I'll admit my knowledge of Guangzhou was limited at the time I was offered an opportunity to visit the Chinese city.

Located in Guangdong province, the city of over 14 million people used to go by the name of Canton.

It's one of the closest mainland Chinese cities to Hong Kong, which is just 125km away.

Guangzhou has become a stopover option for Kiwis travelling to Europe, with China Southern Airlines frequently offering airfares to the continent at sometimes half the cost of its competitors.

My advice is always, if you are stopping off somewhere part way though a long journey, then spending at least a day at your stopover location is an opportunity to see somewhere you never planned to see, and to get some rest before jumping on another long flight.

If you've got 48 hours or more in Guangzhou, here are my picks on places to visit.

Canton Tower:

At nearly twice the height of Auckland's Sky Tower, Canton Tower is the second tallest tower in the world.

Urban dusk, taken in Guangzhou, China
Formerly known as Guangzhou TV Astronomical and Sightseeing Tower, you can see why they simplified the name.

If standing on a glass ledge that juts out from the side of a skyscraper isn't enough for you, then give the Bubble Tram a go.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/travel/2019/06/must-see-tourist-attractions-in-guangzhou-china.html?fbclid=IwAR3IT6B0xTqcSKNpLdEuVfy656O0riTRXxGYnyc_9VXDl5CnenYNNCy0Cw0