Huizhou—A Secret Landscape of Mountains and Waters in Su Dongpo’s Poetry and Paintings

🌟 If you haven’t tasted lychees amidst Su Dongpo’s poetic landscapes, or rested your head on rocks listening to the tides of Xunliao Bay, then Huizhou is your best choice! This Lingnan secret, “half city of mountains, half city of sea,” weaves a unique healing journey with West Lake’s misty rain, Luofu’s fairy trails, and the azure coastline. Here’s a 48-hour deep guide to unlock Huizhou’s dual charm—from misty mountain peaks at dawn to starry bays at night— 🏨 Accommodation Recommendations: Poetic Stays by Mountains and Sea Cloud-view Lakeside: Huizhou Kangdi International Hotel: Prime location by West Lake, open your window to “Six Lakes, Nine Bridges, Eighteen Scenes,” enjoy morning tea while watching egrets dance. Aishu·Baima Riverside Homestay: Next to Baipenzhu Reservoir, with a sea of gesang flowers + private hot spring baths, starry terrace for exclusive mountain tranquility. Coastal Romance: Xiaojingwan Le Méridien Hotel: 180° infinity pool framed with the “Oriental Hawaii” silver sands, fall asleep to the sound of tides at night. Miyue Santorini Seaview Hotel: Pure white castle on the cliffs of Shuangyue Bay, cave pool perfect for checking in at the seaside sunset. Hot Spring Healing: Nankunshan DeRUCCI Jiayue Hot Spring Hotel: Cave hot spring pools, children’s water park, top choice for family and kids. 🍜 24-Hour Taste Adventure Map 7:00-9:00 Morning Traditional Flavors Shuidong Street: Try “Ama Calls” Youdunzi (radish and shrimp fried cake), paired with a bowl of Hakka stuffed tofu pudding. 12:00-13:30 Mountain and Sea Feast Wugufang Pigeon King (Dameisha): Tear into the crispy, juicy Guangming pigeon, sea urchin rice dumplings bursting with ocean sweetness. Xiongchang Restaurant (Old Brand): Soy sauce roasted white pigeon with fish and bile, bitter-cool then sweet aftertaste overturns your taste perception. 19:00-21:00 Nighttime Delicacies Wanzai Seafood Street: Choose your own steamed king crab + salt and pepper mantis shrimp, official brewed plum wine is the perfect palate cleanser. 🌙 Late Night Code: Nanjishi Congee Shop’s pork offal congee with perilla fried snails, warming and wild! Timed Deep Experiences 🚩 Day 1: Lakes and Mountains · Su Dongpo’s Legacy 8:00-10:00 Misty West Lake: Stroll along Su Causeway, climb Chaoyingmen to overlook the six lakes and misty waves, snap photos of the red cotton waterside pavilion before 9 am with no tourists. 11:00-13:00 Cultural Traces: Explore Su Dongpo Shrine and touch the millennium-old hand-planted lychee tree, browse bamboo tea ware at Zhuwu Lane cultural market. 14:30-17:00 Pottery Craftsmanship: Try clay molding at Dongping Kiln (experience price 50 RMB), drink kiln workers’ tea under the mossy bricks of the Northern Song dragon kiln. 19:30-21:00 Ancient City Night Feast: Nibble on salt-baked chicken under neon lights on Shuidong Street, climb Hejiang Tower to watch the confluence of Dongjiang and Xizhi rivers’ shimmering lights. 🚩 Day 2: Fairy Sea · Dual Symphony 7:00-10:00 Luofu Ascend to Immortality: Take the cable car to Feiyun Peak (1296m), when the sea of clouds surges it feels like stepping into a fairyland, visit the Ge Hong Museum to smell the herbs. 12:30-14:00 Intangible Heritage Flavors: Eat silky tofu pudding at the Hakka Grandma Scenic Area, try mugwort rice cakes + crispy fermented vegetable and braised meat, the mountain air refreshes your throat. 15:00-18:00 Blue Tears Immersion: Rush to Xunliao Bay’s glass sea! Transparent kayak to explore coral reefs, order the “Pearl of the Ocean” special cocktail at Reef Bar. 19:00-21:00 Sunset Ceremony: Cycle along Wushantou Greenway chasing the sunset glow, 5.8 km of coastline paved with golden fragments, end at the fishing port tasting freshly grilled eel. 💡 Local Insider Tips Transportation: Guanghui Intercity Railway direct to West Lake East Station; book island ferry tickets 3 days in advance (WeChat official account “Xiangzhou Port”). Secrets: Watch egrets return to roost at dusk in Yanzhou Mangroves, shoot dark masterpieces on the jagged basalt at Heipaijiao. Souvenirs: Hengli preserved mustard pork soul, golden crispy balls cooked in radish soup, Luofu Mountain herbal oil mosquito repellent. When the last ray of sunset sinks into the arms of Shuangyue Bay, when the aroma of salt-baked chicken drifts over ancient alley stone steps, you will understand— The magic of Huizhou is stewing Su Dongpo’s broad-mindedness into a pot of soup, blending the warmth of fishing lights into the sea breeze, growing a poetic home that never fades where mountains meet the sea. Your Huizhou story is waiting for you to write its first chapter amidst Luofu’s clouds and West Lake’s oar sounds.