Baiyun district boasts complex landforms. Hilly terrains are mainly scattered near Baiyun Mountain, as well as east of the Liangtian and Taihe areas. Terraces and piedmont tablelands are primarily located in the Zhuliao section of the Liuxi River, Zhongluotan, Longgui and Xinshi. The Sanyuanli and Jiahe areas are covered by an alluvial plain. The Pearl River Delta is principally distributed in the southwest of the district, which consists of the Songzhou, Tongde and part of the Shijing and Xinshi sub-districts.

Mountains in the district belong to the branches of Jiulian Mountain and stretch from northeast to southwest across the district. There are dozens of mountains and ridges at an altitude of more than 300 meters in the district. Baiyun Mountain and Maofeng Mountain are the grandest among them.

Baiyun Mountain is in the northeast of Guangzhou. It is about seven kilometers long and four kilometers wide, with a total area of 28 square kilometers and a special protected area of 20.98 square kilometers. There are over 30 hills in the mountainous area. Moxing Ridge, 372.3 meters above sea level, is its highest peak, and provides a view overlooking Guangzhou and the Pearl River. It features a gentle slope on the west side and rises steeply on the east side, extending from north to south.

Baiyun Mountain is home to many natural scenic spots and historical and cultural heritage sites, such as Luhu Lake, Fei'e Ridge, Mingchun Valley and Mingzhu Tower. It has been included on the list of the top scenic areas in Guangzhou many times since the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

Maofeng Mountain is situated in the east of Baiyun district and stretches from Huakeng in the north to Luobu Cave in the south and from Shatian in the east to Toubei in the west. With a total area of about 30 square kilometers, it is composed of more than 30 hills. Lianhua Peak, which has an altitude of 534.9 meters, is its highest hill and the highest in Baiyun district. A forest farm was set up in 1963 to manage forest resources on the mountain.

The Maofeng Mountain Forest Park, which was established in 1997, was formally recognized as a provincial forest park in 2001. The park enjoys dense vegetation and rich water resource. There are three reservoirs that stretch like pearls across the park. All these natural scenes have provided abundant resources for development of the mountain’s tourism.