

Q: How much does Baiyun Mountain cost to enter?

Entry to the Baiyun Mountain scenic area is just ¥5 per person (~฿25 / about $0.70 USD). The Moxing Ridge summit costs an extra ¥5. The cable car is priced separately at ¥25 going up (~฿125) and ¥20 coming down (~฿100), and Mingchun Valley (the aviary) charges its own admission. Check the current rates on arrival, as they can change seasonally.

Q: What are Baiyun Mountain's opening hours?

The scenic area is open 06:00–22:00 daily (last entry 22:00). The cable car and the electric shuttle buses inside the park run roughly 09:00–18:00. If you are coming up for sunset, plan to walk down or catch the shuttle before the cable car closes at 6 pm.

Q: Can I reach Baiyun Mountain by metro, and which station?

Yes — and it became much easier in late 2024. Metro Line 11 (Guangzhou's first loop line, opened December 2024) has a Yuntai Garden station (云台花园站) right beside the mountain's South Gate; use Exit C2. It's about 15–20 minutes from downtown. For the West Gate (the other cable car base), continue by bus or taxi.

Q: How long should I spend at Baiyun Mountain?

Allow anywhere from 2 to 6 hours depending on whether you walk or ride. The easy version — cable car up, a short stroll to the Moxing summit for the city view, then cable car down — takes about half a day (2–3 hours). If you want to hike up on foot, or add Mingchun Valley and the stone-stele forest, set aside a full morning or afternoon.

Q: When is the best time to visit Baiyun Mountain?

Late afternoon into sunset at the Moxing summit is the best window — you watch the whole Guangzhou skyline light up. The mountain is especially atmospheric just after rain, when cloud and mist drift over the peak and you see exactly why it's called 'White Cloud Mountain'. The best seasons are October–December (cool and dry) and February–March (spring blossoms). Avoid weekends and Chinese public holidays if you'd rather not queue an hour for the cable car.

What it is

Why locals call this the lung of Guangzhou

Picture this: you're standing on the Moxing summit in the late afternoon, a cool breeze coming off the green hills behind you, and in front the entire Guangzhou skyline is beginning to light up tower by tower — Canton Tower spiking up to the south, the Pearl River curving through the middle of the city, the high-rises of Zhujiang New Town lined up beyond. And you got up here on a cable car that cost less than a hundred baht.

This is Baiyun Mountain — "White Cloud Mountain" — a low forested range covered in dense greenery on the northern edge of central Guangzhou. Locals call it "the lung of Guangzhou" because it's the largest patch of green closest to the city. Its highest point, Moxing Ridge (摩星岭), reaches 382 metres — the highest spot in urban Guangzhou and where the whole city comes to breathe, exercise and take in the view.

What makes Baiyun Mountain worth your time is that it's a public park, a hiking spot and a city viewpoint all in one — and you can do it the easy way (cable car up, gentle stroll, photos) or the serious way (the 1,836-step fitness staircase). Entry is just ¥5 for the whole forest, all day. That's why it sits firmly on the list of Guangzhou sights you shouldn't skip, for residents and visitors alike.

The view from Baiyun Mountain, Guangzhou — green forested hills rolling toward the city skyline rising out of a soft haze in the distance — The view from Baiyun Mountain — forested hills in front, the Guangzhou skyline floating in the haze beyond

🎫

Entry

¥5 (~฿25)

Moxing summit +¥5

🚠

Cable car

¥25 up / ¥20 down

(~฿125 / ฿100) runs 09:00–18:00

🕕

Opening hours

06:00–22:00

Last entry 22:00, every day

⛰️

Highest point

Moxing Ridge, 382 m

Highest spot in urban Guangzhou

🚇

Metro

Line 11 · Yuntai Garden

By the South Gate, Exit C2

⏱️

Time needed

Half a day (2–6 hrs)

Depending on walking vs cable car

What to see

5 things that make Baiyun Mountain worth half a day

From the summit that sees the whole city to the valley where birds fly over your head.

1

Moxing Ridge summit (摩星岭)

Highest point · 382 metres · panoramic view

The heart of a visit, and the highest point in urban Guangzhou. From here the view is genuinely 360 degrees — the Canton Tower skyline, the Pearl River and the Zhujiang New Town towers all spread out below. On a clear day you can see to the edge of the city. It's the sunset spot locals love most.
2

Mingchun Valley aviary (鸣春谷)

One of China's largest natural aviaries · separate fee

A valley enclosed under a vast net where hundreds of birds fly free — peacocks gliding overhead, cranes, and brightly coloured tropical species. Kids love it. It's billed as one of the largest natural aviaries in China. Admission is charged separately from the mountain ticket, so check the price on arrival.
3

Forest of stone steles (碑林)

Carved Chinese calligraphy · near the Nine Dragons Spring

A wooded clearing scattered with hundreds of stone tablets carved with classical Chinese calligraphy, set in the forest around the Cheng Precipice near the Nine Dragons Spring. It's a quiet, shaded corner — a good place to rest mid-walk and a photo spot far fewer visitors know about than the summit.
4

The cable car (索道)

From the South Gate · ¥25 up / ¥20 down

The easiest way up. The cable car leaves from a station near the South Gate and drifts up over the treetops in a few unhurried minutes, with forest and city views along the way. It runs 09:00–18:00. The usual move is to buy a one-way ticket up and walk down at your own pace, though you can buy a return too.
5

Yuntai Garden (云台花园)

Flower garden at the foot of the mountain · by the South Gate

A large flower garden at the base on the South Gate side, with seasonal flower beds, fountains and open plazas. It's an easy add-on before or after the climb, especially with family or if you'd rather not hike the whole mountain. The Line 11 Yuntai Garden metro station is right here.

Getting up the mountain

Hike, ride, or do both

🚠 Cable car up, walk down (the easy way)

What most people do — take the cable car from the station near the South Gate up to near the top, walk the last stretch to the Moxing summit, photograph the city, then stroll back down at your own pace through the forest and rest stops along the way. This takes about 2–3 hours and works for everyone, including families with young children or older travellers. With the ¥5 entry plus the ¥25 cable car up, you're looking at roughly ฿150 a head.

For the best of it, time your cable car ride up for late afternoon, watch the sunset from the summit, then head down — but check the cable car's 6 pm closing time first. If you want to stay for the city lights after dark, you'll need to allow time to walk down.

🥾 Hiking up on foot (for the workout)

Baiyun Mountain is Guangzhou's open-air gym — in the early morning you'll see locals hiking up as a daily routine. The trails come in several grades, from gentle paved slopes to the notorious 1,836-step fitness staircase, which is very steep and not recommended for beginners or anyone with knee trouble. If you hike up, allow a full morning or afternoon, carry enough water, and start early to beat the midday heat.

Tip: If you're unsure of your fitness, ride the cable car up and walk down — the descent is far gentler and you still get the forest walk and the views without forcing it.

🌅 When it looks its best

The golden window is late afternoon into sunset at the Moxing summit — warm light washing over the city as the towers begin to glow. But the mountain is most magical just after rain, when cloud and mist drift over the peak, the air clears, the city sharpens into view, and you understand instantly why it's called "White Cloud Mountain".

The best seasons are October–December (cool, dry, clear skies) and February–March (blossoms in the Yuntai garden). Skip summer middays, which are hot and humid, and avoid weekends and Chinese public holidays (such as early-October National Day) if you'd rather not queue for the cable car.

Getting there

How to reach Baiyun Mountain

The good news: getting here got a lot easier in late 2024, when a new loop metro line opened a station right by the South Gate.

🚇

Metro Line 11 (loop line)

Yuntai Garden station (云台花园站)

Exit C2 puts you right at the South Gate and the cable car base — about 15–20 minutes from downtown, the easiest option now

🚌

Bus to the South Gate

Routes 24 / 63 / 240 / 285

Get off at the Yuntai Garden (云台花园) stop, near the South Gate cable car base

🚖

Taxi / DiDi

Direct to any gate

Tell the driver the South Gate or the West Gate, depending on which side you want to climb — handy in a group

Planning your day: Baiyun Mountain sits north of the centre, so it pairs well with the city's northern-central sights. Visit Yuexiu Park (the Five Rams Statue), not far away, in the morning, then come up Baiyun Mountain in the afternoon to catch the sunset. Both are green spaces and both are easy to reach by metro.

Where to stay

Hotels in Guangzhou worth booking

Baiyun Mountain is a half-day trip you return to the city from — stay somewhere central with easy metro access.

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Frequently asked

FAQ · Baiyun Mountain practical

How much does Baiyun Mountain cost to enter?

Entry to the scenic area is just ¥5 per person (~฿25). The Moxing Ridge summit costs an extra ¥5. The cable car is priced separately at ¥25 going up (~฿125) and ¥20 coming down (~฿100), and Mingchun Valley (the aviary) charges its own admission. Check the current rates on arrival, as they can change seasonally.

What are Baiyun Mountain's opening hours?

The scenic area is open 06:00–22:00 daily (last entry 22:00). The cable car and the electric shuttle buses inside the park run roughly 09:00–18:00. If you're coming up for sunset, plan to walk down or catch the shuttle before the cable car closes at 6 pm.

Can I reach Baiyun Mountain by metro, and which station?

Yes — and it became much easier in late 2024. Metro Line 11 (Guangzhou's first loop line, opened December 2024) has a Yuntai Garden station (云台花园站) right beside the mountain's South Gate; use Exit C2. It's about 15–20 minutes from downtown. For the West Gate (the other cable car base), continue by bus or taxi.

How long should I spend at Baiyun Mountain?

Allow anywhere from 2 to 6 hours depending on whether you walk or ride. The easy version — cable car up, a short stroll to the Moxing summit for the city view, then cable car down — takes about half a day (2–3 hours). If you want to hike up on foot, or add Mingchun Valley and the stone-stele forest, set aside a full morning or afternoon.

When is the best time to visit Baiyun Mountain?

Late afternoon into sunset at the Moxing summit is the best window — you watch the whole Guangzhou skyline light up. The mountain is especially atmospheric just after rain, when cloud and mist drift over the peak and you see exactly why it's called "White Cloud Mountain". The best seasons are October–December (cool and dry) and February–March (spring blossoms). Avoid weekends and Chinese public holidays if you'd rather not queue an hour for the cable car.

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