With the Asian Games just around the corner, it’s a better time than any to delve into all of the athletic offerings that Guangzhou has to offer.  Whether you’re looking for an adrenaline rush, an exciting date idea, or a unique way to get in shape, this provincial capital can offer you a few ways to escape the mundane patterns that you might fall into week after week.  While the fairly close city of Yangshuo may be the headquarters of China’s extreme sports movement, when it’s impossible to get away you can at least take comfort (or perhaps remove yourself from your comfort zone) in the following activities.

1)  Bungee Jumping in Baiyun Shan
There are recent rumours that the Canton Tower, A.K.A. the Supermodel, will shortly be including a bungee jump in their list of tourist attractions.  Until then, however, you can find a quick and exciting thrill in the 45-foot meter drop at Baiyun Shan’s Sante Extreme Sports Center. 

You can choose to jump with a harness secured around your torso, or with the more perilous bindings tightened around your ankles.  When you reach the jumping center, you will buy a ticket (150 RMB), then they will ask for your name and measure your weight.  You will fill out a form with typical information such as your address, date of birth, emergency contact number, ID number, etc. and then you’ll be ready to bungee.  After jumping, you can choose to buy a CD with photos (30 RMB) or a DVD video (60 RMB) of your jump. 

The Santer Extreme Sports Center also offers a few other activities.  Grass sledding is exactly what it sounds like: riding a sled down a grassy hill at a very high speed (10 RMB).  You can bring out your inner Texan with mechanical bull riding (20 RMB).  If real bungee jumping is too much for you, you can do bungee bouncing on an inflatable platform (20 RMB).  There are also quite a few fun activities and rides for children.

Sante Extreme Sports CenterView In Map
Add: Near Yuntai Garden, Baiyun Hill, Guangzhou
地址：广州市白云山风景区云台花园
Tel: 020 3722 9871
Opening hours: 09:00-20:00
Getting There: To get to the Extreme Sports Center, you should enter Baiyun Shan through the South Gate  (白云山南门). You can take bus 24, 52, 63, 245, 285, or B16 and exit at 云台花园总站, the terminal station for any of the above lines.  You can also ask a taxi to take you to 白云山南门. Then, you can either walk or take the Electric Tram, Line A, to Nengren Temple (能仁寺). From the temple, you will see a sign on the right for the Sante Extreme Sports Center, a 500 m walk from the main road.  At the very end of the path, you will find the bungee platform.

2)  Rock Climbing
There are two main options for rock climbing in Guangzhou, and your decision should weigh heavily upon your skills.  If you are a beginner or novice, you should definitely choose the man-made wall option, and head down to Wushan Climbing Wall.  If you’re an experienced climber and desire a bit of a challenge, however, grab your ropes, biners, and climbing shoes and head for Baiyun Shan. 

Wushan Climbing Wall
This rock-climbing wall is located on one of the sports fields of the South China Institute of Technology.  While it may not be as thrilling as a natural rock-face climb, it’s still great exercise, and the workers are very helpful at giving tips and belaying you on their various routes.  One day costs 50 RMB, but notice that these rock climbers are not morning people—the wall is open on weekdays from 16:00 to 22:00 and weekends from 14:00 to 22:00.  

South China Institute of Technology 华南理工大学 View In Map
Add: 400 Wushan Lu, Guangzhou
地址：广州市无山路400号
Getting There:
Take Metro Line 3 to Wushan, and go out Exit C.  Walk Southwest on Wushan road and keep an eye out for the running track on the left.  The bright yellow climbing wall is at the Southwest corner of the track. 

Baiyun Shan Climbing
There is a natural wall for climbing that has about 13 different routes mapped out.  For this face, you’ll need to bring your own gear, including ropes, harness, and carabiners.  The routes are not for beginners, so it is recommended that you try out the Wushan Climbing Wall before heading up the mountain. If you go on a beautiful Sunday, it’s likely that you’ll meet other climbers who can show you the ropes of the location.

Getting There:
Arrive at Baiyun Shan South Gate by the same directions from Bungee Jumping above.  Take the cable car up to the top of the mountain.  From there, walk along the right side of the park towards the Pearl House (明珠楼方,mingzhu loufang) NOT towards Moxing Mountain (摩星岭). Walk about 15-20 minutes until you see tennis courts on the right.  The cliff is located behind the tennis court. 

ParaglidingView In Map
Finally, while the air in Guangzhou might not be the cleanest and most beautiful in the world, it is still a welcoming place for adventurers.  Over the past few years, paragliding has become a very popular activity for Cantonese people, which led to the development of a club for the sport right here in Guangzhou.  Through the Glide Club, as a beginner you can rent or buy equipment and be certified to paraglide on your own by the State General Administration of Sport in Paragliding with just one week of practice. Unfortunately, flying solo is a major hobby, and as such is difficult to do just as a one-time event.  However, Glide Club does offer tandem flights along with existing members of the club, which will only set you back 380 RMB per flight.  The two-person flight itself will start at the top of Huangqi Mountain in Luoguo District, but you first have to get in contact with Glide Club through their office or phone number below. 

Add: A2, 60 Xianlie Dongheng Lu, Guangzhou  
地址：广州市先烈东横路60号A2室（星坊60文化创意产业园内，星海音乐学院后门）
Tel: 020 2829 6213, 131 8908 6880
Website: http://www.glideclub.com/main/home/main.php  (Text in Chinese)
Getting there: Glide Club’s headquarters is a place called Fly Bar, located behind the Xinghai Conservatory of Music, very near to Ping Pong Bar (see address above).

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Keywords: Extreme sports Guangzhou bungee jumping Guangzhou rock climbing Guangzhou paragliding Guangzhou extreme sport options Guangzhou