Visiting Danxiashan National Park is very easy from Guangzhou. By the high speed train from Guangzhou south Station (GuangzhouNanZhan) to Shaoguan (韶关) Train Station for around 51 minutes (normal train will take 2-3 hours!).
From the new Shaoguan train station, I took a tourist bus just in front of the train station exit, and look for bus stop platform no. 6 to the Danxiashan directly which depart every 30 minutes for 20 RMB.
After an hour trip with many beautiful views of Danxia landscape along the road, the bus dropped me at a tourist complex in front of the gate of the national park near ticket office , a truly typical Chinese tourist facilities. The entrance fee was 120 RMB for weekend and valid for 48 hours (2 days)and there is another choice of package include bamboo raft trip was 220 RMB/person (include small car transport from in front of ticket office to go deep inside the park) quite cheap compared to other famous national park in China.
Inside the park was well organized with many tourist buses that took me to every points of interest, but be prepare your feet which you still need to walk hike up and down stairs. My first chosen place to visit was the famed and one of the landmarks of the park, Yangyuan Stone or male stone, the large red phallus stone.
From the male stone, the bus took me to another gate which required fingerprint scan from every visitor! Then I went to another landmark of the park, the Zhanglao Peak or Elder Peak where I took cable car to the top of the peak for 40RMB per one way or 60 RMB round trip valid for 1 day.
From the Elder Peak (Sun Viewing Pavilion) at around 400m altitude to the Female stone, Yingyuan Stone which at 200m altitude, this will need extra strength to walk down and up for about 3km, and beware not to miss the last boat to the exit at 17:50pm, otherwise you need to walk to the exit like I did and took me another 1.5 hour walking to the exit from Yingyuan (Female) Stone.
These foot path stairs will make your feet shaking which you will meet all the way at this Danxia Mountain
On the peak, there is a beautiful forest with many lovely springs, pavilion, monasteries and hiking trails for tourists to discover.
Then I took a river cruise on Jinjiang River, the view along the river was very breathtaking and high recommended.
From my experience Danxiashan National Park is a nice place to visit and very easy to be there.
Tips for seeing sunrise :
The park free bus is running for 24 hour per day, you can go early morning to the park and then take the cable car which open at 04:30am (please check again 1 day before you take this early cable car) to Sun Viewing Pavilion (Elder Peak) which only few hundred meters follow the path direction from the cable car exit, you will see a remarkable breathtaking view of sunrise combine with sea clouds covering half of the mountain peaks.
Or, some people will do one night camping at the peak.
