Zhongshan

    The sanyuehong variety of litchi is what Zhongshan is known for. Although not the most popular variety, sanyuehong is liked for its sweet and sour taste.

    Fresh sanyuehong is very tasty, but it loses its goodness after just a few hours of being picked. For this reason the ideal way to enjoy sanyuehong is to go to the litchi woods in Zhongshan and eat the fruit directly after picking it.

    Areas in Zhongshan such as Shalang, Duobao, and Sanxiang all have litchi orchards. But Minzhong, a Cantonese riverside village, is the best place to enjoy an idyllic litchi picking experience.

    As well as rivers, boats and litchi, there are many other famous tourist attractions in Zhongshan, such as Zhan Garden, Cuiheng Village and homes historical figures once resided in.

    Cuiheng Village is nationally renowned as the birthplace of Sun Yat-sen. The revolutionary leader spent his childhood in the historical village. His family home, which was redesigned and rebuilt by Sun when he was 26 years old, still stands.

    Transport: Drive to Zhongshan through Guangzhou-Shenzhen Expressway and Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway and take the exit at Sanjiao Township, Zhongshan.

    Accommodation: There is a wide selection of hotels and hostels in Zhongshan and you can also stay with the locals.

    Dongguan

    Tourists swarm the small township of Dalang in Dongguan every year because of its litchi festival, which takes place between mid-June and mid-July.

    Nuomici and guiwei are the best varieties in Dalang, loved for their being chewy and sweet.

    Green and organic litchis are grown at the Lixiang Wetland Park in Caibian Village.

    Dajintou Village is another noted spot for litchi picking. There are several litchi trees of more than 200 years old. The village is also the best-preserved ancient village in Dalang with its high proportion of ancient buildings and temples. Much of the wood used for the sculptures on the buildings came from litchi trees, which signifies the villagers’ strong sense of heritage.

    There is a litchi culture museum in Xiangwei Village. It features handicrafts made from litchi and litchi trees, also books and poems on itchi. Moreover, the owner of the museum intends to open a restaurant here, offering litchi-based cuisine.

    There is also a horse-riding club in Dayou Park in Dongguan, combining the fun summer activities of horse riding and litchi picking. It costs 40 yuan for a 15-minute ride.

    Transport: Drive to Dongguan through Guangzhou-Shenzhen Expressway.

    Accommodation: There is a wide selection of hotels and hostels in Dongguan and you can also stay with the locals.(Wang Yuanyuan)