A 4-day in-depth tour of ancient architecture, karst caves, and hidden ancient villages from Shanghai to western Zhejiang during the 2026 New Year's Day holiday.
January 1st, Jiande Daci Rock: A Hectic Journey to the Hanging Temple
• Departed from Shanghai at 6:15 AM, traveling 340 kilometers along the Shanghai-Kunming-Changchun-Shenzhen-Liyang Expressway. Stopped at Tonglu Service Area for a rest and charging (charging was slow). Had to exit the expressway and detour 40 kilometers to Hangzhou before re-entering the expressway at Hangzhou South.
• Arrived at Daci Rock at 11:50 AM. Purchased tickets online for 65 yuan, brought a light snack. Walked from the visitor center to the ticket gate, then to the cable car station (80 yuan). Even after taking the cable car, it still required an hour's hike, passing through Tianshi Hall → Duxiu Pavilion → Xiangting Pavilion → Shuangmian Buddha → Lushui Nunnery → Natural Standing Buddha before reaching the core attraction, the Dizang King Hall (Jiangnan Hanging Temple).
• The overall scenery was acceptable but not particularly stunning. The biggest complaint was that the cable car didn't directly reach the core attractions, adding considerable walking distance.
• 14:00 Walk down the mountain from the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Hall, arriving at the cable car station at 14:21; 14:30 Depart from the parking lot (parking fee 10 yuan), drive 109 kilometers on the Hangzhou-Changsha Expressway, arriving at the Kaihua Hotel at 15:50 and checking in.
• 17:00 Take a taxi to the nearby food street, trying Kaihua clear water fish, local specialty stir-fried clams (very expensive), Majin tofu, and salted pork and winter bamboo shoot stew, paired with Quzhou duck heads and feet – an excellent experience.
January 2nd Kaihua-Jiangwu: A contrasting experience of root carving wonderland and secret ancient village
• After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Root Palace Buddhist Kingdom at 8:30 (free admission, original price 158 yuan), a hidden gem of the trip. The scenic area is divided into north and south sections, both featuring giant tree root carvings as their core attraction. Entering from the south gate, the tour proceeds in the following order: "My Buddha's Happiness" → "Future Buddha Hall" → "Mahavira Hall" → "Five Hundred Arhats Corridor," before climbing the Root Kingdom Pagoda (the eaves and copper bells offer excellent photo opportunities). Inside the pagoda are exquisitely crafted statues of Guanyin, including the Dripping Water Guanyin, Thousand-Hand Guanyin, Lotus-Seated Guanyin, Ruyi Guanyin, and Reclining Guanyin, all worthy of close appreciation.
• In the north plaza, flocks of pigeons can be fed. The root carvings here focus on Taoist culture and historical stories, with the most impressive pieces being large-scale works depicting Pangu creating the world, Qin Shi Huang unifying the six directions, and the 108 heroes of Liangshan.
• We departed from the parking lot at 11:20 (parking fee 10 yuan), first taking a section of the Hangzhou-Changsha Expressway, then turning onto an 18-kilometer mountain road under construction. The 33-kilometer journey took over an hour.
• Arrive at Jiangwu Ancient Village at 12:50 (admission fee waived). This is an extremely off-the-beaten-path ancient village. The elderly people we met along the way were very friendly and chatted with us, telling us about the village's past. The village features authentic Ming and Qing dynasty architecture, with a maze of interconnected sky bridges and ground-level corridors, leading directly from the first house at the village entrance to the last house on the mountainside – a truly charming and ancient experience.
• Depart at 13:40 by car, driving 144 kilometers along the Beijing-Taipei-Shanghai-Kunming Expressway, arriving at the Lanxi hotel at 16:19 for check-in.
- In the evening, we took a taxi to sample local specialties, including "Immortal Stew" and river stone grouper, among other dishes – the flavors were amazing and unforgettable.
January 3rd, Lanxi-Jinhua: A Dual Exploration of the Bagua Ancient Village and Karst Cave Wonders
• The hotel breakfast offered a rich variety of local specialties. We departed at 8:15, driving 16 kilometers, arriving at Zhuge Bagua Village at 8:40 (admission fee waived). This is the largest settlement of Zhuge Liang's descendants in the country. Ancient Ming and Qing dynasty buildings are scattered throughout the village, arranged in a nine-palace, eight-trigram pattern centered around Zhongchi Pond.
• The itinerary is as follows: Prime Minister's Ancestral Hall → Zhongchi Pond → Local Culture Museum → Dagongtang Hall → Tianyitang Hall → Shangtang Ancient Commercial Street → Dajingtang Hall → Zhuge Liang's Life Exhibition. The lakeside next to the Prime Minister's Ancestral Hall offers excellent vantage points for photographing the ancient buildings on the opposite bank; the entrance to Tianyitang Hall yields a high success rate for photos; for 10 yuan, you can go upstairs by Zhongchi Pond for panoramic views. The owner thoughtfully shared four standard shooting spots and one hidden spot with superb views.
• Depart from the parking lot at 10:20 (parking fee 10 yuan), drive 43 kilometers on the national highway (excellent road conditions), arrive at Shuanglongdong Visitor Center at 11:30 (entrance fee + shuttle bus 115 yuan), transfer to the shuttle bus, and arrive at Shuanglongdong at 12:08. Experience the unique flat-lying boat ride (only 10 seconds) into the cave, where the karst landforms are uniquely beautiful. Then visit Ice Pot Cave and Peach Blossom Cave; the light and shadow effects and stalactite formations in Peach Blossom Cave are perfect for photos.
• 13:18 Take the scenic shuttle bus to Deer Girl Lake. The lakeside mainly offers water activities, which I personally found rather uninteresting, so I skipped the bus and walked 1.1 kilometers uphill to Fairy Waterfall Cave. This attraction was a pleasant surprise; you first need to venture deep into the mountainside, then climb to the summit. Some sections are steep and thrilling, and at the top, you'll encounter a breathtaking abyss view.
• 14:13 Descend from the mountaintop exit and return to the scenic area entrance; 14:30 Take the scenic shuttle bus, first to Shuanglong Cave, then transfer, finally returning to the visitor center at the foot of the mountain.
• 14:50 Depart from the parking lot (parking fee 10 yuan), drive 20 kilometers to reach your hotel in Jinhua city and check in.
• 17:00 Take a taxi to sample local specialties featuring black pig (Liu Yong), the taste was acceptable; in the evening, stroll around the ancient city, experiencing the vibrant atmosphere of Jinhua's old town.
January 4th, Pujiang-Shanghai: The final leg of our trip to Xiaoyi Ancient Village, a rewarding experience.
• After breakfast, depart at 7:50, arriving at the highway exit after 40 minutes. Drive 70 kilometers along the Shanghai-Kunming Expressway, arriving at the "First Family in Jiangnan" in Pujiang at 9:10.
• Tour Route: Nine Generations Living Together Archway Complex → Xiaogan Spring → Changsan Ancestral Hall → Changqi Ancestral Hall → Zheng Clan Ancestral Hall. This is a tranquil and secluded ancient town with well-preserved Ming and Qing dynasty architecture and a rich cultural heritage. The scale of the archway complex is comparable to that of the Tangyue Archway Complex in Shexian County.
• Depart from the parking lot at 10:30 (parking fee 10 yuan), driving 260 kilometers along the Shanghai-Kunming Expressway, with a short rest at Jiaxing Service Area, arriving home safely at 13:55.
Trip Summary:
• Trip Experience: Daci Rock was only average value for money and not highly recommended; Gengong Buddhist Kingdom was the biggest surprise of the trip and is highly recommended; Jiangwu Ancient Village had extremely poor road conditions but unique scenery, worth exploring for those seeking off-the-beaten-path experiences; Shuanglong Cave, while not as stunning as Taiji Cave in Anhui, is more of a tourist attraction due to its inclusion in seven elementary school textbooks; Pujiang's "First Restaurant in Jiangnan" is a quiet and secluded spot with noteworthy archway clusters.
• Transportation Data: The total distance traveled was approximately 1100 kilometers, taking 4 days. Destinations were concentrated in Kaihua (Quzhou) and Lanxi (Jinhua), with Jiande and Pujiang only visited as stopovers.
• Food Review: Lanxi cuisine was the best, followed closely by Kaihua cuisine; Jinhua cuisine was mediocre, likely because authentic restaurants were not found.