With summer temperatures pushing into the mid-30s across southern Guangdong, residents are heading upstream. In Zhaoqing, once-quiet creeks and riverside villages have become the most popular seasonal escapes, each offering its own mix of shade, cold water and convenient infrastructure.
Shuanglong Area (双龙片区), Duanzhou District: Creek trail and streamside coffee
At Duanzhou's most popular summer spot, a 4-kilometer boardwalk winds beneath a canopy of century-old banyan trees. The Longxi Boardwalk (龙溪栈道) in the Shuanglong Area traces a shallow, fast-moving creek, shaded from end to end.
Old maintenance sheds and abandoned village warehouses have found new life as seating areas and rest stops, their original stone walls and timber beams intact. At the water's edge, a glass-walled café serves iced coffee to visitors cooling off in the shallows just outside. The stream stays ankle-deep in most sections, with safety barriers lining the bank.
Kapok Manor (木棉庄园), Dinghu District: Paddling, micro-fishing and stream-trekking
Set in the hills of Shapu (沙浦) township, Kapok Manor sits beside a natural mountain brook. The streambed is lined with pebbles, and the water is shallow enough for visitors to wade in. Upstream, the grounds open onto a pond where visitors can rent kayaks and stand-up paddleboards.
The site also runs a free catch-and-release micro-fishing pond. Accommodation includes campsites and a small number of guest rooms, along with a farm-to-table kitchen, fruit picking and a children's play area.
Puying Camp (蒲营): Pools, a stream and a miniature train
At Puying Camp, a natural creek runs through the grounds alongside a large open-air swimming pool shaded by canopy covers. Parents bring buckets and nets so children can scoop small fish and shrimp from the shallows, while a retro-style miniature train loops through the surrounding fields. Campsites and tent platforms ring the central lawn, fitted with swings and climbing structures.
Jiaoyuan Village (蕉园社区), Dinghu District: Rice fields and village coffee
In Jiaoyuan Village, a stream winds past old stone houses, its rounded boulders shaded by trees, with rice paddies stretching toward the hills beyond. A small coffee shop, with wooden stools and traditional lanterns, has opened on the bank, where families bring inflatable rings for the shallowest sections and visitors wade across the stones as the water flows around them. The spot has become a popular pick for late-afternoon breaks within a short drive of the city.
Author | Feng Huiting
Photos | Zhaoqing Fabu
