Travel East This May Day: Beautiful Mountains, Waters, and Scenery!
The long-awaited May Day holiday is finally here, and after months of being pent up, everyone urgently needs to unwind. With five consecutive days of leisure, it's of course time to head out of the city, take in gorgeous scenery, breathe fresh air, and sample local cuisines. So where should you travel? Head east of Guangzhou—it's the perfect choice:
Zengcheng is located in the heart of the Pearl River Delta corridor, within the one-hour economic circle of the delta. Its geographic advantage is obvious: it's far from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis yet doesn't require a long journey, making it the top choice for urban office workers, retirees, and families. When it comes to Zengcheng, tourism resources here are extremely abundant. No matter where you go or which route you take, it's the prime destination for relaxing both body and mind. Let's check out some distinctive attractions.
1978 Movie Town
1978 Movie Town creatively transformed Zengcheng's former sugar and paper mill, along with surrounding old factories, warehouses, scattered dwellings, and old villages, into a brand-new cultural and creative area carrying elements of memory. Today, 1978 Movie Town boasts many Instagram-worthy spots, including Windsor Castle, the White Church, Reform and Opening Up Street, an art gallery, a museum, a yacht dock, a movie theater, and the B4 Theater. It's a creative town that integrates specialty dining, culture and art, cultural festivals, theaters and cinemas, leisure guesthouses, and creative incubation—all imbued with "Zengcheng memories." It is also the ultimate landmark for Zengcheng residents to enjoy diverse cultural experiences.
For instance, the tall chimney is a symbol of an era. Even if we didn't live in cities as children, we could see tall chimneys on TV, and they made the outside world feel vast, sparking a desire to explore. Seeing such a chimney in real life just brings that TV image to life. Nowadays, you can only find such childhood-memory chimneys in a few places.
Zengcheng has many forest parks, including Dafengmen Forest Park, Taizi Forest Park, Jiaoshiling Forest Park, Nanxiangshan Forest Park, Xiancun Wudieling Forest Park, Zhengguo Jiufengshan Forest Park, and Zengjiang Hezhizhou, Paitan Shimalong, and Lihu Wetland Parks. With tall, dense forests, clear and winding streams, spotless blue skies, and a cool, tranquil climate, they are truly "forest oxygen bars."
Baishuizhai Scenic Area
Baishuizhai is known for its high mountains, dense forests, and abundant rainfall. With an annual precipitation of 2,200 milliliters, it creates a natural wonder of countless springs and waterfalls. There's the large waterfall cluster of Dadongkeng, lifelike guardian mountain formations, and the Lidi River waterfall plunging like a furious dragon from the cliffs, as well as the imposing "River-Checking Crocodile" rock formation beside a deep pool.
Even more astonishing, on the 828-meter-high Baishuizhai Mountain, a magnificent waterfall cascades down from the peak. With a drop of 428.5 meters, it is the tallest waterfall in mainland China. Its shape resembles an elegant ancient lady, pure and serene, holding a white lotus, standing against the wind as if clothed in flowing robes, with a composed and graceful demeanor. Legend has it that this is the incarnation of He Xiangu, one of the Eight Immortals, who transformed into the waterfall upon attaining immortality. Thus, it is named the Baishuixian Waterfall.
Zhengguo Lake Heart Island is located upstream in the Zhengguo section of the Zengjiang River. Since the construction of the dam, a beautiful lake has formed. From the dam to the junction with Yonghan Town in Longmen, there are 18 kilometers of waterway, covering a water area of 5,000 mu. Emerald-green lake water, lush weeping willows, century-old olive trees—nature's masterful handiwork immerses you in a gigantic landscape painting.
The west side of the park features the Tingtang Olive Garden and Bamboo Sea. The focus here is on nearly 100 mu of black olive trees over several hundred years old, interspersed with verdant bamboos and surrounded by pastoral scenery. The olive garden terrain is flat, and the trees, with sturdy trunks and spreading branches of varying shapes, create a rare spectacle. Bamboo groves fill the gaps between the olive trees, right by the riverbank. The air is fresh, everything is lush green, and the comfort is indescribable.
Xiaolou Renjia Scenic Area is an organic integration of Lingnan culture, Guangfu culture, natural landscape culture, and agricultural culture. It authentically preserves original ecology, traditional dwellings, folk customs, and property rights, making it the ideal place for experiencing farming fun, tasting farmhouse delicacies, enjoying rural relaxation, and savoring unique cultural charm. The Baode Ancestral Hall is the only structure in Lingnan that combines three teachings—Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. The hall comprises the Baode Ancestral Hall, Cangzu Sheng Temple, and Jingxing Tower. The roof is supported by wooden beams, yet not a single iron nail was used. A kapok tree next to the hall, along with He Xiangu peach and Guajing lychee, is known as one of Zengcheng's "Immortal Flower, Immortal Peach, and Immortal Fruit."
The Zengjiang Gallery, consisting of the east and west banks, has been meticulously developed to include over ten tourist attractions and nodes, such as Chuxi Sports Park, natural beach swimming area, Hezhizhou, the Guangzhou Asian Games dragon boat race venue, Lijiang Park, Qiaotou Greenway Service Complex, Liantang Rural Greenway and Farmhouse Paradise, Baihu Water Village, He Xiangu Family Temple, Xiaolou Renjia, and Lake Heart Island.
Through riverbank improvements and beautification, along with water environment restoration, numerous flowering trees and plants that bloom across all seasons have been planted along both banks. Reflected in the Zengjiang River, they create a scene of "intoxicating spring scenery greets visitors, while blossoms on both banks gaze upon the lychee homeland."
Erlong Mountain enjoys superb natural conditions and a pristine forest ecological environment. The mountains are thick with shrubs and ancient trees offering dense shade, streams babble gently, and the primitive atmosphere is strong. Ancient terraces, waterfalls, mountain streams, and old-growth forests make this one of the most beautiful eco-tourism paradises in South China.
The tung tree blooms in early spring, covering the branches in clusters of white flowers. By early summer, the white blossoms fall like snow, earning it the name "May Snow." Currently, Erlong Mountain has over 1,000 tung trees. From April 20 to May 10 each year, tung blossoms are in full splendour. The pristine white petals either adorn the branches or drift down with the breeze, resembling flying snowflakes—a unique sight.
Taking the serene and beautiful natural environment of Menghuabu Village and its 2-kilometer-long sandy beach as highlights, a peaceful, romantic country park has been built. Wander past mud-brick houses and old ancestral halls beside the crops, breathe in the subtle fragrance of flowers amid the occasional crowing of roosters and barking of dogs, chat under the sprawling banyan trees, fish in the lotus pond, stroll on the sandy beach, or lean against an ancient olive tree, and experience a simple, tranquil, and natural farm life.
Urban life is stressful, and sometimes one yearns for the countryside or rural villages, longing for a life dictated by sunrise and sunset, living freely and unconstrained. It's a lifestyle state that many, from villagers who moved to the city, profoundly miss. Staying in a local guesthouse and engaging with the local way of life is the best way to truly experience and integrate into the local life and culture.
Forest Sea Hot Spring Resort Hotel
Find seas and hot springs in the forest for a resort holiday. Everyone holds a dream of a paradise in their heart. Embrace "water," "food," and "life," starting from Forest Sea Hot Spring Resort Hotel!
The Forest Sea Hot Spring Resort Hotel inherits the elegance of international hot spring resort hotels, built in Southeast Asian style and positioned as a five-star hot spring leisure resort. It is dedicated to creating a 360-degree year-round water-based vacation experience within a forest paradise. All 341 luxurious rooms come with private indoor hot spring pools interconnected with outdoor garden swimming pools, featuring a unique water-surrounded "Venice of the Water" swimming lane for up-close, all-weather water enjoyment.
Muji·Yunxi Mountain Residence
Let you truly have time to yourself.
Muji·Yunxi, surrounded by bamboo groves, showcases design elements of bamboo and wood everywhere. The courtyard's bamboo fences ensure privacy while giving you the feeling of living in a natural forest.
Muji·Yunxi has 10 guest rooms, simple yet full of life aesthetics. Twig-shaped lamps, refined and elegant green plants, and an outdoor shower room that you'll fall in love with at first sight—all offer excellent views and great privacy.
In Muji's night scene, sitting in the Japanese-style tea room of the small courtyard with a few friends will let your mind wander and relax.
Bian·Yunshuijian
A Zen-inspired hotel.
Situated by the Zengjiang River and leaning against Jiufeng Mountain, it can be called an ideal feng shui spot. Entering through the gate, lush bamboo forests greet you, and a flagstone path leads to the main buildings. Every plant and tree here has been thoughtfully designed; after the rain, the courtyard is especially clean and fresh. Pampas grass, frangipani, old houses with cement exteriors—all add charm.
Maike·Heke Boutique Guesthouse
Experience Lingnan Hakka dwelling charm.
Maike·Heke Guesthouse is only 5 kilometers from Baishuizhai Scenic Area, and is the only guesthouse in Zengcheng and even the whole of Guangzhou with a cantilevered infinity pool.
The three-story Maike·Heke embraces the topography with its traditional southern Guangdong ascending-style layout, using a minimalist black, white, and gray modern design to reinterpret the traditional Hakka enclosed dragon house.
Azalea Bay Guesthouse
A bamboo-sea retreat by the Zengjiang River.
Azalea Bay Guesthouse is located in Zhengguo Town, a high-end riverside guesthouse. It stands by the emerald Zengjiang River, and from the rooms you can see vast stretches of lush bamboo forests. The surrounding air is so fresh that you cannot help but breathe deeply.
Golden Leaf Hot Spring Hotel
Zengcheng's Potala Palace.
Golden Leaf Hot Spring Resort Hotel's hot spring pool area is perched high on a mountain, hence the name High-Mountain Hot Spring. It is currently the highest-altitude hot spring in Guangdong Province. The water comes from deep geothermal springs, with temperatures up to 40°C, clear in color, and is extremely soft, mildly alkaline spring water. Rich in metasilicic acid, sodium, fluoride, sulfur, zinc, copper, calcium, magnesium, and other trace elements beneficial to health, it is the best spring water for health, therapy, and beauty.
Nestled among mountains and standing halfway up a slope, viewed from afar it resembles the Potala Palace in Tibet.
Additionally, there is—
Sanying Hot Spring Hotel
Xiangjiang Health Valley
Baishuizhai Jiahua Hot Spring Hotel
Zengcheng's cuisine and scenic spots extend far beyond these. Countless internet-famous spots are waiting for you to discover.
Even before May Day arrives, numerous city celebrities, travel experts, and media reporters couldn't contain their excitement and have come to Zengcheng early to enjoy a lung-cleansing green excursion~
In May, Zengcheng offers a variety of distinctive cuisines that even picky Guangzhou eaters will rave about.
Paitan Roast Chicken uses free-range, traditionally raised chickens to ensure the meat is tender and smooth. The secret roasting method is original and authentic: a coal oven is heated, and the whole local chicken is placed inside, roasted for 15 minutes away from direct heat. Because little charcoal fire is used, the chicken doesn't easily burn and has no charred smell, allowing the natural chicken aroma to be richly concentrated.
The key to chicken rice lies in good chicken and good rice. Zhucun chicken rice uses Zengcheng's famed "Splendid Jade of Rice" silk seedling rice, and local free-range chickens. The rice is steamed using chicken bone broth, resulting in golden, glossy grains. One bite and the fragrance lingers in your mouth and cheeks, leaving an endless aftertaste.
The rice, coated in chicken oil, slowly releases its savory fragrance as you chew; only personal experience can convey the delight.
Shitan Town's "Whole Ox Feast" is a specialty of Zengcheng. The standard feast includes eight dishes, one soup, and one rice: signature ox penis soup, beef rice, poached ox shank and omasum, stir-fried young beef, braised ox hoof, beef meatballs, ox aorta, ox trio (penis, testicles, and kidney), ox offal stew, and seasonal vegetables in broth. Cooking methods include stir-frying, flash-frying, roasting, boiling, and braising, seasoned simply with ginger, scallion, garlic, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar, creating mouth-watering delicacies. After enjoying a whole ox feast, your time management skills might reach a higher level too~
Zengcheng Xiaolou wax gourd is one of the "Zengcheng Ten Treasures." Its flesh is sweet, crisp, and refreshing, and it can be stored for a long time. The wax gourd can be used to make many specialty dishes. For example, steamed fish head with dried wax gourd: the fish absorbs the melon's delicate fragrance, making it exceptionally sweet. The wax gourd cup is a common preparation; the melon is hollowed out and filled with various thick soups, ranging from humble pork bone soup to luxurious shark fin soup, suiting all budgets.
Zengjiang fresh river delicacies include dozens of items such as black bean sauce-fried freshwater clams, poached river shrimp, steamed Jian fish, and steamed Lüzhui (a local fish). Notable fish include grass carp, crucian carp, mountain stream fish, and various wild fish from the Zengjiang River. Zengjiang river shrimp, though only the size of a pinky, are incredibly sweet when eaten. Jian fish is crisp, tender, and delicious, while Lüzhui fish has firm, sweet flesh—both are top-grade river delicacies.
Paitan's tofu is exceptionally smooth and tender, thanks to the superior mountain water. Made into Hakka-style pan-fried stuffed tofu, it's superb. Paitan mountain-water stuffed tofu can be enjoyed everywhere in Paitan at very affordable prices; for just over ten yuan, you can order a plate.
Zengcheng is home to both locals and Hakka people in roughly equal numbers, so authentic Hakka flavors abound. Hakka braised goose involves rolling the whole goose in a wok until about 70% cooked, then adding mushrooms and various seasonings, and braising until fully done. This method allows the spices to penetrate the meat, making it flavorful while the goose remains rich but not greasy.
Near Zhengguo Temple, there are several wonton shops, one of which boasts a history of over a century. Three generations of the family have focused on perfecting this one dish, turning their delicious wontons into a local specialty—a dedication worthy of admiration.
When two bowls of steaming hot wontons arrive, try them—they are indeed wonderful. Thin skin, generous filling, and seemingly a touch of special spice. The delicately thin, white wrappers encase a bit of minced red meat filling. After cooking, they are served in what tastes like a rich bone broth, sprinkled with fresh green scallions—a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate. Lift one to your lips, give a gentle slurp, and the smooth wrapper slides right in. A light bite releases the fragrant broth and fillings. Smooth and aromatic, they are hauntingly delicious.
Aici (mugwort rice cakes) is a Hakka delicacy. Traditionally eaten during Qingming Festival and sometimes also made during Dragon Boat Festival, May is when mugwort leaves are most fragrant. Zengcheng people pick mugwort leaves, steam glutinous rice, then pound them together into a paste. They wrap a filling of peanuts or sesame inside, shape the paste into small green patties, and steam them. This is the famous Hakka mugwort cake. What makes the Zengcheng version different is its milder bitterness, brighter color, and softer, stickier texture.
Baishuizhai Tofu Pudding
Upon arriving in Zengcheng, don't forget to stop at a street-side eatery for a bowl of mountain-water tofu pudding. With such good mountains and water, Zengcheng's tofu is especially smooth and silky. Made into Hakka-style pan-fried stuffed tofu, it's top-notch.
To ensure visitors to Zengcheng eat well, have fun, and breathe in fresh air during May Day, the people of Zengcheng have carefully prepared nine different travel routes to meet the diverse needs of those seeking "a health and lung-cleansing trip to Zengcheng—delicious food, fun, and deep breaths."
Route 1: "Lung-Cleansing and Refreshing" Green Journey
Route: Dafengmen Scenic Area — Baishuixian Waterfall Scenic Area — Shimalong Wetland Park — Baishuizhai Village Eco Park — Xiangjiang Health Valley
Food Recommendations: Traditional Baishuizhai roast chicken, steamed reservoir fish head with olive kernel, bamboo tube-steamed pork meatballs, stream snails steamed with river shrimp, poached late-season choy sum, steamed arrowroot slices
Route 2: Paradise Village Tour
Route: Shangjiubei Village — Deng Village — Menghuabu Beautiful Countryside — She Ethnic Folk Culture Village
Food Recommendations: Paitan mountain-water tofu, Paitan arrowroot, Paitan white tea, Zhengguo cured meats, Zhengguo Huangtang pickled vegetables, Zhengguo wontons, rice noodle rolls
Route 3: Ethereal Spiritual Tour
Route: He Xiangu Scenic Area (family temple, Xiangu Well, temple-top immortal peach, thousand-year immortal vine, Xiangu Pagoda, bell tower) — Xiaolou Renjia Scenic Area (boating and lotus picking on Eight Immortals Lake, Shizu Immortal Mountain Lychee Garden, Baode Ancestral Hall)
Food Recommendations: Xiaolou wax gourd banquet, Zengcheng choy sum banquet
Route 4: Hot Spring Wellness Tour
Route: Baishuixian Waterfall Scenic Area — Dafengmen Scenic Area — health hot spring experience (Forest Sea Hot Spring Resort Hotel, Sanying Hot Spring Resort Hotel, Xiangjiang Health Valley, Gaotan Hot Spring Resort Hotel, etc.)
Food Recommendations: Paitan roast chicken, Baishuizhai sweet potato
Route 5: Natural Oxygen Bar Eco Tour
Menghuabu Village — Jiaoshiling Forest Park — Lihu Lake — Zengjiang Gallery — Fengtai Lansheng — Shitan Dragon Boat Scene
Food Recommendations: Licheng lychee banquet, Shitan clam soup, Shitan whole ox feast
Route 6: Lingnan Charm Leisure Tour
Route: Erlong Mountain Scenic Area — Zhongxin Cuitaishi Ancestral Temple — Kengbei Village Ancient Architecture Cluster — Cui Yuzhi Memorial Hall
Food Recommendations: Zhucun chicken rice, Zhongxin Hakka braised goose
Route 7: Greenway Cycling Carefree Tour
Route: Licheng Street section (south) — Paitan Town section (north) — Zengjiang Street section (east)
Food Recommendations: Licheng lychee banquet, Paitan roast chicken, Licheng lychee banquet
Route 8: Enchanting Zengcheng Cultural Tour
Route: She Ethnic Folk Culture Village — 1978 Movie Town — Zengjiang Gallery — Lihu Lake
Food Recommendations: She ethnic loquat wine, lychee, mountain stream snails
Route 9: Rustic Charm Tour
Route: Baishuixian Waterfall Scenic Area — Shangjiubei Village, Paitan Town — Deng Village, Paitan Town — Xiaolou Renjia Scenic Area
Food Recommendations: Xiaolou wax gourd banquet, Zengcheng choy sum banquet
Good mountains, good water, deep breaths; delicious food, fun activities, and pure relaxation! Just outside Guangzhou, Zengcheng satisfies all your family's needs in one go—from alpine waterfalls and forest meadows to agricultural pursuits, off-road adventures, mountain climbing, and water play. Plan a lung-nourishing and health-boosting trip this May Day!
A final reminder:
1. Three groups of people should refrain from traveling: the elderly with certain conditions, those with chronic diseases, pregnant women, and high-risk individuals.
2. It is recommended to travel off-peak and nearby, avoiding hot destinations or peak times, and minimizing recreational activities in enclosed spaces.
3. Take protective measures en route. Wear a mask at all times, practice hand hygiene, and keep travel tickets properly for potential contact tracing.
4. Practice protective measures during the trip. Queue in an orderly manner at scenic spots, maintain social distance, choose accommodations with good hygiene, and immediately seek medical attention at the nearest facility if symptoms such as fever, dry cough, or fatigue occur.
