Shanwei Travel Guide
### 🌊 **Must-Visit Attractions**
1. **Honghai Bay Zhelang Peninsula**
- **Highlights**: The two-tone sea phenomenon (one side with roaring waves, the other calm), the "Sea Castle" in the Nanhai Guanyin Scenic Area is a popular ruin-style photo spot.
- **Activities**: Sunrise watching in the early morning (one of Guangdong's top ten most beautiful sunrise spots), surfing (recommended "Offshore Wind" club), evening beach cycling.
- **Admission**: Free (Nanhai Guanyin Temple requires 15 RMB).
2. **Jin Ting Bay**
- **Features**: 7 km of pristine beach, landmark sail chapel ("Shanwei's Aranya"), popular reef wall, sea piano, perfect for shooting "Mirror of the Sky" sunrise photos.
- **Facilities**: Speedboats, Ferris wheel, sea-view swings (some charge fees).
3. **Windmill Island**
- **Experience**: 13 giant windmills lined along the coast, a Japanese-style fresh photo spot, recommended to shoot at sunset.
- **Note**: No public transport, self-driving or charter needed; the beach is small and water quality average, suitable for photography rather than swimming.
4. **Cultural Landmarks**
- **Fengshan Ancestral Temple**: The largest Mazu temple in eastern Guangdong, climb to the top for panoramic views of Pinqing Lake, touch the Mazu statue for blessings.
- **Haifeng Red Palace and Red Square**: The birthplace of China’s first Soviet government, free admission (reservation required).
- **Luhe Secluded Plum Garden**: Ten thousand acres of blooming plum blossoms in winter (Jan-Feb), green plum picking in summer.
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### 🍜 **Special Food Guide**
1. **Ermalu Night Market**
- **Must-try**: Vegetable rice cake (recommended Deji/Yuanji), sweet and salty thin pancakes (sweet with egg yolk, salty with squid), fresh fruit juice cups (mango passion fruit), raw pickles, vegetable tea (bone broth base + fried rice).
- **Time**: After 11 PM, mobile vendors gather, the atmosphere is most lively.
2. **Seafood and Local Dishes**
- **Chenzhou Oysters**: Plump and residue-free, classic steamed or garlic grilled (recommended Xiaodao Oyster Love).
- **Mackerel Fish Balls**: Handmade, chewy and fresh (Donghai Fish Balls, Jiesheng Fishing Port).
- **Beef Hotpot**: Asen Fresh Beef Brisket Shop (beef offal platter around 50 RMB per person), Deji Beef Brisket Hotpot.
3. **Specialty Souvenirs**
- Jinxiang dried squid, shrimp paste (old brand "Jiesheng"), Haifeng Meilong lotus root (national geographical indication).
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### 🏨 **Accommodation Guide**
- **Jin Ting Bay Seaside Area**:
- Luxury: Poly Hilton DoubleTree Hotel (private beach).
- Cost-effective: Yusen Heyuan Seaview Apartment (around 50 RMB per person, walking distance to the beach).
- **Honghai Bay Featured Homestays**:
- Sea Time Homestay (near Windmill Island), Qianshui Bay Homestay (fishing village retro style).
- **City Budget Options**: City Convenience Hotel (near Ermalu Food Street).
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### 🚗 **Transportation Tips**
- **External Transport**:
- High-speed rail: Guangzhou/Shenzhen → Shanwei Station (1-1.5 hours), take bus 112 to Jin Ting Bay or taxi from the station.
- Self-driving: Guanghui Expressway (3 hours from Guangzhou), Shenhai Expressway (2 hours from Shenzhen).
- **Local Transport**:
- Attractions are scattered, **self-driving is best** (free parking at Honghai Bay).
- Electric scooter rental about 80 RMB/day, city taxi starting fare 10 RMB.
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### 📅 **Classic Itineraries**
**🌟 2-Day Highlights Tour**
- **Day 1**: Honghai Bay (Sea Castle + Nanhai Guanyin) → Windmill Island sunset → Ermalu Night Market.
- **Day 2**: Jin Ting Bay (sunrise + beach) → Fengshan Ancestral Temple → Pinqing Lake boardwalk night view.
**⛱ 3-Day In-Depth Tour**
- **Day 3**: Haifeng Red Palace and Red Square → Lufeng Jieshi Bay (Xuanwu Mountain blessing + Qian'ao Beach camping) or Luhe Secluded Plum Garden (winter plum viewing).
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### ⚠️ **Notes**
1. **Best Seasons**: March-May (spring flower viewing), September-November (autumn sea viewing), beware of typhoons in summer.
2. **Avoid Pitfalls**:
- Some Honghai Bay spots require detailed navigation (e.g., find the Sea Castle in Nanhai Guanyin Scenic Area).
- Choose seafood stalls with clear pricing, beware of holiday price hikes (recommended Rich Food Street).
3. **Essentials**: Sunscreen, mosquito repellent, comfortable slippers; sensitive stomachs should be cautious with raw pickles.
> 💡 **Tip**: Shanwei culture blends Chaoshan and Hakka features. Follow the "Shanwei Culture & Tourism" WeChat official account for intangible cultural heritage performances (like rolling golden dragon, fishing songs) schedules.