Live Your Best Lives
After the sudden rainstorm, the temperature finally dropped sharply. This week, the temperature in Lin'an even dropped to 0℃. When the weather got cold, You Xiaoxia wanted to go take a hot spring bath. He said that taking a hot spring bath is the most enjoyable thing in winter. No one would object, right?
For those in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai who face a harsh winter, hot springs are a true haven. Clearing your mind and being enveloped in the warmth of the springs is truly relaxing! A year's worth of fatigue and sadness is healed in this moment.
Photo @tourists Shen Yiming
It's getting harder to leave your province lately, and with your remaining annual leave unused, why not take a hot spring vacation? We've found seven worthwhile hot springs and activities to explore around Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. Head to a hot spring town to explore its old streets, hike, enjoy delicious food, soak in the hot springs, and pamper yourself to wash away the year's fatigue. It's truly relaxing!
When people in Zhejiang talk about soaking in hot springs, the first choice is Wuyi, Jinhua. It is the only city in Zhejiang officially named "China's Hot Spring City" by the Ministry of Land and Resources. The fluoride content in the spring water reaches a concentration of medical value.
More than 40 years ago, a fluorite miner accidentally drilled a hot spring, and since then, "hot springs" have become the most eye-catching business card of this place.
The hot springs here are so good that even high-end Japanese hot spring brands have signed contracts and authorized them. Now, even if you can't go to Japan, you can still experience Japanese hot spring therapy culture at home.
It only takes 2 hours to drive or 1 hour by high-speed rail to get there. Taking a nice soak in the hot springs surrounded by mountains is undoubtedly a great enjoyment in life.
But do you think Wuyi is only about hot springs? You'd be wrong! Here you'll find mountains known as the "Jiuzhaigou Valley of Jiangnan," beautiful springs and unusual rocks, deep forests and valleys, and a breathtaking National Forest Park.
The secluded ancient villages here are even wilder than those in Songyang. The mountain scenery is picturesque and even home to Zhejiang Province's earliest professional car racetrack. It's also a favorite spot for foodies, where you can enjoy bamboo rice, meat and wheat cakes, tofu balls, and Xuanping wontons...
A variety of delicious foods are gathered here, and you won't have the same experience even if you eat and shop here for a month! When the weather gets colder, come to Wuyi to play, eat, drink, and soak in hot springs. It's a different way to reward yourself after a hard year!
“Hot spring hotel in a museum”
"Die Lai Wang Jing" is a hot spring hotel built in Jingyuan, a 4A-level scenic spot. Jingyuan is known as the "Jiangnan Ancient Architecture Museum". It houses 87 various centuries-old ancient residential buildings. Exquisite ancient houses and white walls and black tiles can be seen everywhere. It is even more beautiful when it snows.
Above picture @tourists Shen Yiming
The bluestone beneath the plaque is carved with intricate patterns. Each old house bears witness to a period of time and represents a rich history. The TV series "The Lost Tomb Reboot" and the variety show "Flowers and Youth" were both filmed here.
The hotel's garden design is very Jiangnan-style, and although it's located within a scenic area, card access is required. The environment is very quiet and private, and the open-air hot spring pool has been moved into the ancient architecture museum, allowing guests from afar to enjoy a bath in the ultimate elegance.
Of course, the biggest highlight is that all rooms in Dielai Wangjing have private hot spring pools. The hotel has generously introduced hot springs into every guest room. One room, one courtyard, and one hot spring pool, allowing you to fully experience the life interest of a wealthy family in ancient times.
The courtyard rooms all have charming open-air views. Being in one of them is like being in a hot spring resort in your dreams. There is no coming and going, no noisy voices, only the privacy and tranquility of a courtyard and a hot spring.
Hot spring bathing is the highlight of Dielai Hot Spring Hotel, but it is not all there is to it. "You can fully appreciate the style of ancient dwellings in the south of the Yangtze River by visiting the park." The first thing to experience is to take a good stroll around here.
Picture @Jingyuan Xu Kaihua
Wuyi is a mountainous area and it often snows in winter. The pink walls, black tiles and horse-head walls are covered with thick snow. This snowy scenery, unique to the south of the Yangtze River, is truly unbeatable.
Picture @Jingyuan Xu Kaihua
Various ancient Hui-style buildings and ancient residential communities with a history of thousands of years have come together to form this architectural garden.
The uneven horse-head walls stand tall and straight. The vicissitudes and simplicity that the ancient houses have experienced make them even more charming, making people feel like they are in a painting of a paradise, wandering in the garden and waking up from a dream.
The faded archway on the gate of the ancient residence, the vintage palace lanterns hanging in the mansion, and the pink walls and black tiles of the ancient residence reflected in the water, are like a real ink painting!
If you come to Wuyi in autumn, you will undoubtedly encounter the most intense autumn colors of Jingyuan. Red maples, persimmons, ginkgo, pomelo, etc., paired with ancient houses, are really beautiful!
The afternoon sun is always lazy. If you are tired of walking, you can come to Jingyuan’s coffee shop to take a break and enjoy a leisurely afternoon.
"41°C fresh spring water in the city"
There are numerous hot springs of all sizes scattered throughout Wuyi. The Tangfeng Hot Spring, located in the urban area, has a daily water output of more than 1,500 tons. The spring water is continuously replenished and not recycled, so it always maintains its original freshness.
The core area of the Tang-style open-air hot spring is the Jiangnan Huaqing Pool theme hot spring area. Along the way, there are scenery and designs with Tang-style elements, giving people the illusion of traveling back to the prosperous Tang Dynasty.
There are many types of hot springs in Tangfeng Hot Spring, including milk springs, coffee springs, sand and gravel springs, fish therapy springs, slate springs, etc. After soaking in them, there are only two words that come to mind: comfortable!
"Huaqing Pool in Jiangnan"
In Wuyi National Forest Park, there is a Niutou Mountain, which is known as the "No. 1 Peak of the Eight Wu Mountains in Jinhua". Here, ancient trees, cliffs, blue lakes and waterfalls accompany each other, and the scenery is very beautiful.
Legend has it that Niutou Mountain was the incarnation of Laozi's mount. At the trailhead, you can see from afar the statue of Laozi riding on the back of a bull and gently waving a palm-leaf fan.
The water in the pond is so clear that you can see the coins thrown by many tourists for blessing. There are reflections of green mountains, white rocks at the bottom, and fish swimming in the shallow water. It is worthy of being called "Little Jiuzhaigou in Jiangnan".
Climbing to the top of the mountain, you can see all the other mountains below. The clouds, mountain peaks and ravines in the distance form a wonderful landscape painting. The gentle breeze will sweep away the fatigue of climbing.
At the foot of this "Little Jiuzhaigou in Jiangnan" mountain, there is a hot spring known as the "Huaqing Pool in Jiangnan" - Niutou Mountain Dream Hot Spring. It is divided into indoor and outdoor areas. The crystal clear glass bridge outdoors looks like a dream against the backdrop of mist.
Picture @Photo.net
Each hot spring pool has its own characteristics, with tangerine peel, mint, rose... a variety of floral ingredients and Chinese herbal medicines, as well as various petal pools, fish therapy pools, milk pools, Chinese medicine pools... Here you can wash away the fatigue after climbing and let your body and mind be completely relaxed.
Come to Wuyi in early winter! You can come alone to explore the small town and soak in the hot springs, or join us to visit Xiandu, Yunhe, Songyang, and then go to Wuyi to explore the hidden gems of southern Zhejiang in autumn and winter, soak in the hot springs, and spend a poetic holiday!
At the foot of Tianmu Mountain, a 1.5-hour drive from downtown Hangzhou, in front of a clear lake and a thousand-year-old bridge, a temple with yellow walls and red tiles comes into view. It is the famous Jiangnan temple - Chanyuan Temple.
Feiwen Zen Shangke Hall was rebuilt from the original wing of the temple, directly introducing the temple's Zen spirit into the hotel. The 61 guest rooms are adjacent to Chanyuan Temple, surrounded by Zen mountains and waters, and you can listen to the Buddhist sounds of morning bells and evening drums.
Next to Chanyuan Temple, there's a ten-mile hiking trail that leads up to Tianmu West Mountain. Stroll along the stone path, surrounded by tall cedar trees, creating a breathtakingly lush green landscape. Enjoy the winter scenery of Tianmu Mountain and receive a limited-time bonus of morning and evening Buddhist prayers at the temple.
After returning from the climb, you can admire the snow-capped mountains and ancient temples from the large French windows in your room or in the private bath, and enjoy the bliss of being surrounded by mountains, forests and streams.
Image @ China-TravelNote Backstage Guest Reviews
The hotel supplies are also very exquisite. Each mattress is worth 20,000 yuan, and the disposable supplies and room furnishings are very thoughtful.
This winter, come to Tianmu Mountain to hike, explore Zen, and soak in a luxurious hot spring to wash away a year's fatigue and worries.
Wansongling is an old ski resort in Zhejiang. It is located behind Daming Lake, with an altitude of over 1,100 meters. It is a veritable alpine forest ski resort.
Located just an hour from Damingshan Ski Resort, Tuankou Hot Springs, also known as Tianmushan Hot Springs, has been around for over 1,300 years! Besides containing common ingredients, it's also rich in special ingredients like radon, fluorine, strontium, barium, and arsenic, offering high medical and health benefits.
After a relaxing soak and a good rest, the next day, while others are still driving to Daming Mountain, you, the clever one, have already arrived at the ski resort.
Jiangnan Tianchi Hot Spring City is located in the Jiangnan Tianchi Scenic Area, a national 4A-level scenic spot. It is built in a narrow valley and is located on the top of a mountain with an altitude of nearly 1,000 meters. It is a unique alpine bamboo sea hot spring in East China.
Relying on the Tianhuangping Pumped Storage Hydropower Station, which is "the first in Asia and the second in the world", the scenery here is beautiful, the air is fresh, and the hot spring water is sweet and is said to be drinkable.
Thanks to the geological resources of the Tianmu Mountains, the hot springs here are carbonated springs, also known as "heart soup" (hot springs that are good for the heart). There are more than 50 outdoor pools of various sizes, which are divided into different theme areas. The springs are like "ice and fire" above and below.
As soon as it snows, the top of the mountain is also covered with snow. The hot steam from the outdoor hot springs rises layer by layer, and with the lights, it looks like a fairyland.
As one of the earliest outdoor ski resorts opened in Jiangnan, Jiangnan Tianchi Ski Resort is nestled among lush mountains and bamboos, and beside the magnificent Tianchi Lake. What could be more comfortable than soaking in a hot spring after skiing?
Wugong Mountain, which is worth visiting again and again, is a place that countless tourists dream of. In autumn and winter, Wugong Mountain has a special beauty, with the meadows turning from green to yellow and reed flowers floating all over the mountains.
This is a grassland, a sea of clouds, a gem that has fallen into the mortal world, and a forest full of colorful autumn colors.
This place is known as "the grassland feast of the south and the paradise on earth in the secular world". The clouds covering hundreds of square kilometers form a sea of clouds right next to you.
Wugong Mountain encompasses the unique alpine grassland scenery at the same latitude in the world. It has different stunning scenery all year round and is worth your trip!
After enjoying the stunning sunset over the sea of clouds, you can relax in the hot springs as you descend the mountain! Located in the Wugong Mountain Scenic Area, Junlan Resort and Hot Spring Hotel is nestled against the mountain and overlooks the river. Each room has a private terrace, allowing you to connect with nature without leaving your home.
There are nearly a hundred radon-rich natural health springs of various sizes and shapes. Most of the outdoor hot springs are hidden in the surrounding ink-and-wash green mountains, and the indoor hot springs are kept at a pleasant 28℃ all year round.
Oriental Hot Springs is full of 5,000 years of oriental herbal bathing culture, and also has the Twelve Zodiac Pools, an exotic area, a steam room, warm mineral sand, a crystal room... to fully enjoy the charm of exotic hot springs.
Surrounded by bamboo forests and mountains, you can soak in a hot spring, enjoy the mountain scenery, and fall into a deep sleep with the evening breeze in the valley as your pillow.
I hope everyone can be kinder to themselves in this winter when (probably) they can't travel far, find the most comfortable way to travel and relax, and make winter and the future warm and promising~
