2025 Loufan Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in June)

🌿✨Explore the northern bamboo sea and the secret realm in the clouds, save this guide and you’re all set!🍵 🌊Natural Wonders 1️⃣ The Largest Bamboo Sea in Northern China ▫️500 acres of bamboo forest stretching like a sea, with bamboo pavilions, bamboo bridges, and bamboo waterwheels scattered throughout, as if traveling through Jiangnan ▫️Must-try: Ride the largest bamboo boat in the north (9 meters long, seats 20) to drift on the emerald pool, listening to the rustling bamboo waves🌊 ▫️Hidden experience: Stay overnight in the bamboo forest at "Yixian Liju," fall asleep with the scent of bamboo🌙 2️⃣ Cloud Canyon Secret Realm ▫️Seven Rainbow Waterfalls in a row, the Rainbow Waterfall shimmers with seven colors under the sunlight🌈 ▫️Red River Valley’s red riverbed turns red when wet, hike through the original secondary forest to find thousand-year-old ancient vines🌳 ▫️Emerald Valley’s five connected pools, listen to the tragic legend of the Azure Dragon and the Little Dragon Girl🐉 🎨 Cultural Experiences ▪️Zen Practice: At Yunding Zen Temple, contemplate Zen culture and try bamboo weaving and bamboo carving crafts ▪️Intangible Cultural Heritage Cuisine: Bamboo tube rice paired with Shandong cuisine feast, bamboo fungus stewed chicken so fresh it’ll amaze you🍲 ▪️Starry Sky Camping: Pitch tents on the mountaintop lawn to watch the Milky Way, join the bonfire and tree flower performances🔥 👨👩👧👦 Family Must-Do Activities ✔️Bamboo forest go-kart racing through the bamboo sea track🏎️ ✔️Bamboo raft drifting challenging the rapids💦 ✔️Bamboo weaving DIY workshop making panda bamboo baskets🐼 ✔️Night insect watching and stargazing science classes🔭 🍲 Food Map ▪️Three Bamboo Treasures: Bamboo fungus chicken soup🍲, charcoal-grilled bamboo rat🐀, bamboo leaf wrapped rice🍚 ▪️Mountain Delicacy Feast: Wild mushroom stewed chicken + fresh fish from Red River Valley + stone ear mushroom scrambled eggs🥘 ▪️Special Snacks: Bamboo tube zongzi🎋, bamboo charcoal roasted sweet potato🍠, bamboo leaf green tea cake🍵 🏡 Unique Accommodations ▫️Cloud Bamboo House: Suspended bamboo building to watch the sunrise over the bamboo sea🌅 ▫️Zen Inn: Bamboo blinds and paper windows with guqin music accompaniment🎶 ▫️Starry Sky Tent: Equipped with an astronomical telescope for stargazing☄️ ▫️Treehouse Hotel: 270° glass curtain wall overlooking the bamboo waves🌾 🚗 Practical Tips ✅ Transportation: Direct buses available from Yantai, Fuzhou, and Taiyuan; self-driving navigation to "Yunding Mountain Scenic Area" ✅ Dress Code: For the bamboo sea, wear Hanfu or modern Chinese-style clothing for photos; bring non-slip shoes for creek paths👟 ✅ Tickets: Main scenic area ¥80, bamboo boat ¥50, starry sky camping ¥398/night ⚠️ Note: Choose bamboo products with ecological certification, bring mosquito repellent during rainy season, no fire sources allowed in the forest🔥 🌺 Itinerary Inspiration 3-Day Immersive Line: Day 1 Deep Bamboo Culture Tour (bamboo sea boating + bamboo weaving experience) Day 2 Canyon Adventure Day (Seven Rainbow Waterfalls + Red River Valley rafting) Day 3 Zen Practice and Starry Sky (Zen temple morning class + night stargazing) "When bamboo shadows sway like poetry, when mountain winds cleanse the soul, this secret realm featured in China National Geography offers healing scenery in every frame." 🌟#YundingMountainGuide #NorthernBambooSea #SummerResort (Guide integrates features of Yunding Mountain in Haiyang, Shandong; Fuzhou, Fujian; and Jintang, Sichuan. Some activities require advance booking)

🌲 Loufan County, Taiyuan ⛰️ Stunning grasslands atop Ruyun Mountain!! A short trip from Taiyuan, experience the freedom of the wilderness without traveling all the way to Altay, Xinjiang! Shanxi truly has so many amazing destinations worth exploring!! Camping at the foot of the mountain is incredibly relaxing.🏕️ 🚗 Itinerary: 78 km; about a 2-hour drive from the city center. Enjoy the herds of cattle and sheep along the way and the wind turbines on the mountaintops! Absolutely beautiful!

Linfen is not only beef ball noodles! Have you heard of the big locust tree in Hongdong, Linfen? Have you ever eaten the Acacia Gu Lei? If you haven't eaten it yet, you can order it! I really have been eating this since I was a kid! That is the often talked about at home! Cheese fried red dates and yellow rice, golden color, soft yellow rice and sweet red dates I can not refuse a little, I can eat all by myself! The slow-cooked fish from Fenhe Reservoir is firm and tender, with no earthy smell and not many fish bones. The fish and fish broth are both delicious.                    —— Taiyuan Jinyang South Road Xihuayuan This Hongdong impression, I mentioned these three dishes, you close your eyes and order them, they are delicious!

Shanxi's "Little Switzerland" is also Shanxi's "Altay," a cloud-top paradise just 2 hours from Taiyuan Looking for a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of Taiyuan? Drive to Yunding Mountain! It's just a 2-hour drive from downtown Taiyuan to this hidden gem. Yunding Mountain in Loufan is 105 km from downtown Taiyuan. As a nature reserve, it's quiet and charming. The scenery at the foot of the mountain is already picturesque, but when you reach the top, it's like stepping into a paradise. A vast grassland stretches out before you, with cattle strolling leisurely, wooden walkways winding through, and distant mountains shrouded in mist. It feels like you can reach out and touch the clouds, and every view is a healing picture. Standing on the mountaintop, a gentle breeze blows away the fatigue of the week. With few people and beautiful scenery, every photo is a masterpiece. Remember to protect yourself from the sun and enjoy the gifts of nature. A round trip in one day to meet the beauty of Yunding Mountain is definitely a great choice for a self-drive trip. - Destination: Yunding Mountain in Loufan, 105 km from downtown Taiyuan, 2 hours by car. - Features: Nature reserve, hidden gem, vast grasslands, cattle, wooden walkways, distant mountains shrouded in mist, beautiful scenery, perfect for photography, camping, and picnics. - Notes: Protect yourself from the sun, suitable for a round-trip self-drive tour from Taiyuan in one day.

This is a place far away from the hustle and bustle, peaceful and full of mystery - Taiyuan Yunding Mountain. This is a perfect fusion of nature and history. It not only has amazing natural scenery, but also The profound cultural heritage is definitely worth a spontaneous trip. 💗【Geographical location】 Yunding Mountain is located in the southwest of Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, about 60 kilometers away from the city center and is part of the Taihang Mountains. There are not only majestic mountains here, but also rich forest resources. It is a rare summer resort around Taiyuan. 📍【Attractions Recommendation】 - Top of Genting: Climbing to the top of Genting, you can overlook the entire mountain range, especially in the early morning or evening, when the sea of ​​clouds rolls, as if you are in a fairyland. - Longmen Grottoes: Although not as large as Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, the grotto art here is equally breathtaking and it is a good place to learn about ancient Chinese Buddhist culture. - Forest Oxygen Bar: Strolling in Yunding Mountain, breathing the fresh air, feeling the gift of nature, and forgetting the troubles of the city. 🚙【Transportation Guide】 It is recommended to drive or take a tourist bus to Yunding Mountain from Taiyuan. If you choose to drive yourself, it will take about 1.5 hours along National Highway G208. Alternatively, you can also take a bus from Taiyuan Long-distance Bus Station directly to Yunding Mountain Scenic Area, which takes about 2 hours. 🏡【Accommodation recommendation】 If you want to deeply experience the charm of Genting Mountain, it is recommended to stay here for one night. There are many hotels of different grades to choose from in the scenic area: - Five-star hotels: Enjoy luxurious services and superb mountain views. - Characteristic B&Bs: For travelers seeking unique experiences, the B&Bs here have both traditional Shanxi architectural style and modern design elements, making them a good choice. 💐【Nearby Food】 - Shanxi Sliced ​​Noodles: chewy texture, delicious with special sauce. - Pingyao Beef: This is a specialty from the ancient city of Pingyao and is loved by tourists for its unique flavor. 🎊【Recommended nearby attractions】 - Pingyao Ancient City: Learn about the commercial culture in Chinese history and experience the ancient city style. - Qiao Family Courtyard: Experience the unique charm of Shanxi merchant culture and learn about the historical stories of the Qiao family.

Former Residence of Gao Junyu in Loufan Venue Overview Gao Junyu's former residence is located in Fenglingdi Village, Loufan County, Taiyuan City. It is built against the mountain, facing north and south, and is mainly composed of houses and kilns, all made of blue bricks and gray tiles. Construction began during the Tongzhi period of the late Qing Dynasty and is called "Gao Family Courtyard" by the locals. The entire compound is divided into six courtyards, namely the East Upper Courtyard, the East Lower Courtyard, the Middle Courtyard, the South Courtyard, the West Courtyard and the garden, covering an area of ​​about 4,500 square meters and a construction area of ​​about 1,200 square meters. The memorial hall is mainly the central courtyard of the original "Gao Family Courtyard". The site area is approximately 1,300 square meters and the building area is approximately 500 square meters. From west to east, the cave dwellings in the upper courtyard are the residence of Gao Junyu's eldest brother Gao Junde, the residence of Gao Junyu's parents, Gao Junyu's study, and the residence of Gao Junyu's third brother Gao Quande. The kiln displays Gao family’s furniture, stoves, supplies and other cultural relics. In the Xiayuan Kiln, there are inscriptions by Peng Zhen, Bo Yibo, Xu Deyan and other comrades, as well as photos and cultural relics of Gao Junyu's life. There is a bronze statue of Gao Junyu in the center of the Lower House. Gao Junyu's former residence is a national patriotism education demonstration base and a national red tourism classic scenic spot. Red Characters Gao Junyu (1896-1925), formerly known as Shangde, was a native of Loufan, Shanxi Province. He was one of the early leaders of our Party and a famous revolutionary activist. In 1916, he was admitted to the English Department of Peking University. He was a student and right-hand man of Li Dazhao. Together with Li Dazhao and others, he founded the Beijing Communist Group. He was one of the 57 members of the Communist Party of China when it was founded. He was a delegate to the Second, Third and Fourth National Congresses of the Party and a member of the Second Central Executive Committee. In 1924, he returned to Shanxi to participate in party building and established the Taiyuan branch of the Communist Party of China. He was once Sun Yat-sen's political secretary, committed to the cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party and opposed the warlord government. He died of illness in Beijing on March 5, 1925, at the age of 29. The body was buried in Taoranting Park in Beijing. "I am a sword, I am a spark. I wish to live as bright as lightning and die as swift as a comet." This is a poem that Gao Junyu wrote on his own photo. It is also a true portrayal of his short but glorious life. Red Link The first member of the Communist Party of China in Shanxi Province In 1919, Gao Junyu participated in and led the May Fourth Patriotic Movement as the head of the Peking University Student Union. He took the lead in rushing to Zhaojialou and burning the residence of the traitor Cao Rulin. Under the influence of the May Fourth Movement, the Beijing Socialist Youth League was established and he was elected as its first secretary. Gao Junyu was one of the people who spread the seeds of Marxism in China in its early days and an early theorist of the Communist Party of China. Later, he attended the First Congress of the Communist Parties and National Revolutionary Groups of the Far East of the Communist International and was received by Lenin. He led the February 7th Strike on the Beijing-Hankou Railway, assisted Mr. Sun Yat-sen in reorganizing the Kuomintang, and served as the director of the Kuomintang's Beijing Special Party Department, making important contributions to the first cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. In March 1924, Gao Junyu participated in leading the Guangzhou Shamian workers' strike. In October of the same year, he and Zhou Enlai were injured and hospitalized while assisting Sun Yat-sen in quelling the "Merchant Corps" rebellion. In January 1925, Gao Junyu was on her way back to Beijing after attending the Fourth National Congress of the Communist Party of China in Shanghai. On behalf of Zhou Enlai, she went to Tianjin to visit Deng Yingchao and bring Zhou Enlai's letter, becoming the "matchmaker" for the union of Zhou Enlai and Deng Yingchao. Red Story Gao Shi's Love In the pine forest of Beijing's Taoranting Park stand two white marble tombstones close together. This is where Gao Junyu and Shi Pingmei rest. Shi Pingmei was born in 1902 in a scholarly family in Pingding County, Shanxi Province. She was admitted to Beijing Normal University for Women in 1919. Soon she gained the reputation of "Talented Woman of Beijing" in the Beijing literary circle. The two of them met in a guild hall, and after several years of interaction, they developed sincere and pure feelings for each other. Junyu once wrote a poem on a red leaf to express his love for Pingmei, but was rejected by Pingmei politely. It was not until Junyu was critically ill that Pingmei finally fell in love with him. Gao Junyu's sudden death dealt a great blow to Shi Pingmei. She felt that she was too fragile and indecisive to marry Gao Junyu sooner. On Gao Junyu's tombstone, Shi Pingmei wrote: "Junyu, I am powerless to save your life which is as swift as a comet. I can only shed the rest of my tears on your grave until I can no longer come to see you." Due to excessive grief, she lost her young life to illness at the age of 26. She was buried next to the grave of the person she loved so deeply. From then on, these two almost identical tombstones stood close to each other under the pine-shaded Jinqiu Mound. In 1956, Premier Zhou Enlai stressed the need to preserve "Gao Shi's Tomb". He said: "There is no contradiction between revolution and love. Keeping it can also educate young people." "Gao Shi's Tomb" in Taoranting records a sad and moving love tragedy, and records the difficult journey of two young people fighting for their ideals. Surrounding scenery The Fenhe Reservoir is an artificial lake landscape completed in 1960. It is located between Xiajingyou Village and Xiashijiazhuang in Loufan County. It is 15 kilometers long from north to south and 5 kilometers wide from east to west. Its total capacity is 700 million cubic meters, which is 13 times the capacity of the Ming Tombs Reservoir. The Fenhe Reservoir Tourist Area is mainly composed of three parts: water scenery, dam scenery, Shixia Hot Spring and cultural relics and historical sites in the surrounding villages. In the spring and autumn tourist seasons, people sit on boats, the boats are on the water, there is the sky in the water, and the water and sky are integrated, which makes people feel relaxed and happy. In summer, it is an excellent summer resort. When winter comes, the reservoir freezes over, turning into a strange mirror that is bright enough to reflect one's reflection. Former Residence of Gao Junyu

Everyone says Yundingshan is the Shanxi version of Altay. I want to ask what kind of place is Altay? Without further ado, here is the super strategy: 📍Navigation to Yunding Mountain in Loufan County, it takes 2.5 hours to arrive from Taiyuan ✅Yunding Mountain is the highest mountain in Taiyuan, with an altitude of 2,800 meters. Some people will suffer from altitude sickness when they go there. This place is full of wild animals and plants. We saw all kinds of small mushrooms along the way from the moment we entered the scenic area. Since it was discovered before it was developed, there is no need for tickets at present. Maybe one day they will start charging. ✅Starting from Taiyuan City, take Taigu Expressway to Gujiao Expressway Exit, drive along S104 towards Loufan, see the Yunding Mountain sign in Miyu Town, then turn right to the Yunding Mountain Archway to reach Fenhe Reservoir. When you get to the bottom of the mountain, cars are not allowed to go up. You can choose to hike or ride a horse. You must bargain for the price of a horse! ✅The temperature here is low, so it is recommended to wear a coat + long pants. The alpine meadows are very beautiful for taking pictures, and the scenery at the top is worth it, but the process is too difficult. We chose to ride horses without hesitation when going down the mountain. The next day, our buttocks were sore. Due to the limited conditions, we couldn't complain. We just hope that the road can be repaired in the future...

⛰Huanggu Mountain, Loufan County, Shanxi 📍Detailed Address: Huanggu Mountain Camping Base, Loufan County 🚗Transportation Guide: To reach Huanggu Mountain, you need to hike for 9 kilometers, which is considered an entry-level hiking route. 🕙Opening Hours: All day 💰Ticket Price: Free 🌟Highlights: Huanggu Mountain is located in Gaijiazhuang Township, Loufan County. It is said that during the Jin Dynasty, a princess fled here to escape a family scandal and became a nun, hence the name Huanggu Mountain. 📌Tips: For safety, during the hiking process, all individuals should carry a trash bag in their backpack. In principle, no open flames are allowed during the hike, smoking is prohibited, and outdoor fire use is strictly controlled. Autumn is here, time for a spontaneous hiking trip!

Yunding Mountain is located in Loufan County, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province. It is the highest peak of Taiyuan City, with an altitude of 2708 meters. It features a unique alpine meadow landscape. The mountaintop is flat and vast, covered with colorful wildflowers. There are herds of cattle and sheep around, and windmills on the mountaintop, making it feel like being in Altay, Xinjiang. At the foot of the mountain, you can camp anywhere comfortably~ ✅ Itinerary Yunding Mountain is about 100 kilometers away from downtown Taiyuan, and it takes about 2 hours to drive there. It is recommended to set out in the morning to have enough time to play. 📣 Ways to Play There are two ways to go up and down the mountain: horse riding & hiking 🐴 Horse riding takes about 1 hour, which saves time and effort, but it is more expensive. The horses are brought by the villagers nearby, and they tend to ask for a high price. You need to bargain, and the later you go, the fewer horses there are, and the higher the price! 🚶‍♂️ Hiking takes 2-3 hours. The roads are all natural gravel and loess paths. Hiking is relatively tiring, but I think it's still okay! 🌟 Tips for Playing 1️⃣ You can park for free at the foot of the mountain, just park by the roadside. The temperature at the mountaintop is low, it gets colder as you go up, so it is recommended to bring a thin coat! 2️⃣ Try to climb the mountain in the morning when there are fewer people and it's easier to control the time, to avoid descending too late. 3️⃣ Prepare sunscreen and essential balm, etc. There is a lot of horse manure along the way, and many insects.

I really didn't expect there to be such beautiful scenery around Taiyuan! It really is a budget version of Xinjiang's Altay✅ 📍It only takes 2h to drive to Yunding Mountain by navigation The roads are all asphalt and easy to drive on, and the car can reach the foot of the mountain directly. You can start climbing after passing through the iron gate! ⌚Best time to visit: June to August ⏰Duration of visit: 1 day It takes about 1 hour to ride a horse up the mountain, and about 2 hours on foot. Leave plenty of time to take photos and check in at the top of the mountain! It's completely feasible to go there and back from Taiyuan in one day! ⛰️Ways to go up the mountain You can choose to hike or ride a horse 🚶‍♂️Hiking is tiring, but you can experience the more primitive forest. 🏇Riding a horse is quite novel, and it saves more energy for playing at the top of the mountain. 🌟Tips for visiting 1️⃣Yunding Mountain is semi-developed, and the overall infrastructure is still not sufficient, for example, there are no public toilets at the foot of the mountain, and none along the way, so don't drink too much water, otherwise, there's nowhere to go to the toilet. 2️⃣Once you reach the foot of the mountain, there's no cell phone signal at all, and there's no signal throughout the climb. 3️⃣Bring some mineral water, snacks, and energy drinks. 4️⃣Bring sunglasses, a sun hat, and a windbreaker (it's quite windy on the mountain). 5️⃣The road is full of cow and horse dung, it's really everywhere, all flies, and it smells terrible. Even at the top of the mountain, it's all dung, and it's really hard to find a spot that's completely free of dung. 6️⃣Many roads are gravel roads, it's okay going up the mountain, but it's really slippery when going down, so be careful and wear comfortable shoes.

📍Location: Yunding Mountain, Loufan County, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province 🎫Ticket: Free 🅿️Parking: Free 🚗Transport: It is recommended to drive by yourself, approximately 110 kilometers, about 2 hours' drive from Taiyuan, with a round-trip toll of 34💰 on the expressway segment. ✅Preparations 1️⃣Suitable clothing, the temperature on the mountain is lower in the evening, just bring a light jacket. 2️⃣Wear comfortable shoes for walking. 3️⃣Bring sun protection. 4️⃣Bring a sufficient amount of water and food. 📣Tour Route After arriving at the iron fence gate entrance of Yunding Mountain, stroll up along the winding mountain road. There are pedestrian paths and horse riding paths, it is recommended to take the pedestrian path for walking as it is shorter. Along the way, you can enjoy the dense forest and rich vegetation, and feel the freshness and tranquility of nature. When you reach the top of the mountain, you can enjoy the vast alpine meadow scenery, as if you are in the midst of a green ocean, under the blue sky and white clouds, it's incredibly beautiful. Here you can take photos and check in to your heart's content, leaving behind wonderful memories. 🌟Tour tips 1️⃣The hike up the mountain is about 4 kilometers, and if you're fast, you can reach the top in about an hour! 2️⃣Pay attention to safety when hiking, especially on some steep sections. 3️⃣Check the weather in advance to avoid going in bad weather.

🧭Navigate to: Yunding Mountain 🚗It's only a 2h drive from Taiyuan~ You can ride a horse 🐎 or walk 🚶‍♀️ to go up the mountain, about three kilometers~ Enjoy the scenery along the way 🌲 and try the sweet and sour sea buckthorn berries you find on the roadside~ Those with dogs can also take them out for a trip, it's quite pleasant 😌 It's a good place for a short weekend trip around the area! Recommended: 🌟🌟🌟 Tips: There is only a toilet at the entrance of Yunding Mountain, no restaurants or places to buy things, so you need to prepare in advance, you can bring some snacks to replenish energy~

Taiyuan, Loufan County, Yunding Mountain The scenery at the foot and the top of the mountain is really beautiful! These are all views from the top of the mountain A large expanse of grassland is very clean! Why go to Xinjiang, Switzerland! Shanxi has too many attractions worth visiting! It takes about two hours to depart from Taiyuan and ride a horse to climb the mountain, about an hour's journey The view from the top is worth it!