Solo May Day Wandering: A Gentle Encounter with Time in Songyang's Thousand-Year-Old Villages

Here is a travel guide for a solo trip to Songyang during the May Day holiday. Songyang has been rated by National Geographic as "the last secret paradise of Jiangnan," and is known as China's natural oxygen bar and hometown of famous tea, offering a pastoral lifestyle. 🌟 Attractions Songyang Old Street: The best-preserved traditional commercial district in Zhejiang Province, known as "a living Along the River During the Qingming Festival painting," where you can experience the local atmosphere. • Chenjiapucun Village: A national traditional village at an altitude of over 800 meters, known as the "village on the cliff." The Avant-garde Bookstore in the village is a popular photo spot. • Yangjiatan Village: Known as the "Little Potala Palace," the village preserves numerous ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties, arranged in a picturesque manner. • Damushan Tea Garden Scenic Area: China's largest cycling tea garden with over 80,000 mu of tea plantations, where you can cycle, taste tea, and enjoy the rural scenery. • Songyin Stream Scenic Area: Features artistic structures like Dushan Station, Wuyang Dam, and Shimenyu Corridor Bridge scattered throughout the area, showcasing Songyang's most distinctive landscapes of beautiful mountains, ancient villages, and fertile fields. 🥯 Food Recommendations • Songyang Lightly Salted Chicken: A traditional famous dish with intangible cultural heritage status, featuring crispy skin, tender meat, soft bones, and a fragrant taste. • Three Flour Balls: Eaten on New Year's Eve to symbolize reunion, made with sweet potato flour, taro milk, and various sauces and condiments. Can be steamed, stir-fried, or boiled with rich textures. • Fresh Flour Fruit: Carefully made from local mountain flour, crystal clear in appearance with a soft and chewy texture. • Ham with Poached Eggs: Composed of Songyang's special boiled eggs and bamboo leaf-smoked ham, with a delicious taste. 🏠 Accommodation Options • County Town: Hanting Hotel (Lishui Songyang Branch), convenient for travel with plenty of dining options nearby. Songyang Tianyuan Weijia Hotel, with a large parking lot and charging stations. • Sidu Township: Yuanshe Lanshu (Songyang Branch), where you can enjoy mountain views. Songyang Yunying Xingu Guesthouse, with a large lawn for stargazing, cloud watching, and camping. 🚗 Itinerary • Day 1: Arrive in Songyang in the morning and head to Songyang Old Street to explore traditional shops. In the afternoon, visit Damushan Tea Garden Scenic Area for cycling through tea plantations. Enjoy local cuisine in the county town in the evening. • Day 2: Visit Yangjiatan Village in the morning to appreciate ancient architecture. Head to Chenjiapucun Village in the afternoon and check out the Avant-garde Bookstore. Stay at a guesthouse in Sidu Township and enjoy a peaceful night. • Day 3: Stroll around the villages near Sidu Township to experience rural scenery, then visit Songyin Stream Scenic Area to enjoy the views along the way before concluding your trip. ⚠️ Notes Check the weather forecast in advance and bring appropriate clothing. When visiting ancient villages, respect local residents' lifestyles and protect the environment. If you plan to cycle in the tea gardens, pay attention to traffic safety.