Things to do in Hanshan

No. 1 of Fall Viewing Attractions in Ma'anshan

Baochan Mountain Scenic Area

The Baochan Mountain Scenic Area is located in the Huayang administrative village, Huanfeng Town, Hanshan County, Chaohu City. In the Zhenguan years during the Tang dynasty, the eminent monk Huibao roamed here. He was very fond of the scenery, so he settled down here, thus the name of the mountain. Wang Anshi, a famous writer in the Northern Song dynasty, also visited the mountain and wrote a well-known, wide-spread article—the Record of Visting Baochan Mountain. The Huayang Cave is the main landscape of Baochan Mountain, with abundant natural landscapes, stalactites, and underground waterways. The mountain is cool and a good place to visit in the summer.

No. 2 of Hot Springs Attractions in Anhui

Shum Yip Bantang Yuquanzhuang Hot Spring

Located in the foothills of Tangshan in the northeast of Chaohu City, the Bantang Yuquanzhuang Hot Spring is a tourist resort for recreation and health care. It's unique for its layout of half-warm and half-cold springs, hence the name Bantang (half springs). There are more than 30 kinds of special health pools such as spa pools, whirlpools, and ultrasonic bubble pools. In addition to the physiotherapy zones in a variety of hot spring areas, you can also enjoy the fun of hot spring in your own villa, and experience the convenience of privacy.

Yuncao Ancient Town

Taihushan National Forest Park

Taihu Mountain Attraction is close to the Yangtze River in the east and Chaohu Lake in the west. It has a total area of ​​1,809 hectares, with a peak altitude of 442 meters and a forest coverage rate of 92%. It is the first green barrier from the provincial capital Hefei to the south of the Yangtze River. It is famous for its unique peaks, strange rocks, secluded caves and beautiful waters. The Attraction is full of forests and green bamboos; deer are calling and Buddhist chants are heard. Taihu Mountain is rich in animal and plant resources and is also a natural treasure house of Chinese herbal medicine. The main attractions include Taihu Zen Temple, Ersheng Temple, Tiantai Zen Temple, Wangjiang Pavilion, Jieyin Temple, Feicui Lake, Deer Garden, etc.

No. 1 of Hot Springs Attractions in Anhui

Xiangquan (Fragrant Springs) Hot Springs

Xiangquan Hot Springs is a four-star hot spring resort that combines hot springs, catering, leisure and entertainment. It is located in Ma'anshan City's Xiangquan Town in Anhui Province. Xiangquan is named for the pleasant aroma of its crystal clear waters. The Xiangquan Hot Springs are well known for being fragrant springs. Located in the natural habitat of egrets, these hot springs have a long history and are the perfect combination of precious natural resources and original ecological environment.

Lingjiatan Ancient Culture Site

The Lingjiatan site, located in Tongzha Town, Hanshan County, Anhui Province, is a central settlement site from the Late Neolithic period dating back 5,800-5,200 years, covering a total area of ​​2.2 million square meters. Discovered in 1985, the site has undergone 16 excavations since 1987, covering nearly 10,000 square meters and unearthing over 3,000 artifacts, including over 1,200 precious jade artifacts such as jade turtles, jade tablets, jade figurines, and jade spoons. In 1998, it was named one of China's top ten archaeological discoveries, and in 2021, it was selected as one of China's "Top 100 Archaeological Discoveries of the Century." The site has been incorporated into the construction and protection plan for the Yangtze River National Cultural Park. The reverse of the Beijing Winter Olympics medals features the image of a heavy-ringed jade bi unearthed from Lingjiatan. The Lingjiatan culture, along with the Hongshan culture and the Liangzhu culture, is considered one of the "three major jade cultural centers of prehistoric China." Researchers from the "China Civilization Origins Project" believe that Lingjiatan holds a landmark position in the origin and formation of Chinese civilization, providing a tangible example for the study of over 5,000 years of Chinese civilization. According to the latest progress of the China Civilization Origins Project released on December 9, 2023, the Lingjiatan site is listed as one of the representatives of the first phase of ancient civilization (5800-5200 years ago). In 2013, the Lingjiatan site was approved as a National Archaeological Site Park project unit, officially designated as the fourth batch of National Archaeological Site Parks in 2022, and awarded 4A scenic spot status in 2024. With a planned area of ​​3.35 square kilometers and a total planned investment of over 2 billion yuan, the site is divided into six functional areas: the entrance functional area, the site museum area, the tomb display area, the archaeological reserve area, and the historical experience and ecological leisure area.

Jilong Mountain National Forest Park

Jilong Mountain, formerly known as Tingshan Mountain, also known as Fengtai Mountain. It is located in the mountains 25 kilometers northwest of the county seat. 240 meters above sea level. "Taiping Huanyu Ji" records: "When Ma Lake first collapsed, an old mother lifted a chicken cage and climbed the mountain. Because it turned into stone, today the mountain is shaped like a chicken cage, because of its name." Lotus, for "a state of victory". On the mountain, there are scenic spots such as "Sanqing Hall", "Nantian Gate", "One Line of Heaven", "Karl Cave" and "Hundred Years of Que". According to legend, at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, three eminent monks, Jinfo, Jingan and Jinkun, realized and became Buddhas here. Later generations named it "Sanqing Hall". As the Patriarch of Sanmao, the statue is placed in the hall, and there are eighteen arhats on both sides of the hall. There is a big bell hanging inside, weighing thousands of pounds; on one side of the big drum, the diameter of the drum surface is nearly 2 meters. On the day of syzygy, people from all over the country go to Chaoshan Mountain to worship Buddha, and there is an endless stream, so it is called "Jiangbei Xiaojiuhua". There are many poets in the past dynasties have left inscriptions. Among them: Li Bai's poem "Liyang Zhuangshiqin Generals Famous Realms Qige" said: "Liyang County of the ancient times, turned into Hongchuan. Jiangshan is melancholy, dragons and tigers are secret brilliance. Stored for thousands of years, what is the situation. The diligent general is a hundred times more powerful." Tang Xuhun's poem titled "Respecting the Teacher Liyang Mountain Residence" said: "Twenty soldiers are in Yulin, and middle-aged subconsciousness is in the heart of the ovary. The water in the township Chu is deep. The wine bottle in Chundi floats the medicinal gas, and the chess game brings the shade of pine in the evening. When I go to Jilong Mountain in many places, my own Jin Huangjing cannot be found.” Zhu Yuanzhang's poem “Climbing Jilong Mountain” said: “Stop hunting and sit on Xishan Mountain. The flag, one mountain goes out of ten thousand mountains. Cui Wei's boulder is like a pillar, supporting the old days to know himself.” At the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, there were many temples up and down the mountain. After the war, many original buildings were destroyed. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, there are still 37 temples, with more than 100 Buddha statues and dozens of monks. During the "Cultural Revolution", temples and Buddha statues were destroyed. After 1978, the county people's government allocated funds for reconstruction, and the road from the foot of the mountain to the top of the mountain was re-paved with stone strips and steel pipe railings. Fenglin Temple has also been renovated and has seven Buddha statues inside. There is a stele inscription "Fenglin Temple Monastery", which receives many pilgrims and tourists every year.

No. 10 of Family-friendly Attractions in Anhui

Caishiji

Caishi Reef is one of the three famous reefs of the Yangtze River. It is located in downtown Ma'anshan. The crescent-shaped Suoxi River wraps around the east side of the mountain. The main gate of the scenic area is in the northeast. After entering the area from Suoxi Bridge, visitors are greeted by many small cultural scenic spots. To the south stands the Taibai Building, which was built to commemorate Li Bai. Zhexian Garden is in the northeast of Taibai Building and is designed in the Jiangnan garden style. There is also the ancient plank road along the Yangtze River, which leads to the northern slope of Cuiluo Mountain. On the fifth floor of the Santai Pavilion, visitors can see the Yangtze River and farmland in the west, along with Xiaojiuhua Mountain to the north.

2026 Global 100 - Best Things to Do

West Lake

West Lake is the core scenery of Hangzhou, with cloud-covered mountains on three sides and the city on one, and the two long causeways, Su Causeway and Bai Causeway, lie across the lake surface, dividing the water into several stretches large and small. Among the lakeside highlights, the "Ten Scenes of West Lake" handed down from the Southern Song dynasty rank first, and together with the later "New Ten Scenes of West Lake" and the "Three Reviews of the Ten Scenes of West Lake," over a hundred attractions spread out along the lake shore and the surrounding mountains, with pavilions, terraces, temples, and pagodas, gardens, causeways, and islands setting off one another against the distant mountains and nearby waters; the legend of the Broken Bridge, where Bai Niangzi and Xu Xian met, adds a touch of story to the lake and hills. There is no need to insist on visiting every spot; simply choosing a stretch of shoreline and wandering slowly is pleasant enough. You can explore West Lake on foot, by cycling, by the sightseeing electric shuttle that circles the lake, or by boat. The shuttle route makes exactly one full loop around the lake, saving effort and being convenient; cycling along the lakeside is leisurely and romantic, with many public bicycle rental points along the shore; if you want to take a boat, the several piers around the lake offer different boat types and routes, and it is recommended to take a boat to Three Pools Mirroring the Moon in the center of the lake while enjoying the lake views from the water along the way; alternatively, you can hail a rowboat at the lakeside and let the boatman row you around the lake for a more free and flexible experience. Attractions on the north shore are concentrated. The usual route starts from Lingering Snow on the Broken Bridge in the northeast corner, follows Bai Causeway to Solitary Hill, and along the way you can see cultural views such as the Xiling Seal Art Society, the Zhejiang Provincial Museum, the China Seal Museum, and Zhongshan Park–Pavilion for Releasing Cranes, taste a bowl of authentic West Lake vinegar fish at Louwailou, and then pass Xiling Bridge to the Temple of King Yue and Breeze-Ruffled Lotus at Quyuan Garden. In summer when the sun is strong, you might instead walk along Beishan Road, hide under the dense shade of the trees, and look at the curve of Broken Bridge and the swaying weeping willows on Bai Causeway; along the way there are many entrances where you can climb Baoshi Hill for high views; in the evening, the live performance Impression West Lake on Yue Lake is also well worth seeing. If you have plenty of time and energy, you can also get on the Su Causeway from around the Temple of King Yue and walk to enjoy the full view of West Lake. Hubin Road to Nanshan Road along the southeast shore is another area with a dense concentration of attractions. Hubin Road sits at the junction of the urban area and the scenic area, right next to the downtown commercial district, making it suitable for a short stop for travelers on a tight itinerary; by the lake there is also the iconic musical fountain and a cruise pier. From Hubin Road heading south along Nanshan Road, Orioles Singing in the Willows, the Long Bridge, Leifeng Pagoda, and Evening Bell at Nanping Hill line up one after another, and further west is Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor. The distances between adjacent attractions are convenient to cover on foot or by sightseeing bus, and you can choose a few to visit according to your preferences. Leifeng Pagoda and Evening Bell at Nanping Hill are best scheduled for the evening—listening to the bell at Jingci Temple and climbing Leifeng Pagoda to look down over the lakes and hills in the twilight are both excellent experiences.

No. 2 of Best Things to Do in Jiangsu

Niushou Mountain Cultural Tourism Zone

Niushou Mountain Cultural Tourism Zone, also known asNiushou Mountain Cultural Tourism Zone, it is named for its two peaks, one in the east and one in the west, which resemble the two horns of an ox's head. Niushou Mountain Cultural Tourism Zone boasts beautiful scenery and has long enjoyed the reputation of "Spring Niushou." In ancient times, it featured such Jinling scenic spots as Niushou Smoke and Mist and Zutang Temple's Resounding Tin Staff, and it also preserves many historical sites, such as the Jiangning section of the ancient fortifications where Yue Fei fought against the Jin, and the Zheng He Cultural Park. Usnisa Palace The Usnisa Palace is themed around the enshrinement of the Buddha's parietal bone relic and is divided into two parts: the large dome and the small dome, symbolizing outer offerings and inner offerings. The Usnisa Palace utilizes the original mine pit to build an underground palace, with six levels below ground and three levels above ground, appearing very solemn and magnificent. The parietal bone relic of Shakyamuni Buddha was enshrined at the Niushou Mountain Cultural Tourism Zone in October 2015. Visitors may go to the Usnisa Palace to pay homage on special Buddhist festivals. For specific times to view the relic, please call the attraction for inquiries. A thousand years of history Niushou Mountain Cultural Tourism Zone is a Buddhist sacred site. The Buddha Cave Temple, built by Sikong Xu Du in the second year of the Tianjian era of the Liang Dynasty (503 AD), was the first temple on Niushou Mountain, and Li Yu, the last ruler of the Southern Tang, renamed it Hongjue Temple. During the Tang Dynasty, Chan Master Farong, hailed as the "Bodhidharma of East China," founded the Niutou Chan School on Niushou Mountain, known in ancient times as "Jiangbiao Niutou." The founding of the Niutou Chan School served as an important bridge in the true transformation of Indian Chan into Chinese Chan! Niushou Mountain Cultural Tourism Zone - Taohua Stream Niushou Mountain Cultural Tourism Zone - Taohua Stream is located at the east entrance of Niushou Mountain Cultural Tourism Zone, with a total area of 14.87 hectares, approximately 220 mu. The peach blossoms selected are 26 varieties suitable for growing in the Nanjing area, making it a new view created by the Niushou Mountain attraction. A small stream winds down from Yinlong Lake, its water babbling, with peach trees planted on both sides. In spring, the buds gradually bloom, and a sea of flowers is intoxicating.