3-Day 2-Night Ningde Self-Driving Guide (with Routes, Car Rentals, and Accommodations)

Ningde is home to many stunningly beautiful villages, but it's really difficult to visit them without a car. I quickly wrote this self-driving guide after returning from Ningde. 🚗DAY1 🗺️Ningde Station → Mandarin Duck Creek → Shuangxi Ancient Town × Siping Village → Longtan Ancient Town 🔸Arrive at Ningde Station. After exiting the station, take the escalator down to the Ehi Car Rental store. 🔸Drive straight to Mandarin Duck Creek, which is a 2-hour drive away! The 100-meter waterfall cascading down from above is super impressive 💦. The Laba Waterfall is also beautiful. Have a casual lunch at Shuangxi Ancient Town. 🔸Longtan Ancient Town features cobblestone roads + small bridges and flowing water. It's very comfortable to stroll around and play with cats. 🔸Siping Village is as beautiful as a Miyazaki animation, a three-dimensional fairy tale world. The ripe persimmons in winter are stunning! Although I prefer Siping, there are fewer restaurants and accommodations, so I returned to Longtan Ancient Town and checked into a B&B. 🚗DAY2 Xiasi Village → Zhi Ti Temple → Naluo Temple 🔸Xiasi Village, check out the Librairie Avant-Garde bookstore by the rice fields. 🔸The Naluo Temple Buddha is hidden in a cliff cave deep in the bamboo forest. 🔸Zhi Ti Temple, an ancient temple from the Ming Dynasty! The red walls and golden roof, combined with the lingering incense smoke, make for a cool and detached scene in every shot. It also holds some legends of emperors. 🏨Accommodation I stayed in a very average B&B in Longtan Ancient Town, so I won't mention it. The Wyndham Ningde Sandu Ao is amazing! How can a deluxe lake-view room be so tempting?! Plus, it's very close to the car rental location. ✅Step through the door to find floor-to-ceiling windows and a huge balcony! The bathtub faces the Sandu Ao lake view! Watching the sunset while soaking in the tub is breathtaking 🌇. After driving for two days, relaxing on the balcony sofa and watching the lake view is super healing. ✅The seafood buffet dinner is amazing! Unlimited salmon! The Ningde large yellow croaker is so fresh it's mind-blowing! I also got to try Fuding meat slices, fish slices, and wontons. ✅The courtyard-style hotel is very stylish, and the lawn and lakeside boardwalk are perfect for strolling. 🔸The attractions in Ningde are scattered, so it's recommended to rent a car and drive yourself. There are many mountain roads, but the road conditions are good and there are few cars. 🔸Wear non-slip shoes when visiting Mandarin Duck Creek! Bring mosquito repellent!