Yongjia 3 Days 2 Nights Highlights Tour Guide

✨ Trip Highlights · Perfect combination of mountains, rivers, and ancient villages: one day to admire stunning peaks and clear waters, another day to visit thousand-year-old villages, with a well-balanced itinerary. · In-depth local experiences: includes bamboo raft drifting, autumn crop drying in ancient villages, intangible cultural heritage food making, and other special activities. · High cost-performance choice: carefully selected free/low-cost attractions, recommended unique homestays, and reasonable budget control. 🗓️ Itinerary Overview Here is the overall arrangement for the 3-day trip, helping you quickly understand the entire journey: ```mermaid gantt title Yongjia 3 Days 2 Nights Itinerary dateFormat HH:mm axisFormat %H:%M section Day 1: Mountain and Water Wonders & Rafting Experience Arrive in Yongjia :d1_1, 09:00, 1h Visit Shiwaiyan :d1_2, after d1_1, 3h Lunch at Lingshangrenjia :d1_3, after d1_2, 1.5h Meiren Peak Rafting :d1_4, after d1_3, 2h Check-in at Homestay :d1_5, after d1_4, 1h Dinner by Nanxi River :d1_6, after d1_5, 1.5h section Day 2: Ancient Village Stroll & Farming and Reading Culture Linkeng Ancient Village :d2_1, 09:00, 2h Daitou Ancient Village :d2_2, after d2_1, 2h Farmhouse Lunch :d2_3, after d2_2, 1.5h Cangpo Ancient Village :d2_4, after d2_3, 2h Lishui Street Night View :d2_5, after d2_4, 2h Rest at Homestay :d2_6, after d2_5, 1h section Day 3: Cultural Experience & Leisure Return Yongjia Academy :d3_1, 09:00, 3h Specialty Lunch :d3_2, after d3_1, 1.5h Nanxi Greenway Walk :d3_3, after d3_2, 1.5h Buy Local Products :d3_4, after d3_3, 1h Return Trip :d3_5, after d3_4, 1h ``` 🗺️ Detailed Itinerary 🏞️ Day 1: Mountain and Water Wonders & Rafting Experience · Morning: Arrival and Shiwaiyan Visit After arriving from Wenzhou to Yongjia, head straight to Shiwaiyan Scenic Area. This is a landmark of Nanxi River, with a 306-meter-high giant rock resembling a ship’s mast, very spectacular. It is recommended to spend 2-3 hours hiking along the plank road, enjoying the canyon, clear pools, and strange peaks. You can also take a small boat through the "Little Three Gorges" to experience a serene landscape painting. · Noon: Lunch at Lingshangrenjia Go to Lingshangrenjia for lunch. This southern Zhejiang mountain village homestay almost all serve roasted whole lamb. The roasted lamb uses local mountain goats, charcoal-grilled with a unique recipe, crispy outside, tender inside, oily but not greasy. If you can’t finish a whole lamb alone, you can order other local dishes like Nanxi river snails and braised field fish. · Afternoon: Meiren Peak Rafting After lunch, head to the Meiren Peak rafting project for an exciting water activity. The rafting route is 3 kilometers long with 13 fantastic checkpoints, taking about 1.5-2 hours. Feel the cool splashes in the rapids, an excellent choice for summer heat relief. · Evening: Check-in at Homestay and Dinner by the River Choose a homestay along the Nanxi River, such as Yongjia Yijia Small Homestay, located in Lingxia Village, Quankou Township, right by the Nanxi River. Some rooms offer river views and it has great cost performance. For dinner, enjoy authentic Nanxi River cuisine at the homestay or nearby small restaurants, tasting local specialties like Nanxi vegetarian noodles or salted tofu. 🏡 Day 2: Ancient Village Stroll & Farming and Reading Culture · Morning: Linkeng Ancient Village and Daitou Ancient Village After breakfast, visit Linkeng Ancient Village, built during the Ming Dynasty and hidden deep in the mountains. Covered bridges, stone houses, and cooking smoke create a picture of a secluded paradise. If visiting between November and February, you can see the unique "autumn crop drying" activity, with colorful crops decorating the village. Next, go to Daitou Ancient Village, a lesser-known boat-shaped village with over 700 years of history. The village has ancient ponds like Fangjian and Mounao, as well as ancestral halls such as the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall and Jicui Ancestral Hall. Stroll along the cobblestone paths to feel the historical depth of the ancient village. · Noon: Farmhouse Lunch Enjoy lunch at a farmhouse near the ancient villages. It is recommended to try Jinfen Dumplings (also called Shanfen Dumplings), a specialty snack from Yongjia Nanxi River area. The dumpling skin is made from taro and sweet potato starch, filled with potherb mustard, minced meat, bamboo shoots, and other fillings, steamed to delicious perfection. · Afternoon: Cangpo Ancient Village In the afternoon, visit Cangpo Ancient Village, founded during the Later Zhou period of the Five Dynasties, with over 800 years of history. The village layout is inspired by the "Four Treasures of the Study," fully showcasing traditional "farming and reading" culture. If visiting after October, you can see the village’s thousand-meter-long corridor hung with bright red chili peppers and golden corn drying, perfect for photos. · Evening: Lishui Street Night View At dusk, head to Lishui Ancient Street. Originating from the Ming Jiajing era, this long embankment has developed into a comprehensive commercial street integrating food, shopping, music, leisure, and intangible cultural heritage experiences. The night view of Lishui Street under lantern light is especially charming. You can have dinner here and enjoy the ancient street’s nighttime charm. 📚 Day 3: Cultural Experience & Leisure Return · Morning: Yongjia Academy After breakfast, visit Yongjia Academy, not only a place for study but also a comprehensive scenic area. The garden features natural landscapes such as Fenghuang Crossing, Happy Forest, Camel Peak, and Jin Zhu Waterfall, as well as scenic spots like Dongtian Yixian and the natural viewing platform. You can also try jungle crossing and zipline activities (some require extra fees), or stroll on the rope bridge and Moon Bridge to enjoy the comfort of being surrounded by mountains and water. · Noon: Specialty Lunch Have lunch near Yongjia Academy or on the way back to the county town. Try wild fragrant fish, one of the eight treasures of Ou River in Nanxi River, known for its special aroma, best cooked by clear stew or white roast. Or taste highland beef bone stew, made from free-range yellow cattle bones from Yongjia’s Sihai Mountain and other high mountains, with tender meat and rich flavor. · Afternoon: Nanxi Greenway Walk and Return If time permits after lunch, take a walk along the Nanxi Greenway. This approximately 8-kilometer greenway extends along the Nanxi River, offering beautiful mountain and water scenery. Along the way, you will pass several unique cafes such as Tianjia Moshangyin, Zhouli, and Linjian Xiaozhu, where you can take a short break. Don’t forget to buy some souvenirs; Yongjia wheat cakes are an excellent choice, with a crispy crust, rich filling, and easy to carry. Then you can conclude your pleasant Yongjia trip and start your return journey. 💰 Budget Plan Table Expense Category Budget (CNY) Notes Accommodation 300 Choose budget homestays, about 150 CNY/night Transportation 300 Public transport between attractions and some short taxi rides Meals 450 About 150 CNY per day, try local snacks and farmhouse dishes Tickets 245 Shiwaiyan about 70 CNY + Yongjia Academy 50 CNY + Meiren Peak rafting about 100 CNY + Ancient village tickets about 25 CNY Special Experiences 200 Bamboo raft drifting, handicraft experiences, etc. Shopping 200 Yongjia wheat cakes, vegetarian noodles, and other specialties Contingency 305 Emergency and temporary expenses Total 2000 💡 Practical Tips 1. Transportation Advice: Yongjia’s attractions are quite spread out. If traveling with a group, consider renting a car for convenience; if traveling alone, use public transport combined with some ride-sharing. 2. Accommodation Choice: There are many unique homestays along the Nanxi River, such as Yongjia Yijia Small Homestay, which is conveniently located and cost-effective. It is recommended to book 3-5 days in advance. 3. Weather and Clothing: Yongjia mountainous area has a large temperature difference between day and night, so bring a jacket. If planning water activities, remember to bring an extra set of clothes and non-slip sandals. 4. Money-saving Tips: Pay attention to combo tickets for attractions; platforms like Trip.com sometimes offer discounted combo tickets that save a lot compared to buying separately. Some attractions offer discounts for teachers/students. 5. Alternative Plans: In case of rain, consider visiting ancient village tea houses to experience Song Dynasty tea ceremonies or adjust the itinerary order. This guide includes Yongjia’s most classic Shiwaiyan and ancient village clusters, as well as special experiences like rafting and autumn crop drying, with optimal budget allocation. Hope you have an unforgettable journey in Yongjia, experiencing the perfect blend of mountains, rivers, and ancient villages in this secret southern Zhejiang paradise! If you have special interests in any part or need more detailed information, I am happy to provide more suggestions.