Day 1 Shanghai Station/Shanghai Hongqiao Station → Huangshan North Station → Xixi South Village → Hotel
All day
The Dragon Boat Festival holiday begins with the bustling Shanghai Station/Shanghai Hongqiao Station.
High-speed rail meeting: Our bus will be waiting for tourists at Huangshan North Station from 11:00 and depart on time at 11:50.
Self-driving tours: Navigate to Yansi Old Street (123 Huangshan Road, Huizhou District, Huangshan City). Alternatively, proceed to your hotel and check in with China-TravelNote Shanghai.
Recommended high-speed trains: G1509: 08:45 Shanghai Hongqiao Station - 11:05 Huangshan North Station. G7357: 08:05 Shanghai Station / 08:35 Shanghai Hongqiao Station - 11:26 Huangshan North Station.
2025.05.31-2025.06.01 Schedule:
[Folded, it's fireworks; spread out, it's the human world - Yansi Old Street]
Around 12:30 PM, we arrived at Yansi Old Street, our first stop on our Huizhou trip. Walking along the Fengle River, Yansi Old Street is free of commercial activity, preserving traces of local life and offering simple stories everywhere. The street isn't long, but it's packed with delicious food: savory Qiankou wontons, rich Lingshan fermented rice, crispy Huangshan sesame cakes, and rich Huizhou Mao tofu. Come and savor them! Every bite is authentic Huizhou flavor, leaving you with an unforgettable aftertaste!
Hongfu Bridge, near the old street, is the oldest bridge in Huizhou history. Across the bridge is the site of the New Fourth Army, and its stories are waiting for you to explore.
Around 14:00, we set off to the hotel to check in. We will distribute the hand-folded lanterns in advance. Everyone will fold them by hand and wait to join the fish lantern festival organized by the ancient village in the evening.
[A dancing fish lantern rises, thousands of lanterns sing at night, fireworks celebrate the New Year - Xixi South]
Around 3:30 PM, we'll head to Xixinan Ancient Village. This is a real-life version of the Wizard of Oz, where the maple and poplar forests are lush and verdant in summer, creating stunning forest-like images. The internet-famous wooden bridge at the entrance is a must-see for photography enthusiasts. The clear stream beneath it is like a mirror, and the reflections complement the lush greenery, creating a fairytale-like experience.
In the evening, I casually looked for food in the village and waited for the night to fall. In an ancient village in southern Anhui, thousands of colorful lights lit up.
Xixi South Ancient Village Fish Lantern Festival [National Day & Mid-Autumn Festival Special] starts around 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM (this is an unofficial event organized by local B&Bs, so the specific time is subject to the actual village schedule on that day)
Fish lanterns are the bond, rivers carry the promise, fireworks light up the night, on the stone bridge, in the ancient village, under the moonlight and stars, you will meet the ancient fish spirits and attend a fireworks and lantern festival.
The traditional handmade fish lanterns organized by the villagers will be paraded out in procession, featuring flying fish lanterns and other colorful lanterns from various households. Holding lanterns, we will follow the core fish lantern team, becoming part of the procession, as drums and fireworks illuminate the way. Starting from the small wooden bridge in the maple and poplar forest reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz, the route will pass by the streamside street, through the village, and on the other side of the river, where a blessing bonfire will be lit.
Note: The Fish Lantern Festival is hosted by local B&Bs. You can watch or follow the main group to join the lantern parade, but you are not allowed to join the main group. The Fish Lantern Festival, fireworks, and river lantern activities will be cancelled in case of rain. The route from the Fish Lantern Festival site to the bus stop is unlit and dark at night, so please bring your own lighting or travel in a group.
After the Fish Lantern Festival, we gathered at the right time and took the bus back to sleep. We fell asleep beautifully in the gentle environment of Huangshan.
Day 2 Hotel → Chengkan Ancient Village → Tunxi Old Street → Huangshan North Railway Station/Huangshan Railway Station → Shanghai Railway Station/Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station
All day
Around 8:00 in the morning, get up and embrace the sun of 2025. Around 8:30, after breakfast at the hotel, we set off for Chengkang Ancient Village!
【Visit Chengkan, and you will have no obstacles in your life】
Around 9:00, we arrived at Chengkan Ancient Village. On the first day of the new year, we visited this beautiful ancient village and prayed for a smooth and peaceful new year.
Known as the "First Village in Jiangnan," it's the world's best-preserved ancient and mysterious Bagua Village. In this ink-and-wash "paradise on earth," learn about Chengkan's two canals, five streets, and ninety-nine alleys, and deeply appreciate the antiquity, grandeur, beauty, and elegance of Huizhou's ancient architecture.
Gray walls and black tiles, water embankments and arched bridges, ancient alleys crisscrossing each other, lakes and mountains, red lanterns, and the warm winter sun, this is the Chinese New Year for the people of Huizhou. The festive atmosphere that inadvertently permeates the streets and alleys is enough to make you intoxicated and savor it carefully.
[Double Festival Impressions, Tunxi Liyang]
Around 11:30, we set off for Tunxi Old Street, which preserves the ancient charm of Jiangnan towns and is also regarded as a "natural studio" by the film industry. Teahouses, wine shops, bookstores, and ink shops are full of ancient charm and bustling with activity. We walked on the bluestone slabs and crossed the old bridge built in the Ming Dynasty. Looking up, we saw ancient Huizhou buildings. The old street is also a paradise for foodies. Wang Yitiao wontons, hairy tofu, Huangshan sesame cakes, and Lingshan fermented glutinous rice wine are of high quality and affordable.
Liyang Lane, across the bridge from Tunxi Old Street, is also worth a visit. Its preserved Hui-style buildings are a dazzling fusion of ancient simplicity and modern art. It's home to a cinema, a snack street, folk performances, specialty shops, inns, and a crisscrossing river. A stroll through it is a refreshing experience.
Around 2:30 PM, it was time to gather and head to Huangshan North Station to say goodbye to everyone. For those who drove themselves, we kissed goodbye in tears in the old street. See you in the world!
Huangshan North Station: Arrives at approximately 15:00. It is recommended to book a train after 15:30.
Recommended trains: G8388: 15:55 Huangshan North Station – 18:36 Shanghai Hongqiao Station/18:15 Jinshan North Station. G1510: 16:21 Huangshan North Station – 19:00 Shanghai Hongqiao Station.
