Qingyuan & Yingde

Guangzhou's back garden to the north, with rafting at Gulong Gorge and Huangteng Gorge, Feilai Gorge, the Yingxi Peak Forest Corridor and winter hot springs.

Qingyuan lies in north-central Guangdong, right next to Guangzhou to the north, and serves as the Pearl River Delta's weekend 'back garden'. The Bei River runs through the whole city. In the south, Qingcheng, Qingxin and Fogang are known for gorge rafting, hot spring resorts and the newly opened Chimelong theme park; in the north, Yingde is a land of karst peak forests, caves and Yingde black tea. Qingyuan chicken (free-range) is a prized Cantonese ingredient, and Bei River freshwater fish and Yingde black tea are also worth trying.

Areas to explore: ① Qingcheng and Qingxin – rafting and glass bridges at Gulong Gorge and Huangteng Gorge, Feilai Gorge with Feilai Temple, the Taoist temples of Feixia Mountain, hot spring resorts such as Qingxin Hot Spring, and Taihe Ancient Cave; ② the Yinzhan and Chimelong area on the Guangzhou–Qingyuan border – Chimelong Forest Kingdom and its hot spring park, reachable by a dedicated maglev line; ③ Fogang – Wangshan Temple on Guanyin Mountain, the old walled village of Shangyue and Sambora Forest Resort; ④ Yingde – the Yingxi Peak Forest Corridor (around Jiulong and Huanghua, great for self-driving and cycling), underground river rafting at Laohu Valley, Baojing Palace Cave, Lianjiangkou and Zhenyang Gorge, and Jiqingli Black Tea Valley. The Yao villages of Liannan and the Lianzhou Underground River are covered under the separate 'Lianzhou & Liannan' destination.

Seasons: Rafting season generally runs Apr–Oct, busiest in Jul–Aug; hot springs are most pleasant from Nov to Mar; the Yingxi peak forest looks its best with rapeseed blossoms in spring and golden rice fields in autumn.

Getting there: The Guangzhou–Qingyuan Intercity Railway, Guangzhou North Station and Qingyuan Station connect to Guangzhou in about 30–40 minutes; change at Yinzhan Station for the maglev to Chimelong; Yingde West Station is on the high-speed rail, but you'll need a car to reach Yingde's sights. Suggested stay: 2–3 days – 1 day rafting plus hot springs, 1 day at Chimelong, 1 day in the Yingxi peak forest. For rafting, wear non-slip shoes and bring a change of clothes; some rafting runs close after heavy summer rain.

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