A Blessed Land of Mountains and Sea: Fuding, Fujian – A Summer Travel Destination~

In the scorching summer, I always want to escape the city and head to the coast. Having been to Zhoushan, I wanted to find a different kind of seaside, and Fuding is a great choice. This summer, when Huangguoshu Waterfall is crowded with tourists and Xinjiang Hemu is bustling with people, Fuding is a forgotten blessed land of mountains and sea.

Fujian has abundant tourism resources, but Fuding is an overlooked small town. It is precisely because it is lesser-known that it retains its authentic, rustic charm. If you depart from Hangzhou, I highly recommend you visit this small town.

Here there are ancient alleys, with shops lining both sides of the narrow streets. Unlike the commercial streets created in other cities, this is an old street with history. There is no deliberate design, but it has a genuine sense of daily life. You will see mottled walls, shops that have been open for twenty or thirty years, and more often than not, locals shuttling through the alleys. There is no neon glow; what exists is the simplicity and tranquility unique to this small town.

On the streets of Zhejiang, the old uncles pedaling tricycles are nowhere to be found. In the alleys of this small town, you will always encounter old uncles waiting for customers at street corners. Just a wave, and they will take you through the streets and lanes. At Beijing's Beihai Park, a tricycle ride around the lake costs 200 yuan. Here, the starting fare is 6 yuan. Such pricing makes us feel very comfortable.

Fuding not only has affordable tricycle rides, but many snack prices are only half of what they are in Hangzhou. In a well-decorated dessert shop, a serving of almond tofu costs 3 yuan, and a serving of milk bean curd costs 4 yuan—prices you won't find in Hangzhou. At the beef ball shop that has been operating for many years in the North Market, a 15-yuan side dish is a full plate of dried eel, savory and flavorful. For seafood lovers like us, coming to Fuding is the greatest blessing.

If the beauty of a trip to Fuding were only about low prices, we would be underestimating the charm of this city. Yushan Island, 40 kilometers from downtown Fuding, showcases the most beautiful island scenery. Here there are not only mountains and sea, but also lakes and a thick layer of meadow draped over the slopes. Between the mountains, a winding road occasionally sees a car pass by. That scene feels like a glimpse of Kikujiro's summer, reminiscent of the vast grasslands of the Qilian Mountains, while also bearing a hint of New Zealand's charm. But if you look into the distance, the horizon where sea and sky merge will tell you clearly: this is not Qinghai, nor New Zealand—this is Fuding.

Yushan Island is not just for sightseeing; it also offers highly interactive fishing trips at sea. For 1,200 yuan, you can charter a fishing boat, and the captain will take tourists out to sea. With luck, you'll haul up a full basket of catch.

Fuding has snacks, seafood, beautiful scenery, and activities, and the key point is that prices are not high compared to Zhejiang. With summer vacation half over, it is a travel destination worth considering.