Ah Baiyun mountain, to many the No.1 attraction in Guangzhou. Most, if not all, of the city’s citizens (and every tourist) have enjoyed hiking its many trails and experiencing its multiple attractions but I doubt you’ve been to a super quiet, hidden away oasis of tranquility right at the foot of this popular mountain range. Come with me and check it out!

I consider this place a part of Baiyunshan, though officially it’s not actually within it’s parameters and so you’re not required to pay the symbolic 5rmb fee to enter, as you do at e.g. West Gate. In fact, it won’t cost you anything to explore this stunning bit of land, except for maybe a (steep) parking fee, if you choose to drive here. What do they call this place, then? Dajinzhong Reservoir.

What a magical place! Nested between the stunning Yunxi Ecological Garden and the already-mentioned West Gate of Baiyunshan, it feels totally isolated from the busy and noisy Baiyun Dadao South. At first, you find yourself questioning your sense of direction, doubting if you went the right way because it feels like you might be entering a private property since there is hardly anyone around! Chances are, you’ll have the whole outside area to yourself but more likely, you’ll be sharing it with just a few locals and possibly some guests of the elegant Oriental Resort Gaungzhou, visible in the above photo.

How did we find this place? Basically, one afternoon we fancied going somewhere new but near, where we could have some afternoon tea. After a few minutes perusing the map, my husband suggested this lakeside idyll, which he had heard about before et voilà! I’m all for following recommendations or Xiaohongshu suggestions but sometimes spontaneous approach is the way to go!

The hotel itself, with its comfortable outdoor seating area, is a lovely place to chill at, surrounded by nature. If you’re feeling like something special and you don’t mind spending a bit(read: a lot) more, you could even reserve the fabulous separate tea room(see photo above) for your group. We devoured the cake offerings within seconds and whilst my son run around freely outside, we sipped tea admiring the view. Next, it was time to take a stroll around the lake to burn those calories off!(I think I’d have to run 5 laps around that lake to actually lose any calories but let’s pretend the stroll had some effect).

Why is this place so quiet and why does it feel like you’re trespassing? Because it was just that until very recently! This piece of land was available exclusively to members of the local authorities, in fact, some powerful people stayed in the hotel in the past. It wasn’t until 2024 that the Guangzhou government decided to open the hotel and the site to public, well most of it anyway. The main thing is that anyone can walk around, strike a pose or ten and take as many photos as one wishes.

Simply follow the elegant, lantern-lined path over the water, soaking in the peace and quiet. If your kids feel a bit restless, they can feed the (huge)ducks and play ‘I spy’, trying to identify the clearly visible water creatures. We spotted several turtles, frogs, insects and various types of fish, which made the walk more entertaining for my energetic son.

When we visited last, some construction was ongoing about halfway round and the staff informed us that a proper entrance to Baiyun mountain was being built there to allow a smooth crossing from one site to the other. If you have done this walk recently, please let me know in the comments if the gate is open, I’d love to know!

To be honest, there isn’t anything spectacular along the path and I guess some could find it rather uninteresting, hey many kids would probably call it boring as there is no playground or any other kid-specific facility but we thought the environment was fantastic and the walk was extremely pleasant for all of us so I thought it was worth recommending it, even if it makes us sound like ‘old farts’:) The path is pram-friendly and completely flat so anyone can enjoy this gentle walk.

We were genuinely disappointed when the path ended and we had to finish our walk, that’s how nice it was. I cannot recommend this quiet place enough if what you need is to de-stress in nature but don’t want to hike/don’t want to be surrounded by people/can’t get out of the city.

If you, like us, end up feeling rather peckish upon finishing your stroll, take advantage of the huge amount of restaurants on either side of Dajinzhong Reservoir. To the west, you’ll find Korea Town with endless BBQ options and to the east, you have Anhuahui (Golden Ark) Mall and behind it the budget-friendly Yongtai area, with a small but lovely Ping Pong Park (article coming up as it’s well worth visiting!).

Info:

Address: Oriental Resort Guangzhou, Baiyun, Guangzhou

Parking: On site, paid.

Getting there: By car would be the easiest but if you wish to take the metro, take Line 2 to Baiyun Park and walk towards Yunxi Ecological Garden. The site is just west of the garden’s entrance. The hotel and thus the reservoir are not well sign-posted (which is a blessing, really) so you may need to ask around.

Price: FREE

Food: Hotel serves lunch and dinner buffets plus cakes and afternoon tea sets. MANY restaurants nearby.

Facilities: Public can use the hotel toilets. I believe new toilets had been build along the lake path, too.

Age: I imagine this walk would be boring for teenagers so I’d say best suited for families with kids under 10.