Chimelong Resort in Guangzhou: Where Zoo, Adventure Park, and Circus Collide

Are you currently planning your trip through China and looking for a spot that masterfully combines a family-friendly zoo with world-class entertainment? Then you simply cannot miss the Chimelong Resort (Chinese: Changlong 长隆) in Guangzhou. This massive, privately-run complex absolutely thrilled us and truly sets global standards.

In this article, I’ll take you into a world where panda triplets live, acrobats defy gravity, and you can glide over giraffes in a cable car.

Arrival and Planning: How to Get to the Resort

Located in the Panyu District, just south of Guangzhou’s city center, the resort is exceptionally well-connected despite its size:

• Subway: The Hanxi Chimelong station (Lines 3 and 7) connects the resort perfectly to the city center. From there, you can reach most parks in about 15 minutes on foot or use the free shuttle bus. The total ride from the city center takes about 1 hour.
• Taxi/Didi: Depending on traffic, the drive from the city center takes about 30–45 minutes.
• Accommodation: The resort offers its own beautifully themed hotels. However, thanks to the great transport links, a day trip from the city is easily doable.

Our recommendation: Try to plan your visit on a weekday. We visited on a workday and had almost no wait times. During weekends or school holidays, however, the experience can be quite different.

Food & Drink: While there are many restaurants inside the parks, the quality and price didn’t quite win us over. Our advice: utilize the beautifully designed picnic areas and bring your own snacks and drinks. We especially loved the picnic benches by the Flamingo Pond in the Safari Park—it was much quieter and more relaxed than other areas of the resort. Alternatively, you can head to one of the large shopping malls in the immediate vicinity, which offer a huge variety of dining options.

Chimelong Safari Park: A World-Class Zoo

The Chimelong Safari Park is honestly one of the best zoos I have ever visited. Across its vast grounds, it houses over 20,000 animals from 500 different species. The enclosures are spacious, modern, and appear very well-maintained. We spent about 6 hours here to see all the animals and shows at a relaxed pace.

Highlights that thrilled us:

• The Cable Car: You float high above the park, getting views of enclosures that aren’t even accessible by foot. The Africa area is particularly impressive: from the glass-bottomed gondola, you look straight down at zebras and giraffes.
• Panda Park: Chimelong is the only zoo in the world where panda triplets were born and survived. Beyond that, the panda population is surprisingly large, and their habitats are beautifully designed.
• The Nursery: Something I haven’t seen in many other zoos is the insight into the nursery. We were lucky enough to watch two tiny tiger cubs being bottle-fed by a keeper—absolutely adorable!
• Koala Zone: This park holds the largest koala population outside of Australia. To keep them fed, a dedicated eucalyptus plantation was even established nearby.
• Safari Train: A small train takes visitors through open-range enclosures. If you want more flexibility, you can even drive this section in your own car. Our tip: Most animals are on the right side of the train, so try to snag a seat there!

A little cultural twist: During the “parade,” dancers march through the park alongside geese, donkeys, and goats. It feels wonderfully quirky and is typical of Chinese entertainment style—you’re not sure whether to laugh or escape, but it’s definitely fun!

For a fair extra fee, you also have the chance to get up close to some animals. There is a petting zoo, you can hand-feed giraffes with fresh leaves, or even buy fresh meat to toss to the big cats (bringing your own food for the animals is, of course, not allowed).

A Spectacle of Superlatives: Chimelong International Circus

In the evening, the resort transforms into a stage for the world’s largest circus arena, seating over 6,000 spectators. The 90-minute show is a high-speed mix of international acrobatics and stunning light effects.

• Seating: There are no reserved seats (except for VIP/hotel guests). Aim to arrive at least 60–90 minutes early to grab a good view. Even though we arrived early, the free seats were quite far from the stage, making it a bit harder to see every detail.
• The Show: The quality of the performers is world-class. Animals are used more as “static” decoration or in very calm roles (lots of birds, horses, and even giraffes), which feels much more contemporary than traditional animal circuses.

We found the audience behavior fascinating. During spectacular stunts, the hall remained almost silent with very little applause, which felt almost impolite to us. But as soon as stuffed animals were tossed into the crowd for animation, total chaos erupted as everyone fought enthusiastically for the “prey.” As soon as the giveaway ended, everyone sat back down quietly. Such a fascinating contrast!

Other Parks at a Glance

The Safari Park and Circus were the perfect choice for us and filled an entire day. If you have more time, the resort has even more to offer:

• Chimelong Birds Park: While we chose the Safari Park, this is a great option for those seeking a quieter experience. With over 300 rare bird species, it’s a paradise for specialists, though many birds can also be seen in the main zoo.
• Chimelong Paradise: For the adrenaline junkies, this park offers a variety of rides and rollercoasters. While it feels a bit more compact than the massive zoo, it has everything you’d expect from a modern amusement park.
• Chimelong Water Park: Did you know Guangzhou is home to the most visited water park in the world? It has held this title since 2013. With massive slides and sprawling pools, it’s a hit for the whole family. It was closed during our winter visit, but it’s the ultimate cool-down for the hot summer months.

Ticket Prices & Info (as of 2026)

Prices vary by season and weekday, and there are various combinations for adults, children, and families. It’s worth checking the website beforehand for bundle deals. Here are some rough estimates:

• Safari Park: 331 HKD (Adult) / 233 HKD (Child) – Higher on weekends/holidays
• International Circus: 389 HKD (Adult) / 271 HKD (Child) – Higher on weekends/holidays
• Birds Park: 111 HKD (Adult) / 78 HKD (Child)
• Chimelong Paradise: 278 HKD (Adult) / 193 HKD (Child)

You can find up-to-date resort maps on the official Chimelong website (external website) or directly via their WeChat Mini-Program.

When it comes to booking, you have a couple of easy options: tickets can be purchased on the Chimelong website (external website) payable in HKD or, if you’re already using the local ecosystem, via the WeChat Application payable in CNY.

My Personal Takeaway

The Chimelong Resort truly surprised us. The combination of educational animal encounters and high-end modern entertainment was unique. We especially loved the Safari Train and the cable car, which provided entirely different perspectives of the animals. The resort is incredibly versatile—between the zoo, water park, and circus, there is truly something for everyone.

China knows how to do entertainment on a grand scale. Sometimes it’s a bit “over the top” or unusually loud and colorful for us Europeans, but that’s exactly what makes it so charming. For us, it was a rewarding and diverse day trip during our stay in Guangzhou.

Have you ever visited a Chinese theme park or zoo? What surprised you the most? Let me know in the comments—I can’t wait to hear about your experiences!