So Beautiful! A Fairy Tale World Nearby — A Two-Day One-Night Trip to Heyuan Bavaria Manor

📍 Perth · 👁 2 reads · ❤️ 38 likes

During the pandemic, I had been staying at home for nearly three months. By the end of March, the domestic epidemic situation stabilized, and everyone began slowly returning to normal life. The most heartwarming spring was quietly arriving outside the window. I heard that the Heyuan Bavaria Manor, which I had been longing to visit for a long time, had already reopened. Since I had two days free, I decided to take a short drive to get some fresh air. My first trip of 2020 would be to Bavaria Manor—I had been longing to go out for so long!

From Shenzhen to Heyuan Bavaria Manor, it's about 130 kilometers, taking approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes by car, all on the expressway. Even during the pandemic, there were quite a few cars on the road, but it was smooth all the way, and highway tolls were waived during the pandemic.

There is also a dedicated shuttle bus from Bavaria Manor to Shenzhen, which is super convenient. Please see the image below for the specific schedule.

*During the pandemic, it is still recommended to drive yourself and wear a mask.

When I first heard about this place, I thought it was just a leisure resort imitating Germany's Bavaria. But after arriving, I realized this magical place is not only a resort but also a location for health preservation, retirement, convalescence, and even long-term living. It features resort hotels, hot springs, theme parks, farms, a 12-year school system, residential areas, and is currently building a nursing home and hospital.

In terms of architectural style and cultural experience, Hakka culture and European charm are fully integrated here. Without leaving the country, you can experience exotic flavors while learning about authentic Hakka culture—a truly wonderful feeling.

I believe those considering travel at this time will be very concerned about the epidemic prevention measures at the scenic spot. Let me first talk about the epidemic prevention situation at Bavaria Manor.

When we drove to the main gate, a security guard waved us over from afar to pull over. The first thing he did was take our temperature. After confirming it was normal, he asked us to bring our ID cards, get out of the car, and go to the security booth to scan the health code and register our ID information. Only those with a green code could pass, and they took our temperature again and recorded it next to our ID information.

After entering, we arrived at the hotel entrance. The staff set up a small table, took our temperature once more, and registered our information again. They also required us to use the disinfectant hand sanitizer on the table to wash our hands before entering.

Upon entering the hotel room, we could smell a faint Chinese herbal fragrance. It turned out to be the epidemic prevention sachets prepared by the hotel. The most thoughtful touch was that on the table were two bags of COVID-19 preventive Chinese medicine from Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine and a heating iron kettle, instantly giving us a strong sense of safety.

The hotel's buffet restaurant has now become semi-self-service. A dedicated server follows you, and when you want food, you tell them, and they help you pick up the dishes. Seats are also spaced apart.

So for friends who want to go out for some fresh air now, rest assured that the scenic area has fully implemented various protective measures. Of course, your own self-protection is also essential. Except when eating, you must always wear a mask to protect yourself and others.

There are twelve hotels within Bavaria Manor. This time we chose to stay at the Four Points by Sheraton. The location is good, with direct access to the hot spring area, making it convenient to go anywhere.

The exterior of the hotel combines European castle and Hakka roundhouse designs, offering various room types. We booked a mountain-view room with natural hot spring water directly piped in.

The room was spacious and had a balcony leading to a small platform overlooking the lake. In the morning, stepping out onto the platform, we could see such a misty, beautiful scene, as quiet as a painting.

The bathroom was separated from the bedroom by an arc-shaped curtain. The mosaic hot spring pool was inviting; the tap water was natural hot spring water. A hot spring herbal bath pack was also prepared beside it, fitting perfectly with the manor's health-themed concept.

When you hear the name "Chinese Medicine Hot Spring," doesn't it seem a bit incompatible with the scenic spot's name? Haha, this manor is so magical—it blends Chinese and Western elements. I was also stunned when I saw the name.

But this hot spring is really impressive. It has 62 pools of various sizes, many of which are Chinese herbal medicine pools. The ingredients and effects are displayed on signs beside the pool, allowing you to choose pools according to your condition.

There is also a signature Golden Bathhouse in the hot spring area, said to be especially good for women. In summer, it transforms into an ice spring.

Additionally, my favorite was the beer pool in a small beer house. Munich beer is very famous. Soaking in it, the air was filled with the aroma of beer, and beer is particularly good for hair.

At night, the hot spring area lights up with tiny stars, just dim enough for privacy, creating a very romantic atmosphere.

I must praise the changing room of the hot spring. Perhaps because there were still few people, the current visitors were all assigned to the VIP area. Pink rope curtains separated the area, with brown leather sofas faintly visible. There were also separate changing rooms, providing a great place for girls who are shy about changing swimsuits in public.

In a European-style manor, how could the cozy Rhine be missing? The most beautiful scenery in Bavaria Manor is also by the Rhine River Bank. Windmills, Western-style houses, and colorful little houses are neatly arranged along the riverbank.

During the day, the Rhine River Bank is surrounded by greenery. The small houses are reflected in the river. The breeze is cool, making it quiet and beautiful.

At night, both sides of the riverbank light up with pretty lights. The fireworks-like lamps twinkle, perfect for a leisurely stroll.

The Rhine River Bank is also a great spot for photos. The bird's nest by the river and the plank road in the middle of the river are perfect for taking pictures. There is also an open-air water bar by the riverbank. On a nice day, spend an afternoon with a book and a cup of coffee in the scenery.

Oh, there's also a fantastic viewing spot: opposite the entrance to Fuyuan Temple is the observation platform of the Yage Hotel. From there, you can see the windmill houses and riverside villas from a higher perspective. The platform is covered with flowers and plants, making it a great photo spot!

If you want some thrilling fun in the manor, you must go to Black Forest Park.

Black Forest Park consists of several sections: a cable car, an amusement park on the mountain, a dry ski slope, and a children's fun world. The must-photo "walking roller coaster" in Bavaria Manor is located in the amusement park above the cable car.

We took the cable car slowly up the mountain, overlooking the colorful manor—it was so beautiful.

The ride up took about ten minutes. After getting off the cable car, we saw the huge red roller coaster. This roller coaster is walked on foot; its track consists of a series of steps. You can walk along the steps to shuttle through this giant structure. Of course, the inverted parts are still inaccessible.

Besides this walking roller coaster, the amusement park has other activities that adults and children can enjoy. The thrill is just right without being scary, making it especially suitable for families with children.

The speed skiing slope at the foot of the mountain is made of dry snow resembling enoki mushrooms. Visitors take an escalator up and slide down on tire tubes. I especially love this activity in snowy winters; in the south without snow, this dry snow is just as fun.

The children's fun world feels very fairy-tale-like, with various colorful and adorable play equipment that must be very attractive to kids. Let me secretly tell you, there is also an activity for adults: pedaling a bicycle around the building's outer ring—a novel experience.

In this health-oriented manor, we heard about a lunch you can't miss: the customized TCM medicinal meal based on the nine body types.

We arranged this activity early. The staff gave us a test form; we filled it out truthfully, and it determined our body types. The restaurant chef then tailored a meal suitable for our specific constitution.

The Hakka Chef Studio is located by the riverbank with a clear sign. At the restaurant, we told the server our names, and they checked the list of guests who had customized meals, confirmed our body types, and had the kitchen prepare the food.

I was diagnosed with phlegm-dampness constitution, and my friend with yin deficiency constitution. After we sat down, the staff first served us two different cups of conditioning herbal tea based on our constitutions, and then we began our eagerly awaited wait.

The set meal finally arrived. We curiously looked at the dishes: each set had three dishes, one soup, and one rice. My dishes were stir-fried beef with tangerine peel, stir-fried winter melon, and a boiled vegetable I couldn't name. The soup was old duck soup. My friend's dishes were stir-fried river shrimp with chives, stir-fried baby bok choy, and some medicinal stir-fried pork kidney. The soup was pork soup. It was indeed exquisite and healthy, even giving a feeling of a postpartum meal, haha.

The taste was very light. Although it had little flavor for someone like me who prefers strong tastes, it was still delicious—refreshing, not greasy, and very pleasant to eat.

We both loved this experience. It was truly special. I recommend it to friends planning to visit. Remember to eat a health meal at the Hakka Chef Studio.

In Bavaria Manor, there is also the Bavaria Farm and a Flower Sea, giving us a chance to get close to nature after being home for three months.

The Bavaria Farm is near the main gate, so you need to take the scenic shuttle bus.

During strawberry season, the farm is filled with a strong strawberry aroma. Unfortunately, it wasn't strawberry season, so we could only fantasize about red, fresh strawberries.

Of course, the farm has not only strawberries but also grapes and cherry tomatoes. The cherry tomatoes grew extremely well; they were orange-yellow, sweet and sour—we picked a lot to take home.

After the farm, we went to the Flower Sea. It is said that the main flowers here are cherry blossoms, but we came too late. The cherry blossoms were gone, though we could still see traces of their bloom on the trees. Next cherry blossom season, we'll meet here again!

The Flower Sea was huge. Behind it was a large area planted with various flowers, including lavender, roses, sunflowers, etc. The roses were blooming particularly vibrantly.

There were so many interesting things in the manor. We heard that the Sports Park on the mountain has a ball game called Woodball, which came from Taiwan, and decided to try it.

As the name suggests, the ball is wooden. The gameplay is similar to golf, but instead of hitting the ball into a hole, it's a two-person competition: within a designated area, who can get the ball into the stake with the fewest strokes.

There was a lovely coach teaching us. It was fun, and the coach said it's a kind of "golf" you can play in your own yard.

On the mountain of Bavaria Manor, there is a beautiful temple called Fuyuan Temple, which contains a huge golden bodhi tree.

We walked up the lush mountain path to the entrance of Fuyuan Temple. It had just rained, and water droplets remained on the green leaves at the door.

The golden bodhi tree inside stands at the very center of the temple courtyard, surrounded by mist, giving a ethereal feel. Passing through the main hall, there is a best viewing spot at the back, where a round window in the wall perfectly frames the Buddha statue and the golden bodhi tree.

Finally, I fulfilled my long-cherished wish to visit Bavaria Manor. Before leaving, we also checked out the residential villa areas of the manor: wooden cabin villas and Chinese-style courtyards. Both are great spots for photos.

The wooden cabins have a strong European pastoral style, like the little cabins depicted in fairy tales—bright and cozy.

The Chinese-style courtyards were simply amazing, as if living in a Jiangnan ink painting. Anyway, we can't afford to buy one, so we just admired them.

This manor, blending European charm with Hakka culture, brought us so many surprises. It can be included as a top weekend getaway destination. It's very close to Shenzhen and especially suitable for family vacations. I'll probably go again soon.

Travelogue Directory

1. [About Self-Driving and Transportation]

2. [About Bavaria Manor]

3. [During the Epidemic, Bavaria Manor's Comprehensive Protection]

4. [Four Points by Sheraton Hotel]

5. [Chinese Medicine Hot Spring]

6. [Rhine River Bank: Day and Night]

7. [Black Forest Park: Super Fun]

8. [A Customized Lunch at Hakka Chef Studio]

9. [Getting Close to Nature: Farm and Flower Sea]

10. [Novel Woodball Experience]

11. [The Most Beautiful Temple on the Mountain – Fuyuan Temple]