Fairy Island × Terraced Fields | A Quartet of Hidden Gems in Zhejiang |

| A Quartet of Hidden Gems in Zhejiang. 🌄 [Trip Highlights] 👉 A four-day journey through hidden mountain and sea wonderlands: From a deserted village reminiscent of the "Wizard of Oz" to terraced fields that resemble a "mirror to the sky," unlock Zhejiang's best-kept secrets! 👉 Exclusive experiences: Chasing the light on the islands / Hanfu cosplay in Salt Lake City / Shaoxing yellow rice wine blind box tasting / Stargazing and camping in the terraced fields! 👉 Includes the latest online intel: Secret photo spots on Shengshan Island + Salt Lake City's free performance schedule + Free viewing platforms at Yunhe Rice Terraces! 🚩 Day 1: Shengshan Island - Exploring the "Wizard of Oz" 📍 Main attraction: Houtouwan Deserted Village (northeast of Shengshan Island) 🕗 Recommended time: 6:00–10:00 (morning mist is stunning) 🎫 Tickets: CNY 60 🚢 Transportation: Shanghai Nanpu Bridge → Shenjiawan Wharf → Shengsi Lizhushan Wharf → Taxi to Shengshan Island (approx. 4 hrs total) 🌿 Real Experience: At 5:00 a.m., I climbed up the Dongya Cliff in the dark. When the first ray of sunlight pierced through the sea fog, the fishing boats below the cliff looked like scattered gold foil! I went straight down the mountain to Houtouwan. The abandoned stone houses covered with Boston ivy resembled a scene from "Princess Mononoke." I recommend wearing a long red dress! I discovered a hidden path next to the old well in the village, which led directly to a viewing platform over the sea—from here, you can capture a panoramic view of the deserted village and the emerald bay! 🍜 Foodie Surprise: "Teacher Hou's Restaurant" at Shengshan Wharf serves seafood rice noodles piled high with mussels and live mantis shrimp for just CNY 30 a bowl. I didn't understand a word of the owner's dialect, but the delicious flavor went straight to my soul! 🚩 Day 2: Oriental Salt Lake City - A Martial Arts Fantasy 📍 Main attraction: Oriental Salt Lake City · Taoism World (Mount Mao, Changzhou) 🕘 Recommended time: 15:00–22:00 (night views are even more stunning) 🎫 Tickets: CNY 150 (includes five NPC interaction coupons) 🚗 Transportation: Shaoxing North Railway Station → Changzhou Railway Station → 1-hour taxi ride (driving is recommended) 🎎 Cosplay Guide: Change into the free Wei and Jin Dynasty-style Hanfu provided by the resort, and get ready for a thrilling experience as Taoist NPCs chase you around Kanshui Square, sticking talismans on you! Don't miss the 19:30 "Xiaoyaoyou" show, a spectacular live performance featuring water and fire effects, with white-clad martial artists descending from the sky on bamboo rafts. It gave me goosebumps! 💥 Hidden mission: Collect three salt coins in Duiyan Alley to redeem a salt sculpture DIY experience! 🏨 Overnight Surprise: Stay at the Worm Two Inn within the resort. Open the window to see the brightly lit ancient streets, and you can even hear the night watchman's clapper at midnight! 🚩 Day 3: Shaoxing - A Water Town Blind Box Tour 📍 Main activities: Calligraphy Sacred Land + Cangqiao Straight Street 🕙 Recommended time: 8:00–18:00 🎫 Cost: Free (wupeng boat: CNY 60/boat) 🛶 Off-the-Beaten-Path Route: In the morning, wander through the historic Xixiao Road district. The sound of old ladies beating laundry on the riverbank is more therapeutic than an alarm clock! At the Wang Xizhi Exhibition Hall, I spent CNY 10 to make a rubbing of the "Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion," but I was captivated by the yellow rice wine milk tea at the teahouse next door—the aroma of the wine was strong but not overpowering, and there was sweet fermented glutinous rice at the bottom of the cup! 🌙 While enjoying Yue Opera at Shen Garden at night, I stumbled upon the actors practicing their lines with a teleprompter on their phones behind a rock garden. I laughed so hard I had to hold onto the wall! 🍶 Yellow Rice Wine Blind Box: The 24 Solar Terms Wine at the Yue Brewing Workshop on Cangqiao Straight Street is a must-try. The Spring Equinox wine has a peach blossom aroma, while the Winter Solstice wine tastes of longan. Opening a bottle is like drawing an SSR card! 🚩 Day 4: Yunhe Rice Terraces - Pastoral Songs in the Clouds 📍 Main attractions: Nine Curves and Clouds + Baiyin Valley 🕔 Must-see time: 5:00–7:00 (sunrise and sea of clouds) 🎫 Tickets: CNY 80 (60% off for B&B guests) 🚌 Transportation: Lishui High-speed Railway Station → Yunhe Bus Station → Scenic Area Shuttle Bus (1 hr) ☁️ Magical Moment: At 4:00 a.m., I climbed up to the Qixingdun Viewing Platform with a flashlight. The terraced fields shimmered with silver ripples under the moonlight. As the sun rose over the mountain ridge, the entire valley transformed into a flowing golden painting! On the way down, I followed a local farmer wearing a bamboo hat along a hidden path and stumbled upon Kenggen Stone Village—an 800-year-old silver mining village, where the crevices of the stone houses are still embedded with mining residue from the Ming Dynasty! ⛺ Camping Surprise: "Yunyi's Courtyard" within the terraced fields offers tents in the rice paddies. At night, you can listen to the croaking of frogs, search for constellations with a telescope, and the owner will treat you to homemade snail wine (the sweet and spicy flavor is addictive)! 💡 Hard-Earned Tips 1️⃣ Transportation Tips: Book Shengshan Island ferry tickets three days in advance on "Shengsi Passenger Transport," and choose the upper cabin! Those prone to motion sickness should bring plastic bags for the winding mountain roads to Yunhe Rice Terraces. Don't ask me how I know 😭 2️⃣ Photography Bible: Use a 3x zoom on your phone to capture details in the deserted village. Wide-angle shots can look cluttered. Wear white for the sunrise at the rice terraces! Backlit silhouettes are stunning. 3️⃣ Limited-Time Offers: Salt Lake City has "Jianghu Fireworks" every Friday in July and August (free viewing spots available). Yunhe Rice Terraces hosts the Rice Paddy Art Festival in September, where farmers create "Mona Lisa" using rice plants. 4️⃣ Alternative Destinations: Anchang Ancient Town is a good alternative to Shaoxing, with sausages half the price of those on Cangqiao Straight Street. Twenty-Eight Villages is a good alternative to Salt Lake City, where you can watch free Taoist morning exercises. 🍜 Foodie Map: ▫️ Scallion mussels at "Haiyang Restaurant" on Shengshan Island are bigger than your hand! ▫️ Enjoy a "Jianghu Feast" at Salt Lake City, watching martial arts dramas while gnawing on beggar's chicken. ▫️ The terraced field snails at "Cuiyan Xiaozhu" in Yunhe are so fresh they'll make your eyebrows fall off. From ocean waves and salt crystals to rice paddies, this itinerary is like Zhejiang shattered and reassembled! I recommend bringing a 512GB stomach and a 1TB memory card. Don't say I didn't warn you! 🌟