This Summer, Self-Drive to Southern Anhui – A Travelogue of Taohuatan Scenic Area

Let me first share some tips and insights at the start.

For visiting Taohuatan Scenic Area, I recommend driving yourself. I started from Taiping Lake to the south, mostly traveling on provincial or county roads. Apart from the picturesque scenery of the Qingyi River, you will also pass through another ancient and charming village in Jing County.

Regarding tickets, there are roughly several types: ① Admission ticket, ② Shuttle bus, ③ 10° Bamboo raft, ④ Ferry. ① and ④ are mandatory. The admission ticket goes without saying. Taohuatan Scenic Area is divided into east and west parts by the Qingyi River, connected by ferry. ② depends on individual needs. Walking from the Grand Ancestral Hall/Wenchang Pavilion to the main scenic area is feasible, but taking the shuttle bus on the return trip saves time (the shuttle bus is not bidirectional; the return route goes around the periphery of the scenic area). After all, the scenic area is limited in size, and there are many attractions in Jing County, neighboring Qingyang County (Chizhou City), and Huangshan District (Huangshan City). If you are in a hurry, you can visit two spots in one day and then proceed to another accommodation. ③ The bamboo rafting has its own characteristics. This summer has been exceptionally hot, but the river flowing through Taohuatan remains icy cold. Riding a bamboo raft and enjoying the scenery along the way is indeed refreshing.

There are farmhouse restaurants and a coffee shop in the scenic area. I took the ferry and found a farmhouse near 'Yimen'. The food was tasty, and the eggs were real free-range eggs. The coffee shop is right at the ferry dock, and it will appear in the photos later.

In summary, Taohuatan is a scenic area of limited scale, relying on the cultural legends of 'Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms', 'Ten Thousand Hotels', and 'Singing Along the Banks'. It is worth visiting — a small town immersed in ancient charm. If I have the chance, I will come again, either early in the morning or at dusk. The thin mist over the river offers a different kind of scenery.

In the following content, we will continue to 'talk' in a running commentary of photos.

Lens used for photos: Sony FE 24-70mm GM II