The Tianhou Temple, also known as the Mazu Temple, is dedicated to Lin Mo, the Heavenly Queen. She is the sea goddess worshipped by the people. The incense here is particularly prosperous. Fishermen and passenger ships going to sea will come to worship. As a relatively large Mazu Temple in Southeast Asia, it combines the style of the Forbidden City in Beijing and the majestic architecture of Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing and is well worth a visit.
Nansha Tianhou Palace faces Humen and Lingdingyang in the south. It is mainly composed of two parts: Tianhou Palace Square and the palace complex. In the middle of Tianhou Palace Square stands a 14.5-meter-high stone statue of the Heavenly Queen. It is said to be composed of 365 carefully carved granite stones, symbolizing the blessing of the Heavenly Queen for 365 days a year. It is also a good place for tourists to take photos. The palace complex is at the back of Tianhou Palace Square. The whole is in the architectural style of the Qing Dynasty and is built against the mountain. First, you can see the main gate archway. Passing through the archway and reaching the mountain gate is the main entrance of Tianhou Palace. Inside, the statues of ‘Clairvoyance’ and ‘Shunfeng’er’ are enshrined. Continuing to climb up the steps, there are bell tower and drum tower on both sides of the mountain gate. The bells and drums in the bell tower and drum tower will strike on time. Above the mountain gate is the offering hall. Inside the hall, the ‘Heavenly Queen Who Braved the Sea’ is enshrined. The Four Dragon Kings stand on both sides. The main hall above is the center of the entire Tianhou Palace. There is a wooden shrine enshrining a 3.8-meter-high, golden-plated camphorwood statue of the Heavenly Queen. The sleeping hall is inside the main hall. In this sleeping hall, a loom is specially placed because it is said that the Heavenly Queen once rescued her father from danger at sea on her way of weaving when she was 15 years old. In addition, beds, dressing tables and mirrors are also placed in the sleeping hall. The highest point of the entire complex is the Nanling Tower at the back. The tower is 45 meters high and is a pavilion-style building. From the Nanling Tower, you can overlook the entire Nansha Tianhou Palace. However, it is currently impossible to climb the tower, which is a bit regretful. Opening hours: Open all year round from 08:30 to 17:00. Preferential policies: Children: Free for those under 1.2 meters (excluding). Elderly: Free for those aged 65 or above with senior citizen card or ID. Service facilities: Parking lot: [Standard charging parking lot]. Reference price: 20 yuan per car each time; 30 yuan per large vehicle each time. Address: Nansha Tianhou Palace parking lot. Parking spaces: 150. Luggage storage: Reference price: Free. Address: Tourist center. Only for pick-up on the same day and cannot be stored overnight. In addition, if the charging standard changes, please refer to the actual situation of the scenic spot. Must-see tips: 1. If you have time, after visiting Tianhou Palace, you can go to the nearby Nansha Nineteen Piers Aquatic Products Trade Market. Here, you can find all kinds of Nansha seafood. Sea bass, conger eel, horsehead fish, shellfish fish, abalone and other varieties are quite popular among people who come here to purchase seafood. 2. If you are hungry, don’t worry. There are many snack stalls on the roadside nearby, mainly serving spicy hot noodles and malatang. The price is not expensive.Located at the entrance of the Pearl River estuary, Nansha Tianhou Palace offers a stunning view of the sea. Adjacent to it, there is a beach park and the Fok Ying Tung Memorial Hall, which are worth considering for inclusion in your itinerary.
Proceeding further from Tianhou Palace, you will encounter Binhai Park, renowned for its beauty and an excellent place to visit.
