Weekend Self-Drive to a Pearl River Delta Forest Haven: Soaking in Hot Springs & Savoring Natural Beauty

Let’s talk about this trip. Either you travel, or you read—the body and soul must have one on the road. The 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak disrupted recent travel plans. I had wanted to take advantage of the Spring Festival holiday to go out for a nice trip, but to avoid burdening the country, I had to quarantine at home. Being cooped up for over ten, twenty days drove me crazy. I really missed the outside world, longing to get out and see the vibrant spring. With the pandemic gradually easing and restrictions slowly lifting recently, I could no longer contain my restlessness. I immediately planned a short trip. After pondering, I decided to go to Baishui Zhai in Zengcheng to hike and play in the water, then soak in a hot spring for a relaxing getaway—this way I could avoid crowds while enjoying a leisurely, health-boosting escape.

11:30 Depart from Guangzhou

13:00 Arrive at Forest Sea Hotel, check in, stay in a waterfall-view Yijing room

14:00 French-style afternoon tea time

15:00 Experience eco-friendly orchard picking

16:00 Enjoy water park activities: kayaking, speedboat rides, water cycling

17:00 The resort’s core attraction—hot spring soaking, with rose pool and tree hot spring pool

18:00 Dinner at the new Chinese-style restaurant

09:00 Sumptuous buffet breakfast at the all-day dining restaurant

10:00 Visit Baishui Zhai scenic area

11:30 Return to hotel for lunch at the Chinese restaurant

13:00 Check out and head back to Guangzhou

Hotel address: No.101 Baishui Zhai Avenue, Paitan Town, Zengcheng District, Guangzhou

Self-drive: Navigate directly to Forest Sea Hot Spring Resort Hotel, Zengcheng

By air: Fly to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, take Metro Line 3 to Jiahe Wanggang Station, transfer to Line 14 to Conghua Coach Terminal. At Conghua Coach Terminal, take Exit A, walk 800 meters left to Conghua Bus Terminal bus stop, then take bus No.13 (get off at Rongcun Xiazhan), walk 110 meters to Forest Sea Hot Spring Resort Hotel.

By high-speed rail: (Same as air) Fly to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport... (then same metro/bus directions)

The Radiant Jade on the Tropic of Cancer — Baishui Zhai

After being cooped up in a big city for too long, one always wants to find a place with fewer people to relax, calm the mind, and get close to nature to breathe fresh air. So we chose to come to Baishui Zhai. Baishui Zhai Scenic Area is located in Paitan Town, Zengcheng District, about an hour's drive from Guangzhou. The Tropic of Cancer passes through it, earning it the reputation of "the radiant jade on the Tropic of Cancer." The scenic area boasts towering mountains, majestic peaks, combining grandeur, uniqueness, steepness, and beauty. With a high concentration of negative ions, it's perfect for hiking and keeping fit.

Baishui Zhai features a flight of steps known as the "First Stairway to the South," with 9,999 steps along a 6.6-kilometer trail totaling over 19,000 steps, spanning three mountains. The steps are divided into six sections: "Seeking Immortals, Pleasant Scenery, Knowing Difficulty, Enjoying the View, Warriors, and Reaching the Summit." Ascending step by step, you can take in the wonders of the First Stairway to the South while enjoying leisure, fitness, and sightseeing.

The scenic area has creatively developed a whimsical Water Fun Valley that is greatly appreciated by children. Inside, oddly shaped rocks are piled into small forts, polished smooth yet full of playful charm. Here you can lose yourself in the dreamy jungle, play hide-and-seek, have water fights, and revel in wild water fun.

Walking further, you'll see all sorts of peculiar treehouses, colorful painted stones in various shapes, and winding, flowing streams, creating a dreamy, fresh fairytale forest.

When hiking in Baishui Zhai, the waterside plank walk is especially beloved by visitors. The path hugs the stream, leading deep into the valley, shaded by greenery all along. Walking on it, the fresh air, gentle mountain breeze, and warm sunshine come with the lush green mountains and murmuring water—it always feels so comfortable. Enjoying the coolness of the high mountains in the hot summer gives an even greater sense of bliss.

On the valley cliffs beside the wooden walkway, thousands of flowers bloom in competition. There's no urban noise here, only the melodious chirping of birds and the tinkling of spring water. As you ascend, you gradually see waterfalls of varying sizes and shapes. Among them, four viewing platforms offer the best views, each forming a unique visual interplay with the waterfall. The closer you get, the more you can experience the waterfall's beauty and awe!

Baishui Zhai also boasts the highest concentration of negative air ions among Guangdong's scenic areas. From the foot of the mountain to the waterfall's source at Xian'gu Heavenly Pond, you can visit multiple waterfall-viewing platforms like Guanpu Tai, Puming Tai, Qinpu Tai, and Mupu Tai. Get up close to feel the thunderous roar of the waterfall and immerse yourself in the refreshing experience of waterfall spray and negative ions cleansing your lungs.

The most eye-catching feature here is the Baishui Xian Waterfall, with a staggering drop of 428.5 meters—the tallest waterfall in mainland China. Its graceful shape resembles a fairy descending to earth, and legend says it's the incarnation of He Xiangu, one of the Eight Immortals.

At the foot of Baishui Zhai, the waterfall's flow gathers into a natural lake. The water is crystal clear, like jade. On sunny days, the lake's surface is like a mirror, reflecting the surrounding green mountains, dense forests, grass, and flowers—breathtakingly beautiful.

Forest Sea Hot Spring Resort Hotel

For this trip, we chose to stay at the Forest Sea Hot Spring Resort Hotel, just 2 kilometers and a 10-minute drive from Baishui Zhai, very convenient. The hotel faces the Baishui Xian Waterfall, surrounded by picturesque lakes and mountains, with poetic charm and high negative-oxygen-ion fresh air—a true natural oxygen bar. Its superb location makes you feel like you're in a paradise.

Built in a Southeast Asian style, the hotel features a courtyard swimming pool water system encircling the property. Step out of your room and dive right into the pool. Here you can gaze up at the clear blue sky, embrace the forest, as if wrapped in the mountains, and fully enjoying the relaxed ease of being with nature.

The hotel lobby incorporates local cultural characteristics, bringing the forest landscape indoors. The floor uses pottery shards to form water-flow patterns; the ceiling extends with sculptural wooden strips above, painted with leaf patterns, creating a lush floral scene. Artistic leaf motifs on the pillars complement the space, giving the entire lobby a sense of movement and warmth.

In the center of the lobby, there's a long table. Between the lobby and the lobby bar, a decorative screen is set, and bookshelves are filled with a variety of books, so you won't feel bored while waiting or resting. The warm, soft lighting and floor-to-ceiling glass windows make the space even cozier and more comfortable.

Although the pandemic has improved, it hasn't completely disappeared. The hotel's anti-epidemic measures are very thorough and meticulous. Temperature checks are required at the hotel entrance, various disinfectant products are provided, disposable tissues are placed at elevator entrances for contactless rides, and guest rooms are aired out after cleaning. Public areas are disinfected regularly by staff, which gives great peace of mind.

The hotel offers a variety of room types, including luxury rooms, suites, duplex family-themed rooms, lavish themed villas, and RVs, catering to different travelers. This time we stayed in a waterfall-view Yijing room, with simple and elegant interior decoration in a light color palette, highlighting the room's tranquil and graceful ambiance.

With anticipation, I stepped onto the balcony and was delighted to find a private 180-degree river valley view. Looking out, blue mountains and rolling hills, lush greenery everywhere, and the Baishui Xian Waterfall cascading down from the mountains. At the same time, enjoy a private hot tub. Superb scenery plus a premium private hot spring—no need to leave your room to luxuriate in the soaking time.

After the soak, recline on the balcony sofa and admire the endlessly changing enchanting views of nature from morning to dusk. On good weather days, you might even see a starry sky. Brew a pot of fine tea, sip, read, sit quietly, and slowly savor the tranquil, peaceful moments.

The room is also equipped with an office desk and chair, and the WiFi speed is remarkably fast, allowing you to mix work with leisure effortlessly.

The bathroom is well-designed with wet and dry separation, clean and tidy, and the shower is easy to control. Toiletries are from the Crabtree & Evelyn brand. On the other side of the vanity, there's another door connecting to the guest room, shortening the distance between bathroom and room—very convenient, perhaps designed for the lazy, haha.

The room features five-star amenities: bathrobe, minibar, hairdryer, electric kettle, bottled water, and more, plus various outlet types. The lighting modes include bright, reading, and sleep settings—very practical.

Special Family-Themed Rooms

What really deserves mention is the hotel's special family-themed rooms, including treehouse, starry sky, and ocean themes. Each unit has weak-alkaline true hot spring water, blending the mysteries of nature with comfort into every moment of life. Every morning, wake up with the forest; every night, lulled by silence and accompanied by a canopy of stars, drift into sweet dreams.

Natural Mineral Hot Springs, a Haven for Wellness

The Forest Sea hot spring area features 58 popular, distinctive hot spring pools across four major themes: boathouse hot spring, treehouse hot spring, bubble hot spring, and island hot spring. Sourced from the high-land hot spring water rich in metasilicic acid and radon, it has high medical and health value. Premium spring water combined with the designer's thoughtful touch turns hot spring soaking into a poetic delight.

The most popular is the treehouse hot spring—its design resembles a bird's nest tucked in the forest, aesthetically unique yet blending with the environment. The tiered design ensures good privacy and quiet space while capturing the beautiful scenery.

With bamboo swaying, gentle breezes, birdsong, and the scent of flowers, escape the urban clamor, return to nature, purify the soul, and embark on a wellness journey through hot spring soaking.

After the soak, lie on a chair and zone out, letting your eyes wander aimlessly into the depths of the forest, quietly, with a breeze blowing—utterly pleasant.

Various styles, shapes, and functional hot spring pools cater to your personal preferences.

In addition to outdoor hot springs, there are indoor areas featuring spa, stone-slab rooms, a heated swimming pool, and a mineral spring pool, etc.

With society's development and the proliferation of electronics, today's kids are almost inseparable from screens, which seriously affects their health and development. At Forest Sea Hot Spring Resort Hotel, various fun, interactive outdoor experiences can help children break free from screen dependence, and orchard picking is one such meaningful parent-child activity.

Opposite the hotel is a field growing a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables—pure, natural, and organic. Taking children into the fields not only expands their extracurricular knowledge, letting them learn things not found in textbooks, but also lets them experience the joys of rural farm life and understand the meaning of "every grain comes from hard work," all while strengthening your bond.

Tianyang Lake at Forest Sea, with its pristine, pure water, is as blue as Lugu Lake, like a sapphire set in the earth, surrounded by green hills and graced by the Baishui Xian Waterfall cascading down. Suddenly, Wu Bai's "Norwegian Wood" comes to mind—"There, the lake is always clear, the air is filled with peace..." Is he singing about this place? The beautiful scenery is enchanting.

Forest Sea has transformed the lovely Tianyang Lake into a water park with activities like kayaking, water cycling, floating lounge chairs, and water yachts, varying in technique and intensity to meet different needs.

Professional life jackets are provided for safety, and amiable coaches offer expert guidance, allowing you to frolic freely on the lake, paddle in hand, breathing the air of this natural oxygen bar at Baishui Zhai. Glide on the lake, soak up the sunshine and breeze—utterly delightful.

A Review of Special Cuisine

Forest Sea Resort Hotel offers all-day tea snacks, nibbles, desserts, themed afternoon tea sets, fresh fruit and veggie drinks, along with spirits, cocktails, wines, and international beers. The restaurant design is bright and transparent, with beautiful scenery visible everywhere, and a refined ambiance—an ideal place for casual gatherings and relaxation.

Whether Chinese cakes or Western pastries, from presentation to tableware, everything is exquisitely tempting. Sip a rich cup of coffee, chat with friends about life's amusing bits, or simply close your eyes and do nothing—it's all an indulgence.

The Chinese restaurant focuses on Cantonese cuisine, East-meets-West fusion dishes, and original eco-healthy fare. It is extremely particular about ingredient selection, seasoning, and cooking methods, using local, seasonal fresh vegetables and ingredients with the simplest cooking techniques to bring out the natural, fresh flavors—healthy and nourishing.

When at Forest Sea, you must try their whole-fish feast. The eco-fish from Stone Mine Lake are raised in the lake at Baishui Zhai, benefiting from the exceptional environment and water quality, plus the chef's careful preparation. Using techniques like pan-frying, baking, braising, steaming, clay-pot cooking, and stewing, a healthy and delicious whole-fish feast is created that leaves a lasting impression.

Tips and Precautions

Hot spring bathing tips:

1. You can soak repeatedly, but take a break at the poolside every 20 minutes and drink some fluids.

2. In the steamy hot spring, beauty-conscious ladies can apply a face mask or use a cold towel on the face, which benefits the skin.

3. Hot spring water contains minerals; after soaking, minimize the use of body wash. Rinsing with plain water helps retain the minerals on your skin.

4. While soaking, close your eyes, meditate, and take several slow, deep breaths to release physical and mental stress.

5. Before entering the hot spring, remove all metal jewelry, or the minerals in the water may "blacken" them.

6. When entering the pool, put your feet in first, soak your feet, then use your hands to splash the water all over your body gradually to adjust to the temperature before full immersion.

7. Do not get a massage while in the hot spring. Soaking increases blood circulation and heart rate; adding a massage would put extra strain on the heart.

Through this pandemic, I've realized that good health is the most important thing, and to spend more time with family. Pick a weekend, bring your family here to soak in natural mineral hot springs, check out the picturesque pool, escape the urban hustle, feel the most natural ambiance, and happily enjoy a wonderful weekend together.