Wuwei is back! A three-day stay, Shiyang River prices reset the Hexi Corridor consumption perception

Escaping the competitive cities to Wuwei for a three-day "ancient search," I was hit every day by "reverse surprises"—the Silk Road street food and Hexi flavors here don’t require “high prices,” so cheap it made me doubt that the money I spent on previous “Northwest trips” was all paying an intelligence tax for “internet celebrity filters.” When leaving, all I could think was: living in the ancient city at the “gateway of the Hexi Corridor,” life can be this “real”! 💰 Three-day “low-cost Hexi” list, so cheap it’s unbelievable Breakfast: 6 yuan to fill up on “Wuwei carbs” At a breakfast stall in Wuwei Old City, 4 yuan can buy a bowl of Wuwei mianpizi (small portion) 🍜, chewy and smooth, mixed with garlic sauce, chili oil, and shredded cucumber, sour and spicy and satisfying; paired with a 2-yuan Wuwei oil cake (1 piece), crispy outside and soft inside with a wheat fragrance, 6 yuan warms the morning better than a chain soy milk! Occasionally changing flavors, go to “Ma Ye Breakfast Shop” to buy a 3-yuan Wuwei fried pao (small portion), noodles as chewy as firecrackers, paired with 1 yuan of fu tea (small cup), 5 yuan unlocks the breakfast ritual of old Wuwei, a homey taste that local elders queue for, can’t go wrong~ Main meal: 32 yuan unlocks “fresh Hexi flavor” Recommended by the homestay owner, I went to “Silk Road Restaurant” to eat Wuwei braised lamb (small portion) 🥘, a big plate for 30 yuan, lamb tender and not gamey, soaked in savory sauce, paired with a 5-yuan bowl of mixed grain rice, two people can enjoy “Hexi hearty dishes” for 35 yuan, cheaper than takeout! If you don’t want a formal meal, just stroll the Wuwei night market: 10 yuan for 5 grilled lamb skewers, rich meat aroma; 12 yuan for Wuwei fried bola (small portion), a blend of mixed vegetables and meat fragrance; 10 yuan for cold mixed sand scallions, fresh and refreshing, 32 yuan lets you taste all the salty and fragrant flavors of Wuwei while watching street performances of Liangzhou Xianxiao, super atmospheric~ Entertainment: 0 yuan for “Silk Road romance” Happiness in Wuwei never costs money! Walking along the Shiyang River riverside trail 🌿 is free, strolling by the river watching the water reflecting the Qilian mountain range, in the early morning you can meet locals practicing Tai Chi, every snap is a “healing masterpiece” 📸, no need to squeeze into paid attractions, stay as long as you want. The park around the Leitai Han Tomb is free, walking on paths surrounded by ancient cypresses, viewing Han dynasty relics and scattered pavilions, overlooking the ancient city outline, more pleasant than paid scenic spots. Want to experience Hexi culture? Spend 2 yuan on the bus to Wuwei Museum (free but requires advance reservation), see the “Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow” cultural exhibits, Silk Road relics, and listen to guides tell Wuwei stories, much more meaningful than buying internet celebrity souvenirs~ Accommodation: 100 yuan to stay in a “Hexi small residence” I thought accommodation in a Silk Road cultural city would be expensive, but I found a homestay next to Wuwei Old City where 100 yuan gets you a “single room with a small window” 🏠, a 15-minute walk to Shiyang River trail, falling asleep to the city’s hustle and waking up to the aroma of mianpizi, opening your eyes to the lively atmosphere of Wuwei! For even better value, stay in a hotel in Wuwei New District, 80 yuan for a “clean twin room,” 20 minutes by car to the outskirts of Tianti Mountain Grottoes, super convenient, value for money to an absurd degree~ 🚗 Scenic spot transportation & 🍽️ authentic Hexi restaurant guide Scenic spot transportation routes (low-cost version) - Wuwei Station → Wuwei Old City: Take bus No. 3, fare 2 yuan, 25 minutes direct; ride a shared bike 1 yuan/15 minutes, very comfortable to explore old alleys along the way. - Wuwei Old City → Shiyang River riverside trail: 10-minute walk direct, on the way buy 3 jin of local ginseng fruit for 10 yuan (seasonal), sweet and juicy; or take bus No. 5, fare 1 yuan, 5 minutes. - Wuwei Station → Wuwei Museum: Take bus No. 8, fare 2 yuan, 30 minutes direct; drive 20 minutes, museum parking free, tickets require 1-day advance reservation. Authentic Hexi restaurants - Silk Road Restaurant (Old City branch): signature braised lamb, Wuwei marinated chicken (small portion), average 35 yuan per person, ingredients all locally sourced, full of Hexi flavor. - Old City Local Cuisine Restaurant: in the middle of Wuwei Old City, Wuwei stuffed skin fried with meat, stir-fried seasonal vegetables (local greens) are must-orders, average 30 yuan per person, popular for local gatherings. - Riverside Home-style Restaurant: near Shiyang River, home-style stewed tofu, sand scallion scrambled eggs, average 40 yuan per person, taste the simple flavors of Hexi home cooking and mountain vegetables~ 📅 Wuwei seasonal Hexi special events & 🎨 Silk Road cultural experience guide Wuwei seasonal Hexi special events - Spring (Feb-Apr): - Hexi spring outing: Paradise Temple outer trail (free, Mar-Apr), mountain flowers bloom, grass and trees revive, great for hiking and photos; 10 yuan/person to try “Wuwei paper cutting (simple version),” you can take home the cut patterns as ornaments, more meaningful than internet celebrity souvenirs. - Silk Road Cultural Festival: Wuwei Square (free, Apr), watch Liangzhou Xianxiao performances, free taste of “Wuwei oil cake,” feel the Silk Road cultural heritage. - Summer (May-Aug): - Shiyang River cooling: riverside trail (free, Jul-Aug), average temperature 25°C, sit in the shade and enjoy the river breeze, 10 yuan for a bowl of “iced apricot peel water,” refreshing and cooling; free open-air movies (Silk Road theme) on weekend evenings, atmosphere maxed out. - Night market carnival: Wuwei night market (free, Jun-Aug), streets full of Hexi snacks and cultural stalls, 15 yuan for a “Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow” small ornament, cheap and memorable. - Autumn (Sep-Nov): - Silk Road autumn viewing: Wushaoling outskirts (free, Oct-Nov), maple leaves dye the hills red, fruits hang heavy on branches, forests like oil paintings, great for hiking and photos; 15 yuan/person to pick grapes, local grapes sweet and juicy, 5 yuan/jin to take home. - Harvest market: Wuwei Old City (free, Oct), streets full of Wuwei specialties (raisins, dried apricots), 10 yuan can buy a jin of raisins, plus free “mianpizi tasting samples.” - Winter (Dec-Jan): - Hexi warm winter: by Shiyang River (free, Dec), warm winter sun perfect for sitting outdoors, 10 yuan for a pot of “fu tea,” warms the body and drives out cold; free lessons on “Wuwei oil cake making basics,” learn traditional food skills. - Warm winter snacks: street stalls, 10 yuan/bowl Wuwei lamb soup (small portion) (fresh and warming, delicious with oil cake); 5 yuan each for “brown sugar oil cake,” crispy outside and sweet inside, warms hands and stomach. Silk Road cultural experience guide - Recommended spots: Wuwei Old City “Silk Road Cultural Workshop” (30 yuan per person, including materials and teaching), homestay “Hexi Courtyard” (run by locals, no hidden charges). - Must-try projects and process: 1. Wuwei paper cutting (simple version): - Materials: red paper, scissors (provided by workshop); - Steps: learn to cut “Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow” and “Silk Road camel caravan” patterns with the teacher, done in 15 minutes, can be stuck on windows or used as ornaments. 2. Simple mianpizi making: - Materials: flour, vinegar, chili oil (provided by workshop); - Steps: wash gluten from flour, settle and steam, cut into strips and mix with seasonings, in 20 minutes you can taste the sour and spicy mianpizi, can take some home for free. - Tips: after the experience, you can buy 15 yuan/jar of “Wuwei chili sauce,” 20 yuan/bag of “vacuum-packed raisins,” great for cooking at home, more practical than fancy packaged souvenirs; when buying specialties, don’t be greedy for “high-priced gift boxes,” loose goods from old shops in the old city are fresh and cost-effective, with free samples. 🤯 Moment of consumption perception collapse: “Expensive” is not the threshold of the Silk Road Staying in Wuwei long enough, you really forget about “brand premium.” Buying souvenirs doesn’t require fancy gift boxes, 20 yuan gets you a bag of Wuwei dried apricots (vacuum packed) (sweet and sour, perfect for binge-watching snacks), 15 yuan a jar of Hexi sweet bean paste (great for noodles and dipping oil cakes) 🥫, 10 yuan a pack of vacuum-packed mianpizi seasoning (easy to carry, ready to mix at home), much more practical than those “internet celebrity Silk Road souvenirs.” Compared to big cities where a trendy milk tea costs 30+ yuan 🥤, a simple meal 50+ yuan 🍱, and a budget hotel 400+ yuan, I realized that Silk Road romance and Hexi deliciousness don’t need to be “paid for hype,” spending money on real flavors and experiences brings even more happiness~ 💡 Only after leaving did I understand: Wuwei’s “cheapness” is Hexi’s richness Some say Silk Road cultural tourist cities are expensive, but in Wuwei, 1200 yuan can comfortably cover 3 days—6 yuan breakfast, 32 yuan Hexi dishes, 100 yuan accommodation, keeping living costs low while maximizing “Silk Road little happiness” 💖. On the day I left Wuwei, I bought 4 yuan mianpizi at the alley entrance to eat on the road, watching the owner skillfully add seasonings and shredded cucumber, suddenly I understood: what we don’t need is “expensive” Northwest travel, but this kind of “no consumption anxiety” freedom. Three days in Wuwei cured my “consumerism PTSD”!