Huguangyan National Geopark Scenic Area

Huguangyan National Geopark Scenic Area is located 18 kilometers northeast of downtown Zhanjiang, Guangdong province. The park spans a total area of 38 square kilometers, comprising mostly maar volcanic, but also coastal, structural and other landforms. 

The greatest attraction in the park is the Huguangyan Maar Lake, a typical maar lake in China and one of the best preserved crater lakes in the world. The sediment at the bottom of the lake has witnessed changes in climate and environment in the past 100,000 years. With the storage of large amounts of data on climatic and environmental changes, it has been called "the Almanac of Natural Environmental Changes" by experts.

The earliest research on maar lakes in China wasbased on Huguangyan Maar Lake; it's chosen by scientists from China and Germany to conduct scientific research on a cooperative basis.

The Huguangyan Maar Lake has become a sister lake of the maar lake in Eifel, Germany. It is surrounded by volcanic slopes, cliffs and crags. The volcanic rocks have clear stratifications. The water is so clear that the surface looks like a mirror which reflects the surrounding rocks, producing a beautiful landscape painting. In the Park tall trees stand high into the sky and ancient vines intertwine with the trees. With lush vegetation, the park has a high concentration of negative oxygen ions, and is therefore called the "natural oxygen bar". While walking along the lake you will feel extremely refreshed and joyful.

The Park boasts a very long history, which dates back to the Sui Dynasty (581-618), when Buddhist monks built some ancient temples in the likes of the Lengyan Temple and Baiyi Nunnery. The inscription of three Chinese characters of "Hu Guang Yan" handwritten by Li Gang,a prime minister during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), remains intact on the crag.

The attraction was designated as national 4A level tourist attraction in 2003.

Key Attractions: the maar lake, the volcanic geological sites, the Lengyan Temple, the Sea Watching Tower and the Volcanic Museum

Recommended Activities: Walking, Cycling and Barbequing

Address: The Huguangyan Scenic Area, Huguang township, Mazhang district.