5 Days in Maoming

The oil-shale mine begun in 1958 closed long ago; since 2013 the roughly 10-sq-km pit has filled as Haoxin Lake. Walk the rim loop, then go downtown for a seafood dinner.

1. maoming open pit park
2. maoming city markets

Boats leave Bohe fishing port for the 1.9-sq-km island, about 8 nautical miles out, with diving coves and a lookout on the hill. Return sailings thin out after mid-afternoon.

1. maoming fangji island

Two stretches of the Dianbai shoreline in one day — the 5-km resort beach of the Romantic Coast and the public sands of China First Beach running about 12 km further south.

1. maoming romantic coast
2. maoming china first beach

A half-day in Diancheng for the shrine, the Sui-era tomb compound and the exhibit hall on Lady Xian (c. 522-602), the Li chieftain who served the Liang, Chen and Sui courts. Back to town for the evening markets.

1. maoming xiantai hometown

An hour north, Gaozhou's Lady Xian temple dates to the Ming Jiajing era (1535), and the Baoguang Pagoda of 1576 still rises 65.8 m. At Genzi, century-old lychee trees anchor groves covering about 1.4 million mu across Maoming. HSR home from Maoming Station.

1. maoming gaozhou xiantai temple
2. maoming genzi lychee orchard