Escape summer heat at Phoenix Mountain Forest Park

Fenghuang Shan (凤凰山), or Phoenix Mountain Forest Park, is located in Bao'an District. It's a free forest park open to the public, with an ancient temple at its peak.

At the entrance, there's a large square that leads into the park. I arrived around 4 p.m. and completed the climb in about an hour. Along the way, there was a flowing river with small waterfalls, which served as a nice warm-up for the steeper steps ahead.

At the peak, I reached Fengyan Ancient Temple, which was built during the Yuan Dynasty and has a history of over 600 years. During my visit, some people were praying and lighting incense at the shrines. The temple grounds also feature a gated shallow pool with, from what I could see, over 100 live turtles! In the pool, there were gold statues of turtles with dragon heads and a golden pot on their backs. Tossing coins into the pots is said to bring good fortune.

Overall, this park is a perfect spot for an afternoon escape into nature, offering a peaceful break from the busy city life.