Danxia Mountains
View from the Elder Peak
Danxia Mountain was a UNESCO geopark together with others over China under the categories of Danxia and is located around 45 km norhteast of Shaoguan. The tourist rown that is the entrance to the main park has got small restaurants, and a pile of newly built hotels.
I recommend staying in a hotel inside the park for the excellent morning and evening views especially if the skies are clear.
Having visited a few geoparks in China I found this to be one of the better ones. The mountain itself is not really high (cca 600m) but the sides and the steps are very steep making the walk / hike even more rewarding.
An artificial lake winds through the park, and offers boat rides
Steep stairs heading to the top
For most people who come, there is one “must visit” attraction: the huge rock “penis”.
This is a red rock formation of karsts similar to the more famous Guilin but with far less people. The park is organized and run well with a short cable car to Elder Peak, 2 different boat trips (1 long and 1 short) and excellent photo opportunities all the way around.
However, if you have got time and the energy I would recommend to explore the park on foot. The hikes are challenging but rewarding at the same time.
Precipitous Rock Formations all around the Park
Pavilion on the top of the Elder Peak
Danxia Mountain from the Lake
Danxia Shan once was a thriving centre of Buddhism and Taoism.
Me and my Chinese Family half way up / down
Local Cuisine in Danxia Village
How to get to Danxia Mountains
From Shenzhen
Get the high speed train from Shenzhen North Station, it will go straight to Shaoguan, there you will find bus to Danxia town. (90 minutes)
From Guangzhou
There are 2 ways to get there from Guangzhou. 1 option is the fast train from Guangzhou South Station which is a bit of a travel on the Guangzhou side, then 1 hour by train and 1 hour from train station to the geopark. The second option I used was to leave from Guangzhou Railway Station, 2 1/2 hours by train to DanXiaShan Railway Station, then 15 minutes to the geopark. You will need to organize a taxi using that option before arriving in DanXiaShan Railway Station.