Want to get away from the hustle and bustle of urban life and escape to the countryside for a quiet, cool weekend? Silk Road Post has some cool places to recommend.
Photos/Xinhua
In Lianzhou citys Dadong village (大洞村), one can visit a marvelous underground river (连州地下河), or a giant natural cave, the only National 5A tourist attraction (the top Chinese tourist site classification) in Qingyuan. With a temperature ranging from 18℃ to 22℃ all year around, the cave is an ideal escape for tourists to avoid the scorching summer heat. It is filled with stalactites of various shapes and sizes and decorated with lights of different colors. Venturing into the depths of the cave by boat, visitors can explore the diversity of rocks hanging down from the roof and admire the hidden wonders of nature in the company of a local guide.
Located in Longtan village (龙潭村), the Qingtian glass skywalk (擎天玻璃桥) of over 520 meters has set a new Guinness World Record as the longest glass bridge in the world. Stretching across the Huangchuan Three Gorges (湟川三峡) with cliffs on both sides and a river below, the transparent bridge triggers an adrenaline rush by exposing visitors to the frightening yet spectacular high-altitude setting and offers unobstructed views to capture stunning 360-degree panoramas.
Photo/Nanfang Plus
Dafudi messuage (畔水庭院·大夫第民宿) , a house surrounded by outbuildings with 9 courtyards, was once the residence of a Ming Dynasty official. Located in a traditional architectural cluster in Panshui village (畔水村), the messuage has the typical layout of Hakka houses in northern Guangdong and mansions of wealthy families. It boasts about ten independent guesthouses with black pillars and blue tiles, featuring strong characteristics of Lingnan regional architecture.
In Xinba village (新八村), one of the residences for the Yao people — a Chinese ethnic group — tourists can wander in the bamboo forest, pick tea leaves, enjoy local cuisine, and live in boutique bed-and-breakfasts with distinctive ethnic features.
Sites:
Dadong village, Longtan village, Panshui village
Recommended travel route:
Go sightseeing in the underground river in Dadong village in Dongbei town, then experience the thrilling view at the glass skywalk in Longtan village in Jiubei town, and spend some quality time with your family or friends in Panshui village.
Transportation:
Drive to Lianzhou through the Guangqing (Guangzhou-Qingyuan) expressway and the Qinglian (Qingyuan-Lianzhou) Expressway or the ErGuang (Erlianhaote-Guangzhou) Expressway. 广州可自驾通过广清、清连高速，或者二广高速直达连州。
Photo/ Heduli Paddy Hotel
Located in Hedu village (河肚村), Heduli Paddy Hotel (禾肚里稻田酒店) is famous for its large number of themed rooms and a wetland park covering 66.7 hectares. The hotel offers a variety of experiences, including strolls in the rice paddy, open-air movies, vegetable picking, pottery making, and drawing on rocks, to name just a few. Visitors can wake up amid the chirping of birds and enjoy the tranquility of the countryside.
People who enjoy grazing animals, watching herons by the lakeside, and picking escargots in streams might like to choose Shangliang bed-and-breakfasts (上良民宿) in Huizhou citys Guoqian village (郭前村). Besides a soft bed and french windows, hundreds of books are available for peoples reading pleasures.
Sites:
Hedu village, Guoqian village
Recommended travel route:
Wander in the paddy field in Hedu village, watch the herons and pick escargots in Guoqian village.
Transportation:
Drive to Huizhou via the Guanghui (Guangzhou-Huizhou) Expressway. 广州出发，可通过广惠高速抵达民宿。
Photo/Jiangmen Daily
A trip to Hengkeng village (横坑村) (also called Rainbow village彩虹村) in the Jianghai district of Jiangmen offers refreshing views of walls in yellow, green, pink, purple, and red, perfect for photography, especially when the sun is rising. Those who want to take in a panorama of the village can go to the top of the Wuyue photo studio or the building behind a garment factory. Appointment in advance is required at these two vantage spots.
Photo / Sohu.com
Summer is the best time to taste Sterculia nobilis (凤眼果) (Chinese chestnut) — a local fruit also called phoenix eye nut as it looks like the eyes of a phoenix when it matures and ripens — in Shangxiang village (上巷村) in August. Sterculia nobilis is dark red, containing 3-5 pips, and becomes entirely edible when it turns dark brown. Local people like to use the pips for soup or put them in braised chicken for more flavor.
The leaves of Sterculia nobilis also are used by the villagers of Shangxiang village to wrap Nuomici (糯米糍), a snack made of sticky rice, peanut, red bean paste, and mung bean. Visitors appetites will be aroused by the flavor of fresh leaves and the soft glutinous rice as soon as the food steamer is lifted.
Sites：
Hengkeng village, Shangxiang village
Recommended travel route:
Tour the colorful Hengkeng village, then go taste Sterculia nobilis and Nuomici in Shangxiang village.
Transportation：
Drive to Jiangmen through Guangzhou-Zhuhai West Expressway and Guangzhou-Foshan-Jiangmen-Zhuhai Expressway. 广州出发，走广珠西，转广佛江珠高速可抵达江门。
Author: Charlotte
Editor: Becky