[2025 Hezhou Attraction] Travel Guide for Xiangu Waterfall (Updated May)

### 🌿 **"4 Days and 3 Nights Roaming Hezhou: Ancient Towns, Landscapes, and Yao Villages, Encountering the Most Poetic Slow Life in Eastern Guangxi!"** 🏞️✨ --- ### 📅 **Itinerary Overview** ✅ **Day 1: Huangyao Ancient Town - Dailong Bridge - Night Tour of Lantern Street** ✅ **Day 2: Gupo Mountain - Eighteen Waterfalls - Hot Spring Experience** ✅ **Day 3: Jade Stone Forest - Return Trip** ✨ **Hidden Gems**: Morning Mist Photography + Yao Ethnic Group Long Table Feast --- ### 🏮 **Day 1: Traveling Through a Thousand Years of Ancient Town Time** **🚗 Morning**: Depart from Hezhou City (1.5 hours by car/¥30 by tourist bus) - **Huangyao Ancient Town** (¥88): 🌉 Must-see: Dailong Bridge (Filming location of the movie "The Painted Veil") 🏮 Treasure Hunt on Stone Slab Street: Immortal Ancient Well, Guo Family Courtyard 🍡 Snack Recommendations: Fermented Soybean Powder (¥10), Sticky Rice Cake (¥5) **🌙 Evening**: - **Lantern Street**: Thousands of lanterns light up, take the same night view as "Spirited Away" - **Check into a guesthouse in the ancient town** (Recommended "Occasionally" ¥200+/night, with a view of the ancient house from the window) --- ### 🏔️ **Day 2: Healing with Landscapes and Hot Springs** **🚗 Morning**: Gupo Mountain National Forest Park (¥82, 40-minute drive) - **Fairy Maiden Waterfall**: 15-story high waterfall, bursting with negative oxygen ions - **Fangjia Tea Garden**: Experience tea picking (¥50), taste "General Peak" green tea **💦 Afternoon**: - **Eighteen Water Scenic Area** (¥60): Stream tracing and water play, looking for the "Fairy Pool" - **Hezhou Hot Spring** (¥128): Soak in natural sulfur springs to relieve fatigue **🍲 Dinner**: Yao Ethnic Group Long Table Feast (¥80/person): 🎵 Watch the Long Drum Dance performance while eating bamboo rice --- ### ⛰️ **Day 3: Geological Wonder Tour** **🚗 Morning**: Jade Stone Forest (¥55, 1-hour drive) - **Karst Stone Forest**: Shuttle through thousands of years of karst wonders - **A Thread of Sky Challenge**: The narrowest point only allows sideways passage (Not recommended for larger friends!) **🛍️ Before returning**: - **Specialty Purchase**: 🍯 Huangyao Fermented Soybeans (¥15/bottle) 🍵 Zhaoping Black Tea (¥80/box) --- ### 💡 **Player's Guide** 1️⃣ **Transportation Tips**: - Take the high-speed train to Hezhou Station, then transfer to a bus/ride-sharing to various scenic spots - Dragging a suitcase on the stone road in the ancient town will be a nightmare, it is recommended to use a backpack 2️⃣ **Photography Guide**: - Best time for Huangyao morning mist: 6:00-7:30 - Use an ND filter to shoot silky water effects in Gupo Mountain 3️⃣ **Avoid Pitfalls**: - The "free photo" small photos in the scenic area are blurry, and large photos are charged - Look for the "Huangyao Brand" fermented soybeans when buying specialties --- ### 🏨 **Accommodation Options** ▪️ **Ancient Town Lovers**: Huangyao "Shuimo Jiangnan" Boutique Hotel (¥300+) ▪️ **Hot Spring Enthusiasts**: Gupo Mountain Forest Hot Spring Hotel (¥500 including tickets) ▪️ **Budget Travelers**: Chain hotels in Hezhou City (¥150/night) --- ### 🌟 **Why Choose Hezhou?** ✔️ **Super Cost-Effective**: Tickets + accommodation are half the price of Yangshuo ✔️ **Diverse Experience**: Ancient town + landscape + folk customs all in one ✔️ **Food Treasure**: Beef Intestine Sour, Gourd Flower Stuffed with Meat stunning taste buds **📸 Must-Take Scenes:** [Insert Dailong Bridge reflection/Fairy Maiden Waterfall/Yao girl toasting wine Jiugongge] (Need detailed morning mist location or chartered car master recommendation? Leave a message in the comments section 👇) --- > 🌧️ **Best Season**: > - Spring and Autumn are the best (Azaleas in March–May/Ginkgo in September–November) > 💰 **Total Budget**: ¥1,500–2,500/person (including hot spring experience)

🚩 Quick Look at the Highlights 🏮 Huangyao Ancient Town: A Ming and Qing ancient village with nearly a thousand years of history, a poetic collision of bluestone streets and lantern-lit nights. 🌅 Dongtanling: A cloud viewing platform overlooking the panoramic view of Huangyao, with clouds and mist surging at sunrise like a Xianxia scroll. 🍷 Huangyao Winery: Thousands of jars of aged wine in a karst cave, a fantastic experience of underground dark rivers and neon lights. 🐔 Kiln Chicken Feast: Free-range chicken roasted in a firewood kiln, a taste bud explosion with juice overflowing the moment it's torn open. 🌳 Gupo Mountain: The largest natural oxygen bar in South China, a forest paradise where waterfalls and streams dance with macaques. 🌿 Day 1: Ancient Town Scenery and Sunrise in the Clouds 📍Huangyao Ancient Town → Dongtanling → Overnight stay in an ancient town inn 🏮 9:00 AM: Journey Through a Thousand-Year-Old Stone Street Push open the wooden window of the inn in the early morning, and Huangyao in the thin mist looks like an overturned inkstone. I put on a rented Miao embroidered horse-face skirt (CNY 30/hour) and learned to dance the bamboo pole dance with the local grandma. I used a slow shutter to photograph the flowing water by the Bailong Bridge, and the mobile phone holder was stuck in the stone crevice. I accidentally photographed a fisherman in a straw raincoat in the morning mist, and I thought I had broken into the set of *The Assassin*. Must-see photo spots: 1️⃣ Dragon Claw Banyan: Shoot upwards with a 0.5x wide-angle lens under the 500-year-old tree, and the shadows of the trees and blue tiles overlap to form an ink silhouette. 2️⃣ Stone Skipping Bridge: Carry a lantern and step over 37 square stones at dusk, and let your friends capture the reflection on the shore. 3️⃣ Immortal Ancient Well: Squat and wait for the washing grandmas at 6 AM, and use an 85mm telephoto lens to capture the dance of water and morning light. 🌌 7:00 PM: Lantern Sea Night Banquet When 20,000 lanterns light up at the same time, the ancient town instantly becomes the bathhouse in *Spirited Away*. I went into the alley behind "Guo Family Courtyard" and spent CNY 5 to buy freshly pounded mugwort glutinous rice cakes from Grandpa. I sat on the second floor of "Zuixianlou" gnawing on a kiln-roasted chicken leg (CNY 68/piece) and watched the stage suddenly light up—it turned out that there was a live performance of *Looking for Huangyao Roots* every Saturday night, and the water sleeves of the Yao ethnic group's long drum dance almost hit my face! 🌅 5:30 AM: Chasing Light in the Clouds of Dongtanling I wrapped myself in a blanket borrowed from the inn and rushed to the viewing platform, and the mountain wind rolled the morning mist on my face. When the first ray of golden light pierced through the clouds, the entire karst peak forest turned into a gold-plated bonsai, and a flock of egrets were startled when the drone rose. Photography tips: Use Snapseed's "Dramatic" filter to instantly improve the texture of the clouds by 200%. 🍶 Day 2: Subterranean Wine Aroma and Street Flavors 📍Huangyao Winery → Kiln Chicken Workshop → Hezhou City → Return trip/Gupo Mountain 🕳️ 10:00 AM: Karst Cave Micro-Drunk Journey Holding a flashlight, I drilled into Yuquan Cave, and the coolness of 18°C wrapped in the aroma of wine came to my face. In front of the "Daughter Hong" wine jar array, the winemaker taught me to dip 30-year-old aged wine (free tasting!), and the lingering sweetness that exploded on the tip of my tongue reminded me of the legend of the Dust Bead in *Ghost Blows Out the Light*. The most shocking thing is the "Milky Way Waterfall"—the stalactite group transforms into a cyberpunk bar under laser lights, and three consecutive photos were sent to Moments and asked "Is it AI generated?". 🔥 12:30 PM: Firewood Kiln Chicken Carnival Following the navigation, I found "Lao Chen's Earth Kiln" and witnessed the hardcore operation of killing live chickens and wrapping them in mud. While waiting, I learned the secret of building a kiln: yellow mud must be mixed with straw to be tough. When the first wisp of smoke emerges from the top of the kiln, the meaty smell mixed with the aroma of lotus leaves makes people swallow saliva. At the moment of tearing open the burnt shell, the golden and shiny chicken is dripping with honey, and I only remembered to take pictures after gnawing three chicken wings! 🚗 2:00 PM: Seeking Flavors in Hezhou City A 2-hour walk in Lingfeng Square to check in: ✔️ "Yang Jinji" fermented soybean powder with chili sauce (CNY 10/bowl), the salty aroma rushes straight to the top of the head; ✔️ "Taiyuantang" Guiling jelly with condensed milk (CNY 5/cup), the bittersweetness is just like life; ✔️ "Luotaixian" field snail and duck feet pot (CNY 48/pot), the sour bamboo shoot smell is so strong that you need to wear two layers of masks. 🌳 Day 3 Optional: Deep Breath in the Green Wonderland 📍Gupo Mountain Forest Park → Fairy Maiden Waterfall → Fangjia Tea Garden 🌿 9:00 AM: Break into the Green Wonderland Take the small train into Gupo Mountain and get drenched into drowned rats under the Fairy Maiden Waterfall. The biggest surprise is the "Macaque Paradise"—when I took out a banana, three monkey kings surrounded me with their younger brothers, and the breeder uncle smiled and said, "They can pose better than you!" Note: Wear a backpack! I saw a young lady's shoulder bag being snatched away by the monkey. 🍵 3:00 PM: Stealing Half a Day of Leisure in the Tea Garden Follow the Yao ethnic girl to pick Mingqian tea in Fangjia Tea Garden, and the freshly fried green tea has the aroma of pot gas. Spend CNY 68 to experience tea-dyed handkerchiefs and imprint the sea of clouds of Gupo Mountain on cotton cloth. Take away the "Xiangqi Mountain Small Canned Tea" when you leave, and colleagues exclaimed after brewing it in the office, "I drank the forest dew." 🍜 Local Food Red and Black List ✅ Must-Eat List Huangyao fermented soybean powder + papaya shreds (at "Longxing Powder Shop" in the south gate of the ancient town) Firewood kiln chicken (reservations required 3 hours in advance, limited kiln caves!) Green plum wine (CNY 10 tasting package at the winery exit) ❌ Lightning Protection Guide Most of the "Ganoderma" in the scenic area are artificially planted Night market grilled scorpion, bamboo worms and other insect banquets, those with weak stomachs should try with caution 📌 Super Practical Survival Guide 1. Transportation Hacker Take the high-speed train to Hezhou Station and then take a shared car to Huangyao (CNY 30/person), look for the blue and white painted regular cars Buy a full ticket for the Gupo Mountain scenic area sightseeing bus (CNY 50), hiking will miss the hidden waterfalls 2. Accommodation Metaphysics Strongly recommend "Zuixianju" Inn in the ancient town (CNY 200-300), the attic room has a dragon claw banyan tree when you open the window Avoid the stilted buildings by the river, the sound of running water at night affects sleep 3. Photography Secrets Use iPhone's live mode for sunrise in Dongtanling, and select "Long Exposure" in post-production to make the sea of clouds flow Wear white clothes in the karst cave winery, and turn on the flash to take beautiful silhouette photos 4. Special Care The bluestone road in the ancient town is uneven, wear thick-soled sneakers! Do not wear shiny jewelry in the macaque area, the monkeys will regard it as a treasure and snatch it The most magical moment of this trip was when I met an eighty-year-old photographer while waiting for the sunrise in Dongtanling. He took out a Seagull film camera from 1983 and said, "I have been shooting here for forty years, and the morning mist in Huangyao is more difficult to capture than a girl's thoughts." Perhaps the meaning of travel is to hear the sound of time flowing under the ancient banyan tree that is thousands of years old.

Hezhou in April-May 🌿 is poetic with mountains and waters, where everything flourishes vibrantly. This place offers both the spectacular karst landscape and the tranquility of ancient towns and villages—the perfect time for a trip! Save this guide and embark on a wonderful 3-day journey in Hezhou ✨ Itinerary Day 1: Encounter the Hidden Paradise of Gupo Mountain Morning: After arriving in Hezhou, head straight to Gupo Mountain National Forest Park 🌳. The mountains are lush green with flowing streams. Walk along the trails, breathe in the fresh negative ions, and visit the Xianggu Waterfall to experience the magnificent "water falling three thousand feet" 💦. Noon: At a local restaurant near the scenic area, taste Gupo Mountain's special stuffed tofu 🥢. The tender tofu paired with flavorful meat filling, along with bamboo tube rice, is full of wild mountain flavors 😋. Afternoon: Visit Lovers' Forest, where ancient trees tower and vines intertwine, making you feel like you've entered a fairy tale world. You can also experience the forest slide for an exhilarating thrill 🎢. Day 2: Explore the Thousand-Year Charm of Huangyao Ancient Town Morning: Arrive at Huangyao Ancient Town 🏮, with its cobblestone paths, weathered walls, and upturned eaves exuding an ancient atmosphere. Visit Guo Family Mansion and Bailong Bridge to discover traces left by time. Noon: Find a riverside restaurant in the ancient town to try Huangyao douci rice noodles. The rich douci flavor paired with smooth rice noodles, plus a serving of sweet and sour stuffed peppers, will satisfy your taste buds. Afternoon: Rent a small boat 🛶 and drift slowly along the Yao River, enjoying the scenery on both banks. In the evening, climb up to the town's viewing platform to see the sunset cast a golden glow over the ancient town—perfect for atmospheric photos 📸. Day 3: Experience the Unique Landscape of Jade Stone Forest Morning: Head to Hezhou Jade Stone Forest Scenic Area, where the unique karst landforms are displayed in their full glory. Walking along the paths of the Jade Stone Forest, you'll see oddly shaped white stone pillars rising from the ground, like a "forest of jade stones," truly amazing 🤩. Noon: Enjoy Hezhou's specialty dish, sour beef intestines, which is tangy and appetizing; then have a serving of Zhongshan oil tea with its rich tea fragrance that instantly awakens your taste buds. Afternoon: After a short rest, conclude your pleasant Hezhou journey and return home with beautiful memories 🚗. Accommodation Recommendations 1. Huangyao Ancient Town: ◦ Huangyao Jiuhu Mountain Hotel: Located at the entrance of the ancient town, convenient for travel 🛏️. The hotel combines ancient town features with modern facilities. Some rooms overlook the beautiful ancient town, and falling asleep to the sound of insects at night is quite pleasant. ◦ Huangyao Douci Inn: Full of local characteristics with an antique decoration style, as if you're living in history. The owner is warm and hospitable, and you can taste authentic douci cuisine. 2. Hezhou City: ◦ Hezhou International Hotel: Complete facilities, convenient transportation, rich shopping and dining options nearby, suitable for travelers who prefer convenient living. Must-Do Activities in Hezhou ✅ Hike in Gupo Mountain to breathe in oxygen and feel nature's gifts 🌲. ✅ Stroll through Huangyao Ancient Town and experience a slow-paced lifestyle 🏘️. ✅ Take a boat ride on the Yao River to enjoy the picturesque scenery on both banks. ✅ Taste Hezhou specialties like stuffed tofu and douci rice noodles 🍜. ✅ Visit Jade Stone Forest and marvel at nature's masterful craftsmanship. Things to Note Hezhou has frequent rainfall in April-May, so remember to bring rain gear 🌂 and wear non-slip shoes. When visiting the ancient town, respect the local residents' lifestyle. Protect the environment in scenic areas and don't litter 🌱.

#discoverchina Xiangu Waterfall captivates with its sheer power and grandeur, cascading endlessly into a tranquil pool below. Surrounded by lush greenery, the waterfall is the centerpiece of an immersive natural escape. The journey doesn’t end with the falls—winding forest trails lead you deeper into the heart of nature. Along the way, the soothing sound of rushing water and the cool, shaded paths create an experience that’s both invigorating and serene. Whether you’re chasing the perfect photo or simply taking in the scenery, Xiangu Waterfall offers an unforgettable blend of spectacle and tranquility. 🌿✨🌊🏞️

Hezhou Sisters, listen up! The rhododendron flower sea of Guposhan in Hezhou is absolutely stunning! The 2025 rhododendron blooming season has been announced! It starts in late March, with the peak bloom in April. It's so beautiful it takes your breath away! While the spring sunshine is perfect, quickly arrange a trip! 🌺 Highlights of the Guposhan Rhododendrons 1. Rhododendrons all over the mountains: From the foot of the mountain to the top, the rhododendrons are layered upon layers. Red, pink, and white, it's like an overturned palette. Every shot you take is a masterpiece! 2. High mountain clouds + sea of flowers: Standing on the top of Guposhan, surrounded by clouds and mist, the rhododendrons are faintly visible in the clouds, as if you are in a fairyland! 3. Bursting with negative oxygen ions: Guposhan is the largest natural oxygen bar in South China. The air is so fresh that you can't help but take a deep breath. It's simply a lung-cleansing paradise! 🚶‍♀️ Recommended routes - Easy version: Take the sightseeing bus to Xiangu Waterfall, then walk to Lover's Forest and Fangjia Tea Garden. Enjoy the flowers and take photos along the way. This is suitable for sisters with kids or those who don't want to be too tired. - Challenge version: Start from Xiangu Waterfall and hike to the top of Guposhan. The whole journey takes about 3.3 hours. The rhododendron flower sea at the top is definitely worth it! Remember to bring enough water and snacks. 📸 Photo Spots Xiangu Waterfall: The combination of waterfall + rhododendrons is full of fairy spirit! Lover's Forest: The rhododendrons and ancient trees complement each other, making it a romantic place! Guposhan Peak: Overlook the entire sea of flowers, surrounded by clouds and mist, creating a full atmosphere! 🍜 Food Recommendations Guposhan Rice Wine: The rice wine from Jiupuxiang Winery is sweet and refreshing. You must try it! Sanjie Story Xinyang Food Museum: Hezhou's senior chef team offers first-class dishes. Hezhou Special Snacks: Beef intestine noodles, stuffed dishes, Dadu Ci, etc., will satisfy your taste buds. 🏠 Accommodation Recommendation: Guposhan Sanjie Story Hot Spring Resort Hotel offers quality accommodation and first-class 24-hour butler service. It's worth checking out! 💡 Tips The blooming period is limited, so it is recommended to book in advance to avoid crowds! Wear comfortable shoes and bring a coat, as it is windy at the top of the mountain! It is recommended to wear light-colored clothes for taking photos, which will match the rhododendrons better! Sisters, take advantage of the good spring weather and go! If you miss this time, you really have to wait another year! 💃 I wish you a pleasant trip 😀