Hidden Gem Within 1 Hour of Hangzhou|This Riverside Ancient Village Keeps the Autumn Fairy Tale Alive Through Winter
About an hour's drive from Hangzhou along the Fuchun River lies a tranquil ancient village called Xiadoumen Village. It lacks the hustle and bustle of Xitang or Wuzhen but perfectly preserves the original framework of a Jiangnan water town. Visiting in winter, the reed flowers outshine the snow, ancient camphor trees remain lush, and the river water is a clear blue, as if stepping into a faded yet more charming old painting.
🌉 Essential Walking Circle: The Quartet of Water, Bridges, Trees, and Village
Starting Point: Ancient Village Architecture Cluster: Park your car at the village entrance and enter on foot. The village is built along the mountain, with many old houses made of stone and wood, many uninhabited, covered in vines, where time seems frozen. You can chat with your kids about how these buildings differ from city skyscrapers.
Core Scenery: Xiadoumen Sluice and Ancient Bridge: Walk to the riverbank where the iconic Xiadoumen Sluice and a multi-arched ancient stone bridge span the river. This is the visual focal point; the river here becomes calm and mirror-like, reflecting the sky and distant mountains. In winter, the water level drops, exposing some mudflats where egrets often rest.
Most Beautiful Trail: Riverside Reed Marsh and Ancient Camphor Forest: From the sluice, follow the riverside path upstream. On one side stretches an endless reed marsh, with white reed flowers swaying in the winter wind; on the other side stands a tall group of ancient camphor trees, green even in winter. This path is very flat, perfect for pushing strollers or kids riding bikes.
Scenic Overlook: Hills Behind the Village: If your kids have energy, you can take the small path behind the village up the hill (no climbing, just a gentle slope). From halfway up, you can look back to see the entire village, river bend, and fields, with a wide-open view.
🚴 Extended Activity: Cycling the Fuchun River Greenway
If just exploring the village isn’t enough, the “Fuchun River Greenway” is definitely worth experiencing. You can rent family bikes in the village or nearby Tonglu County town.
Recommended Route: Cycle from Xiadoumen Village along the greenway toward the “Yanzi Ling Fishing Platform.” This riverside greenway is fully separated from traffic, safe, and picturesque. A 3-5 km ride is enough before turning back, with moderate intensity.
Cycling Fun: Pass through different villages, mudflats, and wetlands with ever-changing scenery. You can stop anytime to skip stones by the river or have a picnic in the mudflat forest.
🛖 Stay in a Painting: Top Accommodations by the Fuchun River
Hangzhou Fuchun Fangwai Hotel: Located in Jiande, accessible only by boat, offering an ultimate secluded luxury experience that brings the “Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains” painting to life, about 40 minutes by car from Xiadoumen Village.
Hangzhou Xizhongxi Resort Hotel (Jiuxi Branch): Located in West Lake’s Jiuxi Yanshu area, a highly designed boutique hotel. Although not directly on the Fuchun River, its secluded atmosphere and excellent design make it worth a special visit, about 1 hour drive to Xiadoumen Village.
Tonglu Conrad Hotel: Situated by Tianxi Lake, featuring modern luxury style. All rooms are suites with large terraces offering panoramic lake and mountain views, about 30 minutes to Xiadoumen Village.
Tonglu Weichi Qianshan Boutique Homestay: Located by a tributary of the Fuchun River, designed by multiple designers. Each room faces the mountains and water, a paradise for photography lovers.
🥢 Taste of Tonglu: Must-Try Authentic Farmhouse Flavors
After your visit, be sure to try authentic Tonglu cuisine, which is fresh, salty, and mildly spicy—perfect with rice.
Must-Order Dishes: Tonglu Wo Tofu (tender and smooth), Braised Boat Ding Fish (small Fuchun River fish, fried then braised, crispy and fragrant), Fermented Rice Bun with Meat (sweet, soft bun stuffed with braised pork), Stir-fried Chicken.
Dining Locations: It’s recommended to drive to Tonglu County town (famous restaurants like “Tongluren” and “Mother-in-Law’s Restaurant”) or choose well-reviewed farmhouse eateries along the way.
🚗 Practical Travel Tips
Navigation: Set destination directly to “Tonglu County Xiadoumen Village.” There is a small free parking lot at the village entrance.
Best Time: Afternoon to dusk. Winter afternoon sunlight is warm, with slanting rays enhancing the colors of reeds and ancient trees, the river sparkling, especially beautiful at dusk.
Facilities: The village itself has almost no commercial facilities, so bring your own water and snacks. Toilets can be asked for from villagers or use the public restroom at the village entrance.
Environmental Reminder: This is a very pristine and fragile ancient village. Please take all your trash with you and do not disturb the wildlife.
The beauty of Xiadoumen Village lies in its “unfinished feel” and “sense of life.” It doesn’t cater to tourists but quietly exists between mountains and waters. Bringing kids here is an escape from polished but homogenized ancient town templates, to touch a real, rough, and poetic old Jiangnan dream.
a very pleasant and insightful tour of the longjing tea village. The owner of the plantation we visited and our tour guide were very friendly and helpful. The owner gave good recommendations for lunch (where to go and where to avoid) He recommend to visit them during mid march- mid/end april for the peak tea harvest season, saying that the entire village will smell like longjing tea which sounds amazing.
The rare hilly valley of Hangjia Lake Plain, the remnant vein of Tianmu Mountain...Jiuxi Yanshu is located in one-half of the entrance of Jiuxi, Longjing Village and Zhijiang Road. There are celebrity tombs and 18 streams nearby. The tea gardens around ~ form a humid "small climate". Fir tree, cypress tree, pine tree, year-round rain and fog wrap ~
Hangzhou Jiuxi Yanshu is really amazing! I went there before, and when I stepped in, it was like breaking into the Wizard of Oz. The stream was very clear, and I could see the stones and small fish underneath. Many people played in the water and took pictures by the stream. Walking along the creek trail, the green trees cover the sky and the sun, it is very cool, and you can't feel the heat outside. Going to the Jiuxi Yanshu Stone Stone, the scenery is picturesque, maple leaves and Bitan are interesting, and every shot is a blockbuster. This trip is not too pleasant, I highly recommend you to play!
Jiuxiyan Village is located in the beautiful Jiangnan area. It is shaded by green trees, gurgling water, and the misty scenery is like a flowing painting. In the quaint village, there is a quiet and tranquil paradise. When you first enter Jiuxiyan Village, you will be greeted by the faint fragrance of bamboo and flowers, which is refreshing. Walking on the ancient cobblestone path, the road under your feet is like an ancient book that carries the years, silently telling the past. The houses built along the road, although baptized by wind and rain for a hundred years, still stand firm, showing their tenacity and thickness. The name of Jiuxiyan Village comes from the nine streams flowing in the village. These streams shuttle through the forest, slowly flowing through the fields, bamboo forests, and old houses, and fine bubbles appear from time to time. At sunrise in the morning, the morning mist surges with the wind, covering the sky above the stream, making the water surface present a misty scene like a poem and a painting. The distant mountains are like dark blue, and they complement each other, creating an intoxicating beauty. Most of the residents of Yan Village are surnamed Xu. Their ancestors lived and worked in peace and contentment on this land and passed it down from generation to generation. Whenever the sun sets, the old people gather under the shade of the trees to chat and drink tea. Their topics travel through the tunnel of time, telling about the hardships and glory of the past. The children in the village learn traditional crafts and etiquette in the village school, inheriting the life wisdom of their ancestors. People here have a special feeling for nature. When the flowers bloom in spring, people will go to the flower fields hand in hand and pick beautiful flowers carefully. These flowers are not only used for aromatherapy or food in daily life, but also symbolize their love for life and awe of nature. In the summer afternoon, the village will echo with cheerful songs and flute sounds. It is the villagers sitting in the yard of the old house, holding a unique country concert. And at the edge of Jiuxi Yan Village, there is also a mysterious little cave. The cave is filled with moisture and fragrance. Legend has it that mysterious fairies or ancient beasts live in the cave. On full-moon nights, when the moon shines on the cave entrance, there will be pleasant flute or flute sounds. And every time someone dives into the cave to explore, they can always find a bright treasure or amazing discovery in the depths. This undoubtedly adds a touch of mystery and the charm of exploration to this originally quiet village. In the days of Jiuxi Yan Village, no matter how the seasons change or how time flows, the simplicity, sincerity and beauty are deeply imprinted in people's hearts. This is not just a story of a village or a world, but also a beautiful legend about the harmonious coexistence of man and nature, and the interweaving of life and dreams. People walking in Jiuxi Yan Village seem to be infected by this tranquility and peace. They use pure hearts to feel the beauty and tranquility of this world, and use hardworking hands to create a better future. The people here not only inherited the wisdom and courage of their ancestors, but also continued to pass on this beautiful life. Jiuxi Yancun is not just a geographical name or a place name. It is also a symbol of a life attitude and a spiritual pursuit. It makes people believe:
The following Jiuxi smoke tree is like this. Jiuxi's autumn is a feast of maple leaves. Remember to come and attend this annual maple leaf feast. ★Best viewing time: early December-late December Transportation strategy: Metro Line 4, Shuicheng Bridge Exit B ★Bus: Zhakou 308-39-314-514 Express Line 1 Jiuxi Bus Station Opening hours: open all day Tickets: free/no reservation required Mid-to-late December, the most beautiful viewing time
Before going to Jiuxi, I never thought that the word "smoke" could be added in front of "tree" to modify it. After going to Jiuxi, I never thought that there was anything else that could modify the "tree" of Jiuxi except this word "smoke"🤗🤗🤗 The scenery in Jiuxi Smoke Tree #九溪烟树 is really amazing!! In addition to the dreamy smoke trees, Jiuxi also has the clear stream water that is indispensable in this summer🔫. Don't forget that Jiuxi also has a group name "Jiuxi Eighteen Streams"☺️☺️☺️ The streams in Jiuxi are even more beautiful. In addition to being suitable for 🈴️ family travel, they are also super suitable for taking pictures📷, especially the underwater photos. When the sun shines through the gaps between the trees on the water, it reflects the sparkling waves, and the playful girls move their hands and splash water~😌😌😌 Tip: Jiuxi Smoke Tree is quite far away, but the transportation is still quite convenient. Travel plan 1: Take the subway 🚇 Line 2 to Wulinmen, then transfer to bus 🚌 318 for about half an hour to Jiuxi Bus Station. Plan 2: Take the subway 🚇 to Line 4 and get off at Shuicheng Bridge, then transfer to bus 🚌 308, 500, 39 to Jiuxi, which takes about 5 minutes. Jiuxi Yanshu is free 🆓, and there are scenic area buses 🈶️ inside, so friends who are afraid of walking don’t have to worry too much. Note⚠️ that friends who are going to play must not forget to bring mosquito repellent 🦟🦟🦟, the mosquitoes 🦟 inside are really super fierce 🤔🤔🤔
Jiuxi Shibajian, the expected beauty, but unexpected beauty🍁The most beautiful maple viewing spot in Hangzhou is confirmed, a must-see! 🚌Transportation: Originally I only planned to see Jiuxi Yanshu, but after visiting Longjing Village first, I simply walked directly from Longjing all the way through Jiuxi Shibajian to Jiuxi Yanshu. In this way, I was able to see this beautiful scenery. Hangzhou buses all go to the scenic spot, and you can also take a taxi. It may be difficult to park if you drive. 💛Scenery: Although I came in December, it is already winter, but the scenery is still charming. The maple leaves in Hangzhou are really red, so red that people mistake them for fake leaves. There is not only one monotonous red, some leaves are orange-red, and there are also ginkgo yellow. The colorful warm colors make the whole picture beautiful, and there is a feeling of accidentally entering a secret place on earth~ 🌿Jiuxi Smoky Trees: It turns out that the color of Jiuxi Smoky Trees is really special, it is really smoky color, so magical, it has a heavy and vicissitudes of life, but there is a small waterfall behind it, and the turbulent water adds a touch of vitality, so the feeling is not very heavy. The small lake surrounding the Jiuxi Yanshu is also very clear, reflecting the beauty of the mountains and rivers like a mirror. 🧩Atmosphere: The Jiuxi Shibajian area is very large, so even if there are many tourists, it is very empty, giving people a sense of tranquility. You can walk slowly and enjoy the scenery without being disturbed. Compared with the landscape painting style of Longjing Village, there is a layer of liveliness of flowers and birds here. The girls who like to wear Hanfu will definitely like the photo background here very much. It is very suitable for the ancient style! 🐾Suggestion: There are many stream stone roads in this area, which are very beautiful but may be slippery. Everyone remember to wear comfortable shoes. The scenic area is very large. It is recommended to plan an afternoon for the tour. You can walk and stop, and walk leisurely. It is not recommended to ride a bicycle. There are some small-scale "waterways" in it. When you come to Hangzhou to play, you must take time to visit Jiuxi Shibajian🤗
The scenery is very nice. Many adults brought their children to play in the water by the creek, there were families pushing strollers for a walk, and there were small groups hiking outdoors. My boyfriend and I walked Jiuxi Road - Jiuxi Yanshu - Xizhongxi - Longjing Village. According to the introduction, this is one of the regular walking and leisure routes, which does not require much physical strength. Later, we added Longjing Village - Qipan Mountain - Lingyin Temple, which is a more physically demanding mountain climbing route. There are stone steps going up the mountain and dirt roads and stones going down the mountain. The process is a bit tiring but acceptable. Looking at the Qiantang River from the Qipan Mountain, looking at the villages and tea mountains just passed by at the bottom, I still feel a sense of accomplishment. The West Lake Scenic Area is a good place. Every time I come here, I have a new experience. Next time, I can visit other small attractions in the mountains!