Plan at a glance
Paid scenic area and season
Maozifeng Tourist Scenic Area is in Maozifeng Forest Farm, Nanxiong. It is a managed ginkgo attraction that relies heavily on shuttle buses. Allow 4–6 hours. The reference viewing season is mid-November to mid-December, with late November to early December often closer to the main window, although weather and leaf fall still matter.
The reference ticket price is CNY 50, the round-trip sightseeing bus is about CNY 30, and an online package is about CNY 80. The area is large, so the sightseeing bus is usually necessary. The scenic area closes around 17:30, and the last bus may leave earlier. Do not wait until after 14:00 to start the main route.
Difference from Pingtian
Maozifeng is a paid, centrally managed attraction linked by shuttle buses. Pingtian is a free ginkgo route scattered across villages. Maozifeng suits visitors who want Golden Avenue, old forest-farm houses, and several fixed stops in one visit, but queues and road congestion are more obvious in peak season.
Ready to book?
Use the standard admission package for the core shuttle route; confirm the visit date and current opening hours before checkout.
Book Ticketsvia Trip.comChoose your visit
Golden Avenue and forest-farm buildings
Golden Avenue is Maozifeng's most concentrated and easiest-to-understand ginkgo sight. Yellow leaves, old houses, and forest-farm roads create a nostalgic scene. Xiaofangping works well for portraits because of its tree shapes, while Linjiapu is quieter and better for avoiding the crowds on the main road.
Forest and family activities
Dafangping, Luqigu, and the surrounding forest areas also offer nature observation and family activities. Luqigu may have add-ons such as feeding sika deer. Whether an activity is open, suitable for children, or worth the extra walking depends on the day's operation and your group's energy.
Who it suits and how it is managed
Maozifeng suits visitors who want concentrated ginkgo views, are comfortable with shuttle-bus management, and are willing to buy a scenic-area package. It is easier than Pingtian for viewing several sights in one place, but peak-season queues, signal gaps, and internal transport are more noticeable. The main trade-off is between facilities and centralized management on one hand, and crowds and ticket cost on the other.
Build your day
Shuttle-bus main route
Follow “Scenic-area gate → sightseeing bus → Golden Avenue → Xiaofangping → Dafangping or Linjiapu → return according to the last bus.” Do not get off randomly or wait for another bus just to reduce a short walk. Confirm the stops and return direction first.
Photography and family visits
The entrance to Golden Avenue works well for road scenes, the middle section for portraits, and the far end for local products and forest-farm life. The swings and shorter ginkgo trees at Xiaofangping suit family photos. Deer-feeding at Luqigu is an add-on; decide according to the day's opening and your family's interest.
Get there
Driving
Driving from the Pearl River Delta takes about 3.5–4.5 hours. Navigate to the Maozifeng Tourist Scenic Area parking lot; parking is approximately CNY 10 per day. The mountain road has many bends and narrow sections, so drive in daylight and do not park along narrow road edges during the peak season.
Public transport
You can first reach Shaoguan Station or Nanxiong Station, then transfer to a Nanxiong bus, scenic-area shuttle, or shared ride. Daily services are limited, and public transport is less convenient than driving. If you use public transport, confirm the last return service rather than planning only around the scenic area's closing time.
Know before you go
Queues and signal
Long queues may form on peak-season weekends. Arriving before 08:30 on a weekday makes the pace easier to control. Mobile signal is unstable in some mountain sections, so prepare an offline map and some cash.
Weather and equipment
Stone paths and fallen leaves can be slippery, so wear sports shoes with good grip. The temperature in the mountains may be 5–8°C lower than in the city in the morning and evening; bring a thick jacket. Rain and strong wind can change the ginkgo scene, and Golden Avenue is not guaranteed to remain covered in golden leaves.
Internal operations
Sightseeing buses, glass attractions, and other add-ons cannot be assumed to be covered by the Maozifeng main ticket. Accommodation and meals inside the scenic area may change the ticket, parking, or entry arrangements. Such benefits apply only under specific merchant conditions, not to every visitor.