Where to combine with Hong Kong at Easter?

[mambojambodothetango]

Booked flights in and out of HK for Easter 26 (12 days total). Current plan is to visit friends using an AirBNB base in HK for some of it (maybe 5 days) but go somewhere else for the rest. Possible destinations we've considered are: mainland China, Vietnam, Okinawa. Not bothered about Thailand or Malaysia (or Macau!) and don't want another long flight.

I've got this romantic idea we can get on a train in HK and explore rural China for a week but have no idea where. We have been to Tokyo etc but would be fascinated to see tropical Japan. Not sure we could do justice to Vietnam in a week but happy to try.

Don't want to be based in a city (though would visit e.g. Hanoi if we did Vietnam) and we like being active so ideally somewhere with walks/hikes and maybe sea but not vital. We will probably spend most of the time in HK sitting around dinner tables with friends so will want to blow away some cobwebs.

Not too keen on resorts.

DC will be 15 and 10.

Thanks!

The scenery between Hong Kong and Guangzhou is quite idylically Chinese in parts and one famous rural and area in west Guangdong is Kaiping.This has old mansion type buildings called Diaolou and old villages and if you venture further westwards in Guangdong you ll reach Zhanjiang which was know at one time ad Fort Bayan which was a French Hong Kong and still has some of it Gallic heritage intact.Normally quiet and relaxed areas to explore.Also you can get to the island volcano of Naozhou from Zhanjiang which has some interesting historical sights.

Just popping back here to say we plumped for Yangshuo and had an amazing time! Thank you for all your suggestions.

Amazing! I remember it back when it was all fields (and banana pancake backpacker cafes).