During the Spring Festival holiday, the cultural and tourism markets in eastern, western, and northern Guangdong continued to heat up. The coastal scenery of the islands in western Guangdong, the ecological secrets of the mountainous regions in northern Guangdong, and the intangible cultural heritage performances in the ancient streets of Chaoshan together formed a splendid New Year tourism picture, attracting visitors from within and outside the province.
During the Spring Festival holiday, various regions closely followed the theme “Celebrate the New Year in Guangdong,” launching a series of cultural and tourism activities that combined Lingnan charm with interactivity. Scenic spots were bustling with visitors, filled with a strong festive atmosphere. Different areas deeply integrated intangible cultural heritage, folk customs, natural landscapes, and ancient streets and alleys, allowing tourists to immerse themselves in the profound heritage of Lingnan culture while enjoying the magnificent scenery of mountains and seas, spending a culturally rich and joyful Year of the Horse Spring Festival in Guangdong.
Enjoying Coastal Scenery
Indulging in Romance and Leisure
At coastal attractions in Zhanjiang, visitors from across the country strolled along the beaches, feeling the warmth and comfort brought by the sunshine and sea breeze. At Zhanjiang’s Jinsha Bay, visitors in short sleeves played in the waves, while children built sandcastles and dug sand pits on the beach, with laughter echoing everywhere. As night fell, the night view of Jinsha Bay became even more enchanting, with light shows and beach music performances amplifying the festive atmosphere. Coastal mangrove forests also became popular check-in spots: attractions like the Lianjiang Gaoqiao Mangrove Reserve, Jinsha Bay Mangrove Science Education Base, and Techeng Island Mangrove Forest welcomed large numbers of tourists for sightseeing and photos…
Yangjiang’s coastal tourism got off to a “flying start”: scenic areas like Shaba Bay, Moon Bay, Haizai Lake Boardwalk, and Bei’e Ridge were crowded with visitors. The newly built, 1,300-meter-long “人”-shaped boardwalk at Haizai Lake in Shaba Town welcomed its first batch of tourists. Equipped with viewing pavilions and arched bridges along the way, visitors strolling the boardwalk could admire the mangrove landscape and experience the fishing village ambiance up close. The newly opened Bei’e Ridge mountain loop boardwalk and glass viewing platform were also bustling with people, allowing citizens and tourists to enjoy the spectacular sea views and feel a sense of physical and mental pleasure.
On Nan’ao Island in Shantou, eastern Guangdong, the 33-kilometer-long网红公路 (popular highway), the Nan’ao Island Ring Road, winds around the island like a jade belt, with many out-of-town tourists choosing to explore the island by car. Along the ring road, “trees, shrubs, flowers, and grass” are arranged in picturesque disorder, with “mountains, forests, sea, and cliffs” distributed on both sides, offering visitors a wonderful feeling of traveling between mountains and sea. During the Spring Festival holiday, visitors could also witness the lively scene of the Nan’ao Fishing Lantern Festival. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the cultural square in Nan’ao County was filled with the sounds of drums and music, as over 20 teams sang and danced with swaying fishing lanterns, recreating scenes of life on the sea, while leaping lion dances added to the auspicious festive atmosphere.
Appreciating Ecological Beauty
Experiencing the Beauty of Mountains and Waters
In northern Guangdong, the unique ecological scenery attracted visitors from all directions.
Shaoguan’s cultural and tourism scene was in full swing. Among the Danxia Mountains, the red cliffs and green waters complemented each other beautifully, with daytime and nighttime scenes offering different cultural and tourism experiences. During the day, folk interactive activities like lion dances to welcome guests and “poetry duels with Zhang Jiuling” were in full swing; as night fell, the Jinjiang River night cruise was breathtakingly beautiful, with lights, fish lanterns, and bonfire parties shining together. Additionally, New Year activities full of festive spirit, such as Lechang folk art parades and rice cake pounding experiences, also attracted visitors from various places to “check in.” The Mengzhouba Night Market in downtown Shaoguan gathered temple fairs, food, and intangible cultural heritage. Rural campsites in Wujiang and Zhenjiang became new choices for family outings, while the thousands of acres of cherry blossoms on Nanxiong’s Yunfeng Mountain drew visitors for photos.
In Qingyuan, the rich ethnic minority customs enhanced the strong festive atmosphere.
“Release the ‘oxen’ from the pen!” With an elder’s loud shout, Yao ethnic “A Gui Ge” (unmarried men) with silver bells tinkling around their
