Guangzhou, China Cruise Port

The historical Chinese city of Guangzhou is known for being the capital of three dynasties: the Nan Yue (South Yue), the Nan Han (South Han), and the Nan Ming (South Ming). This prominence continued on and off from a few centuries BC to 1644 AD. Today, tourists venture among this heavily populated destination that is on the list of the 24 most famous historical cultural cities. Guangzhou’s more than 2,000 years of history is reflected in many of its great towers, tombs, and halls, a number of which have been converted into museums to help tell the tale. The city is also called Rice City or the City of Five Rams because it is believed that the Taoist heroes, who allegedly introduced rice cultivation to the area, entered the city riding sheep or goats. The legend is commemorated at Guangzhou’s Temple of Five Immortals with five stones representing those fabled beasts.

• The highly regarded Chimelong International Circus has a permanent company in Guangzhou where their show is a mixture of The House of Dancing Water and a more traditional animal circus.
   
• When visiting the wonderful Chimelong Safari Park, pay special attention to the paradise for rare animals. Their endangered animals are afforded wide open spaces and the proper environment to live and breed.
   
• The Nansha Temple of the Queen of Heaven is a large, serene place with numerous temples going uphill ending with a sensational pagoda-style tower.
   
• Explore the Temple of the Five Immortals which not only pays homage to Taoist rice cultivators, but also respects the five traditional Chinese elements: fire, water, earth, wood, and metal; as well as five planets: Venus, Mercury, Jupitar, Saturn, and Mars.