Compete with the ginkgo leaves in beauty and collide with happiness to the fullest
Who understands! Going to Tongzi'ao without doing some "fun stuff" is simply a waste of that dazzling golden ginkgo forest! This guide, combining "autumn viewing, going crazy, and eating," is the perfect cure for travel check-in anxiety, allowing you to take stunning photos that will flood your social media and have even more fun than the ginkgo leaves themselves~
First, highlight the key point: the best travel time is from mid-November to early December. At this time, Tongzi'ao looks like God has spilled a jar of golden powder. From the village entrance to the mountain hollow, over a thousand ancient ginkgo trees dye the entire village warm yellow, and even the wind carries a "golden" gentleness. For transportation, self-driving or group chartered cars are recommended. After all, the village roads are winding and twisting. Self-driving allows you to stop anytime by the roadside for "emergency autumn viewing" and park immediately when you find a good angle for photos, emphasizing spontaneity. If you choose public transportation, first go to Yongzhou or Shuangpai County, then transfer to a rural bus. Although it takes longer, you can enjoy the countryside scenery all the way and chat with local villagers, hearing interesting stories about "stories hidden under the ginkgo trees." You might even discover some local secret scenic spots.
Accommodation must be the "ginkgo-surrounded type"! Most of the village homestays are farmhouses with blue tiles and white walls. Opening the window reveals a sky full of gold. Waking up in the morning to bird songs and the "rustling" sound of falling ginkgo leaves is a hundred times gentler than an alarm clock. It is recommended to book a room with a small courtyard in advance. At night, you can cook hotpot or roast sweet potatoes with friends in the yard, chatting under the moonlight and ginkgo shadows, emphasizing "escaping urban stress and immersive relaxation." Secretly, some homestays also offer Hanfu rentals. For 100 yuan, you can rent a beautifully styled Hanfu. Wearing it in the ginkgo forest for photos instantly transforms you from a "tourist" into an "ancient-style beauty." Just be careful not to step on the skirt hem while walking, or you might go from "ethereal" to "awkwardly falling," becoming the most eye-catching "highlight" in the ginkgo forest.
The recommended travel route is the "off the beaten path version": depart at 9 a.m., first check in at the "Thousand-Year Ginkgo King" at the village entrance. This ancient tree, over 1,200 years old, has lush branches and leaves like a huge golden umbrella. When taking photos, remember to stand a bit farther away and have your friends shoot from below to create the illusion of "a person under the tree, like a fairyland." Of course, you can also be playful and pretend to "bow and greet" the Ginkgo King, emphasizing a cute contrast. Then walk along the stone path deeper into the mountain hollow, avoiding the crowds on the main road, and visit the lesser-known "Ginkgo Valley." The ginkgo forest here is denser, and the ground is covered with thick fallen leaves that crunch underfoot like walking on a golden carpet. It’s perfect for wandering and "going crazy"—for example, spinning in place to make the leaves fly or lying in the leaf pile to take "immersive autumn viewing" photos. Don’t worry about dirtying your clothes; the homestay’s washing machine is always ready.
The midday meal is absolutely essential! The village’s farmhouse dishes are known for being "so fresh they’ll make your eyebrows fall off." Must-try dishes include "Ginkgo Nut Stewed Free-Range Chicken," where the sweet ginkgo nuts complement the savory chicken, making the soup rich but not greasy, warming you up with every sip; "Stir-fried Cured Meat with Bracken," salty and appetizing, with cured meat smoked by locals, fatty but not greasy, and freshly picked bracken from the mountains, crisp and refreshing, perfect with rice for two big bowls; and "Stir-fried Ginkgo Leaves" (yes, edible!), which tastes fresh with a slight bitterness and is said to clear heat and detoxify, emphasizing "eating the whole ginkgo." After the meal, you can buy a bag of locally roasted ginkgo nuts. The shelled nuts are fragrant and glutinous, but shelling them is a bit tricky. It’s recommended to cooperate with friends—one shells while the other eats—emphasizing "efficient leisure."
The afternoon itinerary focuses on "leisure + photo ops": take a walk on the "Ginkgo Trail," where the ginkgo branches intertwine on both sides, forming a golden tunnel. Sunlight filters through the leaves, casting dappled shadows with a great atmosphere, perfect for slow-motion videos—like walking while letting leaves fall on your shoulders or running and looking back with a smile. Every frame looks like a movie scene. If you have many friends with you, try some "creative group shots," such as lining up and pretending to do a square dance under the ginkgo trees or collectively holding ginkgo leaves to cover your faces, emphasizing "happiness doesn’t need to show faces." At dusk, go to the mountaintop viewing platform to overlook the entire Tongzi'ao. The golden ginkgo forest, blue-tiled white-walled village, and distant green mountains form a stunning landscape painting. At this moment, be sure to open your phone’s original camera to capture this "speechlessly beautiful" moment. When posting on social media, caption it "Tongzi'ao’s autumn welds romance into the bones," guaranteed to double your likes.
Evening activities can be "freestyle": if you have energy, invite friends to the village’s small bar, order some local beer and snacks, listen to the owner sing folk songs, and chat about travel stories, emphasizing "relaxation." If you want to rest early, return to the homestay courtyard, count stars with friends, gossip, or wrap up in a blanket to watch a healing movie, feeling the tranquility and beauty of the countryside.
A warm reminder: ginkgo leaves are beautiful, but please do not pick them casually. Let the beauty stay on the branches for everyone to enjoy. The village’s stone paths can be slippery, so ladies wearing high heels are advised to bring flat shoes to avoid "elegant mishaps." The temperature difference in Tongzi'ao in autumn is large between morning and evening, so remember to bring a thick coat to stay both beautiful and warm.
In short, when visiting Tongzi'ao, there’s no need to "check in at all the spots," no need to rush or take perfect photos. Just bring a relaxed heart and fully enjoy the romance of autumn, the tranquility of the countryside, and the joy of travel. I hope this "crazy" guide helps you have a great time in Tongzi'ao and leaves you with "golden and unforgettable" memories~ Want me to help you detail a daily schedule or recommend some highly rated farmhouse restaurants?