A local guide to exploring Yandang Mountain! A complete travel guide to Yandang Mountain
I have many feelings about Yandang Mountain. As a native of Yandang Mountain, when I edit this guide again, I always feel the nostalgia in my heart. Before I officially write the guide, let me make one thing clear. I will write about Yandang Mountain in two parts. One is the essence route mainly based on the core scenic spots with high concentration and strong continuity, and the other is the self-driving route mainly based on the relatively scattered and less coherent peripheral scenic spots.
1. Brief Introduction to Yandang Mountain
What is Yandang Mountain?
Yandang Mountain is known as the "Famous Mountain on the Sea" and "The Most Beautiful Mountain in the World". This "First Mountain in the Southeast" has a lake formed by water on the top of the mountain and lush reeds forming a marsh. The migrating autumn geese often stay here, hence the name "Yandang". Yandang Mountain was formed 120 million years ago. It is a Neogene rhyolite volcanic area in the circum-Pacific continental margin volcanic belt. The main part of Yandang Mountain is located on the northeast coast of Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, and a small part is located in the southern part of Wenling City, Taizhou City. It is the most famous scenic spot in Wenzhou. If it is subdivided, Yandang Mountain is divided into five parts: East, South, West, North and Central Yandang Mountains, which are distributed in various places in Wenzhou. However, when people talk about Yandang Mountain, they generally refer to North Yandang Mountain. Therefore, the next introduction is about North Yandang Mountain.
Yandangshan World Geopark is divided into: the main park (referring to the Yandangshan Scenic Area in Yueqing, Wenzhou); the west park (located in the Changyu Dongtian Scenic Area in Wenling, Taizhou); and the east park (located in the Nanxi River Scenic Area in Yongjia, Wenzhou).
Yandang Mountain is divided into the core scenic area and the peripheral scenic area:
The core scenic area is
The three must-see attractions of Yandang are Lingfeng, Lingyan, Dalongqiu, Fangdong, and Sanzhe Waterfall (including Jingming Grand Canyon).
The surrounding scenic spots are
Xianshengmen, Yangjiaodong, Yanhu Lake, and Xianqiao. However, Xianqiao is almost undeveloped and the route is relatively vague, so I will not introduce it here. Yandang Mountain does not have a unified entrance fee, and each attraction sells tickets separately. Therefore, when you come to play, you can choose to play according to your actual situation.
【Transportation + Accommodation + Food Introduction】
About Transportation
Yandang Mountain has a dedicated high-speed railway station, so tourists coming to Yandang Mountain can get off directly at Yandang Mountain Station, and then there are tourist buses that go directly from the high-speed railway station to various scenic spots (you will immediately see a bright green bus as soon as you leave the high-speed railway station, which is the bus). You can also take the bus between the various scenic spots, but there are two types of buses. One is a tourist line with a fare ranging from 5 to 15 yuan. It starts at the high-speed railway station and only stops at various scenic spots. The other is a bus for locals, which starts at Baixi Parking Lot (Baixi is the town center of Yandang Town, and Baixi Parking Lot is also the first stop for the tourist line). Although this line has many stops and stops at various scenic spots, the fare is relatively cheap, ranging from 1 to 6 yuan, and is mostly chosen by locals. The last bus leaves at 6:20 in the evening.
Accommodation
Accommodation is mainly concentrated in Xianglingtou, which is the place for tourism, accommodation, food and shopping in Yandang Mountain. It can also be regarded as the foothold of Yandang Mountain. It is a must-pass place for buses before going to various scenic spots, so it is relatively convenient to stay here. There are also many homestays, hotels and restaurants here. Although there are a small number of accommodations outside each scenic spot, eating and transportation are relatively inconvenient, so I personally recommend staying in Xianglingtou.
About Food
Yandang Mountain is close to the sea, so seafood is relatively cheap and fresh. At the same time, Yandang Mountain is located at the junction of Taizhou and Wenzhou, so the food here combines the best of both. There are many special snacks, such as hibiscus wheat cakes, cakes, tin cakes, Dajing fried noodles, etc. These can be bought in Xianglingtou and Baixi Street. Specialties include Yandang Maofeng tea, Dendrobium officinale, Wenzhou duck tongue, etc.
About the itinerary
It is generally recommended to visit all the core scenic spots in 2-3 days. If you have enough time, you can visit Nanxi River together. These two places combined are the largest landscape combination in China.
2. Essential Routes
Day 1
On the first day, it is recommended to visit the "Three Wonders of Yandang" first, namely Dalongqiu, Lingyan and Lingfeng. The daytime and night views of these attractions are very good.
Dalongqiu
At around 7 or 8 in the morning, take the bus from Xianglingtou to the Dalongqiu Scenic Area. It takes about 15 minutes to arrive and the ticket price is 50 yuan/person. The main attractions of Dalongqiu are the Dalongqiu Waterfall and the changing scenery. After getting off the bus, you will pass a short street market similar to a snack street, and then arrive at the entrance of the scenic area. To the right of the entrance to the scenic area is the first attraction of Dalongqiu - Wanfo Rock.
Then look directly at the gate of the scenic area, and you will see a towering stone peak. At this time, it presents the first scene of the stone - Crocodile Peak. Then, as you look at it from different angles, it will present a total of 7 forms, namely: Crocodile Peak, Scissors Peak, Woodpecker Peak, Bear Rock, Sail Peak, and Stone Mast Peak, which will make you marvel at the wonders of nature.
Here, you can enjoy the changing scenery at your own pace! Along the way, the streams along the road are very clear, and you can also find a small tea plantation here, so don't forget to enjoy it. The waterscape here is usually small, and only after a typhoon will the water volume increase a bit.
After walking for about 10 minutes, you can see the distant view of Dalongqiu Waterfall.
After passing through the forest, we arrived at the highlight of the trip: the world's first waterfall, Dalongqiu Waterfall. It is one of the four famous waterfalls in China and has the highest single drop in the country, at over 190 meters. During the rainy season, the waterfall is magnificent, like a cascading white water dragon.
After seeing the waterfall, you can go back along the downhill road. There are not many attractions on the downhill road. It is recommended to spend 90 minutes in the Dalongqiu Scenic Area.
Lingyan
Take the bus from the Dalungqiu parking lot to the Lingyan Scenic Area. The ticket is 50 yuan per person. Not long after entering the scenic area, you will see the statue of Xu Xiake. There is a fork here. The right leads to Shuangzhu Valley, which is not recommended. Walking along the left side, you can see the old monk worshiping the pagoda, the eagle spreading its wings, Mo Yan's inscriptions and other landscapes, and then you will arrive at Lingyan Temple, which is the center of the Lingyan Scenic Area.
Looking up, you can see a stone peak on each side, namely Tianzhu Peak and Zhanqi Peak. There is a rope between the two peaks. One of the three wonders of Yandang will be performed here - Lingyan Flying Crossing. A rope is pulled on the peaks of Tianzhu Peak and Zhanqi Peak. It is 200 meters high and more than 200 meters wide, which is rare in the world. People perform somersaults, flying and other actions on the rope, which is a unique experience. You can also hear the Yueqing folk song - "Birds": the performance time in the morning is 10:30, and the afternoon performance time is 15:30, 14:00, and 16:00, so you must arrange your itinerary reasonably to avoid missing the performance. After watching the performance, continue walking forward and you can see Xiaolongqiu Waterfall.
It turns out that the end of the Lingyan Scenic Area tour route is not Xiaolongqiu. You can take the elevator to the top of Xiaolongqiu and walk along the plank road. The Heartbroken Cliff that appeared in Huang Xiaoming's version of "The Return of the Condor Heroes" is right on top of the waterfall. There is also Wolong Valley, where the entrance to the ancient tomb is located. You can go in by bamboo raft, but it is only the entrance to the ancient tomb.
The interior of the ancient tomb is in Xiangshan, Ningbo. Personally, I think the area on top of the waterfall is quite interesting, but the scenic area has been under repair for several years and has not reopened, so I don’t know when it will reopen. When you return by the original route, when you see a road leading to Swan Lake and Lotus Valley, it is strongly recommended not to go. I can tell you from my own experience that it takes nearly 2 hours to go back and forth here. There are just more trees, and there is nothing worth spending time appreciating. Lingyan Scenic Area recommends a 90-minute visit.
Lingfeng Daytime Scene
Wait for the bus at the entrance of the scenic area to Xianglingtou. After having lunch, take the bus to Lingfeng Scenic Area. The ticket is 50 yuan/person. After entering the scenic area and walking a short distance, you will see a wind tunnel. The temperature here is 17℃ all year round, warm in winter and cool in summer, just like a natural air conditioner. Then walk forward and there is a fork in the road. On the right is Lingfeng Ancient Cave, and on the left is Guanyin Cave. You can climb a little. They are not high and the scenery is not bad. Walk right to Lingfeng Ancient Cave first. The following pictures were taken while standing on Lingfeng Ancient Cave. There was a lot of fog at that time, so it felt like a fairyland.
After going down the Lingfeng Ancient Cave, you can see a Hezhang Peak not far away. There is a crack running through the middle of the peak. In the crack is the Guanyin Cave. There are countless Buddha statues embedded in the stone wall in the cave. Hezhang Peak is the Couple Peak at night. By the way, when you face Hezhang Peak, there is a path leading to the Purple Bamboo Forest on the left and a path leading to the General Cave on the right. However, it is not recommended to go there. After going down the Lingfeng Ancient Cave, if you are tired in the summer, you can also play in the stream for a while and feel refreshed.
Night view of Lingfeng
Going down the mountain road, you can see many signs of night view attractions along the way. The night view is mainly viewed on the way down the mountain, or if you do not leave the scenic area, stay inside until about seven o'clock, which is the best time to see the night view, because the ticket for viewing the night view is also 50 yuan per person. The night view mainly revolves around the three story themes of first love, passionate love, and twilight love. It sounds quite interesting. You can follow the tour guide to listen. After all, it is dark and it is difficult to tell that you have sneaked in.
The photo above shows the Couple's Peak at night. Does it look like a man and a woman kissing? After visiting the night view, we went down to the entrance of the scenic area. There were no buses, so we had to walk or take a rickshaw to rest. It took about 20 minutes to walk there.
Day 2
On the second day, you can choose to visit Fangdong, Sanzhe Waterfall and Jingming Grand Canyon.
It is still recommended to get up early in the morning and go out. The first advantage is that you can have more time to play, and the second advantage is that you can reduce the time you spend in the crowd. You can choose to get up at 7 or 8 o'clock again. Take the bus from Xianglingtou to Fangdong Scenic Area. Here are a few points to note: there are two stops to Fangdong Scenic Area, neither of which goes directly to the gate of the scenic area. One is the Fangdong Cableway Station, which costs 60 yuan per person for one up and down, and it takes about 5 minutes to reach the gate of the scenic area. The other is the entrance of Fangdong Scenic Area. You need to walk along the winding mountain road for about 45 minutes to reach the gate of the scenic area. Anyway, the editor walked up normally at the beginning, just as a workout. Hahaha, the ticket for Fangdong Scenic Area is 40 yuan per person.
If you were looking up at the scenic spots during yesterday's itinerary, Fangdong is a stone road carved in the mountain for you to look down and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Yandang Mountain.
After about 20 minutes, you will reach the sky bridge of Fangdong Scenic Area. The bridge is quite long and a little exciting.
After crossing the overpass, walk forward for another 10 minutes and you will reach an abandoned store. Most people will choose to return the same way. I personally recommend that those who came here by cable car should return the same way. If you came here along the winding mountain road, it is recommended that you continue forward and follow the signs for the downhill road, because the exit of the downhill road is not far from the entrance station of Fangdong Scenic Area, and the scenery along the way is also very good.
Finally, we returned to the platform to wait for the bus. It is recommended to visit Fangdong, which takes 1.5 hours (cable car up the mountain) and 2.5 hours (walking).
Three-fold Waterfall
Take the bus to the Sanzhe Waterfall Scenic Area. The ticket for the Sanzhe Waterfall Scenic Area is 20 yuan per person. There are three waterfalls in the Sanzhe Waterfall, all of which were formed naturally by the action of the volcanic crater in history. Among them, the middle fold waterfall is the most spectacular. You can have lunch at the entrance of the scenic area. Let me explain here that the Sanzhe Waterfall Scenic Area and the Jingming Grand Canyon (that is, Yandang Mountain Forest Park) are connected. You can directly follow the mountain road of the Sanzhe Waterfall to reach the forest park. There are almost no forks in the whole road, so you can just walk directly. However, the whole road takes a long time. It takes 5 minutes from the entrance of the Sanzhe Waterfall Scenic Area to the lower fold waterfall, 15 minutes from the lower fold waterfall to the middle fold waterfall, 45 minutes from the middle fold waterfall to the upper fold waterfall, and 45 minutes from the upper fold waterfall to the forest park. The first place we came to was the lower fold waterfall.
Next is the Zhongzhe Waterfall, which is known as the most scenic spot in Yanshan.
Then go to Shangzhe Waterfall
The scenery captured along the way is also very beautiful and charming.
The following photo was taken on a cliff at the junction of Sanzhe Waterfall and Forest Park. If the ground is not captured, it looks like people are jumping into the air. In fact, this cliff is quite large and it is very safe as long as it is not slippery.
Forest Park
Then we entered the Forest Park. If you don’t want to climb too many mountains in the Sanzhe Waterfall Scenic Area, after passing the Zhongzhe Waterfall, you can return to the Forest Park by bus. The ticket price is 30 yuan per person. The Jingming Grand Canyon and the Forest Park are in the same place. The vegetation coverage rate here is quite high, and the negative oxygen ions are also off the charts. Going up the mountain along the hiking trail, you will pass by Meihuazhuang, Shuilian Cave, Huitouhu, Yizhixiang and other attractions.
Follow the uphill road to the viewing platform. I personally think this viewing platform is quite LOW, but you can see Yang Gang Peak. I think you will understand it yourself, hahaha~
If you want to go down the mountain, you can choose to take the slide down the mountain. The drop is 500 to 600 meters. It feels pretty good. The cost is 30 yuan per person. It is a must for lazy people. Hahaha~
Day 3
Chaoyang Cave
In fact, if time is tight, you can visit all the major attractions in Yandang Mountain in the first two days. If time is more, you can mainly visit Chaoyang Cave on the third day. The visit to Chaoyang Cave is mainly based on mountain climbing, but the scenery on the top of the mountain is really good and a little exciting. You can choose to get up at eight or nine in the morning, bring some dry food if necessary, and take the bus to Lingfeng Scenic Area at Xianglingtou. There is a mountain road on the left side of Lingfeng Scenic Area, which leads to Chaoyang Cave Scenic Area, but in fact this is the downhill road. However, I personally think that it is easier to go up the mountain on the downhill road and down the mountain on the uphill road. Chaoyang Cave used to charge an entrance fee, but now it is open to the public for free. It takes about 45 minutes to climb to the top of the mountain.
It takes about an hour to go down the mountain.
When you see the picture below, it means you are almost at the exit.
The tour of Chaoyang Cave is over, and it is probably early afternoon. If you don’t want to stay here overnight, you can consider packing up and going home.
3. Deep Niche Route
Yanhu Lake
It belongs to the Yanhu Scenic Area of North Yandang Mountain. The ticket price is 15 yuan. In the past, this lake was "ten miles square and the water never dried up". The lake was covered with reeds and rushes. When the geese returned in autumn, they often roosted here, so it was named Yanhu. The name of Yandang Mountain also comes from this. Yanhu is also a good place to watch the sunrise and the sea of clouds. If you want to watch the sunrise, you must bring a tent and spend the night on the mountain. In summer and autumn, remember to guard against snakes, bring some cooling oil, and prevent mosquitoes and heatstroke. The climbing intensity is relatively high. Normally, it takes 6-7 hours to go back and forth, so it is recommended that you bring enough dry food, especially more water.
How to reach the scenic spot?
In Yandang Town, take the Dajing bus to Yueqing on National Highway 104, get off at the intersection of Qingjiang to Furong, take the bus to Furong, get off at Furong Town, and then it is recommended to take a tricycle from Furong Town to Shang'an Village, Yanhu Township, and then to Yanhu Scenic Area. The whole journey takes more than an hour and the total fare is about 30 yuan. For the route, you can refer to the picture below.
The road from the entrance of the scenic area to the Meiyu Waterfall is relatively flat. It should be mentioned that the Meiyu Waterfall here is not the Meiyu Pond described in Zhu Ziqing's "Green". The Meiyu Pond is in Nanyan Dang Mountain. There is a Meiyu Pavilion not far from the Meiyu Waterfall, where people can rest. After all, the next step is to officially climb the mountain. After walking for about ten minutes from the Meiyu Waterfall, you will reach the Luodai Waterfall. The water volume of this waterfall is quite abundant and the water is very cool.
There are no more scenic spots on the road to the top of the mountain. The whole journey is mountainous and quite difficult.
Then there are almost no supplies on the mountain, so let me reiterate here that you must bring enough water, or use empty bottles to fill with mountain spring water. After about four hours of travel, you will reach Yanhu Lake.
But this is not the highest point. After walking a little further, you can reach Yanhugang, the second highest peak in Yueqing. You can look into the distance and see the East China Sea and the sky are one color, vast and boundless. Yanhugang is shrouded in clouds and mist all year round, so the tea produced there is also very good. "It is easy to go up the mountain, but difficult to go down the mountain" refers to the way of climbing. However, going down the mountain is slightly faster. It takes about 2 hours to get back to the entrance of the scenic area. However, the tricycles going back and forth here will not be too late. Therefore, it is recommended that you watch the time for hiking, especially tourists who have no means of transportation and live outside the scenic area. After all, it is difficult to catch a tricycle and it is difficult to catch the last bus back to the city.
【Xiansheng Gate】
There are more than a dozen scenic spots called "gates" in Yandang Mountain, and the most famous one is Xiansheng Gate. The two cliffs of Xiansheng Gate are 200 meters high, and the distance between them is only a few meters. The effect of this distance is very strong, which makes people dizzy and unable to stay for long. After tension, there must be relaxation, after hardness, there must be softness. The beautiful and varied Longtou Creek and Songpo Creek just play the roles of "relaxation" and "softness", just like Yu Ji dancing in front of Xiang Yu, the two complement each other and form infinite scenery. The ticket price for Xiansheng Gate is 15 yuan.
How to reach the scenic spot?
Take the Yueqing-Dajing bus to Dajing Passenger Transport Center, then take a tricycle to Gaodi Station. The fare for this journey is about 5 yuan. Of course, you can also walk. At Gaodi Station, take the bus to Zhuangwu, get off at Xiansheng Village, and walk to Xianshengmen Scenic Area. The route from Dajing Passenger Transport Center to Gaodi Station is shown in the figure below.
It takes about 45 minutes to walk from Xiansheng Village to the scenic area. You can see the iconic rocks of Yandang Mountain from a long distance on the road. When you arrive at the scenic area, the first thing that catches your eye is a large bamboo forest.
Walk into the scenic area and you will soon see Xiansheng Gate. Huang Xiaoming's version of "The Return of the Condor Heroes" was also filmed here.
Return to the intersection of Xiansheng Village by the same route you came from. If you pay attention on the way, you will find a Xianyou Cave, which is actually a Taoist temple. You can visit it and enjoy the scenery on the top of the mountain. After going down the mountain, take a bus and get off at Nange Ancient Village. You can choose to see the Nange Archway, which is one of the few cultural landscapes in Yandang Mountain. There are more than a dozen of them, large and small.
【Jinzhujian】
Jinzhujian is dominated by waterscapes. There are 18 pools including Juying, Xiamen, Shuyu and Lianhuan, and several waterfalls such as Yongcui. The rocks on both sides of the stream are intertwined. When visitors enter the stream, they will feel the winding paths, misty shadows and mountain scenery, which is unique and interesting. Jinzhujian is actually divided into the Dalungqiu Scenic Area. In the past, there was an entrance fee, but now it is developed for free and has become a classic outdoor route. The whole route is a hike along the stream and takes 5-6 hours.
How to reach the scenic spot?
Take the Dajing bus on National Highway 104 to the intersection of Yannan Highway, then walk along Yannan Highway to the entrance of Jinzhujian Ancient Trail. It will take about 2 hours to reach the entrance of the ancient trail. When you see the sign below, it means you are almost at the entrance of the ancient trail.
Specific wiring diagram
Walk in from the entrance of the ancient trail for about 20 minutes, and you will reach a pond. There is a place to rest here for people to adjust and take a break. Walk further in from the pond, and you will soon reach a reservoir. After that, you will walk along the stream. During this period, you will pass by the Yandang Mountain Boundary Monument, the thousand-year-old temple - Nengren Temple, etc., until you reach the Swallow Tail Waterfall, which is almost the end. The end is at the Dalungqiu Scenic Area. You can choose to go to the parking lot and take the scenic bus back home.
Yangjiao Cave and Fangshan
Yangjiaodong and Fangshan are actually one mountain, but when they were divided, the two sides of the mountain were under the jurisdiction of Yueqing, Wenzhou and Wenling, Taizhou respectively.
Yangjiao Cave
A branch of Yandang Mountain, Fangshan was long known by its own name, Fangshan, before returning to its roots in Yandang. Its founder was a Taoist priest. Its series of caves and other sites are imbued with a Taoist and shamanic atmosphere, making it the most representative of Chinese folk religious culture among Yandang Mountain's eight scenic areas. Comprising Yangjiao Cave and Shuanglong Valley, this scenic area encompasses just 3 square kilometers, making it the smallest of the mountain's scenic areas. Yet, with its abundant peaks, cliffs, caves, waterfalls, pools, and lakes, and its proximity to the sea, one can hear the sounds of wind, sea, rain, and tides. However, with Yandang Mountain as its backdrop, Yangjiao Cave can only remain a humble retreat, a delicate reflection of the mountain.
How to reach the scenic spot?
Take the bus to Wenling from Yandang Bus Station, get off at the Huwu entrance, and take a tricycle for about 15 minutes to Yangjiaodong Scenic Area. The specific route is shown in the figure:
At the entrance of the scenic area, there is a huge stone with the words "Yandang Yangjiao Cave Scenic Area" engraved on it.
It takes about half an hour to walk along the winding mountain road to the ticket office. The ticket to the scenic area is 10 yuan, and you can take the cable car to the top of the mountain for 50 yuan for a round-trip trip. The most worth seeing thing in Yangjiao Cave is the mysterious and exquisite Taoist temples. You can see Taoist temples with different scenery all the way up the mountain.
【Fangshan】
Return to the gate of Yangjiaodong Scenic Area, follow the route shown in the picture below into Wenling, enter Fangshan Scenic Area, and hike for about 1 hour.
After entering Wenling, follow the signs to the entrance of the scenic area.
The ticket is 40 yuan per ticket. After buying the ticket and entering the scenic area, you will see the big words "The First Mountain in Southeast Taiyan" engraved on a big rock. The scenic area planning of Fangshan is better and newer than its other side - Yangjiaodong. It takes about two hours to reach the largest volcanic platform in the country. The top of the mountain here is very flat, estimated to be as big as dozens of football fields.
Going further, you will reach the Magpie Bridge, and next to it is the Beauty Waterfall.
The canyon overlooking the Magpie Bridge is particularly spectacular.
On the platform, you can also see the lakes scattered all over the place.
As a national 5A-level scenic spot, Yandang Mountain has countless picturesque scenery. It is difficult to describe all the beautiful scenery with words alone. So if you are interested, why not take action directly and experience and feel the beauty of nature in person.
In my heart of missing my hometown, Yandang Mountain has always been like a cinnabar mole on my heart. Whenever I think of or see photos of Yandang Mountain, a warm feeling will inevitably pass through my heart. I also hope that this guide will be helpful to everyone. Welcome everyone to come to my hometown to play.
