Tianmu Lake is here, my advice is...

Tianmu Lake Avoidance Tips and Travel Guide

Avoidance Guide

1. Tickets: Do not trust the "scalpers" at the entrance selling cheap tickets⚠️, as they may be fake or have usage restrictions, causing more trouble than it's worth. Purchase tickets in advance on official platforms or legitimate ticketing apps to avoid issues. Also, pay attention to what is included in combo tickets; for example, the Shanshui Garden ticket includes a boat ride, but "Ocean World" charges separately. If you don’t plan to visit Ocean World, there’s no need to choose a combo ticket that includes it❌.
2. Dining Avoidance: Some restaurants around the scenic area claim to serve "authentic Tianmu Lake claypot fish head," but prices are inflated💸 and quality is average. It’s recommended to check local reviews and choose reputable restaurants, such as "Millennium Fish Restaurant." Also, the simple meals inside the scenic area are not cost-effective, so if possible, bring some snacks to keep your energy up🍫.
3. Accommodation Choices: When booking hotels, be careful. For example, the "Tianmu Yuhu Peninsula Hot Spring Hotel" name can be misleading; it does not have natural hot springs but artificial small hot spring pools💧. Compare reviews and prices across multiple platforms to find the best value. If you want to enjoy hot springs, choose hotels near hot springs like Yushui Hot Spring Resort🏨.
4. Transportation: Shuttle buses inside the scenic area are infrequent and waiting times are long⏳. Taking a taxi from Yushui Hot Spring to Nanshan Bamboo Sea is more convenient, about 10 minutes and costs around 15 yuan. If driving, prioritize parking in the scenic area’s parking lots and avoid roadside parking to prevent random charges🚗.

Travel Guide

1. Must-visit Attractions:
- Tianmu Lake Shanshui Garden: The essence of Tianmu Lake, where you can take the B-line boat to shuttle between lake islands🛶, visit Longxing Island, Banyue Pond, and Butterfly Valley🦋, climb to the top of "Tianmu Lansheng" for a panoramic view; enjoy white tea on China Tea Island, check in at the "World’s Number One Teapot," and stroll on the Free Bridge to experience tea culture. Tickets are 120 yuan (including boat ride), with discounts for children, students, and seniors.
- Nanshan Bamboo Sea: A secret realm of ten thousand mu of bamboo forest🎋, take photos with the "China’s Number One Longevity Star" at Shouxing Square, ride the ground cable car through the bamboo sea to Jiming Ancient Village, visit the tri-province junction landmark, and see the pandas "Huali" and "Xingan" being adorable🐼. Tickets are 90 yuan, cable car one-way 40 yuan, small train 15 yuan.
- Yushui Hot Spring: An open-air hot spring in the bamboo forest, with 52 pools divided into zones including couple’s area and dynamic area. Recommended are the couple’s private bath under the starry sky and the enhanced pools✨. Tickets are 218 yuan/adult, 88 yuan/child.
2. Special Experiences: In summer, visit Tianmu Lake Water World to enjoy Maya rafting and giant bowl slides🌊, with wave pool parties in the evening; try the zipline crossing two islands for a lake view🪂, or go boating on the quiet lake in Nanshan Bamboo Sea and experience bamboo raft drifting.
3. Food Recommendations: Claypot fish head is one of Tianmu Lake’s three specialties, with milky and delicious broth🐟; black rice steamed in bamboo tubes served with sugar is sweet and soft🍚; also seasonal mountain delicacies like bamboo shoots stew and white celery, light and refreshing🥬.
4. Transportation Guide: It takes 2-3 hours by car from the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai area; navigate to "Tianmu Lake Tourism Resort Area." After taking the high-speed train to Liyang Station🚄, it’s about a 20-minute taxi ride to the scenic area🚕.
5. Accommodation Recommendations: Yushui Hot Spring Resort Hotel is convenient for hot springs and includes breakfast and hot spring tickets; Nanshan Bamboo Sea homestays are quiet and healing small houses by the bamboo sea, costing around 200+ yuan per person, offering great value🏡.

Post by BEN. Nat 2929 | Aug 1, 2025