Guangzhou Zengcheng: Penning a Love Letter to Remember a Family Trip

Zengcheng is a wonderful choice for a nearby family outing.

In the crisp, refreshing autumn weather, it's the perfect time to take the kids outdoors, breathe in the fresh air, revel in the season's beauty, and shake off any tension.

After scouring through loads of information, I discovered that Paitan in Guangzhou's Zengcheng district is not only embraced by green mountains and clear waters, but also boasts an abundance of delicious food. The local guesthouses are ideal for kids, and each one brims with unique character.

Just an hour's drive and you're there—a top pick for a spring outing, countryside escape, and a breath of fresh air.

Kid-friendly fun, foodie finds, photo ops, and a big hug from nature—let's go!

Paitan Town in Zengcheng is a treasure trove of culinary delights. Apart from Zhangdongkeng lychees, late-season Choy Sum, silk rice, and Paitan liangfen grass, there's a lesser-known gem—Gai Zai Fen.

To savor the piping-hot deliciousness of Gai Zai Fen, we hit the road at 8 a.m. and headed straight to the time-honored Big Banyan Tree Gai Zai Fen in Paitan for a foodie check-in.

I'd read quite a bit about Gai Zai Fen, a dish that's practically a household name in Paitan.

Following the GPS, we arrived at Big Banyan Tree Gai Zai Fen on Renmin Street in Paitan. Parking was fairly easy, and the moment we stepped out, the old-street charm washed over us.

Since we came early, we got to watch the whole Gai Zai Fen-making process. The chef ladled rice milk into a bamboo steaming tray called a "gaizi," then placed it over boiling water until the sheet was cooked. When the steamer lid opened again, the white rice milk had transformed into a thin, translucent rice noodle sheet.

He lifted the sheet, folded it into a rectangle, cut it into strips, drizzled pure peanut oil and soy sauce over it, and voilà—a delectable plate of Gai Zai Fen was ready.

The noodles were smooth, slippery, and pleasingly chewy, with a rich rice aroma and a hint of bamboo fragrance. It was so good it made me want to dance in circles!

Zengcheng is loaded with local specialties, so after our Gai Zai Fen fix, as we passed by Paitan Market, we decided to wander in and pick up some tasty treats to share with the family.

Paitan Market is spacious and bright, neatly divided into sections for agricultural products, fruits, rice, seafood, meat, and vegetables.

When it comes to food, many people have heard of Zengcheng's "Four Treasures." Lychees, silk rice, and liangfen grass might be relatively familiar, but one of the four is also the black olive.

Black olives are packed with nutrients—every part is valuable. The flesh can be eaten fresh, processed into olive paste, olive cups, or pressed for oil; the kernels are great in dishes and make an excellent pastry ingredient; the pits are used to make high-quality activated charcoal and olive pit carvings, a craft with more than 300 years of history.

This time at Paitan Market, I had no trouble buying some black olives—so happy!

Prices at the market are much friendlier than in the city, so many visitors to Zengcheng go on a shopping spree before heading home, loading up on fresh produce and local farm goods to take back.

Learning that Lai Laodie Honey Passion Fruit in Hanhu Village, Paitan, Zengcheng, was in season, we decided to bring the siblings to Lai Laodie's passion fruit picking orchard. Not only to taste this uniquely flavored fruit and share it with family, but also to let the kids breathe in the earthy scent of the soil and experience the joy of hand-picking.

Stepping into the passion fruit orchard, against a backdrop of blue sky and white clouds, the lush green expanse instantly lifted our spirits.

Row after row of neatly arranged passion fruit trellises hung heavy with plump, round fruit, their enticing fragrance filling the air—it was a place you never wanted to leave.

Picking passion fruit isn't hard, so the kids thoroughly enjoyed the process and had a blast.

In our fast-paced daily lives, this family trip finally gave us the chance to offer the kids quality time. Accompanying them on walks, letting them see more of the world, broadening their knowledge, and experiencing joys they'd never known—all of this brought us closer as a family.

Eating straight from the vine is the best way to enjoy passion fruit, and it's also where you truly reap the rewards of hands-on work.

We used a special fruit opener to split the passion fruit open. Inside the golden-yellow skin was a cavity brimming with juice and crunchy-yet-tender pulp, plump and temptingly orange-yellow.

Usually, passion fruit has a tangy edge, but Lai Laodie's passion fruit didn't need a drop of honey. Just dig in with a spoon—one spoonful, and the sweetness went right to the heart!

Not only is it sweeter than average varieties, but the honey passion fruit also has a higher water content, offering layers of flavor that dance in your mouth.

Just 200 meters from Lai Laodie's orchard lies Hengdi Jiabao Orchard.

Originally we'd planned to pick the Jiabao fruit, hailed as "black diamonds growing on trees," which are most plentiful from November to April, but since it wasn't the season, we stopped here for lunch instead—tasting papaya and fig chicken soup.

Dining here had a special flavor all its own. As far as the eye could see, blue sky, white clouds, and fruit trees blended into a stunning, pastoral picture.

The free-range chickens were robust and active; from selection to the simmering pot, it took less than half an hour—absolute freshness.

No elaborate cooking techniques needed: the best natural ingredients create the finest flavors.

The broth absorbed the essence of papaya and the sweetness of figs, while the chicken was firm and succulent, even its skin was crisp!

The restaurant's shallot and soy dipping sauce was the crucial finishing touch, with rich, fragrant peanut oil. Just a light dip was enough to bring out the chicken's umami to the max.

It was love at first sight—that's how I felt about Wuxiang Stone House Boutique Homestay.

Not long ago, a friend shared their stay experience at Wuxiang Stone House on social media. Seeing the homestay's refined beauty and deep sense of history captured my heart, so we booked our Zengcheng family trip accommodation here.

Wuxiang Stone House is located in Dengcun Village, Paitan Town, Zengcheng District, Guangzhou. You need to provide your check-in details to the butler when you arrive by car before you can enter the main gate, which adds a real sense of security.

Before me, Wuxiang Stone House was restored and reconstructed from an ancient Hakka walled village. The ancestral hall, watchtowers, courtyard houses, grey bricks, brown tiles, and carved eaves are all perfectly preserved, exuding a 180-year-old historical charm in every detail.

Strolling here felt like traveling through time.

Lush mountains, bamboo groves, pastoral fields, ponds, rivers, and orchards blended seamlessly with the natural landscape, creating vivid scenes you seemed to be walking through.

The Liuxige Room was perfect for a two-child family like ours—spacious, comfortable, and filled with antique elegance.

Wooden windows, wooden doors, and other retro elements gave the kids a deeper sense of what houses looked like in the past.

The room was fully equipped: a capsule coffee machine, red wine, and drinks were all thoughtfully provided and included in the room rate, so you could indulge freely and savor a carefree holiday.

The bathroom featured a back-to-basics design with grey cement walls. The homestay thoughtfully provided bath salts, rose petals, ginger slices, honeysuckle, and other bathing goodies. Just turn on the faucet and fill the tub, soak in it, and the noise and fatigue of daily life gradually melt away.

Even though it's called a "boutique homestay," after checking into Wuxiang Stone House I discovered that its services and facilities are every bit as good as a five-star hotel.

Whenever we ran into staff, they greeted us with warm, friendly smiles.

Whenever we needed room service, they were immediately there to help.

Wandering through this cluster of Hakka walled village buildings felt like a treasure hunt.

Fangkun Study, Muteng Study, the mountain spring pool, Zhuming Tea House, Shanyu Coffee House, a gym, KTV, home theater, chess and card rooms, and the Stargazing Roof Terrace were scattered throughout, with crisscrossing lanes creating a distinctive Hakka living atmosphere.

In this rare urban paradise, the air was filled with rustic countryside charm and a rich artistic vibe. Staying at Wuxiang Stone House, every minute felt fulfilling and meaningful, because from morning till night they arranged fantastic activities for guests—and most were free!

The moment I stepped into Fangkun Study, I instinctively wanted to pick up a brush and write a scroll.

The study was arranged with quiet elegance, free from outside distractions. The four treasures of the study and a large table sat at its center, with calligraphy and paintings adorning the walls, refined furniture in muted tones, and books placed just so—a perfect balance.

Kids could also paint here, using colorful brushes to capture their wonderful journey.

It was a children's space that combined education and play: traditional handicrafts, educational games, picture books, or a parent-child “football” or “billiards” match.

In the Zen-like atmosphere of books, art, and tea, quietly sipping a cup of tea and watching the leaves slowly unfold in the water, then savoring it deliberately, mirrored life itself—that plain, unscented atmosphere is the truest feeling.

The mountain spring pool at Wuxiang Stone House uses pure creek water, seamlessly connected to a natural spring pond. Swimming beneath a canopy of lush bamboo was like plunging into a serene poem.

Wuxiang Stone House Boutique Homestay brims with family-friendly experiences—the variety is exceptional.

Feeding animals, horseback riding, grinding soybean milk, DIY snacks, cotton candy making, feeding and collecting eggs from chickens, mud football, farm picking, sunrise watching from the turret rooftop, leisurely fishing... with so many activities, if you plan your time well, you can do them all with the kids and let them taste childhood joys completely different from big-city life.

After nightfall, you could even enjoy a magical "sparkler night" at Wuxiang Stone House.

In an instant, it felt like the lively celebration of Chinese New Year.

Depending on the season, the homestay also offers seasonal farming experiences—like harvesting rice in autumn, transplanting rice seedlings in spring, digging sweet potatoes, or picking lychees.

Reading thousands of books and traveling thousands of miles—I believe these beautiful family trip memories will be deeply etched in the children's minds, nourishing their spirits and souls in unique ways.

The food in Paitan Town, Zengcheng, never disappoints, and this time at Wuxiang Stone House we tasted plenty of it.

Paitan's tofu is exceptionally silky, which must be due to the excellent local water and mountains.

Prepared Hakka-style as pan-fried stuffed tofu, it slipped down my throat before I even reacted—smooth and tender—while its soybean fragrance lingered in my mouth.

Fresh ingredients often require only the simplest cooking, like this steamed garlic loofah.

No medley of seasonings, just a simple steam, and you could taste the loofah's pure, sweet freshness.

I've always had a soft spot for sweet-and-sour pork. The tangy, sweet flavor pairs perfectly with rice, and the meat was perfectly balanced between lean and fat—neither greasy nor dry, both crunchy and soft at once.

Although our trip to Paitan Town, Zengcheng, was only two days, the local cuisine truly captured every foodie's heart.

Thankfully, at Wuxiang Stone House's front desk you can buy Paitan liangfen grass, Paitan white tea, and other souvenirs. Even more surprising, after checking out, the staff gave each room's guests papayas grown on their own farm—so hospitable and generous.

Paitan liangfen grass has broad leaves, tender stems, and a dark, glossy appearance, rich in mucilage. The "liangfen jelly" made from it is a translucent black-brown color with a unique fragrance. Drizzled with syrup, it's smooth and refreshing, a perfect heat-relieving summer treat. Liangfen grass can also be used medicinally: it's cooling, sweet, and bland in nature, helping prevent heatstroke, colds, and hypertension, and providing some relief for joint pain.

Paitan white tea is slightly bitter on the first sip but leaves a sweet aftertaste, with heat-clearing and detoxifying properties. Easy to pick, simple to make, and affordable, it's an everyday farmhouse tea that every household in Paitan has enjoyed for generations.

Zengcheng—with its tall, dense forests, clear streams that stretch for miles, azure skies dotted with white clouds, secluded spots, and cool climate—is a true "forest oxygen bar."

A one-hour drive on weekends or a short holiday brings you to Paitan Town, Zengcheng. Come for an all-round delightful nearby getaway!