A Hike at Chawangqi Shan Mountain

I looked at the map briefly and noticed that there are two hills in the vicinity of the Mello Hotel, namely Chawangqi Shan and Hutou Shan (Tiger Head Hill). They are of medium heights, and I thought it was suitable for a short hiking session.

At first, I thought I could get there very quickly from Mello Hotel. Then, the one hiker that uploaded relevant information on Gaode map said that the actual path lies some 40 minutes away by walk. When I went behind the Mello to find the entrance and failed to find it, I figured I must walk 40 minutes to the proper entrance as shown by the Gaode hiker.

That I did do, and it was all good until I went on a wrong path at about the 15-minute point into the hilly area. The problem with hiking is that, sometimes when you are on a wrong ascending path, it is too dangerous to make the descent to find the right way. That was the scenario before me. I figured that I was on the correct general direction, and so I pushed on even knowing that it was the wrong path.

There were a few dangerous moments where I could have gotten hurt. My greatest fear was having to call for rescue, as that would be an incredibly stupid thing for an experienced hiker. Somehow, I pushed on and did end up on a proper hiking path. I then followed the hiking ribbons all along the way.

The View at Chawangqi Shan

In Chinese, Chawangqi means “planting a viewing flag.” There is a reason why it is named as such. During the Japanese invasion of the 20^th century, the Dongshan villagers took turns to watch out for ambush by the Japanese forces at this hill. If Japanese fleets approached, they raised a red flag on this hill, and everybody on the ground would be notified. It is perhaps no surprise that, at its highest point, the hill comes with significant rock formations that enable 360 views of the ocean and the surrounding facilities.

Photos above: A panoramic view at Chawangqi Shan Mountain, looking east.

Looking west, an urban view shows the extent to which the eastern shore is also developed. Looking east, views of ocean facilities come into sight. Rows of circles appear to be sea fish ponds. Beautiful yachts, which were quite distinct from the rundown junks at the Dongshan Pier, show the sophistication of which Shenzhen is capable. The Qixingwan (Seven Star Bay) Yacht Club is namely the most popular yacht club setting for wedding photos.

The view was truly fantastic as the sky opened up with generous sunlight. I soaked in all that wholesomeness before me, but knowing full well that the descent from Chawangqi Shan would be tough. It was indeed so. After a rather rigorous descent, I came across a crossroads.

If I headed straight, I would take the ascent up the Tiger Head Hill. If I turned left, I would be heading to the area of Mello (so there was indeed a path behind Mello), and if I turned right, I would be heading to the Yacht Club direction. I chose the path on the right. As soon as I arrived in civilization, I called a car to take me to YUN hotel to meet my friend.

I do not recommend this hike to any tourist at all, although I did come out unhurt. My arms were all scratched up by the dense spiky plants along the way. I don’t know how many times I had to stick my heads through spiderwebs.

The YUN Hotel

When my friend and I both arrived at the YUN hotel, we noticed the remarkable difference between a proper hotel establishment and the guesthouse type of accommodation. The scale of the hotel spoke for itself. The most significant feature at the YUN Hotel is the yacht area. It provides some touristy features, such as a floating train track and a small waterfront area that is dedicated to boating activities.

At first glance that generated some interest. The original plan of the day was to find something to do before we would sit down for dinner by the sunset. The activities at the YUN hotel could be a good option. However, we learned that the YUN Hotel’s only restaurant did not offer dim sum, so we headed out to the western shore of Nanao for lunch.