Good Scenery Not to Keep Secret | Two-Day Weekend Getaway to Langxi, the Hometown of Green Tea

Day 1 Itinerary: Depart from Shanghai - Xuancheng High-Speed Rail Station - Langxi Scenic Spots - Hubin Village Fisherman's Joy - Wuyuan Mountain Scenic Homestay (Yuan Yuen Shan Ju Ecological Park)

I always want to pack my bags during holidays and fly to distant places to free my soul. Unfortunately, during every holiday, those "famous tourist attractions" I want to visit are always overcrowded. As a renowned tourist province, Anhui has long had well-known spots like Wuyuan, Hongcun, Jiuhua Mountain, and Huangshan. If you, like me, are tired of the congestion and noise of most popular attractions, then why not take a look at this lesser-known city, Langxi, and see what surprising and extraordinary features it has.

Langxi Scenic Spots: Shifo Mountain Tianzi Lake Scenic Area - Feili Town's Ten Thousand Mu Tea Fields - Nanyi Lake Fushou Island

Guantianxia Scenic Area (formerly Shifo Mountain Tianzi Lake Scenic Area) is located within Yaocun Township, Langxi County. Compared to other scenic areas in Langxi, transportation here is indeed very convenient, with National Highway 318, Provincial Highway 214, and the Xuan-Hang Railway all passing nearby. This national 4A-level scenic area is mainly composed of three scenic zones: Shifo Mountain, Tianzi Lake, and Hongqi Reservoir, seamlessly integrated to form a unique landscape where mountains and waters depend on each other. Looking at the high mountain ahead, I wonder if most visitors feel a lot of pressure about reaching the summit?

Fortunately, a sightseeing cable car about a kilometer long was built here years ago, saving a lot of time and energy. Of course, whether to continue taking the cable car downhill depends on personal needs.

Climb to the top of Shifo Mountain and overlook the two lakes. To the east, Tianzi Lake is shaped like the character "天" (heaven), magnificent and spectacular; to the west, Hongqi Lake is shaped like the character "下" (below). Climb one mountain and view the world! "A Buddha holds up the clouds, a stone embraces the temple; two lakes embrace the moon, water surrounds the mountain" is the best description of the scenic area. Of course, this saying might more often be realized through aerial photography. Even so, the moment the cable car reaches the summit, looking down from above, Tianzi Lake indeed presents an imposing momentum.

Among the many strange rocks and anecdotes, the most amazing is undoubtedly the "Wind Rock." This huge boulder, weighing 32 tons, is located on a cliff at the top of the mountain. Yet whenever a gentle breeze blows, it sways unsteadily. It's hard to believe unless you see it with your own eyes.

On the back mountain, temple complexes such as Dizang Hall, Panlong Temple, Dabei Tower, Patriarch Hall, and Maitreya Hall are grand in scale, known as "Little Jiuhua."

On the way to Nanyi Lake, you will pass through the ten thousand mu tea fields of Feili Town. As mentioned earlier, Langxi is also known as the hometown of green tea, so almost every village and town has abundant tea gardens and seas of tea to appreciate. However, upon closer tasting, there are quite a few differences.

Although the terrain is not high, the viewing spot here offers an excellent panorama and is also a great place to watch the sunset.

Continue driving forward to Nanyi Lake Fushou Island. By the lake, there is an ancient tree over 400 years old. According to locals, Fushou Island got its name from this tree, showing that this ancient tree has a profound cultural heritage in the area.

The embankments of Nanyi Lake are winding, the lake surface merges with the sky, ripples shimmer, and the air is fresh. The natural tourism resources here are extremely abundant, the environment within the area is excellent, and the scenery is pleasant. It is the top choice for ecological and leisure tourism in Langxi County.

Nanyi Lake is also the largest natural freshwater lake in southern Anhui. Within the lake, there are "nine mouths and thirteen bends, with harbors and forks like spider webs"; at the lake bends, the lake connects to fields, fields embrace the lake, and there are large protected marshlands. The lakeside shallows are overgrown with reeds, rich in natural bait, attracting swans to forage and flocks of geese to land and gather, creating the wonder of "Nanhu Wild Geese Alighting."

Nowadays, enjoying the autumn scenery at Nanyi Lake has become a wonderful thing. It is also one of the famous Instagram-worthy spots in Langxi County. Are you a little tempted?

Dinner can also be chosen at the local Hubin Village Fisherman's Joy.

Nanyi Lake is extremely rich in aquatic and wildfowl resources such as fish, shrimp, crabs, birds, and geese, especially renowned for its fish and crabs at home and abroad. It has been designated as a national crab export base.

This Wuyuan Mountain Scenic Homestay (Yuan Yuen Shan Ju Ecological Park), recommended by a friend, has just recently opened for business. The tea garden in front of the mountain and the greenery behind surround the entire building. The homestay, shrouded in mist and clouds, appears even more mysterious.

The rooms are very spacious, with all amenities comparable to a four-star hotel. Most importantly, the bedding is very comfortable, and even the toiletries are self-owned brands. This is truly rare for a homestay in a mountain village.

Day 2: Depart from Wuyuan Mountain Homestay - Visit Wuyuan Mountain Scenic Spots? - Longxu Lake Fisherman's Farm - Return Trip

Visit Luoshi Village - Xiawu Village Tea Garden - Haofeng Ecological Manor - Experience fishing at Longxu Lake

The itinerary continues. Leaving the misty Wuyuan Mountain Homestay, we head to Luoshi Village, a representative beautiful countryside. The green belts along both sides of the village road are gradually being completed. The four characters "罗市茶乡" (Luoshi Tea Township) at the village entrance also incorporate unique symbols of tea culture.

Another village centered on tea culture. Although some landscape features within the village are still under construction, looking at the scale already built, it is quite worth seeing.

Take a walk around the lakeside area in the center of the village, and you will clearly notice that most of the buildings in the entire village have been uniformly constructed with white walls and black tiles. Many of the construction tasks were also done by the original villagers themselves. Looking at these buildings, many local villagers can't help but exclaim that rural life today has changed greatly compared to before, and they warmly welcome everyone to come and experience it.

Xiawu Village is the most remote village in Lingcha Township, located on the west side of Wuyuan Mountain.

The tea garden here is a famous local white tea production area. Although the scale of the tea garden is not as large as that of Feili Town, due to the special nature of white tea, the local government has still provided considerable support and protection.

Walking among the green mountains and tea seas, you can faintly sense the light fragrance of tea drifting by.

Haofeng Ecological Manor is a quite special green ecological manor. Mentioning this quiet and ancient place, two thousand years ago it was a battlefield of clashing arms. The story of King Ping of Chu pursuing Wu Zixu is still passed down, yet far from the hustle and bustle of the city, this manor lies quietly in this valley.

Here, there are not only well-equipped forest cabins for guests but also independent tea gardens. The most special feature is the dedicated iron stove for visitors to cook, as well as an independent barbecue area. Even if you don't stay overnight, you can still enjoy natural wild fun with your family, which is a great pleasure.

In the villa behind the hillside, the paths in the inner garden are paved with crushed stones. Flower beds and vegetable plots are also built with piled stones, aesthetically pleasing and very stable, full of primitive and natural flavor. Various vegetables and flowers are planted in the garden, creating a unique ecological farm. On weekends, quite a few tourists drive here to visit, possibly because most people are still fond of this idyllic life hidden in the mountains and forests.

Adjacent to Longxu Lake, the local government has developed fishing projects according to local conditions for tourists and residents to enjoy leisure time, attracting many fishing enthusiasts from surrounding cities to come.

There are indeed quite a number of tourists who come here to fish every day. Enjoying a rare moment of leisure is probably the most desired wish for people who have long lived in cities.

The variety of fish available for fishing in the lake is very rich. The caught fish can be cooked on the spot by the shop or purchased by weight to take home. It truly allows people to experience nature and taste delicious food at the same time.

This fisherman's farm by the Longxu Lake Reservoir enjoys unique geographical conditions. The hostess is also very warm and hospitable. Knowing we came from afar, she specially took out the big fish raised in the water tank to entertain the honored guests.

Perhaps many young people have never seen homemade large crispy rice crusts. Roasted until crispy and fragrant, they are extremely delicious. Generally, only that kind of large rural stove burning firewood can produce tasty crispy rice crusts. The crispy crust from the big iron pot is even bigger than a face! The crust in front of us is in the same shape as the bottom of the pot. Paired with some pickled vegetables or chili sauce, the flavor is even better. This staple food is even more popular locally than the fish head. If you have the chance to visit Langxi, don't miss this special delicacy.

A two-day, one-night weekend trip is very suitable for family outings. As the May Day holiday approaches, it's also a good time to travel! Don't miss the opportunity to see the various sceneries of southern Anhui!

【Tickets】Guantianxia Scenic Area (Shifo Mountain Tianzi Lake Scenic Area): Ticket 30 yuan. Wuyuan Mountain Scenic Area: Free admission.

【Opening Hours】Guantianxia Scenic Area (Shifo Mountain Tianzi Lake Scenic Area): 08:00-16:00. Wuyuan Mountain Scenic Area: Free admission.

【Address】Guantianxia Scenic Area (Shifo Mountain Tianzi Lake Scenic Area): South Gate of Shifo Mountain, Yaocun Township, Langxi County, Xuancheng City, Anhui Province. Wuyuan Mountain: Northeast of Langxi County, Southwest of Liyang City.

【Transportation】Self-driving: Xuancheng City - Aozhong Middle Road - Aozhong East Road - Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway - Shifo Mountain - Tianzi Lake Tourism Scenic Area.

【Dining】Hubin Village Fisherman's Joy: Average cost 60 yuan per person, adjacent to Nanyi Lake Village Committee in Feili Town. Longxu Lake Fisherman's Farm: Average cost 60 yuan per person, adjacent to Longxu Lake Fishing Center.

【Accommodation】Wuyuan Mountain Scenic Homestay (Yuan Yuen Shan Ju Ecological Park): Room rate approx. 300 yuan. Address: At the junction of Langxi and Liyang, close to Liyang's trendy No.1 Highway, Rainbow Road.