I've been to Jiaolong Grand Canyon 5 times and finally figured out how to enjoy it properly.

📍Location: Jiaokeng Village, Huyuan Township, Jinyun County, Lishui, Zhejiang (50km from Lishui city center)
🚗Transportation:
▫️High-speed rail: Xi'an North→Lishui Station (about 11 hours), then hire a car for 1 hour directly to the scenic area
▫️Self-driving: 3.5 hours from Hangzhou (Changshen Expressway→Taijin Expressway), free parking lot available at the entrance

🎫Tickets:
▫️Adult ticket: 78 yuan (including glass walkway), double ticket for 147.9 yuan is more economical
▫️Half-price for seniors over 60/children under 1.2m, free for those over 70
▫️10% discount available when purchasing in advance on "Dahe Ticket Network"

🌟Must-do routes:
1️⃣ Front Mountain Hiking Trail (2.5h)

• Starting point: Jiaokeng Village entrance→Diexian Rock (40-meter high natural stone box formation)

• Highlights: Cliff walkway (overlooking the canyon)→Titanic Viewing Platform (rock formation resembling a ship's bow)

• End point: 360° glass viewing platform (aerial view of Ancient Fang Mountain + panoramic canyon views)

2️⃣ Back Mountain Salt Road Trail (1.5h)

• Thousand-year-old salt road ruins→Fairy Water Cave (natural spring water for drinking)→Jade Pool (secret spot for summer water activities)

• Hidden adventure: Follow the stream upstream to discover wild waterfall clusters

📸Photography tips:
▫️Glass walkway: Wear bright-colored clothes for suspended reflection shots, use wide-angle lens to extend spatial feeling
▫️Diexian Rock: Shoot with front lighting in early morning, use telephoto lens to compress layers for more dimension
▫️Jade Pool: Shoot water reflections in afternoon backlight, add polarizing filter to eliminate glare

🏡Accommodation recommendations:
▫️Farmhouses at canyon entrance (200-300 yuan/night): Recommend "Chengmenkou Farmhouse," must try bacon with bamboo shoots and earth chicken pot
▫️Dayang Town guesthouses (400-600 yuan/night): "Mountain Cottage Cloud Stay" has a stargazing terrace, perfect for watching sunrise

🍜Food map:

• Must-eat: Jinyun Shaobing (preserved vegetable and pork filling) + Qiao Rou Geng (sour and spicy soup)

• Hidden menu: "Old Zhang's" mountain powder dumplings in Jiaokeng Village (chewy sweet potato starch wrapper)

• Avoid: Snacks inside the scenic area are expensive, better to eat in town

⚠️Notes:
1️⃣ No cable car throughout, recommend wearing non-slip shoes + bringing hiking poles
2️⃣ No shops at the summit, bring 2 bottles of water + energy bars
3️⃣ Shoe covers required for glass walkway (provided free by the scenic area)
4️⃣ In summer, avoid the intense sun between 12-14:00, bring sunscreen

🎁Nearby attractions:
▫️ Xiandu Scenic Area (20km): Visit the same stepping-stone bridge from "Dance of the Phoenix" TV show + Dinghu Peak
▫️ Ren'an Village (10km): 3D stone animal park + water park
▫️ Dayang Mountain (15km): Alpine meadow + Ancient Fang Mountain lake

💡Tips:

• Recommend entering before 8am to avoid tour groups

• Photography enthusiasts can apply for time-lapse shooting permits (reservation required 1 day in advance)