Weekend Escape from Guangzhou: Cities Suitable for Short Trips
Foshan Shunde
• Attractions: Qinghui Garden Museum is one of the four famous gardens in Guangdong, showcasing Lingnan garden scenery. Shunfengshan Park offers pleasant views with landscapes including "green mountains, clear waters, a temple, two lakes, and two towers." Shunde Happy Coast PLUS is a provincial-level tourist resort featuring amusement facilities and night views. Fengjian Water Town, known as the "Zhouzhuang of Guangdong," offers a charming water town experience.
• Food Recommendations: Try the white-cut pig trotters at Youji Restaurant. Minxin Old Shop’s double-skin milk and fried milk are classic treats. The signature roast goose at Zhuro Po Private Kitchen is excellent. You can also visit Jinbang Huanji Milk to taste dairy drinks.
• Accommodation Recommendations: Sofitel Foshan Shunde Louvre Hotel offers Shunde cuisine tasting, Foshan Shunde Midea Zhenpin Choice Hotel allows exploration of natural art, and Foshan Shunde Longju Hotel features river views with a broad outlook.
Conghua Hot Springs
• Attractions: Visit Conghua Biquan Sky Hot Spring Hotel to enjoy 52 unique pools on the 4th floor. Xitou Village, known as the "most beautiful village," is perfect for hiking ancient alleys. Fengyunling Forest Park offers panoramic views of Conghua from the summit and a chance to check in at "Amy Rice Fragrance Town."
• Food Recommendations: Try the firewood chicken at "Taste of Firewood" farmhouse and the mountain water tofu pudding at Xitou Village, both delicious.
• Accommodation Recommendations: Recommended is Conghua Biquan Sky Hot Spring Hotel, where you can choose a deluxe mountain view hot spring room for a private hot spring experience.
Huizhou Shuangyue Bay
• Attractions: Wake early to climb Daxing Mountain Observation Deck for sunrise and panoramic views of Shuangyue Bay. Visit Turtle Bay, stroll along the seaside boardwalk, and check in at Huixian Bridge. Xiaoxing Mountain Island is ideal for snorkeling to observe tropical fish. Lover’s Dyke is a great spot to photograph the "Double Moon Phenomenon." Also, visit the Spanish-style town and check in at the 22°N Lighthouse.
• Food Recommendations: Must-try dishes include Pinghai meat pie, Gangkou dark-patterned oriental pufferfish (available at licensed restaurants), and Gaotan rice cake. At Gangkou Town Seafood Street, buy fresh seafood and have it cooked on-site; recommended dishes are sea urchin fried rice and ginger scallion crab.
• Accommodation Recommendations: For luxury, choose the Tanyue Howard Johnson Resort Hotel with an infinity sky pool. For cost-effectiveness, Xihai’an Homestay (Vanke Shuangyue Bay) is a 5-minute walk to the beach.
Qingyuan Yingxi Peak Forest
• Attractions: Guanyin Valley offers beautiful scenery, Heshunyan features unique landforms, Tuofeng Mountain is picturesque, Xiao Zhaozhou Bridge is an ancient stone bridge, Dongtian Wonderland showcases karst cave views, and Fenglin Xiaozhen has vast peak forests and pastoral scenery. Hot air balloon experiences are also available.
• Food Recommendations: Local farmhouse dishes are worth trying, featuring free-range chicken and fresh bamboo shoots with unique flavors.
• Accommodation Recommendations: Choose local homestays to experience the peaceful rural atmosphere. Some offer rooms with views of pastoral landscapes and wide vistas, such as Yingxi Peak Forest Taohua No.1 Homestay.