Hezhou: History, River Landscapes and City Parks

Hezhou reveals many different sides: Xiyue Street is known for its historic buildings, while the Hejiang Corridor, lakes and parks shape the greener side of the urban area. Further afield, you’ll find a national forest park, Huangyao Ancient Town and a forest area with a long geological history. When choosing a holiday apartment, it helps to first consider whether you mainly want to explore the city’s history and green spaces, or also include destinations in the surrounding area in your itinerary.

Historic Buildings on Xiyue Street

Xiyue Street is one of the first historic and cultural districts at the level of the Guangxi Autonomous Region. The district preserves 23 historic buildings. This means its historic character is spread across several buildings rather than being confined to a single monument. If you’re focusing on culture and architectural history, you can set this part of Hezhou against the city’s green spaces. Xiyue Street thus provides a distinct cultural highlight on a trip that also takes in bodies of water and parks.

Water and Parks in the Urban Area

Nine water systems along the Hejiang scenic corridor connect Jintai Lake, Yongfeng Lake and Ailian Lake within the urban area of Hezhou. Water therefore shapes a distinct part of the cityscape, offering a contrast to the historic buildings of Xiyue Street. Dazhongshan Park is listed alongside Ailian Lake Park and Hezhou Garden Expo Park as one of three city parks in Guangxi’s city park plan for Hezhou. According to an account published in 2025, Hezhou’s ecological riverside and lakeside parks were used for walking, exercise and recreation. An account published in 2025 also mentions 23 themed pocket parks, including Shaliyuan Pocket Park and Taoyuan Road Pocket Park.

The plan for Hezhou Garden Expo Park was to retain it as a permanent facility after the exhibition. It would bring together ecology, landscape, recreation, culture, art and tourism with garden styles from different regions. In May 2024, the Crocodile Lizard Science and Research Base opened in the park, within the associated community. It was opened as the world’s first scientific education and research facility dedicated to crocodile lizards. Its role included sharing knowledge about the animals and biodiversity conservation with the public.

Scenery and Culture Nearby

Guposhan National Forest Park lies in northeastern Guangxi, at the southern end of the Mengzhuling Mountains, in the Hezhou area, 21 kilometres from Babu city centre. Huangyao Ancient Town lies in the northeast of Zhaoping County, 60 kilometres from Hezhou city centre. It is known for its characteristic karst landscapes, the worship of dragon culture, exquisite Ming- and Qing-era architecture, Guangfu folk customs and its revolutionary heritage. The distances refer to different city centres: the first is from Babu, and the second from Hezhou.

Yushi Forest in Pinggui District also broadens the picture of the surrounding landscape. Its formation is linked to a time more than 100 million years ago, during the Jurassic period. This geological timescale differs considerably from the history of the 23 buildings on Xiyue Street, offering another way to explore the region.

Use Your Itinerary to Guide Your Accommodation Search

If you’re mainly planning to visit Xiyue Street, the Hejiang Corridor and the city parks, the urban area can be the focus of your search for a holiday apartment in Hezhou. Guposhan, Huangyao and Pinggui add destinations nearby to your itinerary. For families, the mix of city history, water and parks, and scenery and culture offers a range of interests for different days, without every day needing to be the same. This lets you choose accommodation based on the priorities you want to pursue during your trip.

Discover More Destinations

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For the main travel overview: Guangxi.