Summer vacation reverse travel, this small town Donghai in the East China Sea is truly a hidden gem and off the beaten path (with a guide)

When it comes to Jiangnan, everyone has almost worn out Suzhou, Yangzhou, Nanjing, Hangzhou… This May Day trip, don’t want to be stuck in crowds? Come check out this hidden gem travel spot at the westernmost edge of Lianyungang 👀 📍 Donghai County, Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province This is the World Crystal Capital and the Chinese Hot Spring Town ♨️ 【🚗 Transportation】 ◽️ High-speed rail to Donghai County Station ◽️ Within 1.5 hours by car from Xuzhou and Huaian, about 4 hours from Nanjing and Shanghai 【🗺️ Two days one night itinerary】  Day 1: Arrive in the morning at Furu Donghai Hot Spring Hotel - rest and dine - afternoon at Lumo Mengmeng Parent-Child Park - Yushan - return to hotel to experience the hot springs Day 2: Hotel - fishing - Crystal City - Museum - Intangible Cultural Heritage Carving Hall - Xishuang Lake - return trip 【📍 Check-in spots】 1️⃣ Donghai Crystal City Crystal City is truly a paradise for beauty lovers, you might get dazzled 😏 It has Halls 1, 2, and 3 and the Crystal Market Square. On days with 4️⃣ and 9️⃣, there is a big crystal market at the square, which is very lively 🔥 Also great for beginners to shop for treasures 2️⃣ Donghai Crystal Museum & Intangible Cultural Heritage Carving Hall Both are free to enter 🆓 just show your ID card 🆔 The Masterpiece Hall and Donghai Boutique Hall in the Crystal Museum are definitely worth a visit, all so beautiful you’ll want to take them home 💎 ⚠️ Closed on Mondays, don’t go empty-handed Most exquisite carvings in the Intangible Cultural Heritage Carving Hall are on the second floor, stunningly beautiful, you won’t be able to look away 👀 3️⃣ Donghai Jigao Lumo Mengmeng Park A high-value dreamlike park, perfect for taking amazing photos 📷 You’ll find the Yoyolu Ming Tower, indoor water park, crystal bath cave maze, science museum, Diamond Flower slide 🛝, 5D cinema, rapid chase… both indoor and outdoor attractions, kids can happily play here all day 🎉 4️⃣ Yushan Scenic Area (Gunyu Cultural Area) The Zhuangyuan Gate and Huanglong Sky Ladder are great photo spots 📷 The Yushan Literature Museum deeply conveys the epic story of the two generations of water control heroes Gun and Yu working together to write the history of disaster resistance in China! In the evening, climb Yushan to overlook the Yushan Reservoir and the sunset glow opposite, it’s breathtakingly beautiful 🌄 5️⃣ Xiaosongyuan The number one hot spring in East China ♨️ It is a natural underground self-flowing spring with an 82-degree water temperature, the only fluorosilicate-type hot mineral spring in East China 💦 Come here on weekends to soak away your fatigue, relax your body and mind, and your complexion will improve too 👍 There are three themed soaking areas: garden, Japanese style, and crystal zone, a great place for health and relaxation ❗️ 【🏨 Accommodation and dining】 We stayed at Furu Donghai Hot Spring Hotel 🏨, right in the hot spring town, just 2 minutes back to the hotel after soaking in Xiaosongyuan at night. The family room is very nice, themed with animated characters, equipped with children’s toys and toiletries, all complete 👍 From the windowsill, you can see the scenic lake and fishing center, full of beautiful views 🍃 The hotel uses all hot spring water, and the complimentary water is local Yushan Crystal Spring mountain water 💦 The hotel also offers free shuttle buses to and from the high-speed rail station and Crystal City (available before May 5th!) Very thoughtful 👍 When I visited, I caught the Donghai Cultural Tourism Experience Officer event and received a gift, super happy 🥳 For dining, we ate at the nearby Junlan Hot Spring Hotel, where the dishes, service, and environment were all top-notch 🤤 【🔖 Travel tips】 ✅ Crystal City, Museum, Intangible Cultural Heritage Carving Hall, and Xishuang Lake are very close and can be visited together. There is also an armor wearing and selling center in Crystal City, ladies can go shopping too 💅 ✅ Next to Furu Donghai Hotel, there are Jiulonghui Night Market and Hot Spring Water Culture Exhibition Hall to check out 🤳 ✅ It’s harder to get a taxi around Yushan and the hotel, remember to book in advance 🚗 ✅ Xishuang Lake has the same Wutong Avenue as Nanjing, and during May Day there are “Dragon King Groom” and “Dragon Palace Parade” events, don’t miss them! Not sure where to go for summer vacation and don’t want crowds? Come here quickly!