Chizhou | May-June is Heavenly! A Hidden Gem with Few Tourists and Beautiful Scenery

| May-June is Heavenly! A Hidden Gem with Few Tourists and Beautiful Scenery. Chizhou, located in southwestern Anhui Province on the south bank of the Yangtze River, is known as the "Land of Poets for a Thousand Years" and is home to Mount Jiuhua, the sacred site of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. Surrounded by "three mountains and three waters" (Mount Jiuhua, Mount Guniujiang, and Shengjin Lake), Li Bai visited Mount Jiuhua three times and Qiupu River five times, writing the masterpiece "When asked about the Xin'an River, why is it so clear to the bottom? People walk as if in a bright mirror, birds fly as if through a folding screen" ✨! In spring, Chizhou has a mild climate without humidity, rapeseed flowers cover the terraced fields, tea gardens are fragrant - it's the perfect time to climb mountains for blessings, boat on clear streams, and experience this "poetic land of mountains and waters." ➤ Recommended Attractions (Ranked by popularity, 5 selected sites) ❶【Mount Jiuhua Scenic Area (National 5A Scenic Spot)】 📍 Recommendation Index: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🌟 Highlights: One of China's four famous Buddhist mountains, with 14 golden halls hidden among clouds and mist, a 99-meter tall compassionate statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, spring mountain flowers in full bloom, and frequent sea of clouds. 🕒 Opening Hours: Open all day (Core scenic area 06:30-17:30) 💰 Ticket Price: 160 yuan (April-November), Scenic shuttle bus 50 yuan (mandatory) ✨ Recommended Activities: • Must-do "Three Blessings": Worship Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva at the Flesh Body Hall, touch the "Disaster Relief and Longevity" stone tablet at Baishui Palace, and listen to the morning bell at Huacheng Temple. • Along the bamboo path at Minyuan Nunnery, wild azaleas and cloud brocade flowers bloom - wear plain-colored Hanfu for photos with a natural "empty mountain after rain" filter. • For the physically fit, choose the "Tiantai Route" hike: Phoenix Pine → Scripture Worship Platform → Tiantai Peak (about 3 hours), reach the summit to overlook the rolling sea of clouds, like a fairyland. • After descending, go to 【Jiuhua Street】 for vegetarian cuisine! Recommended "Pure Vegetarian Buns" and "Stone Ear Scrambled Eggs," paired with a cup of Jiuhua Buddhist tea for a zen-like experience. ❷【Apricot Blossom Village Cultural Tourism Area】 📍 Recommendation Index: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🌟 Highlights: Famous for Du Mu's poem "May I ask where the tavern is," combining Jiangnan gardens, wine culture, and farming experiences. In spring, apricot blossoms transform it into a "village from poetry." 🕒 Opening Hours: 08:30-17:30 💰 Ticket Price: 60 yuan (half price for students) ✨ Recommended Activities: • Ten thousand apricot trees in bloom, white walls and black tiles with pink blossoms - wear a qipao and take photos by the "Shepherd Boy Pointing" sculpture for instant classical Chinese-style photos. • Visit the "Wine Culture Museum": Learn about Chizhou's thousand-year "Guichi Wine" history and experience ancient wine-making methods (30 yuan/time). • Families with children should visit the "Farming Experience Area": plant rice seedlings, catch loaches (May-October), and experience pastoral life with "shepherd boy's flute." • At the exit, the "Apricot Blossom Village Tavern" offers must-try "Apricot Blossom Wine" (20 yuan for small bottle), paired with sesame candy - travel back to a Tang Dynasty tavern. ❸【Shitai Guniujiang Scenic Area (National 4A Scenic Spot)】 📍 Recommendation Index: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🌟 Highlights: "East China's last primitive forest," known for being "majestic, unique, dangerous, and beautiful." Spring for flower viewing, summer for escaping heat. In April, azaleas and cloud brocade flowers cover the valleys. 🕒 Opening Hours: 08:00-17:00 💰 Ticket Price: 100 yuan (includes Yanjia Ancient Village + Longmentan), Sightseeing car 15 yuan/one-way ✨ Recommended Activities: • Must-walk "Longmentan Loop": Follow wooden walkways to see emerald pools and hundred-meter cliff waterfalls. Remember to photograph the rainbow in the mist at "Four-Tiered Waterfall." • Explore "Yanjia Ancient Village": A 300-year-old Hui-style village with white walls, black tiles, and horse-head walls. Listen to the old village chief tell legends of Guniujiang at "Doctor's Mansion." • For the physically fit, choose the "Main Peak Hiking Route" (4 hours round trip): Climb to the 1,727-meter Guniu Ridge, overlook the Huangshan mountain range, with wild orchids fragrant along the way in spring. • After descending, eat "Shitai Selenium-Rich Feast" at village entrance restaurants! Recommended stinky mandarin fish, stone ear stewed with free-range chicken, paired with a bowl of kudzu root powder paste - healthy and delicious. ❹【Qiupu River Scenic Area】 📍 Recommendation Index: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🌟 Highlights: Birthplace of Li Bai's "Seventeen Songs of Qiupu," combining caves, bamboo rafting, and drifting. In spring, the water is clear, perfect for family trips and couples. 🕒 Opening Hours: 08:00-17:30 💰 Ticket Price: 120 yuan (includes cave + bamboo raft) ✨ Recommended Activities: • Morning exploration of "Hundred-Zhang Cliff Waterfall"! Wear straw shoes to play in the waterfall, cross single-plank bridges, climb rocks - 2 kilometers total for a "wet" adventure (remember to bring a change of clothes). • Lunch at riverside "Qiupu Fish Feast": Steamed white fish, river shrimp omelet - tender fish without bones, satisfying meal for about 60 yuan per person. • Afternoon bamboo rafting (40 yuan/person): Listen to boatmen sing folk songs, see cliff inscriptions like "Drunken Li Bai" and "Ancient Qiupu Ferry" along both banks, experience the charm of this "poetic river." • Evening stroll through "Fishing Village Ancient Street": Buy handmade fish sauce (15 yuan/bottle) and bamboo crafts, photograph the sunset glow on the river at the old dock. ❺【Pingtian Lake National Wetland Park】 📍 Recommendation Index: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highlights: The "green lungs" within the urban area, an 88-square-kilometer lake wetland. In spring, migratory birds nest and flowers bloom everywhere - perfect for cycling, camping, and stargazing. 🕒 Opening Hours: Open all day (Sightseeing car 09:00-17:00) 💰 Ticket Price: Free (Sightseeing car 20 yuan/person) ✨ Recommended Activities: • February orchids and irises bloom along the lakeshore. Rent a family bicycle (30 yuan/hour) and cycle along the 12-kilometer lake circuit, occasionally spotting egrets skimming the water. • Visit the "Lotus Platform" observation deck: 360° panoramic view of Pingtian Lake with Mount Jiuhua visible in the distance - a must for "Mountains and Waters of Chizhou" panoramic photos. • Take children to the "Science Museum": See wetland ecology exhibitions, participate in "Bird Feeding" interactions (held on weekends), and cultivate environmental awareness. • Camp by the lake at night! Set up tents and watch the stars. Remember to bring thick jackets as spring has large temperature differences. Super healing to see the misty lake surface at dawn. 🏞 3-Day Spring Itinerary for Chizhou D1: Jiuhua Blessings + Zen Time 🚄 Arrive in Chizhou → Taxi to Mount Jiuhua (1 hour from downtown) → Morning climb Mount Jiuhua, worship at Flesh Body Hall → Noon Jiuhua vegetarian meal → Afternoon visit Huacheng Temple, Moon Body Hall → Evening stay at mountain view guesthouse, fall asleep to temple bells D2: Poetic Landscapes + Ancient Town Exploration 🚗 Morning visit 【Apricot Blossom Village】 to enjoy blossoms and taste wine → Noon return to city center for "Xiaoba" (Chizhou special snack, recommended vermicelli filling, 2 yuan each) → Afternoon to 【Shitai Guniujiang】, stroll Longmentan to photograph emerald pools → Evening stay at Guniujiang guesthouse, fall asleep to stream sounds D3: Qiupu Poetic Charm + Wetland Adventure 🚢 Morning experience Qiupu River bamboo rafting, explore Hundred-Zhang Cliff Waterfall → Noon enjoy Qiupu fish feast → Afternoon visit 【Pingtian Lake Wetland Park】, cycle and view flowers → Evening watch sunset from "Pingtian Lake Bridge" to conclude the journey ➤ Must-Try Foods ❶ Chizhou Xiaoba: Glutinous rice wrapper with vermicelli/green bean/sesame filling, pan-fried until golden, 2 yuan each, breakfast stall must-try. ❷ Jiuhua Vegetarian Cuisine: Recommended "Buddha Bead Tofu" and "Vegetarian Ham," light and healthy. ❸ Stinky Mandarin Fish: Chizhou's version of Hui cuisine! Marinated mandarin fish with bamboo shoots and wood ear mushrooms - smells strong but tastes delicious, about 50 yuan per person. ❹ Selenium-Rich Tea Feast: Shitai specialty! Selenium-rich tea with scrambled eggs, tea-smoked meat, paired with a cup of Shitai selenium tea with endless aftertaste. ➤ Accommodation Guide ❶ Mount Jiuhua Core Scenic Area: Stay at mountain view guesthouses, open the window to see sea of clouds, convenient for early sunrise viewing (recommended Minyuan/Jiuhua Street). ❷ Chizhou City: Choose hotels in Changjiang Road business district, direct public transport to Apricot Blossom Village/Pingtian Lake, recommend high-floor lake view rooms. ❸ Shitai County: Near Guniujiang/Qiupu River, stay in Hui-style guesthouses to experience "green brick, small tiles, horse-head walls" Jiangnan charm. 🚗 Transportation Guide ✈️ By Air: Fly directly to Chizhou Jiuhua Mountain Airport, taxi to downtown about 30 yuan, or take bus route 29 (2 yuan) 🚄 By High-Speed Rail: Chizhou Station connects nationwide, 1 hour from Hefei, 1.5 hours from Nanjing, 3 hours from Shanghai 🚗 Self-Driving: Mount Jiuhua is 40 kilometers from downtown (1 hour), Guniujiang is in Shitai County (1.5 hours from downtown), drive slowly on winding mountain roads 🚌 City Transportation: Get "Chizhou Pass" for buses, starting from 1 yuan; taxis within downtown generally under 20 yuan