Shiniushan Solo Hiking Guide/Detailed Explanation of Two Hiking Routes
📍Location: Shiniushan Scenic Area, Shuikou Town, Dehua County, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province
🚗Transportation: Only suitable for self-driving/renting a car. About 145 kilometers from downtown Quanzhou, approximately 2.5 hours one way.
👍️Must-visit spots: Heart of the Sky Glass Viewing Platform/Daixian Waterfall
🎟️Ticket Information: Route 1 only to Daixian Waterfall 98/Route 2 Complete Scenic Area including Cableway 270
Detailed Guide (The order of the pictures is consistent with the text):
The hiking date is 2024/8/10. Departed from downtown Quanzhou at 6:30 AM, bought tickets and entered the scenic area around 9 AM, choosing Route 2 Complete Scenic Area including Cableway, package 270. The departure time from the scenic area was around 3:30 PM, taking about 6.5 hours.
After entering the scenic area, take the second longest cableway in Asia to Shiniu Station (passing by Jinfeng Station without getting off, the one-way operation time of the cableway is about 35 minutes). After arriving at the station, the Shiniushan Geological Museum is right next to it. After a brief visit, take the scenic shuttle bus for about 10 minutes to Taiji Square.
Had a delicious fried noodle for 25 yuan nearby, enough for two people, and a portion of dried bamboo shoots for 10 yuan (bargain with the owner).
After visiting Shihu Hall and the Great Golden Bull, started the ascent at 12:15 PM. It took about 3 hours and 15 minutes from the entrance of the scenic area to this point, exactly half of the total time.
The descent after reaching the top is along a stepped mountain path. Follow the signs to the shuttle bus station to take the bus to Shiniu Station, then take the cableway to Jinfeng Station and get off.
Walking down a bit, you will reach the most essential part of the entire scenic area, the Heart of the Sky Glass Viewing Platform, where you can lie on the glass and overlook Daixian Waterfall, which is very impressive.
Both Route 1 and Route 2 can reach the Heart of the Sky Viewing Platform. This is also the dividing point between the 270 and 98 tickets. The extra 172 yuan covers the content before the Heart of the Sky in the guide. Personally, I think it's worth it if you want a complete experience and have enough time, otherwise, the 98 ticket allows you to experience the essence of the scenic area, the Heart of the Sky and Daixian Waterfall.
I started walking down from the Heart of the Sky at 2 PM. At this point, I was physically exhausted and my legs were shaking with pain. It took 1.5 hours, meaning the total time for Route 1 is within 3 hours.
On the way down, you can see Daixian Waterfall. Getting close, there is mist, and then it's downhill all the way with no particularly special feelings.
💗Other tips:
1. Parking fee is 10 yuan, park anywhere. Charging pile is 1 yuan per kWh, but it only charged less than one kWh in half an hour and then stopped.
2. The intensity of Route 1 for three hours is just right, the price is reasonable, and you can see the Heart of the Sky Viewing Platform. After walking Route 2, my calves, thighs, and waist hurt for the next three days, with about 20,000 steps in total.
3. The cableway is the second longest in Asia, only shorter than the Xifeng Cableway of Huashan. It's worth experiencing, though the long operation time might cause visual fatigue. The scenery at the top is similar to the top of Tianshan Grand Canyon visited a month ago, with clouds and mist and cliff walkways reminiscent of Sanqing Mountain. The various caves, moss, and narrow sky views in the mountain are not inferior to famous mountains.
Daixian Waterfall is stronger than Dalongqiu in Yandang Mountain, Zhejiang, and with the Heart of the Sky Viewing Platform, it is unrivaled in its category.
4. Speaking of drawbacks, there are no other transportation options besides self-driving. The total price of the package is relatively high for a 4A scenic area. There's a saying, 'If you have money, go to Shiniushan; if you don't, go to Jiuxianshan.' The physical exertion is significant, so choose Route 2 cautiously.