Things You Must Know for Your First Trip to Henan

🌞Summer is here! June in Henan is simply a steaming landscape painting~ Here, there are historic ancient cities embraced by the Yellow River, as well as shady secrets of the Central Plains. As one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization, Henan, where history can be dug out from the cracks in the floor tiles, has an average temperature of 25℃-30℃ in June, which is super suitable for escaping the summer heat! And many places have strong air conditioning, so you don't have to worry about being sun-dried into a salted fish at all~🍉 🚗【Itinerary】 ✨DAY 1 Kaifeng Prefecture Exploration 👉Head straight to 'Millennium City Park' in the morning (opens at 8:30! Recommended to be the first to enter and watch the water dragon dance performance). When taking a wooden boat, remember to wipe your phone lens clean; the photos taken are comparable to stills from "The Longest Day in Chang'an"! 👉Rush to Xisi Night Market at noon, grab ten skewers of grilled lamb and slurp three bowls of almond tea. Local aunties will generously pour honey into your bowl~ 👉Go to Daxiangguo Temple Square in the evening to see sisters in Hanfu strolling through the garden with lanterns. A casual shot is a Tang Dynasty time-travel photo! (Remember to bypass the fortune-telling stalls at the entrance, you might encounter "pengci" masters) ⚠️Must visit Kaifeng Prefecture! Free entry! But if you want to watch the immersive performance of Bao Gong judging cases, you need to buy a separate ticket. It's recommended to catch the early show, and you can even get a photo with the token Bao Gong throws out as a prop🤳 🍜DAY 2 Digging into Paomo at Longmen Grottoes 👉Get up early and take Bus Route You 2 directly to Longmen Grottoes. The Vairocana Buddha in the West Hill Grottoes has a slight smile on its lips, as if mocking your struggle squeezing onto the bus (recommended to buy e-tickets in advance to save queuing). 👉Head to Old Town Crossroads Street at noon. Beef patties with meatball soup that fill you up for 5 yuan. Slurping noodles in an air-conditioned room is simply amazing~ 👉Go to Lijinmen Night Market in the evening. Ancient style lanterns reflect the sizzling, oily grilled skewers, but definitely don't eat while walking, or you'll become a walking grease stain sticker! 📸Must visit Guanlin Temple! Forgot the ticket price... Remember to touch the stone lion's paws to ask for good luck, and remember not to touch the prayer plaques covered in red strings, or you'll be stuffed with flyers by aunties! 🌄DAY 3 Luoyang Peonies Blooming Again? 👉Arrive at White Horse Temple before 7 AM. The Indian-style Buddhist halls in the morning mist are so beautiful you'll want to kneel down and applaud! The koi in the liberation pond are fatter than your shopping cart~ 👉Revive yourself at Crossroads Street for lunch. Recommend the never-tiring Jiangmian Tiao with fried bread slices, so sour and refreshing it makes your ears hot😂 👉Hire a car to Luoyang Museum in the afternoon (FREE!!!). The bronze artifacts are so shiny they can be used as mirrors. Recommended to squat down to photograph the reflection of the artifacts for better shots! ⚠️Note! Special grottoes at Longmen Grottoes cost an extra 30-50 yuan, but seeing the Statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva, which is so exquisitely detailed, is absolutely worth the ticket price! 🏨Accommodation Recommendation: Mehao Lizhi Hotel in Zhengzhou! The front desk lady will proactively help you call a Didi and give supper coupons! The elevator comes with its own fragrance system. Smelling the sweet scent makes even the luggage feel lighter~ It's an 8-minute walk from Erqi Tower, and you can even sneak out at 2 AM to eat Xiaoji Sanxian Huimian! 🚌【Transportation Secrets】 ✅For visiting attractions in Kaifeng and Luoyang, bus + shared bike is the first choice. Search for "Luoyang Electronic Bus Card" on Alipay and scan directly with your phone. Remember to shout "Master, I'm scanning Alipay!" when getting on! ❌Definitely don't try riding shared bikes on the ancient city wall! The slope is steeper than your ex's temper, and you might end up being carried down by passersby😂 💡【Survival Tips】 1️⃣Carry a small fan with you! The sun in Henan can sun-dry you into a salted egg yolk. 2️⃣Dialect communication rules: "Zhong" = OK, "Dejin" = Comfortable, "Xinqiu" = Fool (use with caution!) 3️⃣There are very few trash cans in scenic spots, prepare eco-friendly bags and don't litter. 4️⃣It's best to book the Luoyang Water Banquet 3 days in advance! Otherwise, you can only squat in a corner eating leftovers. 5️⃣Lots of counterfeit money at Kaifeng night market! QR code payment is safest. 🍲【Foodie Guide】 Kaifeng Bucket Chicken: Salty, fragrant, and flavorful, makes you want to lick your fingers after one bite🌶️ Luoyang Bufan Soup: Sour and spicy, makes you feel like dancing on the spot after drinking it. Donkey Meat Roujiamo: The crust is so crispy it sparks when you bite it🔥 Huimian: The soup is so fresh you want to lick the bottom of the bowl clean🥣 Hulutang: The spiciness goes straight to the top of your head but you can't stop! 💸Cost Estimate: Bus fare + Subway + Taxi ≈ 100 yuan｜Snacks and desserts ≈ 500 yuan Tickets (must buy) ≈ 300 yuan｜Accommodation (3 nights) ≈ 900 yuan Meal expenses (proper meals + street food) ≈ 800 yuan｜Total ≈ 2600 yuan💰 💖June in Henan is like a freshly baked sugar cake—sweetness with a hint of spiciness, historical feel mixed with new vitality! When you hear the bell at White Horse Temple or watch the sunset by the Yellow River, the poems from textbooks suddenly have imagery. Don't hesitate, pack your bags and embark on a time-travel journey! After all, if you miss this summer, you might miss the lively atmosphere of Kaifeng night market at 2 AM✨