Hidden Forest Paradise Near Nanjing That 99% of Locals Don't Know About!

During the May Day holiday, popular tourist cities are packed with crowds everywhere 😱 Why not try reverse travel by finding a lesser-known yet comfortable place to relax away from the crowds? I visited Jinhu in Huai'an, and it was such a hidden gem that I've been thinking about it constantly since returning! 🚗【Transportation Guide】 Strongly recommend driving 🚗 From Nanjing, it takes less than 2 hours to arrive. The road conditions are excellent, with plenty of charging stations along the way, so you don't need to worry about running out of power. Just drive while listening to music and easily reach your destination. 📍【Travel Route】 Sanyuan Farm (15min) → Baimahu Village (45min) → Jinhu Water Forest Scenic Area ✅【Sanyuan Farm】 Here, you can immerse yourself in the joy of rural life~ You can go camping and barbecuing with family and friends, enjoying leisurely outdoor time. You can also experience the fun of picking fruit in the garden, where fresh strawberries 🍓 can be eaten right after picking, sweet and juicy. It's super lively during the May Day holiday, with parent-child shrimp king competitions and the chance to catch chickens 🐓 in the forest. There's even a music festival 🎤 on the large lawn where you can sway to the rhythm and have an amazing time! ✅【Baimahu Village】 I was deeply attracted by the fishing village culture as soon as I arrived. The accommodations are fantastic, with serene lake waters right outside your door. The highlight is definitely the food, which is a true feast for your taste buds! Jinhu offers more than just crayfish 🦞 - there's the "special three fresh" dish made of river mussels, clams, and snails, as well as the "vegetable three fresh" with fox nuts, lotus roots, and water chestnuts. Special dishes like lotus leaf wrapped meat and water chestnut vine buns have unique preparation methods and exceptional flavors! I'm still savoring the memory - it's really hard to find such authentic delicacies in Nanjing, every bite was intoxicating 🤤 【Accommodation Experience】I stayed in a lakeside guesthouse with cozy room arrangements. Falling asleep to the rippling sounds of the lake and waking up to birdsong was incredibly healing. Opening the curtains to a full view of the lake instantly lifted my mood. ✅【Jinhu Water Forest Scenic Area】 This place has Jiangsu's largest artificial wetland ecological forest 🌲 I never expected such a beautiful forest landscape so close to the city! Riding on a bamboo raft, slowly gliding through the metasequoia forest, looking up at the narrow strip of sky - this "thread of sky" view is quiet and enchanting, with even the air feeling sweet. The brave should definitely try the nearby glass walkway, which is 28 meters high. Standing on it, you can overlook the entire forest as if walking in the sky - thrilling and fun, making you want to experience it again and again. During the May Day holiday, there's also a grand kite camping festival 🏕 creating an amazing atmosphere! Jinhu is truly a wonderful place where you can leisurely stroll around, eat delicious food, take photos, ride bamboo rafts to enjoy the scenery, and experience a slow-paced lifestyle - it's absolutely beautiful! Don't hesitate, friends, come experience Jinhu during the May Day holiday~