National Geographic" Didn’t Lie—This County is Truly Beautiful

#discoverchina Although there was a big temperature drop and rain, I was a little hesitant at first, but to my surprise, the beauty of Tonglu in the rain was absolutely stunning. Definitely worth the trip! Transportation There are two high-speed rail stations in Tonglu: Tonglu Station and Tonglu East Station. Tonglu Station is closer to the county and the Maling Ancient Road. Tonglu East Station is closer to Meirong Village. I arrived at Tonglu East Station at 7 PM and planned to take a taxi to Maoping Village. I waited for a long time but couldn’t get a driver. When a platform driver was finally dispatched, they refused to go, saying it was too far (about 30 kilometers) and asked for extra payment. After a while, I managed to catch a ride for 50 yuan. I was lucky, though, so if you’re arriving at night, make sure to have a backup plan or try to book a ride in advance. Gongyu Ancient Road The road connects three ancient villages: Luci Village, Maoping Village, and Shishe Village. The entire route is around 11 km long: Luci Village to Maoping Village: 8 km Maoping Village to Shishe Village: 3 km (this section is the highlight of the route). The route is mostly flat with very little elevation gain. In terms of commercialization: Luci Village > Shishe Village > Maoping Village. I personally liked Maoping Village the most. I stayed there for three nights, and there are buses between the three villages, or you can take a taxi. Fuchun River It turns out the best way to explore Fuchun River is not by boat, but by walking along the Fuchun River Greenway. The river looks muddy up close when on the boat, but from the Greenway, it looks star-green. The experience is especially beautiful on a rainy day—very poetic and dreamy! If you want to take a boat, just navigate to “Jiangnan Longmen Bay.” After my boat ride, I walked from Longmen Bay to Luci Village—all along the Greenway. #thingstodo #travel