If anyone says Wulong isn’t fun, I’ll argue with them—3 days and 2 nights tested, no disappointments
Just rolled back from Wulong! My mind is still filled with the mist over the sinkholes, the wind on the grasslands, and the aroma of bowl bowl mutton… I’ve put together this warm-hearted guide, full of local hidden gems. Follow it and you’ll save enough for a hotpot meal!
🚗【Transportation|Nanny-level Tutorial】
✔️ The top choice from Chongqing is the “Direct Scenic Area Shuttle”! The Nanping Sijie Station departs daily at 7:30 AM, reaching Fairy Mountain Town Visitor Center in 2 hours (60 RMB/person), 100 times less stressful than driving yourself (peak season traffic jams on the highway are heartbreaking, don’t ask how I know😭)
✔️ Inside the scenic area, you must rely on transfer buses! The combined shuttle for Tian Sheng San Qiao (Three Natural Bridges) + Difen costs 40 RMB/person (included in the ticket), but watch the last bus times: 7:00 PM in peak season, 5:30 PM in off-season. Miss it and you’ll have to take a taxi (50 RMB from the sinkhole to town, don’t get ripped off!)
✔️ The Fairy Mountain internal small train is a must-buy! 25 RMB/person for unlimited rides, covering three stops: Grassland → Racecourse → Hunting Ground. Walking will wear you out (don’t believe the online claims that you can walk, the sun will melt you!)
🏠【Accommodation|Right Stay = Save 2 Hours】
❶ Fairy Mountain Town “Mountain View Homestay”: Highly recommend “Guiyuan Town”! A cluster of white buildings halfway up the mountain, balconies facing the karst peaks, lofts for just over 200 RMB, 10 minutes walk to the visitor center, 100 times quieter than town hotels.
❷ Inside Fairy Mountain Scenic Area “Grassland Wooden Cabins”: If budget allows, go straight for “Zhuoya Hotel”! Wooden cabins with small yards, open the window to see cattle and sheep, wake up to horse calls in the morning (800+ RMB in peak season, but the experience is worth every penny).
⚠️ Avoid: Never stay in Wulong County Town! It takes 40 minutes to get to the scenic area, and peak season traffic jams can turn into parking lots…
🌟【Attractions|Tested Must-Do + Hidden Photo Spots】
1. Three Natural Bridges (3 hours)
✔️ Take the sightseeing elevator first! An 80-meter drop that’s super thrilling, down to Tianfu Official Post from “Curse of the Golden Flower” filming location (arrive before 9:00 AM for no crowds and free photo ops!)
✔️ Hidden spot: The “Divine Eagle Sinkhole” viewing platform under Qinglong Bridge. At 3 PM when the sunlight slants, the rock wall casts an eagle shadow—guides might not even know this.
✔️ Don’t buy the electric cart! It’s only 1 km from the exit to the transfer station, and the “Milky Way Waterfall” along the way is stunning. A 5-minute walk is enough.
2. Longshui Gorge Difen (2 hours)
✔️ Wear non-slip shoes! The boardwalk is wet with mist; I saw someone fall hard on their butt… Bring a light jacket, the 18°C chill can give you a cold.
✔️ The best part is the last third! The Milky Way Waterfall and the One Line Sky are connected. At 2 PM, sunlight creates a rainbow—your phone camera will capture fairy-tale shots straight out of the box.
3. Fairy Mountain (half a day)
✔️ Grassland “Horse Riding Guide”: Choose the 50 RMB per lap option (not the 180 RMB per hour, the horses barely run). Let the herder take you deep into the grassland for photos with no people in the background.
✔️ Wave Road photo spot: Navigate to “Fairy Mountain Camping Base,” at 5 PM the light is soft. Stand in the middle of the road for photos (watch for cars!), flick your skirt for a super atmospheric shot.
✔️ Free fun: Walk 200 meters toward the hunting ground, there’s a wild lawn with free-range cattle and sheep you can pet and feed (bring some bread, they love it).
🍱【Food|Local Hidden Gems】
1. Bowl Bowl Mutton: Don’t go to the popular spots! In Fairy Mountain Town, “Old Street First Shop” serves it for 15 RMB/bowl, piled high with mutton, paired with pickled radish and secret chili powder, even the soup is worth drinking (they close at 2 PM daily, don’t be late).
2. Jiangkou Fish: Navigate to “Riverside Fish Restaurant” by the Furong River, freshly caught and killed yellow catfish. Recommended “Two Ways to Eat One Fish”: fish head soup + spicy fish meat, paired with potato rice—amazing (60 RMB per person, half the price of the scenic area).
3. Okra Tofu: Buy the freshly mixed ones from “Granny Liang”! Spicy with a hint of sweetness, 5 RMB/box, sold for 10 RMB in the scenic area, cheaper in town supermarkets (make sure it’s vacuum-packed, lasts a week).
📅【3 Days 2 Nights Itinerary|Lazy Version】
Day 1: Chongqing → Fairy Mountain Town → Stay in town → Afternoon at Three Natural Bridges → Dinner with Bowl Bowl Mutton → Explore Fairy Town Night Market (buy sweet potato noodles 5 RMB/jin)
Day 2: Morning at Longshui Gorge Difen → Lunch with Jiangkou Fish → Afternoon at Fairy Mountain (Grassland + Wave Road) → Stay in grassland wooden cabin → Stargazing (clearest at 1 AM)
Day 3: Horse riding at Fairy Mountain Racecourse → Return before noon → Hotpot in Chongqing (perfect connection!)
⚠️【Hard Lessons|Avoid These Traps】
❌ Don’t buy “wild honey” in the scenic area! It’s all fake. The authentic Wulong beef jerky is in town supermarkets (25 RMB/bag).
❌ Don’t wear white shoes in the sinkholes and Difen! The ground is muddy; white shoes go in, black shoes come out, and you can’t wash it off.
❌ Be cautious buying tickets for the “Impression Wulong” show! 238 RMB/person, though spectacular, you must reserve seats 2 hours early in peak season, and it’s very hard to get a taxi back to town after.
Wulong’s beauty is the kind that “your phone can’t capture even one ten-thousandth of”—the mist in the sinkholes flows, the waterfalls in the Difen sing, the grassland wind carries the scent of fresh grass… Don’t hesitate, just go for it, my friends!