LIVING in a city of concrete, many urbanites like to take a break from their busy and stressful lives and visit some remote yet beautiful places. Below are a few more wonderlands hidden in Guangdong Province.

    Gulao Water Town,

    Heshan City

    Known as “Venice in Guangdong,” Gulao is an ideal place to experience a traditional Cantonese village on the water. Located in the northwest of Heshan City, the town was formed around the many fishponds in the area. Since the Ming Dynasty, locals built dams along the river to prevent flooding, which has resulted in the formation of small beaches in the area. Gradually, some villagers started building fishponds on the beaches and homes nearby. After hundreds of years, the area has become a unique landscape in the province.

    Along the banks, there are many ancient banyan trees, which are rarely seen in other water towns around the country. When visiting the area, fresh fish dishes are must-try local delicacies. The area is one of the largest production bases for river fish. Recommended dishes include fish hotpot and fish stew.

    The well-known diaolous, castle-like multiple-story towers built by overseas Chinese in the 1920s and 1930s, in Kaiping are also in the neighboring area.

    Transport: Drive to Gulao via Guangzhou-Shenzhen Expressway, Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway and G325.

    Baguang Village,

    Shenzhen City

    Located in Kuichong, Longgang District, Baguang Village is at the end of the Yanba Expressway. The village has 18 historical villages with a beautiful 16km coastline.

    Known as one of the most beautiful villages in Shenzhen, Baguang Village still follows a traditional fishing lifestyle.

    There are many ancient trees in the village. Among them, a type of heritiera is the most precious. It is said that the type of heritiera found in Baguang Village can now only be found in China, Japan and India. One of the heritiera trees is more than 300 years old. Banyan trees also inhabit the village. Many of the banyan trees are more than 100 years old, and the oldest has a history of 250 years.

    The village is also a great place for water fun. As it is still one of Shenzhen’s best-kept secrets, very few people can be found on the village’s beaches, even during the weekend.

    Ocean fishing is another popular activity in the village. You can rent a boat at Aozai Port in the village for around 300 yuan per trip. The boats can also take you to the seafood restaurants built on the floating complexes in the middle of the sea.

    Another recommended spot in the area is Qiniang Mountain, which is a popular place for hiking.

    Transport: Take a bus to Dapeng New Area (M220, M279, M357, M426, 818, and 833) and take a taxi to the village.

    Apoliu Village,

    Conghua City

    Apoliu Village is known as the “highest village in Guangzhou,” which is about 700 meters above sea level.

    Located in a mountainous region by Liuxi River in Conghua, the village is like a hidden wonderland at the edge of a big metropolis, which is an ideal place to experience traditional Cantonese rural lifestyles.

    It is also a popular spot for camping due to its beautiful starry sky at night. Local delicacies include organic vegetables, pork and litchi.

    Another recommended wonderland in the neighboring area is Xitou Village. The village, located in the eastern part of the city, is crisscrossed by a network of streams, all of which are eight kilometers in length. These streams are one of the major sources of Liuxi River.

    Walking along the headstream of the river, you can marvel at an array of hundred-year-old historic buildings, including Futian Neighborhood, Jinzi Neighborhood and Jiyang Neighborhood.

    Transport: Drive from Shenzhen to the village via Guangzhou-Shenzhen Expressway, South China Expressway, Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway, Jiebei Expressway, G105 and X938.(Wang Yuanyuan)