Shaoguan city has only a handful of sights such as the Fengcai Lou, a reconstruction of an ancient city gate, and the Dajian Chan Monastery founded in AD 660, but there are three worthwhile places of interest in the vicinity. The Nanhua Temple 25 km to the southeast, was founded in AD 502 and became renowned for its connection with Bodhidarma, the founder of Chan (Zen) Buddhism who meditated here for 36 years. One of the halls contains a statue of him, said to have been cast from his corpse; another has a statue of a monk walking on stilts. The bell tower has a large, 700-year-old bronze bell cast in the Song Dynasty.

About 50 km northeast of city, Danxia Mountain is a 290-sq-km park on the banks of the Jin. It has a number of rocky outcrops in fascinating shapes, with trails leading to their summits. A boat or bus takes visitors farther along the river to Danxia Mountain itself. Meaning “Red Cloud,” it has brilliant red sandstone cliffs, with paths leading past hillside monasteries .

About 18 km south of Shaoguan is Shizi Yan, a cave where the prehistoric remains of Homo erectus, our immediate ancestor, were found. The museum displays arrowheads, pottery, and artifacts from local prehistoric sites.