Herbal (Baicao) Garden at the Lingnan Wonderland Eco-Resort National Rural Complex entered trial operation April 22 with a mix of science promotion, accommodations, catering services, and greenhouse fruit and vegetable picking.

Visitors will acquire a better understanding of China's 24 solar terms through immersive cultural scenarios depicting the ox for Beginning of Spring, pan scales for Beginning of Summer, and a large teapot for Major Heat.

They can also tour the Science Popularization Hall on Chinese Southern Medicines (traditional medicine produced in tropical or sub-tropical areas south of the Yangtze River), sample Lingnan (Cantonese) culinary delicacies, and lodge in a Lingnan-styled B&B.

Herbal Garden [Photo by Zhang Zhou / WeChat account: zhuhaifabu]

The resort covers 11.77 sqkm (4.54 sq miles) at the State-level agricultural sci-tech Doumen Eco-Agriculture Park, which spreads among Shilong, Dongwan, and Xialan villages. It is being developed in three phases at a cost of 2.7 billion yuan ($415.7 million).

Amorous Waterfront Street, a prosperous ancient commercial block of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), is now being designed. It will offer one-stop shopping, leisure, catering, and entertainment with a Cantonese culinary delicacy domain, folk craft workshops, bars, customs experiences, B&Bs, and stores.

In the third phase, Marriott International's first countryside hotel in China will open by the end of next year with 300 guestrooms and conference, banquet, and catering facilities built to five-star standards.

The sole State-level pilot countryside complex in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, it will boost Doumen as a National Model Village for Rural Rejuvenation and help Zhuhai become a National All-for-One Tourism Demonstration Zone.

Drive to Herbal Garden of the Lingnan Wonderland Eco-Resort National Rural Complex (岭南大地田园综合体百草园) using GPS navigation.