Choosing Zhaoqing as our destination was about finding a place that could be easily reached within three hours by high-speed train from Shenzhen, making it perfect for a weekend getaway. Among many options, we picked Zhaoqing because it’s just about an hour away from Shenzhen and boasts two national-level tourist attractions: Dinghu Mountain and Seven Star Crags. One day for each, just right.
We left directly from Shenzhen North after work on Friday, and stayed overnight at a local B&B near Zhaoqing East Station. Though the location wasn’t very convenient, the host offered pickup and drop-off services using an electric scooter. Waking up to the blue skies and white clouds along the rural paths was incredibly refreshing.
Our first stop was Dinghu Mountain. It took just a five-minute light rail ride from Zhaoqing East Station to reach Dinghu Mountain Station. This light rail line is quite interesting, essentially a tourist route, passing through attractions like Guangzhou Chimelong, Dongguan Songshan Lake, Foshan Shunde, and Zhaoqing Dinghu Mountain. If you have enough time, you can follow the route and explore each spot without worrying about planning your itinerary.
After getting off the light rail, there was a direct bus to the scenic area, which took about ten minutes. Outside the entrance, many vendors were selling wishing balls—a major reason to visit Dinghu Mountain is to throw a wishing ball into the Ding and hope all your wishes come true.
Dinghu Mountain stands 1,000 meters above sea level and was the first national nature reserve in China. It’s known as a green gem on the Tropic of Cancer, one of the first national scenic spots, and is regarded as the most prominent of the four great mountains of Lingnan. From the entrance, we spent about three to four hours walking and taking the sightseeing bus to explore the area. We passed by Butterfly Valley, Feishui Pond, and Qingyun Temple. During the hot summer, Dinghu Mountain not only serves as a natural oxygen bar but also offers mountain spring water where you can cool off and play.
Feishui Pond features a waterfall that cascades into a pool below. Sun Yat-sen once swam here.
(Photos of Feishui Pond)
The water in Butterfly Valley is emerald green, and you can take a small boat to glide across it. It’s not large, but the valley runs right through the middle. It’s a great place to rest and take a break before continuing to the summit.
Qingyun Temple is a Buddhist temple, perfect for making offerings and connecting with Buddha for peace of mind.
After reaching the summit, we arrived at Baoding Garden, our goal for the day. Now it was time to throw the wishing balls. Thanks to my friend Kanga’s height and badminton skills, while not exactly perfect, she hit the target eight or nine times out of ten.
Descending was quick and easy with the sightseeing bus, which whisked us back down the mountain in no time. It was time to grab a bite to eat!
