FORGET work. Throw away your worries and fully enjoy the Spring Festival holiday. This "golden week," from Jan. 29 to Feb. 4, the most important Chinese festival, has always been a major time for traveling.

If you still have not finalized your plans, it must be done right away.

The following are some of the most popular attractions right in Shenzhen and farther a field.

It is a Chinese tradition to visit temples during the Spring Festival, praying for a year of good luck and happiness. People also pray for their family's well-being, health and safety. For most people, a temple trip is more for blessings than for religious ritual.

Temples

Hongfa Temple

Although this is a young temple, founded in 1985, Hongfa Temple is one of the most popular Buddhist temples in South China. Located in Shenzhen's Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, the temple combines grand buildings with picturesque scenery. Many believe that the temple has the power to make wishes come true.

Visitors can also tour the botanical garden, with more than 300,000 plants.

Add: Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, Liantang, Luohu District

Buses: 505 (goes along Binhe Road), 65 (stops at Zhenhua Road), 218 (goes along Sungang Road), and 220 (departs at Jianshe Road)

Ticket: 20 yuan for the Fairy Lake Botanical Garden

Hours: 6 a.m.-11 p.m.

Fenghuang Temple

Fenghuang Temple was first constructed in the early Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). It is located on Fenghuang Mountain in Fuyong Subdistrict, Bao'an District.

The temple is especially popular among young lovers, who believe that praying here can guarantee lifelong happiness. Visitors pick fortunes on bamboo sticks to predict their luck in the new year.

Add: Fenghuang Mountain, Fuyong Subdistrict, Bao'an

Bus: 301A (stops at Shanghai Hotel West)

Hours: 6 a.m.-5 p.m.

Hiking

Get away from the crowded scenic spots and get closer to nature with a hike.

Maluan Mountain

Maluan Mountain may not be the most famous mountain in the Shenzhen area, but it is extremely popular for easy hiking. The trails are beautiful and varied with clear streams, lush woods, Chinese plum blossoms and one of the area's largest waterfalls.

Getting there:

Take bus No. 103 on Shennan Road to Dameisha beach. The trail starts at Diecuihu Reservoir and ends at Dameisha beach.

Wutong Mountain

Covering an area of about 32 square kilometers, Wutong Mountain is in fact a series of hills, the highest peak of which is 944 meters high.

Seemingly far-removed from the city, streams flow down the gullies, and rich vegetation covers the hills. Beware the deceptively steep slopes.

The peak of "Grave Slope" offers a splendid view of Dapeng Bay, Yantian Harbor and Hong Kong.

Getting there:

Bus 211 can be taken from Dongmen Road Central. It goes to the village right below Wutong Mountain.

Hot springs

Conghua hot springs

The Conghua hot springs date back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. The water at this national tourist attraction and health resort is enriched with more than 10 kinds of minerals, including calcium, magnesium, and sodium. The temperatures of the springs range from 30 to 71 degrees Celsius, with clear, warm water bubbling to the surface at 12 different springs.

Getting there:

By car, drive to Conghua via the Guangzhou-Conghua Expressway and No.105 National Highway.

Or take a bus to Conghua from any intercity bus terminal in Shenzhen. It takes 3 hours to get to Conghua.

New Yinzhan Hot Spring, Qingyuan

Located near the Yinzhan Tollgate of the Guangzhou-Qingyuan Expressway, the hot spring is called a "natural oxygen bar" in the Pearl River Delta.

The 64-degree-Celsius hot spring originates from a 100-meter-deep underground source. Walking along a small path, visitors can find 81 hot spring pools, including a milk pool, fragrance therapy pool, light wave pool, and herbal pool.

Getting there: By car, take the Guangzhou-Qingyuan Expressway at the Yinzhan Tollgate.

Or take an intercity bus to Qingyuan city. The bus ride is 3.5 hours. Then transfer to local buses.

Editor: Wing