Shaoguan 3 Days 2 Nights Travel Guide
Shaoguan is known as the "Lingnan Famous County" of Guangdong and the "Northern Gateway of Guangdong." It boasts the spectacular Danxia Mountain with its unique peaks and stones, the millennium-old Buddhist charm of Nanhua Temple, as well as Yao ethnic customs and revolutionary culture, making it a treasure city where nature and culture intertwine.
Guangdong Shaoguan 3 Days 2 Nights In-depth Travel Guide|Exclusive for Travel Bloggers|Budget 3000 RMB
Key Highlights: Danxia landform wonders + Hakka culture roots exploration + off-the-beaten-path photo spots + authentic food feast
Budget Allocation: Transportation 800 RMB + Accommodation 700 RMB + Dining 600 RMB + Tickets & Boat Fares 500 RMB + Contingency 400 RMB = 3000 RMB
Suitable For: Travel bloggers, photography enthusiasts, culture explorers, nature hikers
Day 1|First Experience of Hakka Ancient Charm: Zhuji Ancient Alley → Meiguan Ancient Trail → Check-in Danxia Mountain
Keywords: Cultural roots search, ancient post road hiking, sunset photography
08:00-10:00 Departure → Arrive at Shaoguan Nanxiong
- High-speed train: Guangzhou South Station → Shaoguan Station (about 1.5 hours, one-way about 180 RMB), then transfer by bus to Nanxiong (about 1 hour, 30 RMB)
- Photo spots: Lingnan countryside scenery outside the high-speed train window, retro architecture at Nanxiong Bus Station
10:30-12:30 Zhuji Ancient Alley (Entrance fee 40 RMB)
- A "living fossil" of Lingnan culture, a 1500-meter-long street gathering over 180 clan ancestral halls
- Photo highlights: ancient alley bluestone pavement, Ming and Qing dynasty carved architecture, clan totems, ancestral hall communal dining scenes
- Blogger task: interview local elders, find migration stories of your own surname, shoot a "roots-seeking journey" vlog
12:30-14:00 Communal dining at Zhuji Ancient Alley ancestral hall (60 RMB per person)
- Must-eats: stuffed tofu (meat filling inside golden fried tofu skin, dipped in chili sauce bursting with juice), sour bamboo shoots stewed duck (Nanxiong specialty), Prime Minister noodles
- Photo spots: panoramic view of communal dining table, close-ups of food, interactions with villagers
14:30-17:30 Meiguan Ancient Trail (Entrance fee 40 RMB)
- A thousand-year-old ancient post road carved by Zhang Jiuling, a strategic throat between Central China and Lingnan, with the weathered "Southern Guangdong Stronghold" stone stele
- Hiking route: ancient trail entrance → mid-mountain pavilion → Meiguan gate tower → Jiangxi boundary stele (round trip about 3 hours)
- Photo highlights: horse hoof prints on bluestone pavement, sunset at the gate tower, plum blossoms along the trail (best in winter)
- Blogger tip: wear Hanfu to shoot ancient style videos, drone aerial shots of the winding trail and mountain terrain
18:30-20:00 Head to Danxia Mountain → Check in at Zen-style guesthouse (2 nights about 700 RMB)
- Nanxiong → Renhua Danxia Mountain (about 1.5 hours, carpool 50 RMB)
- Recommendation: Zen-style guesthouse at Danxia Mountain entrance, with courtyard and viewing terrace, ideal for starry sky and sunrise preparation videos
- Dinner: farmhouse dishes near the guesthouse, recommended pan-fried stuffed Zhangshi yellow tofu, Jinjiang fish (50 RMB per person)
Day 2|In-depth Tour of Danxia Wonders: Yangyuan Stone → Elder Peak → Jinjiang Gallery
Keywords: natural wonders, sunrise and sunset, water Danxia, aerial photography
05:30-07:00 Watch sunrise at Elder Peak (Danxia Mountain ticket 100 RMB, valid for 48 hours)
- Buy tickets one day in advance at the scenic area visitor center, depart at 5 AM, hike 30 minutes to the sunrise pavilion
- Photo highlights: Danxia peaks dyed golden red by sunrise, sea of clouds rolling, Buddha’s light (if lucky)
- Blogger tips: tripod + gradient filter, time-lapse photography to record the entire sunrise
07:30-09:00 Breakfast + rest (guesthouse breakfast, free)
- Shoot morning mist in the guesthouse courtyard, local villagers working scenes
09:30-12:00 Yangyuan Stone Scenic Area
- A 28-meter-high natural wonder stone, "the world's number one strange stone," the 99-step ladder challenges courage
- Photo spots: close-up of Yangyuan Stone front, climbing view of 99-step ladder, panoramic view of farmland and red cliffs from the top
- Blogger challenge: rush to be first at 7:30 opening, avoid tour groups, shoot wide-angle shots without people
12:00-13:30 Lunch in the scenic area (40 RMB per person)
- Recommended: bamboo tube rice, mountain snail, Hakka stuffed three treasures, shoot food preparation process
14:00-16:30 Jinjiang Gallery boat tour (boat ticket 120 RMB)
- Cruise along Jinjiang River, red cliffs reflected in clear water, like sailing through a painting
- Photo highlights: panoramic water Danxia, cliffs on both sides, fishermen casting nets
- Blogger creativity: drone follow-shooting the boat, underwater camera capturing Jinjiang’s clear water quality
17:00-18:30 Watch sunset at Elder Peak
- Climb Dan Ladder iron chain from Biechuansi Temple to Elder Peak viewing platform, overlook the entire Danxia landform
- Photo spots: peak silhouettes, sunset afterglow, Jinjiang winding like a ribbon
19:00-21:00 Dinner + night tour
- Dinner: farmhouse dishes at scenic area entrance, recommended five-fingered peach soup, Danxia stinky dried tofu (50 RMB per person)
- Shoot: guesthouse starry sky, Danxia Mountain light show (weekends only)
Day 3|Fusion of Culture and Nature: Mantang Hakka Great Enclosure → Danxia Mountain Bazhai → Return Trip
Keywords: Hakka architecture, off-the-beaten-path hiking, intangible cultural heritage experience, souvenir shooting
08:00-09:00 Breakfast + check-out (30 RMB per person)
- Shoot morning scenes around the guesthouse, farewell video with the owner
09:30-12:00 Mantang Hakka Great Enclosure (Entrance fee 30 RMB)
- The largest Hakka walled building in Guangdong, "Lingnan’s first enclosure," a treasure of Ming and Qing architectural art
- Photo highlights: panoramic view of the enclosure, carved doors and windows, watchtowers, Hakka folk customs display
- Blogger experience: participate in making Prime Minister noodles (free experience), shoot intangible cultural heritage food making vlog
12:00-13:30 Lunch inside the enclosure (50 RMB per person)
- Must-eats: Hakka basin dish, preserved mustard with pork belly, glutinous rice stuffed tofu, shoot dining scenes inside the enclosure
14:00-16:00 Danxia Mountain Bazhai Scenic Area (off-the-beaten-path secret spot)
- The highest peak of Danxia Mountain, "Danxia Supreme," few tourists, pristine natural scenery
- Photo highlights: panoramic view of Bazhai, cliff faces, terraced fields, sea of clouds (best after rain)
- Blogger perk: drone aerial shots without obstruction, shoot "secret realm exploration" themed video
16:30-18:30 Return trip (Shaoguan Station → Guangzhou South Station, about 1.5 hours, 180 RMB)
- Photo spots: scenery along Danxia Mountain, blogger’s daily routine organizing footage on the high-speed train
Accommodation Recommendations (Exclusive for Travel Bloggers)
1. Danxia Zen-style Guesthouse (2 nights about 700 RMB)
- Location: at Danxia Mountain scenic area entrance, 5-minute walk to visitor center
- Advantages: courtyard design, viewing terrace, Zen-style decoration, suitable for filming homestay experience videos
- Extra perk: owner provides scenic area travel guide, good for interview videos
2. Alternative: Danxia Fengyuan Hot Spring Hotel (upgrade if budget allows, 2 nights about 1000 RMB)
- Features: natural hot spring pools, soak in autumn and winter + shoot sunset, a stunning combination
Blogger Exclusive Shooting Guide
Shooting Theme Best Spots Shooting Time Equipment Suggestions
Danxia Sunrise Elder Peak Sunrise Pavilion 5:30-6:30 Tripod + gradient filter + time-lapse photography
Water Danxia Jinjiang Boat Tour 14:00-16:00 Drone + wide-angle lens
Hakka Culture Zhuji Ancient Alley Ancestral Halls, Mantang Enclosure 10:00-15:00 Cultural lens + interview microphone
Sunset Wonders Yangyuan Stone Viewing Platform, Elder Peak 17:00-18:30 Telephoto lens + tripod
Starry Sky & Milky Way Danxia Mountain Guesthouse Courtyard 21:00-23:00 Large aperture lens + high ISO
Budget Details (Total 2980 RMB, 20 RMB remaining)
Item Cost (RMB) Notes
Round-trip High-speed Train 720 Guangzhou South Station → Shaoguan Station, 180 RMB × 2 people round trip
Scenic Area Transportation 80 Shaoguan → Nanxiong → Danxia Mountain → Shaoguan
Accommodation 700 Danxia Zen-style Guesthouse 2 nights
Dining 580 6 main meals + 2 breakfasts, about 50 RMB per meal per person
Tickets & Boat Fares 480 Zhuji Ancient Alley 40 + Meiguan Ancient Trail 40 + Danxia Mountain 100 + Jinjiang Boat 120 + Mantang Enclosure 30, × 2 people
Contingency 400 Souvenirs, emergencies, upgraded experiences
Practical Tips (Must-read for Travel Bloggers)
1. Best shooting seasons: November-December (ginkgo + red leaves), March-April (plum blossoms + azaleas)
2. Outfit suggestions: Hanfu (Zhuji Ancient Alley/Meiguan Ancient Trail), outdoor gear (Danxia hiking), bright colors (water Danxia)
3. Equipment preparation: drone (apply for airspace in advance), tripod, wide-angle/telephoto lenses, spare batteries
4. Off-the-beaten-path check-in spots: Longsheng Sauce Garden Museum (city area, free, intangible heritage soy sauce making), Mountain Banana Zhiqing Cultural Park (free, retro scenes)
5. Food shooting tips: shoot food gloss with backlight, slow-motion filming of stuffed tofu making process
Blogger Content Creation Suggestions
1. Shoot 3 themed vlogs: "The Stunning Moment of Danxia Sunrise," "Hakka Culture Roots-seeking Journey," "The Poetic Scroll of Water Danxia"
2. Photo series: 3. Interactive topic: "What’s your surname? Come to Zhuji Ancient Alley to find the origin of your surname!"