WITH the Spring Festival approaching, you would have your festive food ready. If not, spend a weekend traveling and searching for New Year food in nearby cities like Conghua, Zhongshan and Huadu. 

    Huadu

    A taro costing 12,000 yuan? Believe it or not, that was paid for a 4.15kg taro sold at a taro festival last year in Huadu in Guangdong Province.

    Huadu has always prided itself on its taros and it built a reputation for fine taros after an emperor in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) was overwhelmed by local taro and ordered it to presented to him as a tribute every year. The local taros are said to be particularly sweet.

    In recent years, many Guangzhou residents have gone to Huadu to buy taros before the Spring Festival, which were then cooked with pork, a popular Cantonese dish.

    For those wishing to enjoy some natural scenery, Wangzishan Forest Park is a good place because of the number of plants, animals and flowers. There is also the 642-year-old Langtou Village where visitors can see nearly 200 examples of architecture from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties with more than 20 ancient lanes.

    Transport: Buses depart for Huadu from most city bus stations.

    Accommodation: There is a wide selection of hotels and hostels in Huadu. (Jane Lai)

    Conghua

    Conghua, a county city in Guangzhou in Guangdong Province, has a reputation for salted preserved pork in Lutian Town. There is no secret in the way the locals make the pork. Salt and ginger are the only ingredients.

    But the meat comes from farm-raised pigs and the unique climate of Conghua dries the pork to such a degree that it tastes particularly good. Perhaps that is why Conghua’s salted preserved pork always attracts a large number of urban residents.

    It is traditional for Lutian people to begin to dry pork in early autumn. On sunny days, visitors to Lutian will experience a spectacular scene with pork pieces hung on lines of bamboo sticks on top of the houses and inside pork factories.

    It is also harvest time for Chinese mustard, or leaf mustard, in Lutian. The cheap vegetables are ideal for hotpot and soup.

    Conghua is home to Xiangshuixia Resort and Liuxihe National Forest Park, both of which are ideal places to see natural scenery.

    Transport: Buses depart for Conghua from most city bus stations.

    Accommodation: There is a wide selection of hotels and hostels in Conghua.

    WITH the Spring Festival approaching, you would have your festive food ready. If not, spend a weekend traveling and searching for New Year food in nearby cities like Conghua, Zhongshan and Huadu.

    Zhongshan

    People in Zhongshan in Guangdong Province produce jiandui, an egg-shaped snack made of glutinous rice powder fried in peanut oil during the Spring Festival.

    It is considered a symbol of a happy ending and the golden color makes it look like a gold ingot, indicating a wealthy life.

    The most popular jiandui can be found at Shiqilao restaurant where the chef shows off his jiandui-making skills in front of the restaurant.

    Jiandui is not the only taste tempter. There is a wide variety of snacks and food in Shagang market.

    For historical and cultural enthusiasts, Zhongshan is the hometown of Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925), the Founding Father of Republican China and founder of the Kuomintang (KMT). Cuiheng Village is where Sun was born and has been listed one of China’s historical and cultural villages.

    Transport: Buses depart for Zhongshan from most city bus stations.

    Accommodation: There is a wide selection of hotels and hostels in Zhongshan.