Canton Tower Guangzhou — 488m Observation Deck, Bubble Tram & the Pearl River at Night 2026

Q: When is the best time to visit Canton Tower?

The best window is roughly 6 to 7.30 pm. Go up while the sky still holds its last blue-purple light, then wait half an hour as the city lights come on — you get Guangzhou in two moods on a single visit. The tower itself changes colour after sunset. If you want to see Canton Tower lit up, the best views are from outside it: from Huacheng Square across the river, or from a Pearl River cruise boat.

Q: What are Canton Tower's opening hours?

The observation decks are open roughly 09:30–22:30 daily, with last entry around 22:00. On summer weekends the doors may open earlier, at 09:00. The Bubble Tram runs from about 15:00 and the Sky Drop from about 12:00. Times can shift on the last Monday of each month for maintenance, so it is worth checking before you go.

Q: How do you get to Canton Tower by metro?

Take Metro Line 3 to Canton Tower station (广州塔站), or ride the automated APM line — which links the city-centre district — to Canton Tower station; the exit brings you out at the foot of the tower. From the Huacheng Square side you can also walk across the pedestrian bridge in a few minutes.

Q: Are the Sky Drop and Bubble Tram worth doing?

If you are comfortable with heights, very much so. The Bubble Tram is a clear glass capsule that crawls slowly around the outer rim of the tower's crown at about 460 metres — gentle, suitable for all ages, like a Ferris wheel mounted on a skyscraper. The Sky Drop is a free-fall ride from near the summit, far more intense and strictly for thrill-seekers. Both require a combo ticket that includes the rides, separate from a standard observation-deck ticket.

What it is

Why Canton Tower is the face of Guangzhou

There is a moment, standing at Huacheng Square around seven in the evening, when the twisting steel column across the Pearl River lights up from base to tip — colour bleeding from purple to pink to blue, the whole thing mirrored in a long streak on the water. That is what the people of Guangzhou affectionately call the "Little Waist" (小蛮腰): the tower genuinely pinches in at the middle, like a waist.

Canton Tower (广州塔) rises 600 metres on the south bank of the Pearl River in Haizhu District. Completed in time for the 2010 Asian Games, it was briefly the tallest tower in the world and remains the tallest structure in Guangzhou — a landmark you can orient yourself by from almost anywhere in the city. The lattice that narrows at its centre is not just a flourish: it is the engineering that gives the tower a silhouette unlike any other in the world.

What makes Canton Tower more than a standard go-up-and-look-out tower is what sits at the top: observation decks at 433, 450 and 488 metres, the outdoor Bubble Tram that crawls around the crown, and the Sky Drop free-fall that lets you plunge from near the summit. You can get both the altitude and the adrenaline in one place.

Canton Tower, Guangzhou — the 600-metre twisting steel lattice tower with its pinched 'little waist' silhouette on the Pearl River by day — Canton Tower — the twisting steel lattice that pinches at the middle, the reason locals call it the "Little Waist" (小蛮腰)

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Ticket

From ~¥150 (~฿750)

433 m deck · up to ~¥398 with rides

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Best time

6–7.30 pm

Dusk — city view plus night lights together

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Metro

Canton Tower station

Line 3 / APM line · same stop

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Height

600 metres

Decks at 433 / 450 / 488 m

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Opening hours

09:30–22:30

Last entry ~22:00, daily

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Top-deck rides

Bubble Tram · Sky Drop

Glass-capsule ride + free-fall drop

What's at the top

5 things to know before you go up

From the indoor deck to the thrill rides on the crown — pick the right package before you buy.

1

Indoor deck at 433 m (Starry Sky Hall)

433 m · tickets from ~¥150

The glass-walled indoor hall is the entry-level package and gives you a full 360-degree view of Guangzhou — the Pearl River, Huacheng Square and the towers of Zhujiang New Town. It is air-conditioned, which matters on a hot or rainy day, and it is the sensible starting point if you are travelling with family or would rather not be on an open-air platform that high up.
2

Open-air deck at 488 m (the summit)

488 m · higher-priced package

The open-air deck at 488 metres is the tower's highest outdoor viewpoint — windy, with the view opening up unobstructed by glass all the way to the horizon. On a clear day it is well worth the price difference. On a hazy one the view can be muted, so it is worth checking the weather before paying for a package that includes this level.
3

Bubble Tram (摩天轮)

~460 m · package ~¥298 · from ~15:00

This is the thing that sets Canton Tower apart from any other tower — a clear glass capsule that creeps slowly around the outer rim of the crown at roughly 460 metres, like a Ferris wheel bolted onto the roof of a skyscraper. It is gentle, rotates slowly and suits all ages, with the city view shifting angle as you rise. If you ride it once, do it at dusk so you watch the lights come on.
4

Sky Drop (速降)

Near the summit · from ~12:00 · for thrill-seekers

For genuine adrenaline, the Sky Drop is a free-fall ride from near the very top of the tower — a few seconds of plunge with the city rushing up to meet you. It is one of the highest drop rides anywhere in the world. Not for anyone afraid of heights, but if your nerve holds, it is an experience you cannot get elsewhere.
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Seen from outside — free, and just as good

Huacheng Square · riverside · river cruise

Here is the thing many visitors miss: the best view of Canton Tower is from the outside, not the inside. Stand at Huacheng Square on the opposite bank and watch the whole tower shift colour after dark — free, no ticket required. Or, for the best angle of all, take a Pearl River cruise that passes right at the foot of the tower, catching both the tower and the lit-up banks in a single trip.

Choosing the right ticket: for a standard visit with a good city view, the 433 m deck (~¥150) is plenty. To stand outdoors at the very top, pick a package that includes 488 m. To ride the Bubble Tram or the Sky Drop, you need a combo ticket that bundles the rides (~¥298–398). Prices vary by season. Check prices and packages on Klook →

Visiting tips

Go up, watch the lights — and find the best photo angle

🌆 When to go up

If you are going up the deck, the golden window is 6 to 7.30 pm — arrive while the sky still holds its last blue-purple light, then wait half an hour for the city lights to come on. You will see Guangzhou in both moods on a single trip: the daytime city settling down, and the sea of night lights waking up. It is far better value than going up in plain daylight or full darkness alone.

One thing to know: dusk is also when it is busiest, especially at weekends. To skip the ticket queue, buy online in advance and aim to arrive a little before the golden window.

📸 Where to photograph Canton Tower

The classic "Guangzhou postcard" angle is from Huacheng Square (花城广场) on the Zhujiang New Town side, directly across the river. From here you get the full tower with its reflection on the water, and at dusk it cycles through colours — a whole range of shots from one spot.

The angle most people miss is from a Pearl River cruise boat that passes right at the foot of the tower: you frame the tower, the lit bridges over the river and the towers on both banks all at once. If you want elevation without going up the tower itself, look for a rooftop bar in Zhujiang New Town that faces it.

Canton Tower at night — the whole tower lit and shifting colour, reflected on the Pearl River, seen from Huacheng Square — Canton Tower after dark — the whole tower shifts colour, and you can see it for free from Huacheng Square across the river

🍽️ Eat, drink and keep going

The tower has several restaurants and cafés at different price points, including a revolving restaurant that slowly turns to give you the full 360-degree view. Prices are on the high side given the location, but for a dinner with the city laid out below you it is a fair trade.

Once you come down, continuing your evening is easy — walk across to Huacheng Square, the broad central plaza with its museums and fountains, or board a Pearl River night cruise from a pier nearby. Everything here is within walking distance or one metro stop.

Getting there

How to reach Canton Tower

The easiest way is the metro — there is a station called Canton Tower right at the foot of the building.

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Metro Line 3

Canton Tower station (广州塔站)

The main line through the city centre — exit and walk up to the foot of the tower; the most direct route

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APM line

Canton Tower station

A driverless automated line from Zhujiang New Town — a scenic short ride in itself

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Walk from Huacheng Square

Across the pedestrian bridge

If you are on the Zhujiang New Town side, cross the pedestrian bridge in a few minutes

Planning your time: the modern riverside side of Guangzhou is easy to do in half a day to a day — stroll Huacheng Square in the afternoon, go up Canton Tower just before sunset, then finish with a Pearl River night cruise. All three sit together along the river and connect on Metro Line 3 and the APM line.

Nearby

Pair Canton Tower with what's close by

All along the Pearl River in the central district — easy to combine in one day.

Pearl River Night Cruise

The best angle for seeing Canton Tower light up — gliding past the lit banks on both sides

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Shamian Island (沙面)

A river islet of 300 colonial-era European buildings, tree-lined lanes and cafés

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Frequently asked

FAQ · Canton Tower practical

How much does a Canton Tower ticket cost?

The indoor observation deck at 433 metres (the Starry Sky Hall) starts at about ¥150 per person (~฿750). Packages that include the open-air 488-metre deck cost more, while packages with rides such as the Bubble Tram at 460 metres run around ¥298, and the full combo can reach about ¥398. Prices vary by season — check the latest rates and book ahead through Klook.

When is the best time to visit Canton Tower?

The best window is roughly 6 to 7.30 pm. Go up while the sky still holds its last blue-purple light, then wait half an hour as the city lights come on — you get Guangzhou in two moods on a single visit. The tower itself changes colour after sunset. If you want to see Canton Tower lit up, the best views are from outside it: from Huacheng Square across the river, or from a Pearl River cruise boat.

What are Canton Tower's opening hours?

The observation decks are open roughly 09:30–22:30 daily, with last entry around 22:00. On summer weekends the doors may open earlier, at 09:00. The Bubble Tram runs from about 15:00 and the Sky Drop from about 12:00. Times can shift on the last Monday of each month for maintenance, so it is worth checking before you go.

How do you get to Canton Tower by metro?

Take Metro Line 3 to Canton Tower station (广州塔站), or ride the automated APM line to Canton Tower station; the exit brings you out at the foot of the tower. From the Huacheng Square side you can also walk across the pedestrian bridge in a few minutes.

Are the Sky Drop and Bubble Tram worth doing?

If you are comfortable with heights, very much so. The Bubble Tram is a clear glass capsule that crawls slowly around the outer rim of the tower's crown at about 460 metres — gentle, suitable for all ages, like a Ferris wheel mounted on a skyscraper. The Sky Drop is a free-fall ride from near the summit, far more intense and strictly for thrill-seekers. Both require a combo ticket that includes the rides, separate from a standard observation-deck ticket.

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