Banks: 09:00 to 18:00, Monday to Friday, Saturday and Sunday 09:00 to 15:00
Post Offices: 09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday
Department Stores and Shops: 10:00 to 22:00, daily, some closed on Sundays
Museums: 09:00 to 18:00, Monday to Friday, some open on weekends
Business Offices: 09:00 to 18:00, Monday to Friday

The city is relatively safe but comes with all the usual caveats with regards to petty criminals. Keeping cash and valuable personal items out of sight and in hard to reach places can help thwart the intentions of pickpockets, especially in crowded places. Avoid poorly lit and unpopulated areas of the city at night and ride public transport with a degree of caution if you are a lone female visitor.

The Chinese currency is called the renminbi (RMB), and there are bills in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 yuan. Yuan are commonly referred to as kwai.

ATMs accepting foreign cards are commonly found in shopping precincts, malls and tourist areas and are good for withdrawing Chinese currency. Banks invariably offer currency exchange services provided you have a passport with you.

Visitors entering the country are permitted to bring up to 400 cigarettes, two bottles of liquor, each not exceeding 0.75 litre, a reasonable quantity of perfume for personal use and one item of electrical equipment.

220V, 50Hz

The finer rules of Chinese etiquette are complicated and often difficult for westerners to understand, however basic rules that are most relevant to visitors are relatively easy to grasp. Foreigner meeting locals for the first time should greet them with a handshake; it’s also worth noting but not necessarily copying the Chinese practice of looking towards the ground when meeting someone. Locals should be addressed with their title followed by their surname unless otherwise specified. Also be aware of the Chinese concept of ‘face’ and trying to avoid causing others to ‘lose face’ by openly criticising them in front of friends, family or colleagues.

Ordinarily, Chinese entertain guests in public places, but should you be invited to dine at the house of a Guangzhou local then there are a few important points worth considering. Firstly, you should almost certainly arrive on time, secondly you must take off shoes before entering the house and thirdly you should bring a small gift for the host or hostess. Other dining rules are pertinent to both home and restaurant dining and include waiting for the host to begin eating before starting your own meal; learning how to use chopsticks and remember to place them down in between mouthfuls of food or when engaging in conversation; trying a little of everything that is offered to you; keeping your rice bowl close to your mouth when eating and never taking the last piece of food from the serving plate.

Water is not considered safe to drink in Guangzhou, so visitors should opt for bottled water which is available everywhere and is inexpensive to buy. Standards of hygiene at some restaurants and street vendors may not match those in western establishments and visitors are advised to use discretion when choosing food establishments.

Health care in public hospitals is of a standard considerably lower than in western hospitals and visitors requiring medical care are advised to avail themselves of the services offered at private centres such as the SOS Clinic at the Ocean Pearl Building (tel: +86 20 8735 1051) or the Guangzhou Can Am International Medical Centre at the Garden Hotel (tel: +86 20 8386 6988). 

No specific vaccinations are required to visit Guangzhou. 

Guangzhou General Tel: +86 20 8382 7812 

Emergency services: 131/132/133

Both Cantonese and Mandarin are spoken in Guangzhou. English is not commonly spoken except in reputable hotels and restaurants frequented by tourists.

All visitors are required to have a visa to enter China and a passport valid for at least six months from the date of entry. Visas can be obtained from the Chinese embassy in your home country. It’s also worth noting that all visitors are required to complete a health declaration on arrival in the country and those who are HIV positive will not be permitted further access.

There are three branches of the Guangzhou Tourist Office in the city: at 180 Huanshi Xilu (West Road), Guangzhou East Railway Station and Dashatou Pier.