Be a Summer Warrior: Tonglu Huxiaoxia Rafting
On a hot summer day, nothing beats playing with water – swimming, splashing around, and water fights are the ultimate way to embrace the season. If you're looking for the most thrilling aquatic challenge, it has to be white-water rafting through a canyon. For a quick getaway, this time I headed to Tonglu County just outside Hangzhou to take on Huxiaoxia! Just a 35-minute high-speed train ride from Hangzhou, Zhejiang’s best rafting is right here. Tonglu County, reachable in 35 minutes by bullet train from Hangzhou, is known as the 'hometown of express delivery' – familiar names like Shentong, Zhongtong, and Yunda all originated here. But there's something even more memorable about Tonglu: its torrent rafting adventures. Gather a few friends and head to Tonglu Huxiaoxia Torrent Rafting on a scorching summer day.
Address: Chengxia Village, Zhongshan Township, Tonglu County, Hangzhou
Ticket: 180 yuan
Rafting duration: about 1.5 hours
The Huxiaoxia scenic area lies within Zhongshan Township in the mountainous southwestern part of Tonglu, about 30 kilometers from the county seat. Surrounded by mountains and covered in dense forest, it's an ideal setting for rafting. It's roughly 100 kilometers from Hangzhou; a 35-minute high-speed train ride takes you to downtown Tonglu, followed by a 40-minute drive, and you'll be at the most popular rafting spot in the area! The summer weather here is magical – one moment it's raining, mist swirling into an ethereal beauty, the next the sun blazes down, making the entire rafting course glitter.
【About the River】
The morning rain made the current much swifter than usual, adding an extra dose of excitement. The entire river course stretches 10 kilometers with a total drop of 260 meters. The currently developed rafting section is 4.8 kilometers long, and the whole trip lasts about 1.5 hours, with plenty of calm pools and splash zones along the way. If you come with friends, there's even more fun to be had.
【About Water Volume】
Many people wonder just how much water fuels such a wild and exhilarating ride. The reservoir in Huxiaoxia boasts a storage capacity of one million cubic meters, and this morning's rain only amped up the thrill factor.
【Safety】
Although the Huxiaoxia river course covers a large area, the scenic area's safety command center is equipped with real-time audio and video surveillance. There are 10 cameras at the upstream dock, 96 along the river, 30 at the downstream dock, plus 50 public address speakers along the waterway. And at every turn, a safety guide directs traffic, ensuring that while you're getting your adrenaline fix, safety is never compromised.
In the middle section of the river, there's a relatively calm stretch, and today it was taken over by a group of couples. No wonder they brought along all sorts of pots and basins – they were clearly gearing up for a water fight! Since we couldn't make it to Thailand's Songkran Water Festival this year, we managed to recreate it right here.
After navigating Huxiaoxia's zillion twists and turns, you reach the final stretch. Most rafting trips fizzle out into flat, dull waters at the end, but Huxiaoxia has one last surprise in store – a dramatic drop that gives you a genuine 100% 'drowned rat' experience. That's the thing that will stick in your memory long after you've dried off.
【Waiting Hall】
At the finish line, you'll come face-to-face with the Huxiaoxia waiting hall – the largest rafting center I've ever seen. Most rafting spots I've visited have tiny facilities, maybe just a small hut at the end. This one spans 3,800 square meters across three floors: The first-floor reception hall offers tickets, information, lockers, shopping, showers, paid hairdryers, medical services, and police assistance. The second and third floors house a restaurant and a casual tea lounge. The most thoughtful touch is the hot showers – when you're soaked to the bone, a cold rinse is the last thing you need, and they even sell ginger tea to warm you up. As a short-haul getaway, Huxiaoxia is the ultimate water-soaked adventure for summer.
After rafting, we headed for dinner at Yunlu Renjia, a restaurant near Huxiaoxia. Here you can sample Tonglu's distinctive local dishes. Although Tonglu is not far from Hangzhou, the cuisine has its own unique flavors, which I was especially excited to try. My favorite was the steamed sponge cake – while every region has its own version, theirs is white and the chef whimsically tops it with raisins, dried yellow peaches, or other treats. The seafood deserves a mention too: both the fish head and the salt-and-pepper shrimp were incredibly fresh. And if you order the braised pork with oversized steamed buns, you can skip the rice entirely – the rich, non-greasy pork pairs perfectly with the pillowy buns.
Tonglu Homestay: Li Jia No. 22
After a full day of rafting, we decided to stay overnight in Tonglu rather than rush back. We chose the local homestay Li Jia No. 22, because a homestay always offers a more intimate glimpse of the local way of life and a warmth that hotels often lack. As soon as we arrived, the staff greeted us like long-lost friends with a cheerful 'Hello!' The decor is strikingly modern and artistic, with every piece reflecting the owner's minimalist yet sophisticated taste. Western figurative sculptures mingle with Chinese calligraphy shelves – East meets West in perfect harmony. Room names like 'Suxin' (Pure Heart) and 'Huachuan' (Flower Stream) evoke a distinctive Chinese aesthetic and give each room its own personality. Inside, the design blends modern simplicity with Chinese retro touches – clean, elegant, and fully equipped. What I loved most, though, was the early morning here: fresh air far cleaner than what you get in the city, accompanied by birdsong, the honking of geese, all the original sounds of nature blending into a peaceful soundtrack. After a homemade breakfast prepared by the owner, our short trip came to an end.
