Life of Guangzhou - Guangdong Autumn Leaves Viewing Guide (Ⅰ)

If you think you are trapped in the land of leafy green boring trees that never change colour in spite of the season – think again! You can catch some autumn splendour in quite a few places around Guangdong. Here's a selection to get you started.

Place 1 : WanLu Lake 万绿湖

Best viewing time: from Nov. to Dec.

Selling point: Love Island, Maple Festival

WanLu means "ten thousand green" in Chinese.

The Maple Festival is held on Love Island every year, when lovers write their declarations of undying affection on a lock, and then throw it into the lake. The symbolic meaning has to do with the purity of love matching the purity of the water. It is said that the farther you throw the lock, the longer your love will last.

After those exertions, you can camp beside the maple trees and WanLu Lake overnight.

How to get there:
Guangzhou-Huizhou Expressway, Huizhou-Heyuan Expressway, about 2 hours drive. WanLu Lake is 8km from Heyuan.

Place 2: Nanling National Forest Park 南岭国家森林公园

Best viewing time: from Oct. to Jan.

Selling point: colorful forest, various fruit

The leaves of Acer tutcheri(岭南槭) turn from green to gold, from gold to orange, and finally to red. In the forest's colorful war, Guangdong pine trees(广东松) are not alone. They secrete a blue gum-like substance to ward out the cold and, the colder the weather, the brighter the blue.

Nanling National Forest Park abounds with Chinese Gooseberry, beech, bramble and lichi.

How to get there:
Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway. Exit at Shaoguan, about 3 hours drive.
Tel: 0751-5232038

Place 3: Shimen National Forest Park 石门国家森林公园

Best viewing time: from Dec. to Jan.

Selling point: forest bathhouse

Known as 'Little Maldives' and 'Little Jiu Zhai' , Shimen National Forest Park covers over 3000 mu of red leafed trees. You'll love Guangdong's Xiangshan (Fragrant Hills) at first sight.

This is the first national forest bathhouse built under the approval of China's Ministry of Forestry; no wonder many tourists believe "Shimen red leaves are so vivid, there's no need to go to Beijing's Xiangshan!"

How to get there:
Located in the north of Conghua, the park is 86km away from downtown Guangzhou, 16km from the famous Conghua Hot Spring, on good roads.

Please click: Guangdong Autumn Leaves Viewing Guide (Ⅱ)

(Written by Shanna Chu and proofread by David Kelleway)