ARE you still racking your brain trying desperately to find the perfect place to spend your weekend or holidays without bumping into the “people mountain people sea?” Don’t worry, here are three havens hidden in the vicinity of Shenzhen, all of which only require half an hour to two hours to reach.

Heduli Paddy Hotel, Huizhou

惠州：禾肚里稻田酒店

Fast-paced urban life from time to time can get a bit wearisome and at times you may feel the urgent need to take a break in a tranquil place. Heduli Paddy Hotel in Huizhou, surrounded by paddy fields, might be an option for you. Here you will be embraced by croaking frogs, the drifting scent of lotuses and whispering winds. With a clear view of the moon and stars, you will soon recover from any of that city-living fatigue.

Trapped in a hazy city like many of us are, you’d be amazed by what a seemingly boundless patch of green can do for you. The facade of the hotel is built of bamboo, wood and cobblestones, representing water and earth of the five elements of Taoism.

On the left side of the hotel lies a small library where you can chew away your time reading a book while savoring the paddy views not far away.

After a bit of reading, you can take a stroll along the paths built beside the lotus pond to let your eyes relax.

Add: Heduli Paddy Hotel, Hedu Village, Henghe Town, Boluo County, Huizhou 惠州博罗横河镇河肚村禾肚里稻田酒店

Price: Around 450 yuan per person

Transportation: Take a high-speed train from Shenzhen North Railway Station to Huizhou South, then take a taxi to the destination

CITIC Hot Spring Resort & Spa Hotel, Huizhou

惠州：中信汤泉旅游度假村

When talking about villas, what is the first thought that comes to your mind? Luxury, grandeur or maybe elegance?

Reputed for its outstanding design, CITIC Hot Spring Resort & Spa Hotel, a product of a world-renowned designer, can only be reached by boat. Here you won’t find grandiose decorations of the Versailles-sort, but the wood adornments, country garden, lake views, tents, hot springs and tea art are sure to charm you.

The lobby is a dock in itself. To get to your hotel room, you can either take a boat or take a quaint e-bike.

Staying in the luminous spacious lake-view room, you will feel comfortable and relaxed with the soft lights, wooden furniture and other fine decorations rounding out the room perfectly. Apart from the lake-view rooms, the tent room is a hidden gem in the forest that offers you a chance to observe the clear moon at night while listening to the sounds of nature.

Add: CITIC Hot Spring Resort & Spa Hotel, 298 Huizhou Avenue, Huizhou 惠州市惠州大道298号惠州中信汤泉旅游度假村

Price: Over 250 per person for accommodation

Transportation: Take a high-speed train from Shenzhen North Railway Station to Huizhou North Station, then take a taxi to the destination

Moji Yunxishan Homestay,

Guangzhou

广州：慕吉云溪山居

No wifi, no television, nothing about the hustle and bustle of the city life, you might have long thought about spending some time like this, cutting yourself off from the outside world. Moji Yunxishan Homestay, hidden on Yunxishan Mountain in Zengcheng, is the perfect place to give your mind a rest.

Only one and a half hours’ ride from Shenzhen, Moji Yunxishan Homestay, with a crystal-clear brook running in front of its main gate and a luxuriant mountain forest sitting at its back, will offer you a getaway like no other.

Staircases paved with old bricks, small Japanese style courtyards, black bricks, an old stone mill, all together create a tranquil atmosphere just right for a weekend of relaxation.

Add: Shuikou Community, Zhangdongkeng Village, Paitan Town, Zengcheng District, Guangzhou 广州市增城区派潭镇樟洞坑村水口社

Price: 250 yuan and up per person

Transportation: Take a high-speed train from Shenzhen North Railway Station to Guangzhou North, then take a taxi to the destination

(Chen Xiaochun)