Fujian Tulou Secret Realm Tour: From Taiji Water Town to the Tulou Star Cluster,

Who says the poetry of Fujian is only by the sea? As a local travel blogger who has been exploring mountain and wilderness secrets for years, today I’ll take you deep into the paradise of southwestern Fujian—Tashan Village in Nanjing, Zhangzhou! With just over 800 yuan and one day, complete a cultural light trip crossing streams, ancient bridges, and thousand-year-old tulou—no leave needed, no overnight stay, a same-day round trip by self-driving within the province. From the Taiji pattern in the morning mist to the ancestral hall plaques bathed in sunset, every step is a scene, full of the ink-wash Jiangnan charm!

📍Suitable for: Photography lovers / Couples strolling / Family study tours / Culture enthusiasts
💰Total budget: 800 yuan (for two people, about 400 yuan per person)

🚗Transportation｜About 500 yuan
✅ Self-driving round trip (starting from Xiamen as an example): Shenhai Expressway to Zhangwu Expressway → Nanjing Tulou direction ≈ fuel + tolls 420 yuan (about 2.5 hours from Xiamen)
✅ Parking near the scenic area + short taxi rides ≈ 80 yuan
📌Tips: About 3.5 hours from Fuzhou/Quanzhou, fewer mountain roads, good road conditions

🎫Tickets & Experiences｜About 170 yuan (super cost-effective!)
✅ [Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster] Joint ticket only 90 yuan/person × 2 = 180 yuan (includes Tashan Village, Tianluokeng, Yuchang Lou, and five major attractions, entry with ID card)
✅ Niche experience: Listen to elders tell clan genealogy stories in front of Zhang’s Ancestral Hall + learn to write calligraphy “family precepts” ≈ free or voluntary donation under 20 yuan

🏨Accommodation｜0 yuan (same-day round trip, no overnight stay!)
✔️ Precisely planned route, early departure and late return, save budget for culture and food

🍜Dining｜About 130 yuan (the highlight! This is the flavor code of Hakka mountain wilds!)
✅ Lunch: Farmhouse restaurant in Tashan Village →
🔥Must order: Hakka stuffed tofu + native chicken soup + stir-fried red mushrooms with eggs + fried creek fish ≈ 100 yuan (generous portions, all ingredients from mountain streams)
✅ Afternoon tea: Mugwort rice cakes sold by village grandma + a cup of self-brewed Tieguanyin tea ≈ 30 yuan
📌Tips: Don’t miss the “Nanjing Three Treasures”—red mushrooms, dried bamboo shoots, and high mountain tea!

🎯Itinerary｜Complete the “Tulou Mountain Water Essence Line” in 1 day

⏰ 6:30 AM｜Departure
Self-drive from Xiamen/Zhangzhou/Quanzhou, head straight to Nanjing
9:00 AM Arrive at [Tashan Village], check in at the first sight of “Taiji Water Town”!
The S-shaped stream flows through the village, tulou reflections on both sides like a painting, morning mist swirling like a fairyland

⏰ 9:30 AM｜Stroll through the thousand-year-old village
Cross the “Jade Belt Bridge,” visit Zhang’s Ancestral Hall “Deyuan Tang”
Count the 26 stone dragon flagpoles in front, witnessing family glory
Take a masterpiece photo in front of the century-old house window with “wood lattice flower window + green mountains as background”

⏰ 11:30 AM｜Authentic Hakka feast
Find a no-sign farmhouse restaurant, the owner picks mushrooms and vegetables from the mountain
Stuffed tofu is tender and fragrant, native chicken soup is golden and rich, paired with brown rice for ultimate satisfaction

⏰ 1:00 PM｜Bonus stop along the way
Drive 15 minutes to [Tianluokeng “Four Dishes and One Soup”] viewing platform (a must-go!)
Drone aerial shot of the “four round tulou surrounding one square tulou” spectacle, like a flying saucer fallen from the sky

⏰ 2:30 PM｜Explore the mysterious “tilted” Yuchang Lou
The most tilted ancient building in China, columns lean but don’t fall, a scientific mystery still unsolved
Chat with locals and hear a building legend

⏰ 4:00 PM｜Stop on the way back
Visit the outskirts of [Yunshuiyao Ancient Town] (free area)
Walk a section of the thousand-year-old ancient road, touch the aerial roots of the big banyan tree, feel the peacefulness of time

📌Local advice:
✔️ Tashan Village has the softest light for photography in the early morning and evening, avoid harsh midday light
✔️ Photography is allowed inside the tulou, but please don’t make noise and respect residents’ lives
✔️ Red mushrooms and tea can be sampled on site before purchase, prices are cheaper than in the city

Spend 800 yuan and gain:
A Taiji stream, a century-old ancestral hall, and the realization that “Chinese houses can be this beautiful.”

Tashan Village is low-key, but it tells you with flowing water, ancestral precepts, and rammed earth walls:
True nostalgia is not far away, but in the green you have walked through.