In this article, discover five essential locations selected from our Urbex China Map, which features over 500 abandoned places across China, carefully documented for unique and immersive explorations.

Urbex China in Guangzhou offers a uniquely layered exploration experience. As China's historic gateway to the world and the heart of the Pearl River Delta, Guangzhou has been transforming at breakneck speed for decades — leaving behind ghost malls, displaced urban villages, and derelict industrial zones wedged between gleaming towers.

Why Guangzhou Is One of the Best Urbex Destinations in China

Guangzhou's urban renewal machine is among the most aggressive in China. Entire historic villages have been swept away mid-negotiation, unfinished towers dot the outskirts, and the Pearl River Delta's industrial boom-and-bust cycle has scattered abandoned factories across the region. Few Chinese cities offer such a dense mix of urban decay types within reach of a single metro network.

📍 All locations below are referenced on our Urbex China Map — GPS coordinates, access notes, condition ratings, and explorer reports included.

1. New South China Mall – The World's Largest Ghost Mall, Dongguan (Known Location)

The most famous ghost mall on earth. The New South China Mall opened in 2005 in Dongguan — 45 minutes from Guangzhou — designed to house 2,350 stores across 6.5 million square feet, with themed zones replicating Venice, Paris, and Egypt. Built on former farmland with no public transport links, it attracted almost no tenants. By 2008, occupancy had dropped to 1%. Empty escalators, rusting gondolas, and a full-scale indoor rollercoaster stood silent for over a decade.

👉 Endless vacant storefronts stretching into the distance, faded replica landmarks, and lone cleaners polishing floors no one walks on.

👉 Story: Built by an instant-noodle tycoon to transform his hometown, the mall targeted wealthy shoppers in a city of factory workers. A renovation in 2015 brought partial occupancy — but large sections remain eerily empty.

🔗 More on the New South China Mall: Wikipedia – South China Mall

2. Xian Village – The Abandoned Urban Village in Guangzhou's CBD (Known Location)

One of the most striking examples of urban decay in China — a centuries-old village frozen mid-demolition, surrounded by skyscrapers in Guangzhou's Central Business District. Xian Village became a battleground between developers and residents refusing to leave, leaving parts of the village abandoned while others remained inhabited, creating a surreal no-man's land in the shadow of the city's tallest towers.

👉 Narrow alleys clogged with debris, half-demolished buildings open to the sky, and the constant backdrop of gleaming glass towers just metres away.

👉 Story: Redevelopment was suspended as negotiations between developer Baoli Group and villagers stalled. Some residents moved out; others refused, creating a prolonged state of partial abandonment unique in Chinese urbex.

🔗 More on Xian Village: SSRC – Urban Villages in China's Megacities

3. The Abandoned Factory – Pearl River Delta Industrial Zone (Exclusive on our Map)

A derelict manufacturing facility in one of the Pearl River Delta's former industrial corridors, left behind as production moved inland or overseas.

👉 Rusted assembly lines, collapsed roofing, and vast factory floors reclaimed by weeds — industrial urbex at its most raw in southern China.

👉 Story: The Pearl River Delta's manufacturing boom attracted millions of workers in the 1990s and 2000s. As wages rose and production shifted, entire factory complexes were vacated almost overnight.

📍 Exact location available on our Urbex China Map.

4. The Abandoned Unfinished Tower – Baiyun District (Exclusive on our Map)

A derelict high-rise construction site in Guangzhou's Baiyun District, vacant for over 30 years — a stark contrast to the scarce land and explosive growth surrounding it.

👉 Bare concrete frames rising above an overgrown site, empty floors open to the subtropical sky, and stairwells that lead nowhere.

👉 Story: Construction halted mid-project during a financing dispute and was never resumed. The site has remained frozen ever since, surrounded by one of China's fastest-developing urban districts.

📍 Exact location available on our Urbex China Map.

5. The Abandoned Deserted Temple Village – Guangzhou Outskirts (Exclusive on our Map)

One of several ghost villages on the fringes of the Pearl River Delta, where ancient temples and ancestral halls stand empty after residents relocated to the city.

👉 Crumbling ancestral halls, overgrown temple courtyards, and traditional Lingnan architecture slowly being reclaimed by subtropical vegetation.

👉 Story: Rural depopulation and the gravitational pull of Guangzhou and Foshan emptied dozens of historic villages across the Pearl River Delta. Many contain centuries-old architecture now left entirely to nature.

📍 Exact location available on our Urbex China Map.

Urbex China – Safety & Legal Reminder

Urban exploration in China carries specific risks. Trespassing is illegal, and security has increased significantly around abandoned structures in major cities. Always:

• Research each site thoroughly before visiting
• Explore with at least one other person
• Wear protective gear — mask, gloves, and sturdy boots
• Never force access or cause damage to any structure
• Respect the spaces and leave no trace

The urbex code applies everywhere: "Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints."

❓ FAQ – Urbex Guangzhou

Is urbex legal in Guangzhou?
Urban exploration is a legal grey area in China. Entering private or abandoned property without permission is technically trespassing. Always research your site, avoid forcing access, and explore responsibly.

How do I get to the New South China Mall from Guangzhou?
Take the Guangzhou Metro to Changping or Huangcao Station, then a taxi or bus towards Dongguan. The journey takes approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. The mall is accessible by car from the Guangzhou-Shenzhen motorway.

What makes Guangzhou unique for urbex compared to other Chinese cities?
Guangzhou combines colonial-era decay, mid-20th century socialist industry, and modern ghost structures in a subtropical climate — meaning vegetation reclaims abandoned sites faster and more dramatically here than almost anywhere else in China.

🎯 Conclusion

Guangzhou offers one of the most varied experiences in urbex China — from the world's largest ghost mall to villages frozen mid-demolition in the shadow of the CBD. The Pearl River Delta's industrial legacy, its history of migration and displacement, and its subtropical climate make every abandoned place here unlike anything found further north.

Thanks to our Urbex China Map, you get access to over 500 unique locations for a safe and immersive exploration experience — with GPS coordinates, access ratings, photos, and explorer reports for every spot.

🗺️ Explore the full Urbex China Map →