MANY people like to travel across the country in search of rapeseed flowers in the springtime. If you live in Guangdong, though, you don’t need to travel very far to find the spectacular yellow bloom. Here are more recommended places in Guangdong Province that offer stunning spring views.

    Chikan, Kaiping

    Kaiping is located in the Pearl River Delta and is part of the Greater Jiangmen Region, the ancestral homeland of many overseas Chinese. Kaiping is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its unique diaolou structures and the influence of overseas Chinese culture. It is also a popular sightseeing spot because of its beautiful country fields and yellow rapeseed flowers in the spring.

    The diaolous were built at the beginning of the 19th century, mostly by overseas Chinese. These immigrants saved the money they earned overseas and returned to their homeland to build unique homes using construction knowledge they learned in the West. At that time, the area was infested with thieves and mountain bandits, so the buildings were designed to be difficult to infiltrate. There were more than 3,000 diaolous built during the 1920s and 1930s.

    Rapeseed flowers grow across the fields and blend naturally into the Chinese-Western-style diaolous, like yellow stars glittering in the peaceful rural village.

    Chikan is the most popular town for viewing rapeseed flowers. The best way to visit the place is by bicycle. Don’t forget your camera! Recommended local delicacies include Chikan duck porridge, fish porridge and red bean jelly.

    Transport: Drive to Kaiping via Guangzhou-Shenzhen Expressway, Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway and Foshan-Kaiping Expressway.

    Gengguan Village, Zhuhai

    A rapeseed flower tourism festival is now being held in Gengguan Village in Zhuhai. The small village entered the spotlight last year because of its four hectares of rapeseed flowers. This year, coverage of the flower farms was increased to 20 hectares, and more decor, such as scarecrows, windmills and observation platforms, was added to make the village an ideal place for rural fun.

    The festival, which is expected to end April 5, features a series of family activities, games, shows and performances. Highlights of the activities include a modeling contest and a country music festival. It is also a great place for hiking and camping. The flowers are spread among the ancient houses in the village, offering an excellent chance to experience a traditional Cantonese fishing village while exploring the spring flowers. There is also a camping area surrounded by rapeseed flowers inside the village.

    Zhuhai is located on the southern coast of Guangdong Province. Situated in the Pearl River Delta, Zhuhai borders Jiangmen to the northwest, Zhongshan to the north, and Macao to the south.

    Fresh seafood is a must-try when visiting the village.

    Transport: Drive to Zhuhai via Guangzhou-Shenzhen Expressway and Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway.

    Yingde, Qingyuan

    Yingde is a historical city in northern Guangdong Province. Yingde is known as “home of rapeseed flowers in Guangdong.” The beauty of the rapeseed blossoms transforms the town of Yingde from a producer of rapeseed oil to a popular tourist attraction, first drawing photographers and then day-trippers keen to see the town’s 200 hectares of blossoming flowers. The township boasts sprawling farmland covered in golden rapeseed blooms, forming a vast land of yellow buds and filling the air with the refreshing smell of spring.

    By taking a casual walk in the fields — amid the waves of rapeseed flowers moving in the gentle spring breeze with traditional Hakka-style country buildings in the distance — one can experience an idyllic bliss rarely felt elsewhere.

    Other popular attractions in Yingde include mountain forests, the 400-year-old ancestral temple of the Peng Family, Sky-kissing Rock, Golden Dragon Cave, Swallow Rock and Peach Blossom Lake. Yingxi Mountain Forest is called little Guilin because of its spectacular landscape of mountains, rivers, lakes, rocks and caves formed by karst geomorphology.

    Local specialties include Hakka tofu, port soup and fresh vegetables. Yingde is also famous for its black tea. In 1963, the British royal family popularized Yingde’s black tea worldwide after offering the tea to guests at the queen’s banquet. Yingde’s tea history dates back over 1,200 years. It is considered to be one of the top three places in the world to grow black tea.

    Transport: Guangzhou-Shenzhen Expressway, Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway and Yingde-Foshan Expressway.

    (Wang Yuanyuan)