Heyuan

Wanlü Lake, South China's largest man-made lake, is a sheet of clear water dotted with hundreds of islands; Heyuan also holds the world's largest number of dinosaur egg fossils, plus Hakka villages and hot springs.

Heyuan lies in northeastern Guangdong on the middle and upper reaches of the Dongjiang (East River). Known as an ancient Hakka heartland, it is also a key water source for the Pearl River Delta and about 2 hours by road from Shenzhen and Guangzhou. The main draw is Wanlü Lake (Xinfengjiang Reservoir) north of the city: South China's largest man-made lake, with clear water and more than 360 islands scattered across it. At the Jinghuayuan scenic area you can take a boat across the lake and hop onto islands to see waterfalls; Mount Gui rises on the south shore, the Xinfengjiang Dam stands at the lake's outlet, and a riverside greenway is good for cycling. In the city are the Heyuan Dinosaur Museum, with a collection of over ten thousand dinosaur egg fossils, the Southern Song-era Guifeng Pagoda, the Hakka Culture Park and the Xinfeng River musical fountain. Dongyuan County has Sujiawei, a village settled by descendants of the poet Su Dongpo, and Huanglongyan with its She ethnic culture; south of the city is the Bavaria Manor resort, and Zijin County has the Yulinmen Hot Springs. Some 80–100 km to the northeast lie the ancient town of Tuocheng and Mount Huoshan in Longchuan, and the four-cornered fortified houses of Linzhai Ancient Village in Heping County, which together make a good day trip focused on Hakka culture. Heyuan can be visited year-round; Oct–Mar is cool and ideal for lake trips and hot springs, while Apr–Sep is hot and rainy. High-speed trains stop at Heyuan North and Dongyuan stations, about 1 hour from Shenzhen North. Allow 2–3 days: one for Wanlü Lake, one for the city and Sujiawei, and one for Longchuan and Heping. Hakka specialties include stuffed tofu, salt-baked chicken and Dongjiang fish, and the Zhongxin flower lanterns are a well-known folk tradition.

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