Planning your summer vacation? Follow GO Guangdong to explore ancient villages

As the summer holiday approaches, are you still searching for a destination that combines authentic Guangdong charm with global appeal?
 
On July 2, GO Guangdong, a service platform designed for international visitors, was officially launched. Its inaugural release features three themed routes, with the "Unseen Rural China" route showcasing 10 hidden-gem villages across Guangdong, inviting visitors to explore the countryside of Lingnan through an international perspective.

 

Langtou Village: China's first rural revitalization project at Venice Biennale

 

Langtou Village, located in Tanbu Town within Guangzhou's Huadu District, boasts a history of 700 years and a rich cultural heritage. It was founded by the Huang family in the 27th year of Emperor Zhizheng's reign during the Yuan Dynasty (A.D. 1367) . The village's name is derived from its location on low hillocks adjacent to waterlogged fields, pronounced "lǎng tián" in Chinese.
 
The Langtou Rural Revitalization Project is initiated by the Guangdong Provincial Vipshop Charity Foundation, an organization committed to women's empowerment, rural revitalization, and innovative public welfare through the Internet. With a total investment exceeding 200 million RMB (approximately 27.8 million USD), the project seeks to explore new paths for rural development and establish a sustainable model for shared prosperity.
 
Dafen Village: China's oil painting powerhouse transforms into global art stage

 

At its peak, 70 percent of oil paintings in the U.S. and European markets were produced in China, while 80 percent of Chinese oil paintings were produced in Dafen.
 
Dafen Oil Painting Village is located just a 30-minute drive from downtown Shenzhen and has been nurturing the oil painting industry for more than 30 years. Today, the village boasts an oil painting museum, thousands of galleries, workshops, and studios. Whether you are an art buyer, an enthusiast or simply looking for a creative experience, Dafen is a must-visit destination.
 
In 1989, entrepreneurs like Hong Kong art dealer Huang Jiang came to Dafen. Taking advantage of its affordable living costs, labor costs, and geographical proximity to Hong Kong, they began to produce and purchase oil paintings in Dafen and sold them abroad, thus introducing the oil painting industry.
 
Beishan Village: Revitalizing a 780-year-old legacy into a global cultural hub
 

 
Beishan Village is located in a suburb about a 15-minute drive from downtown Zhuhai. With a history spanning over 780 years, the village has transformed into a model of sustainable community and become a popular cultural hotspot. Its traditional Lingnan-style buildings house a variety of coffee shops, restaurants, and independent stores. It is a must-visit destination for coffee, photography, old architecture, and antique enthusiasts.
 
Xiqiao Town: Art festival puts villages in global spotlight
 

 
Xiqiao Town, a historic gem in Foshan, has emerged as a global tourist hotspot through the organization of Art Field Nanhai. Serving as the flagship venue for this internationally acclaimed art festival, the town transforms rural landscapes into immersive art installations, blending local stories seamlessly with contemporary creativity.
 
Genzi Town: Ancient lychee orchard thrives with tech innovations
 

 
Maoming City, located in Guangdong Province, is renowned as the "Lychee Capital of China", as it boasts the largest production scale of lychees in the country. In the rolling hills of Maoming, a quiet agricultural revolution is unfolding. For more than two thousand years, Maoming's lychees have traveled from the imperial courts of ancient China to the shelves of local supermarkets.
 
In Genzi Town, visitors can not only savor the sweetness of various lychee varieties but also witness how the lychee industry thrives through a blend of tradition and cutting-edge science. Centuries-old lychee trees coexist with AI-powered orchards, while farmers' cooperatives export lychee ice cream to Europe. This unassuming region, home to 4,700 hectares of lychee groves and an annual yield of 60,000 tons, leads the country in both production scale and quality.
 
Fenghuang Town: Teochew tea industry drives rural prosperity
 

 
Dancong tea, a renowned Chinese oolong, is a vital component of UNESCO-listed heritage, China's traditional tea processing techniques, and playing a central role in the Teochew Gongfu Cha tradition worldwide. Located in Chaoan District of Chaozhou City and nestled in the Fenghuang Mountain of eastern Guangdong, Fenghuang Town is renowned as the birthplace of Chinese oolong tea and serves as the primary production area for Dancong tea.
 
With a tea cultivation and processing history that spans over 900 years, Fenghuang boasts an extensive area of tea gardens covering more than 4,667 hectares, with an annual production exceeding 5000 tons (about 11 million pounds). This generates an output value close to 2 billion RMB (around 278.74 million USD). This thriving tea industry forms the backbone of the local economy and has played a crucial role in enhancing the livelihoods of residents.
 
Boluo County: Scenic highway unveils hidden charm of Hakka villages
 

 
When driving or cycling along the "Most Beautiful Tourist Highway" in Boluo County, Huizhou City, a mesmerizing panorama unfolds before your eyes: the mist - shrouded main peak of Luofu Mountain, ancient banyan trees that are over a thousand years old, and bamboo forests stretching across thousands of acres. The highway connects ancient villages with blue - brick walls and black tiles, as well as new homestays offering breathtaking views of mountains and waters.
 
Yakou Village: Urban dwellers enticed by endless paddy fields, seamless transportation
 

Located on the western bank of the Pearl River Estuary, Yakou Village in Nanlang Sub-district, Zhongshan City, faces the Lingdingyang Sea area to the east, with Shenzhen and Hong Kong across the waters. The Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link opened in 2024, making the village just a 25-minute drive (20km) from the Cuiheng East Exit of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link and facilitating effortless transportation from megacities such as Shenzhen and Hong Kong.
 
Dongkeng Town: Elderly care system initiated to address aging challenges

 

 
The global population is aging at an unprecedented rate. This demographic shift has led to significant challenges for traditional elderly care systems.
 
Dongguan, often referred to as the world's factory, is a megacity located in the Pearl River Delta. Dongkeng Town, part of Dongguan, is situated near Shenzhen and Guangzhou, as well as the Songshan Lake, which hosts renowned brands such as Huawei and OPPO. Therefore, the town has experienced a significant outflow of young residents who migrate to the nearby urban areas for work, leading to an increasing number of "empty-nest" elderly residents. To address this challenge, it has initiated an innovative model that leverages local resources to feed the increasing demand for elderly care.
 
Tangkou Town: International minds re-imagine world heritage revitalization

 
Guangdong's Jiangmen City has long been a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors from home and abroad due to its iconic Diaolou and Villages. Recognized as UNESCO World Heritage sites, Kaiping Diaolou and Villages feature multi-storey defensive houses that showcase a complex and vibrant fusion of Chinese and Western architectural and decorative styles.
 
Having reached their peak during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Diaolou stood abandoned as residents relocated in the early 20th century. How to keep these World Heritage sites alive? In Tangkou, a town boasting 536 registered Diaolou, the local government, NGOs, and architects have developed strategies that enable communities to flourish within these historic spaces.
 
More themed routes are available at: https://goguangdong.southcn.com/
 
Reported by Yin Juewen, Zhou Hongdou, Ding Hefei, Tang Huiting, Zhang Shujing
 
Poster by Chen Weihong