7 Days in Maoming

The oil-shale mine of 1958 is long closed; since 2013 the roughly 10-sq-km pit has filled as Haoxin Lake. Walk or ride the rim, then eat downtown.

1. maoming open pit park
2. maoming city markets

The 1.9-sq-km island sits about 8 nautical miles off Bohe fishing port — diving coves below, a lookout above. Return ferries thin out after mid-afternoon.

1. maoming fangji island

Two Dianbai beaches in one hop — the 5-km resort strand of the Romantic Coast and the public China First Beach stretching about 12 km.

1. maoming romantic coast
2. maoming china first beach

In Diancheng, the shrine and Sui-era tomb compound of Lady Xian (c. 522-602), the Li chieftain who served the Liang, Chen and Sui courts, plus a small exhibit hall. Seafood lunch by the harbor.

1. maoming xiantai hometown

An hour north, the Lady Xian temple dates to the Ming Jiajing era (1535); the brick Baoguang Pagoda, built in 1576, still measures 65.8 m — one of the taller ancient brick towers in Guangdong.

1. maoming gaozhou xiantai temple
2. maoming baoguang pagoda

Zhenlong preserves the seat of Tang-era Douzhou, with the Qing gate tower of Wenmingmen among its lanes. Continue into the hills for the waterfalls and meadows of Tianma Mountain, and stay local for mountain food.

1. maoming zhenlong old town
2. maoming tianma mountain

A slow morning through the markets and lychee stalls — Maoming farms some 1.4 million mu of the fruit — then the HSR from Maoming Station.

1. maoming city markets