5-Hour Direct Trip from Tianjin! I Found a Real-Life Wizard of Oz in Tongling

As someone who usually spends weekends around Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, I finally discovered a hidden gem in the opposite direction - Yongquan Town in Tongling, Anhui! Without Huangshan's crowds or Hongcun's commercialization, this place is a true Jiangnan secret: thousands of acres of bamboo forests swaying in the wind, ancient alleys filled with the aroma of sticky rice, and you can even use copper coins for snacks and enjoy private hot springs... Two days and one night turned life into an ink painting! 🚄 Spontaneous Getaway Guide 📍 Location: Yongquan Town, Tongling, Anhui (South bank of Yangtze River, 30 minutes from downtown) 🚅 Transportation: · Direct high-speed rail from Tianjin to "Tongling North Station" (5h, CNY 245 for second class), free hotel pickup available with advance booking · For self-driving, navigate to the Northwest Gate, plenty of free parking (Tips: Recommend departing Friday night, arriving Saturday morning to avoid crowds!) 🌌 Two-Day Immersive Oxygen Plan DAY1 | A Thousand-Year Jiangnan Dream 🌅 Morning: Stay in a Landscape Painting Chose a hot spring hotel with private bath, bamboo forests rustling outside the window, and subtle wormwood fragrance in the room. The most delightful surprise was the handwritten welcome letter from the butler - they won me over instantly! 🍽️ Lunch: Joy of Farm-Style Small Dishes Self-service meals in vintage porcelain bowls, recommend pickled chili with preserved meat (finger-licking good!) and stone-ground tofu pudding (perfect with brown sugar). Don't forget the bamboo tube rice - maximum dining ceremony! 📸 Afternoon: Hanfu Time Travel through 12 Jiangnan Scenes Rent a bamboo-patterned hanfu (CNY 88/set provided by homestay), start from "Jing Gong Academy": the ancient academy where Wang Anshi once taught is now covered in vines, the glacial relic "Chaos Opening" looks like a mountain split by giants, and "Yangtze Viewing Tower" perfectly catches the sunset over the river - every shot looks like it's from "Chang'an Miles"! (Lazy person's tip: 5-minute cloud lift up the mountain, 300m thrilling slide down - tiring on shoes but fun!) 🌌 Evening: Firefly Forest + Bonfire Party At 5 PM when lights turn on, the whole valley becomes magical! Mushroom lights hide in grass, ancient trees decorated with star strings, kids chase "fireflies" (actually sensor lights). Bonfire starts at 8 PM, dance bamboo pole dance with Yao girls, sweet potato roasting scent mixes with pine fragrance - instantly zeroing out city anxiety! DAY2 | Ultimate Relaxation Paradise 🍜 Morning: Copper Coin Exchange Street Food At "Jiangnan Flavors" snack street, first exchange WeChat money for copper coins (CNY 1 = 1 coin), instantly time travel with heavy coin strings! Recommendations: · Fresh pounded rice cake (3 coins): Grandma pounds it on spot, coated with soybean powder - amazingly fragrant · Pork soup (5 coins): Local pork + blood curd + white pepper, wonderfully warming · Home-brewed beer (8 coins): Perfect with crayfish, sit in bamboo chairs by the river, let water sounds accompany your drink! ♨️ Afternoon: Soak in 2,000m Underground Hot Springs Nine Treasure Hot Springs nestled in bamboo forest, 15 unique pools: rose pool with floating petals, wormwood pool with herbal fragrance, best is "River View Pool" on mountaintop - watching boats pass while soaking, feeling like an ancient hermit! 🎠 Must-Visit for Families: 10,000㎡ Jiangnan Fairytale Park Perfect for kids! Indoor trampoline, outdoor non-powered facilities, summer water park - even adults go wild, and best of all - no queues! 🌟 Local's Secret Photo Spots 1. Covered Bridge: Stand in middle wearing hanfu, backdrop of layered grey tiles and white walls, softest light at 10 AM 2. Bamboo Path: Walk along creek's stone path, catch moments of looking back or lifting skirts - maximum movie feel 3. Hot Spring Terrace: During evening private bath, have friends shoot silhouettes from afar, steam + bamboo = natural filter 🏡 Where to Stay? Check This! · Hot Spring Hotel: Perfect for couples/friends, private bath with terrace, romantic stargazing while soaking (CNY 400+/person) · Jiangnan Homestay: Best for families! Wooden loft + carved windows, lotus pond view, some include breakfast (CNY 200+/person) (Tips: Book one week ahead, weekends often full!) 💬 Why Choose Yongquan over Hongcun? No tour group megaphones here, only mountain winds, creek whispers, bird songs; no identical souvenirs, only villagers' homegrown bayberries and handmade oil paper umbrellas; most special is the "copper coin exchange" setting, making food exploration feel like an ancient market game! If you're tired of crowded tourist spots, consider making this your next destination - take a nap in bamboo forests, exchange copper coins for steaming rice cakes, watch the mountain light up with stars as night falls... True healing is when time slows down enough to hear your own heartbeat.