Guangzhou 1.5h direct access to a seriously underrated 5A scenic spot, Shaoguan Danxia Mountain is too low-key

Really regret only coming to Shaoguan now! This 5A scenic spot is too well "hidden"‼️
If you have no resistance to the romance of sunrise and sunset, you must come here🫵! Also, avoid holidays and visit during off-peak times for a fully enhanced experience👍. Danxia Mountain Scenic Area is very large, I specifically reserved two days for an in-depth tour and put together a super practical guide～

Transportation tips:

- 🚞 Arrive at Shaoguan East Station: There is a direct bus to Danxia Mountain after exiting the station, 20 RMB/person.

- 🚄 Arrive at Shaoguan Station: Take the direct bus from platform 5, 27 RMB/person.

- 🚗 Self-driving: Navigate to "Guangdong Danxia Mountain Scenic Area." Local Shaoguan license plates park for free; non-Shaoguan plates pay 15 RMB for parking.

🗺️ 2 days 1 night itinerary (personally tested and excellent, follow the schedule to avoid pitfalls)⬇️

Day 1: Yangyuan Mountain Tour Area

🚣‍♂️ 14:00-15:00 Danxia Water Tour Boat
The boat departs on the hour, about 1 hour total. The crew will explain the legends of each mountain, giving a quick understanding of the entire area's geological features.
✅ If it’s not yet departure time, you can try the nearby water flyboard or water spinning top activities, thrilling and fun.

⛰️ 15:30-17:30 Yangyuan Stone Tour Area
Start from Yangyuan Stone, hike up the Yun Cliff plank road (there are two nearly 90-degree narrow stair sections, be careful), it takes about 1 hour to reach the summit quickly, or a leisurely 2-hour stroll is also very comfortable.

🌄 17:30-18:00 Watch the sunset at Ximei Village
Wait for the sunset at the summit in Ximei Village, the sunset shining on the Danxia rocks is incredibly stunning.

🪜 18:00-19:00 Descend via the 99-step Ladder
Hurry down while the sunset glow remains! The 99-step Ladder is very steep, don’t look down, focus on the steps; it gets dark quickly, so bringing a camping light for illumination is recommended.

🌌 20:00-21:00 Eternal Danxia Live Light and Shadow Show
Take the free scenic area bus to the Eternal Danxia Pier. The earliest show starts at 18:30 and lasts about 1 hour. It presents Danxia Mountain’s history and beauty from Zhang Jiuling’s perspective, offering a brand-new experience.

Day 2: Elder Peak Tour Area

🌄 5:30-6:30 Watch the sunrise at Shaoyin Pavilion
The scenic area cable car starts running at 5:00, sunrise is around 6:30; on October weekends, there is a sunrise concert🎼 with interactive sessions💪, the atmosphere is fantastic～

🌄 7:00-7:30 Sunrise Viewing Pavilion
Walk about half an hour from Shaoyin Pavilion to the Sunrise Viewing Pavilion, which offers a wider view and is also a great spot to watch the sunrise, capturing a fuller Danxia morning light.

⛰️ 8:00-9:30 Descend via Dan Ti Iron Chain
This route has excellent scenery! Although the Dan Ti iron chain is steep, along the way you will pass Biechuan Zen Temple, Cliff Carvings, Gospel Gorge, and Jinshiyan Temple, each with unique charm.

⛰️ 9:30-11:00 Xianglong Lake Boat Tour
Take a boat from Longtou Pier to Longwei Pier on Xianglong Lake, enjoy the lake and mountain scenery along the way, and you can also visit Yinyuan Stone by water, a very distinctive experience.

🍚 Have lunch inside the scenic area, recommended local specialties: Duck Five Pieces, Sour Bamboo Shoot Duck, Mountain Pit Snails, very authentic flavors!

🧗‍♀️ Tips for visiting:

Buying the "Water, Land, Air + Night Tour" combo ticket is more cost-effective and saves a lot of money.

Bring enough food supplies in advance and at least 1L of water💦, as hiking consumes a lot of energy.

The homestays outside the scenic area are very affordable, usually 70-500 RMB/night; the restaurants inside the scenic area are reasonably priced, no need to worry about being overcharged.