Baiyun Mountain (Baiyun shan) makes a pleasant half day trip away from the traffic and congestion of Guangzhou. The Mountain (known locally as White Clouds Mountain) is approximately 15 km north of the city and is part of the Kunshan Mountain range.

This is a pretty spot with pagodas, monasteries and tea houses dotted about the mountain park. The mountain has some nice scenery and is refreshingly lush and green. It can get busy here, and the Chinese are particularly keen on this mountain but, it is large enough to enable you to rid yourself of the crowds. The peak, ‘Star touching hill’ (Moxing Ling) is a three-hour walk from the base and affords spectacular views over the surrounding countryside and city. The view at sunset is especially nice.

How to get there: The bus journey to Baiyun Mountain takes approximately one hour from the centre of town.
Cost: RMB 5 for Shannan Menggang, 10 for Tiantai Garden, and 3 for Xinghaiyuan.