Location: Situated in northern Guangdong
Province, Qingyuan belongs to the north end of the Pearl River
Delta in geography. It is bordered by Guangzhou in the south, neighboring
Hunan and Guangxi provinces in the north.
History: Before the Qin Dynasty (220BC-206BC)
united China, this area was inhabited by many ancient minorities
in South China, generally called Bai Yue. Qingyuan region partly
belonged to Nanhai Shire and Changsha Shire during the Qin Dynasty.
In the early Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD), it was governed by the Nanyue
State, and the central government conquered it and brought this
region into the Guiyang Shire later. Present Qingyuan City was established
in 1988.
Physical Features: Lying in the linking area between
the Pearl River Delta and the mountainous region in northern Guangdong,
Qingyuan boasts the vastest area among cities in the province. The
terrain is higher in the northwest and lower in the southeast. Plains,
hills, mountains and karst landform coexist in the city.
Climatic Features: Qingyuan enjoys a subtropical
monsoon climate, with an annual average temperature of 21
C
(70
F).
January and July has the extreme weather of the city. April to
October is a damp season and the rainfall mainly concentrates
on this period. Usually, Qingyuan do not have cold winters.
When to Go: Qingyuan is an all-year-round destination.
During April to October, adequate rainfall and beautiful natural
sceneries contribute to the most charming Qingyuan in a year.
Special Local product: tea, crystal pear, Shatian
pomelo
Scenic Spots:
Guangdong Number One Peak: Situated in Nanling
National Nature Reserve, Yangshan County, the peak is 1,902 meters
(6,240 feet) ranking the highest peak in Guangdong. In this scenic
area, there are several other scenic spots, such as the Yao's
villages, waterfalls, alpine springs and drifting sites.
Lianzhou Underground River: 26 kilometers (16
miles) northeast of Lianzhou City, this scenic spot is characterized
by the subtropical karst cave and the underground river inside
the cave. It is a well known summer resort with stunning karst
landscape.
Sanpai Yao Village: Lies on the mountainside
of the Sanpai Mountains, 11 kilometers (7 miles) south of the
Liannan County, this Yao Village is a vivacious scenic resort
comprehensively reflecting the history, culture, customs, residential
buildings, costumes and folk entertainments of the Yao ethnic
minority.
Other Scenic Spots: Qingxin, Hot Spring Tourism
& Holiday Resort, Daxushan Waterfalls
Tourist Tips: In downtown Qingyuan, there are
two main bus stations, the old one and the new one. From these bus
stations, visitors can get to scenic spots scattered all over the
counties and cities in Qingyuan, and they can also take buses to
Hong Kong for 4.5 hours, Guangzhou for about 1.5 hours and Shenzhen
for 2.5 hours. Generally speaking, getting in and out of Qingyuan
City is much convenient. Noted is that Qingyuan is only 30 kilometers
(19 miles) from the Guangzhou
Baiyun International Airport.