Songkou Ancient Town: A Millennium of Vibrant Life, Fuzhou's Hidden Gem

🌟 Reasons to Recommend 🌟

1. A Living Millennium-Old Town: The only "China Historical and Cultural Town" in Fuzhou, with over 60 Ming and Qing dynasty ancient houses preserved in clusters, more authentic than Lijiang.
2. Movie Filming Location: The 2024 theatrical film "Songkou Town" was shot here, with the ancient ferry dock and Crane-Shaped Road offering cinematic scenes at every turn.
3. Intangible Cultural Heritage Experiences: Make Yongtai egg swallows and weave bamboo strips by hand, and participate in the "Songkou Blossoms" art season featuring Min-Tai persimmon dyeing crafts.
4. One-Stop Rural Vacation: Explore ancient houses by day, watch the reservoir sunset at Daxi Village in the evening, and stay overnight in century-old wooden inns to enjoy a dual experience of "ancient town + ecology."

📍 Detailed Address 📍
Songkou Town, Yongtai County, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province (1.5 hours by car from downtown Fuzhou, navigate to "Songkou Ancient Town Parking Lot" to arrive)

🆓 Ticket Prices 🆓
✅ Entire ancient town open free of charge
✅ Some ancient houses/museums charge a nominal fee (e.g., Folk Museum 10 RMB, Zhang Yuangan Former Residence free)

📅 Travel Guide 📅
🔸 Historical and Cultural Route (Perfect for Hanfu enthusiasts)

1. Crane-Shaped Road: A 150-meter cobblestone "Crane Feeding Tube," symbolizing longevity; wearing Hanfu and taking photos at the curve is stunning.
2. Yongtanzu: A 200-room mansion of a Qing dynasty wealthy man, with gilded screens and exquisite Three Kingdoms wood carvings.
3. Ancient Ferry Dock: A Ming dynasty stone stele records the century-old rule of "charging 4 copper coins for bridal sedan chair crossing"; watch the sunset over Dazhang Creek in the evening.
4. Folk Museum: Converted from an old pharmacy, showcasing agricultural civilization with precious artifacts like the Qing dynasty "Eternal Prohibition of Drowning Girls Stele."

🔸 Natural Ecology Route (Family-friendly)

1. Daxi Village: Known as "Little Switzerland of Fuzhou" with 95% vegetation coverage; camp by the reservoir, hike through cedar forests, and spot wild squirrels.
2. Yuezhou Village: Hometown of Zhang Yuangan; check in at the "Half Moon Residence" curved wall and listen to the babbling stream near the "Cold Light Pavilion" ruins.
3. Wutong Bay Campground: A popular spot in Chunguang Village; swing under ancient banyan trees and enjoy bamboo raft drifting (30 RMB/person).

🔸 In-Depth Experience Route (For craft lovers)

1. Li Ganmei Shop: The town’s central check-in spot; make peanut maltose candy on-site and take home Yongtai’s iconic souvenir "Songkou Li Gan."
2. Zhengji Egg Swallow: Intangible cultural heritage inheritors personally teach you to make egg swallows, with chewy skins wrapped around shiitake and shredded pork—delicious beyond words!
3. Supply and Marketing Cooperative: A century-old mansion transformed into a cultural and creative complex; buy rattan woven souvenirs, drink osmanthus lattes, and join weekend ancient architecture study classes.

🍜 Food Guide 🍜

1. Must-Try Snacks:
- Egg Swallow (Zhengji Egg Swallow, 559 meters): Made fresh with sweet potato starch and local eggs; seafood version recommended.
- Scallion Pancake (Jiewu Stuffed Pancake, 107-year-old shop): Crispy, spicy, 13 RMB/box as a souvenir.
- Tender Meat Soup (Alou Meat Geng, 40 years of craftsmanship): Garlic aroma is rich; 8 RMB/bowl perfect with rice.
2. Hidden Menu:
- Nine-Layer Cake (Old Lady’s stall at ancient street entrance): Sweet rice fragrance, drizzled with brown sugar syrup, very comforting.
- Tea Oil Smoked Duck (Chenglong Restaurant, 284 meters): Yongtai intangible heritage skill, duck meat is fragrant and flavorful.
3. Seasonal Specials:
- March Plum Blossom Feast: Enjoy a full feast under plum trees in Yuezhou Village; green plum wine paired with smoked duck is exceptional.
- June Bayberry Ice: Specially made by the town’s supply cooperative; fresh bayberries with crushed ice, a perfect summer cooler.

🏨 Accommodation Guide 🏨

1. Old Pavilion Inn: Renovated century-old wooden building with carved window lattices and bluestone courtyard; 150 RMB/night to experience ancient living.
2. Qingtengyuan Homestay: An artistic courtyard beside the ancient street, hosting art sketching groups; off-season 200 RMB/night with exclusive photo rental.
3. Licheng Bieyuan (Daxi Village Branch): A light luxury resort hotel by the reservoir with family rooms featuring slides; 300 RMB/night including breakfast.
4. Huayuan Lodging: Cost-effective choice in the town center; 50 RMB/bed, with a vegetable market downstairs.

💗 Other Tips 💗

1. Transportation:
- Self-driving: From Fuzhou take the Fuzhao Expressway, 1.5 hours direct; free parking at the ancient town.
- Bus: From Fuzhou North Station take Yongtai special line → transfer at Yongtai Bus Station to Route 12 Songkou special line (about 2 hours, last bus at 17:00).
2. Pitfalls to Avoid:
- Weekends are crowded; recommend visiting on weekdays to avoid peak times.
- Ancient house floors are slippery; wear non-slip shoes!
- Some ancient houses are closed; do not enter without permission.
3. Photo Tips:
- Props: Rent oil-paper umbrellas (provided by homestays), bamboo baskets for instant time travel.
- Photo spots: Crane-Shaped Road curve, ancient ferry dock stone steps, Yuezhou Village "Cold Light Pavilion" ruins.
4. Local Culture:
- On the 1st and 15th of each lunar month, the ancient street hosts markets full of mountain goods and handicrafts; you can find handmade bamboo cups for 10 RMB each.
- Follow the "Yongtai Culture and Tourism" WeChat official account for real-time updates on village cultural festivals and the Blossoms art season.

🎒 Packing List:
✔️ Sun hat + mosquito repellent (mosquitoes are abundant in June)
✔️ Portable power bank (some ancient houses have no charging points)
✔️ Small change (some snack stalls only accept cash)