Ancient Springs, Border Town, and Kiln Fires: A Tale of Three Towns

🍵【Yongquan Town】A hot spring hideaway where you can exchange coins for delicious food. Soaking in an open-air hot spring pool at 4 am, watching the morning mist dance with the rising steam, I finally understood why every guide says, "You haven't been here if you haven't soaked in the hot springs!" I booked the Yi Jiang Nan hot spring room in advance, and the butler thoughtfully prepared mugwort bath packets. After soaking, every pore on my body was breathing~(5) 🌅The most stunning experience was the night climb to the twelve scenic spots of Yi Jiang Nan! At 7 pm, we climbed the mountain with lanterns in hand. The moonlight made the waterfall look like flowing silver gauze. When we reached the entrance to the cloud ladder, the mountain suddenly lit up with star lights. At that moment, it felt like stepping into the world of *Spirited Away*! Non-slip shoes are recommended. Families with children can just walk the first half.(25) 🥢The copper coin food street is a must-try! Exchange 60 yuan for 20 copper coins. I highly recommend the freshly made firewood-baked buns (3 copper coins/each). Bite into one and savor the juicy free-range pork filling! The grandma at the sweet ginger shop will teach you the ancient way of eating ginger: "hold it in your mouth first, then chew." The spicy and sweet taste is addictive~(5) 🏡You can't go wrong with a hot spring hotel! We stayed in the Bamboo Rhyme Room, where you can see the bamboo forest from the window, and the minibar drinks are all free. I had three bowls of shrimp roe noodles at the breakfast buffet. Remember to use your room card to take the VIP passage to the cloud ladder. It can save you an hour of queuing on holidays!(515) 🌉【Chadong Ancient Town】A literary dreamland bordering three provinces. "Waiting for the misty rain of a city, crossing the love of a lifetime"—as I read this sentence at the Lala ferry crossing, the boatman was pulling the steel cable, taking us towards Hong'an, Chongqing. A 2-yuan ticket, a 5-minute journey, and my phone's location instantly switched between three provinces. My friends were ecstatic to see my location updates!(910) 📖The border town described by Shen Congwen is even more healing than I imagined! I met a grandma washing clothes under the white pagoda, who gave me a freshly picked wild persimmon. Next to the stone tablet on Cuicui Island, local children giggled as they taught us Miao folk songs. Commercialization? Non-existent! Even the grandma selling oil cakes only accepts cash (1 yuan for 4 cakes).(79) 🐟You must try the corner fish hot pot three times! The sour soup base combines the sourness of Guizhou, the spiciness of Hunan, and the numbing sensation of Chongqing. The freshly killed river fish is so tender that it's hard to pick up with chopsticks. Hidden tip: Add rice tofu and cook until transparent. It absorbs the soup and tastes even better than the meat!(10) 🏡I recommend the river-view rooms at the Chuxin Guesthouse! Fall asleep to the sound of flowing water and wake up to the sound of oars. You can take panoramic photos of the Lala ferry from the balcony. The owner will give you a hand-drawn map marking all the boundary markers (one each for Hunan, Chongqing, and Guizhou).(10) 🎆【Yao Lake Town】A feast of fireworks spanning thousands of years. As the small train passed through the 3 km bamboo forest tunnel, the carriage suddenly played *Lanting Xu*, giving me goosebumps! I recommend taking the 5:30 pm train to see both the golden sunset and the magical night view as the lights come on.(14) 🔥The intangible cultural heritage fire dance show is absolutely divine! Nuo mask dancers breathe fire while walking on 3-meter-high stilts, a dragon-shaped water show explodes with colorful mist on the lake, and finally, thousands of drones form the totem of a kiln... This 9 pm spectacle is definitely worth the ticket price!(14) 🚣♂️The Bamboo Rat Paradise will change your perception! Swim in the 30°C constant temperature wave pool, splash around with the DJ's beats, and completely forget it's winter! The pottery workshop is a must for kids, where teachers provide hands-on instruction in making purple clay teapots, which can be shipped home after firing~(14) 🏨Yao Lake Resort Hotel is like a maze! The 213 rooms are spread across 7 Jiangnan courtyards, and you have to walk through winding corridors to get back to your room every day. However, the freshly ground Yixing black tea at breakfast is amazing, and I could easily have three bowls with the wumei rice!(15) 🌟Three Towns Travel Tips ⏰Best duration: Yongquan 2 days 1 night + Chadong 1 day + Yao Lake 2 days 1 night 🚗Transportation: Tongling North Station → Yongquan (40 min drive); Tongling → Changsha South → rent a car to Chadong (5h); Chadong → Yixing (4h high-speed rail) 🎫Ticket discounts: Free entry to the twelve scenic spots for Yongquan guests; Yao Lake Hotel includes double breakfast + two park tickets 📸Photo tips: • Yongquan: The empty bank at 5 am • Chadong: Backlit silhouettes on Cuicui Island at 5:30 pm • Yao Lake: The moment the small train enters the bamboo forest tunnel 🍜Must-eat list: • Yongquan: Braised pork belly cooked in a firewood stove/sweet ginger • Chadong: Rice tofu with litsea cubeba oil/sour radish • Yao Lake: Wumei duck with sauce/Heqiao tofu From steaming hot springs to literary dreamscapes, from intangible cultural heritage fire dances to the charm of three provinces, these three towns are like hidden gems, stringing together the elegance and vibrancy deeply rooted in Chinese culture. Set off with this guide, and you'll understand: True poetry and distance are never found in crowded, internet-famous spots.