Zhaoqing green tour

    Recommended route: Guangzhou-Shenzhen Expressway, Beihuan Expressway, Guangzhou-Foshan Expressway, Guangzhou-Sanshui Expressway, National Highway 321, central Zhaoqing, Fengkai

    Zhaoqing, located 110 kilometers northwest of Guangzhou, is known as the “City of Gold” in Guangdong thanks to its 50 kinds of mineral resources, including gold and jade. It is also reputed as “City of Bamboo,” “City of Cassia,” “City of Orange,” “City of Rosin” and the base of traditional medicine in southern China.

    Each year, its famous Seven Star Crags, also called Star Lake, and Dinghu Mountain attract a large number of visitors in and outside the province. The Seven Star Crags consists of five lakes, six hills, seven rocks and eight caves. The Dinghu Mountain is one of the four famous mountains in Guangdong. It includes Yunxi, Tianhu and Tianxi scenic spots.

    The mountain boasts a wide area of forests and is home to more than 170 types of bird and 30 species of animal.

    Visitors to the mountain can not only appreciate the beautiful natural scenery but also enjoy a profound spiritual atmosphere. Qingyun Temple, built in 1633, is one of the four renowned temples of South China.

    The 300-year-old Fengkai, once known as Guangxin, is considered the birthplace of the Lingnan culture (a culture of South China). Since ancient times, Fengkai has been called “the gateway linking Guangdong and Guangxi” and is also one of the earliest places to have been inhabited by humans.

    Cuisine: For those that want to try farm-produce or wild vegetables and animals, there is a food street inside the Seven Star Crags. There are also a number of eateries on Jiangbin Road, Xijiang Road and Qianjin Road that offer a wide variety of seafood and freshwater fish. In Fengkai, chicken, freshwater fish and mutton are recommended.

    Accommodation: There is a wide selection of hotels in Zhaoqing and hostels near the scenic spots.

    Qingyuan echo tour

    Recommended route: Guangzhou-Shenzhen Expressway, Guangzhou-Qingyuan Expressway, Yinzhan Exit, National Highway 107, Feilaixia Valley, waterfall clusters on Tianzishan Mountain, Baojing Palace in Yingde, Lianzhou Underground River

    Qingyuan, with a history of more than 2,100 years, has a variety of natural wonders and cultural spots. With adulating green mountains in the north and the vast Pearl River Delta in the south, Qingyuan is regarded as the green backyard of Guangdong and a popular summer resort.

    Its Feilaixia Valley is a beautiful section of the Beijiang River, where sheer cliffs soar into the blue sky on both sides of the river. It is said that there are 72 peaks along the twisted 9-km-long valley. Its Feilai Temple has a long history of 1,400 years, one of the three most famous temples in southern China.

    The Qinxin Sankeng Hot Spring has the largest reserve of water in Guangdong and its water is said to be of the highest quality. The Yang Mountain Shikengkong Scenic Spot is said to be the tallest mountain in Guangdong.

    Lianzhou Underground River is the longest of its kind in Guangdong. It is characterized by the subtropical karst cave and the underground river inside the cave. It is a well-known summer resort boasting a stunning landscape, moderate temperature and fresh air throughout the year.

    The mysterious cave has been shaped by 200 million years of erosion of the bedrock and there are numerous beautiful stalactites to be seen. The natural karst cave is divided into three floors, with a total length of about 1,860 meters.

    Cuisine: Visitors can try freshwater fish at boat restaurants on the water in Feilaixia Valley scenic spot while enjoying beautiful river and mountain scenery on the boats.

    (Li Jing)