Weekend Compact Trip: Jiangsu Taizhou (Xinghua) - Yancheng (Dongtai)

Shanghai - Taizhou, Jiangsu - Lanting Yashe Inn (Daohe Ancient Street) - Old Taizhou Cuisine (Pinwei Handong Branch) - Daohe Ancient Street (Night View) - Lanting Yashe Inn

12:00 Depart from Shanghai, self-drive to Fengcheng River Scenic Area, Taizhou, Jiangsu - Lanting Yashe Inn (Daohe Ancient Street). Distance: 233.1-244.1 km, travel time: 2h56min-3h13min.

14:00 Arrive at a service area en route for a short break.

14:20 Depart from the service area, continue driving to Fengcheng River Scenic Area, Taizhou, Jiangsu - Lanting Yashe Inn (Daohe Ancient Street).

15:45 Arrive at Taizhou, Jiangsu.

Taizhou, a prefecture-level city under Jiangsu Province, is one of the central cities of the Yangtze River Delta, classified as a third-tier city. Taizhou has over 2,100 years of history as a city: it was called Haiyang in the Qin Dynasty, Hailing in the Han Dynasty, established as a prefecture in the Southern Tang, and flourished in the Northern Song. In the Southern Tang (937 AD), it became a prefecture seat named "Taizhou," blending the cultures of Wu, Chu, and Yue, and gathering the winds of the Jianghuai region. Taizhou is a key land and water junction connecting the north and south, serving as the gateway to central Jiangsu. It has been called a "vital water and land pass" since ancient times. It is an important node city in the Shanghai metropolitan circle, Nanjing metropolitan circle, and Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou metropolitan circle.

In August 1996, the prefecture-level city of Taizhou was established. Taizhou is rich in cultural heritage and has produced many famous figures, with Shi Nai'an, Zheng Banqiao, and Mei Lanfang as outstanding representatives.

Taizhou boasts numerous historical sites, including Guangxiao Temple, Chongru Shrine, Chenghuang Temple (City God Temple), Anding Academy, Rishe Garden, Wanghai Tower, Mei Lanfang Memorial Hall, and the Memorial Hall of the Birthplace of the People's Navy. There are also ecological scenic areas such as Qinhu Wetland, Thousand Islets Rape Flower, Water Forest, Tiande Lake Park, and Ancient Ginkgo Forest.

16:15 Arrive at Lanting Yashe Inn, check in and take a short rest.

Daohe Historical and Cultural Block is located in the north of the city, with a planned area of approximately 154,700 square meters. It is a historical and cultural district centered on Daohe River, Caohe River, and Wuxiang Lane. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Taizhou became a distribution center for agricultural products in the Lixiahe region. Many grain shops, oil mills, and warehouses were established along the Daohe and Caohe rivers, forming a neighborhood characterized by "small bridges, flowing water, and households." There were eight ancient bridges over the Daohe River alone, creating a market-scene block of "two streets flanking one river" (Handong, Hanxi, and Caohe). The block contains numerous cultural relics and historical sites, totaling 49. Among them, the Zhou Family Residence is a provincial-level cultural protection unit; the Qian Family Residence and Ge Family Residence are municipal-level protected units; there are also 46 traditional residential buildings of certain preservation value; and No. 1 Duo'er Lane is the former residence of former President Hu Jintao.

Lanting Yashe Inn is located within the Daohe Ancient Street scenic area, surrounded by local Taizhou morning tea and famous Huaiyang cuisine. It is conveniently located, offering tranquility amidst the bustle, close to the Taizhou Fengcheng River Scenic Area, Old Street, and Mei Lanfang Park.

【If bringing a pet, please contact the hotel in advance.】

17:45 Go out for dinner, walk to Old Taizhou Cuisine (Pinwei Handong Branch). Distance: 1.1 km, walking time: 16-30 min.

18:00 Arrive at Old Taizhou Cuisine (Pinwei Handong Branch) for dinner.

Old Taizhou Cuisine (Pinwei Handong Branch) is located at the southwest intersection of Xujiayao East Lane and Gulou North Road (Building 2, Pinwei Handong Life Plaza). It is a local Taizhou restaurant with a Chinese style, antique and elegant, offering a complete range of dishes.

From the 1996 Taishan Hotel to today's Old Taizhou Cuisine, over 27 years, they have continuously refined and passed on the most authentic flavors of Taizhou, aiming to evoke the deep Taizhou taste in every descendant of Wu and Yue. Old Taizhou's braised pufferfish is the most famous, with tender and savory flesh and a smooth broth. The beauty of pufferfish lies in its unique aroma; once cooked, its distinct, rich, and enticing fragrance immediately fills the room and can drift down an alley and half a street with the wind.

20:00 Finish dinner, walk to Daohe Ancient Street to enjoy the night view.

21:00 Return to the inn.

21:15 Arrive at the inn, rest.

Lanting Yashe Inn - Jinyuelou (Breakfast) - Xinghua Qianduo Scenic Area - Huanshu Yeshe Shanshu (Dongtai Huanghai Forest) - Huanghai Forest Park - Old Fisherman - Huanshu Yeshe Shanshu

06:45 Wake up.【It is recommended to pack luggage.】

07:15 Go out, walk 130 meters to Jinyuelou.

07:30 Arrive at Jinyuelou for morning tea.

Jinyuelou is located on Daohe Road, opposite Taizhou Department Store (next to Yuqing Pavilion). As a century-old establishment, Jinyuelou is a popular morning tea gathering spot for many foodies. Its location in the lively Daohe Ancient Street makes it convenient, and you can enjoy good food for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

On weekends and holidays, it can be very crowded. Since ordering is done by queuing, it's advisable to decide what to eat in advance. Blanched dried tofu shreds (tang gan si) is a must-order dish for every table. The shredded tofu is very tender, melts in the mouth, and has just the right flavor to eat on its own without being too salty. Another must-try is their wild rice stem (yangcao) buns. The buns reveal a hint of green in the center and taste slightly sweet. The only downside is that due to the crowd, the environment can be noisy, which is also a reflection of the local life and atmosphere.

08:30 Depart from Jinyuelou, walk back to Lanting Yashe Inn.

08:45 Check out.

09:00 Depart from Lanting Yashe Inn, self-drive to Xinghua Qianduo Scenic Area. Distance: 73.3-77.1 km, travel time: 1h6min-1h28min.

Xinghua, a county-level city under Jiangsu Province, is administered by Taizhou. Historically known as Zhaoyang, also called Chushui, according to research, human habitation can be traced back to about 6,000 years ago. The county was established in 920 AD (Five Dynasties) and upgraded to a city in 1987. Xinghua is a famous historical and cultural city in Jiangsu, the birthplace of Shi Nai'an, author of one of the Four Great Classical Novels, "Water Margin," and Zheng Banqiao, a leading figure among the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou, both world-renowned literary and artistic figures.

Xinghua is known as the "land of fish and rice" and is famous for the "Thousand Islets Rape Flower," one of the world's four largest flower seas.

10:30 Arrive at Xinghua Qianduo Scenic Area, play and have lunch.【It is recommended to bring your own snacks in advance. The Taizhou morning tea leftovers can be packed as lunch.】

Qianduo Scenic Area is located at the east end of Dongwang Village, Qianduo Town, Xinghua City, Taizhou. Legend has it that Qianduo was a Bagua formation set up by Yue Fei, the prefect of Taizhou, during his battle against Jin troops. The average elevation of Xinghua is less than 2 meters, and farmland is prone to waterlogging. Therefore, local residents during the dry season would dig up mud from the low-lying water areas and pile it onto higher ground to create small island-like raised fields (duo tian) in the water.

These raised fields vary in size and shape, are not connected to each other, and can only be reached by boat. Looking at the raised fields, rivers and harbors crisscross, and each block of fields floats like an island on the water, earning the nickname "Land of Ten Thousand Islands." Around the Qingming Festival each year, when the rapeseed flowers bloom, the blue sky, clear water, and "golden islands" weave a stunning picture: "Rivers have many bends of clear water, fields have no single mound without yellow flowers."

【Preferential Policies】

Children: Free of charge for those under 1.4m (excluding) (free admission and boat ride).

Seniors: Free admission for those 70 years old (including) and above with senior card or valid ID (boat fee not waived); discounted admission for those 60 (including) to 69 (including) with senior card or valid ID (no discount on boat fee).

Disabled: Free admission with disability certificate (boat fee not waived).

Military: Free admission for active military personnel with military ID (boat fee not waived).

Photographers: Free admission with provincial photographer association card (boat fee not waived).

【Supplementary Note】Boat tickets are purchased separately on site, 50 yuan per person.

If you want to see the entire sea of flowers, you can climb up to the pavilions and terraces in the scenic area to overlook the flower sea. There are waterways within the flower sea. If interested, you can take a boat to travel through the flower fields, viewing the golden scenery from another perspective, perhaps discovering a different beauty and having a unique play experience.

13:30 Depart from Xinghua Qianduo Scenic Area, self-drive to Dongtai Huanghai Forest Resort. Distance: 117.3-120.5 km, travel time: 2h7min-2h9min.

15:30 Arrive at Dongtai Huanghai Forest Resort, check in, register for park tickets, and explore.

Dongtai Huanghai Forest Park (4A) is the largest man-made ecological forest park in East China. It is located in Dongtai, Jiangsu Province, a county-level city under Yancheng, one of the top 100 counties in China. Built in the 1960s, it covers a total area of 3,000 hectares, with 2,500 hectares of forest.

【Opening Hours】

Open all year: 08:30-17:00.

OutdoorMix Nature Discovery Park ticket check-in: 09:00-16:00.

Small train ticket check-in: 09:30-16:00.

OutdoorMix Ancient Forest Adventure ticket check-in: 09:00-16:00.

Wood Education Forest ticket check-in: Morning session: 08:30-11:00; Afternoon session: 12:30-16:00.

Before entering the park, you need to set up facial recognition. If you enter before 4:00 pm on the first day, you can enter the park again by facial recognition the next day.

【Preferential Policies】

Children: Free for those 6 years old (including) or below, or height under 1.4m (including).

Discounted for those 6 (excluding) to 18 (including) with valid ID.

Seniors: Discounted for those 60 (excluding) to 69 (including) with valid ID; free for those 70 years old (including) and above with valid ID.

Military: Free with valid ID.

Disabled: Free with valid ID.

Retired cadres: Free with valid ID.

【Suggestion】Scan to rent an electric vehicle for self-driving tours. Options include 3-person, 4-person vehicles, and public shuttles. Self-driving electric vehicles average 100 yuan per hour; one hour is enough if you just want to leisurely tour.

17:30 Depart from Dongtai Huanghai Forest Park, return to hotel.

18:00 Arrive at hotel, dinner.

19:30 Depart from restaurant, return to Yeshe Shanshu, free time.

Dongtai Huanghai Forest Resort (Breakfast) - Lunch - Yeshe Shanshu - Shanghai

08:00 Breakfast.【The villa area provides shuttle service to the dining area.】

11:30 Lunch.

13:30 Depart from Huanghai Forest Resort, self-drive back to Shanghai. Distance: 230.1-353.6 km, travel time: 3h8min-3h30min.

15:00 Arrive at a service area en route for a short break.

15:20 Depart from service area, continue driving to Shanghai.

16:45 Arrive at another service area for a short break.

17:00 Depart from service area, continue driving to Shanghai.

18:00 Arrive in Shanghai, end of pleasant weekend trip.