Encounter the Most Beautiful Spring! Come to Zhuanghe and Wander through a Sea of Flowers

Rhododendron blossoms brilliant as morning clouds, peach gardens where spring mingles with crimson hues, and magnolias as exquisite as carved jade...

They say this year's spring came late, but in truth it arrived quickly—overnight, the spring light embraced us. In just one more day, our lovely holiday arrives. This May Day holiday is a full five consecutive days off. Where can you relax and experience nature? As a reporter stationed in Zhuanghe for this newspaper, I especially recommend 'Zhuanghe, known as the backyard garden of Dalian, where half is urban烟火 and half is mountains and lakes.' The colorful spring scenery will surely intoxicate you, filling our hearts with emotion. Moreover, a rich variety of cultural and sports events await.

Flower-viewing Route 1: Fragrant Journey at Yingna River Campground

Location: Lower reaches of the Yingna River, Daying Town, Zhuanghe City

Reason to recommend: As the saying goes, camping can fulfill all your imagination about travel. The Yingna River Campground is located along the lower reaches of the Yingna River in Daying Town, Zhuanghe City, covering over 100 mu. It faces the thousand-year-old temple Shuangquan Temple across the river. The campground is 30 km from downtown Zhuanghe and 20 km from the national AAAA-level scenic area Bingyugou.

Starting from Zhuanghe, take the Zhuangxiu Highway, passing the national AAA-level tourist attraction Tianyi Manor and the Xuezigou homestay area. In late April, various fruit trees along the road bloom one after another—peach blossoms, apricot blossoms, pear blossoms, and more. Clusters of flowers create a fragrant journey all the way. In particular, the famous Xiemaxing production area—Xiemashan Village—truly lives up to its name as a mountain of flowers and sea of blossoms. It is an ideal destination for team building, family outings, and camping.

Flower-viewing Route 2: Rhododendron Hiking at Tianmen Mountain

Location: Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park

Reason to recommend: In spring, wildflowers bloom successively across Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park in Zhuanghe, like a bride-to-be lightly adorned with makeup, brilliant as morning clouds. Among them, rhododendrons of all varieties are the most abundant; even a handful of air will be fragrant to the core. One flower, one world; one leaf, one bodhi. In April of the sunny spring, the Tianmen Mountain area is adorned with the so-called 'living fossil' plant—the Tiannü magnolia. Its flowers are like carved jade, its leaves like carved emerald,凝脂冰润, pure and dignified. It adds a touch of tenderness to the vast Tianmen Mountain. For a spring outing during the May Day holiday, why not climb to the summit of Tianmen Cave? The scenery of Zhuanghe, Gaizhou, and Pulandian will unfold before your eyes.

Flower-viewing Route 3: Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms Like a Thousand-Year Romance

Location: Ten-Thousand-Mu Peach Blossom Ecological Park, Shifo Village, Changling Town, Zhuanghe City

Reason to recommend: In Shifo Village, every household grows peach trees. The slopes and fields are covered with patches of peach blossoms stretching endlessly. In late April, the trees are full of delicate and brilliant red blossoms; thousands of branches glow with crimson hues, blending the spring warmth. It feels like stepping into the ancient-style novel 'Three Lives, Three Worlds, Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms' by Tang Qi Gongzi. Amid the layers of flower shadows, the story of the Qingqiu Empress Bai Qian and the Crown Prince of the Nine Heavens, Ye Hua, unfolds—three lives of love and hate, three reincarnations of entanglements. Nowadays, gathering wild vegetables has become a pastime, and eating wild vegetables is a refined pleasure. Strolling through the woods, you'll find mountain wild vegetables that city people love: dandelion, large-leaf celery, small-root garlic, mountain hemp thorn, bracken, and more—everything you could want. The distance between you and spring is just one bite of pure green wild vegetables.

At the foot of the mountain, there are also strawberry greenhouses, now in full harvest. A burst of fragrance greets you. The best travel is still on the road. Heading west along the highway for two kilometers, you'll reach the neighboring village of Guojia Village, where there is a 200-mu natural self-drive campground. It's a flat open area beside a big river, with a gentle stream and towering green trees. Far from the hustle and bustle of the city, you can enjoy the peaceful, leisurely, and carefree slow-paced life you yearn for.

Come to Zhuanghe for Seafood During May Day, Spring is 'Blood Fresh and Tasty'

The beauty of Zhuanghe lies in the landscape of green hills and clear waters, hidden in pastoral idyllicity, and also drifts in the sea breeze and fine waves. During the May Day holiday, Haiwang Nine Islands, Shicheng Island, Geli Island, and Hei Island all open their arms to welcome tourists from all over. It's a good time for spring outings, and delicious food must follow. After the May Day holiday, the sea will be closed for fishing, so seize the opportunity to indulge in a wave of Zhuanghe's characteristic seafood delicacies.

Zhuanghe has abundant marine resources and is known as the 'World's Clam Bank.' Its unique coastal conditions, sea environment, and rich bait provide excellent natural conditions for the survival and reproduction of fish, shrimp, and shellfish. There are over 200 types of marine treasures: sea cucumber, pufferfish, sea urchin, crab, scallop, oyster, and more. During the May Day holiday, Zhuanghe's local shrimp (Pleoticus muelleri) are in mass season. Because spring is their spawning season, this is the best time to eat them. Clams such as yellow clams, white clams, clam forks, and variegated clams are especially plump in spring. They are simple to cook, nutritious, and cheap—an unbeatable choice for a satisfying meal when visiting Zhuanghe.

Zhuanghe's Local Cultural and Sports Events Sound the 'Spring Festival'

The 'Plowing Festival and Farming Fun Games,' 'Tianmen Mountain Cup Hiking and Walking Event,' 'Square Dance Competition,' 'Haihua Cup Primary and Secondary School Football League,' and the 'Dream of Well-off, Happy Village – Zhuanghe Cultural Courtyard Performance (Adjustment) Activity' spanning various towns and streets in Zhuanghe—during the May Day holiday, these rich and vibrant tourism, cultural, and sports events not only let Zhuanghe citizens but also tourists revel in the spring and summer 'Hi, Zhuanghe.'

On May 3, the Plowing Festival will kick off at the Star Tribe Campground in the Xianrendong tourist area of Zhuanghe. Eight programs, including 'A Hundred People Pulling the Plow' and 'Jiaolong Emerging from the Sea,' are traditional reenactments of agricultural civilization that have flowed through thousands of years. They also represent the longing for a good harvest and the expectation of a happy and prosperous life from generation to generation.

Relying on Zhuanghe's rich tourism resources and natural landscapes, cultural and tourism integration activities are also an important part of the May Day holiday. On May 1, the 'Tianmen Mountain Cup Hiking and Walking Event' will be held at Dalian Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park, covering a total distance of 8.4 km. It is reported that Tianmen Mountain, with its mountains, water, and sea of flowers, has already attracted nearly a thousand registrants.

The Zhuanghe Cultural Courtyard Performance (Adjustment) Activity, spanning May and June, will kick off during the May Day holiday. Traditional opera, instrumental music, folk art, song and dance... one act after another takes the stage. Nowadays, 'Cultural Courtyards' have become an important form of rural cultural life and a key supplement to public welfare culture. Most of these are run by rural households passionate about cultural arts, who independently organize various healthy cultural activities and radiate influence to surrounding households. They are undoubtedly local bases for inheriting and protecting local culture. During the May Day holiday, after relaxing in the countryside, why not stop by the performance stages of local cultural courtyards? There, every blade of grass and tree tells a story; every moment and place is a beautiful scene. You might even meet folk artists and learn a couple of tricks.

At the end of late spring, early summer is approaching. The May Day holiday is around the corner. We look forward to it with anticipation. Pack your bags and embark on a spring journey. Come to the green hills and clear waters of Zhuanghe to set your heart free and enjoy yourself. – Peninsula Morning Post, 39-degree Video, Chief Reporter Zhang Ximing