# Nanxi River travel guide (楠溪江) Zhejiang Province · East China, China · 8 places Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/destinations/zhejiang/nanxi-river ## Quick itinerary - **Day 1:** Shiweiyan Scenic Area → Lingshang Renjia (lunch; roast whole lamb is famous) → Lishui Ancient Street → Furong Village → Cangpo Village - **Day 2:** Longwantan National Forest Park → Shizi Rock (Lion Rock) - **Day 3:** Daruoyan Scenic Area → Yongjia Academy ## The feel of the place If you were to describe the Nanxi River in colour, green would probably be the first word that comes to mind. Everything here is lush: green trees, green grass, and even the river water is a clear jade green so transparent you can see right to the bottom. Combined with the fresh air and the river winding for a hundred miles (the Nanxi River is nicknamed 'Three Hundred Li'), it gives you the feeling of walking inside a painting. The phrase 'reading on an ox's horn' originally came from a childhood story about a cowherd boy with a love of learning, so it is a truly apt way to describe the Nanxi River's tradition of farming and scholarship. Everywhere you look are ancient villages built around the concepts of the 'Seven Stars and Eight Dippers' and the 'Four Treasures of the Study', as well as feng shui principles. There are also large numbers of complete genealogies and clan records for the Hundred Surnames. Besides the green vegetation, stone is probably the other natural material you will see most often along the Nanxi River. The local people have used this readily available material to build their homes, which also surprised architectural scholars: the seemingly casual combination of stone and timber produced villages of real aesthetic value. It is no wonder some scholars have written books about them. ### Planning Your Itinerary Wisely Transportation in the Nanxi River area is not very convenient, costs are relatively high, and the sights are spread out. Plan your route carefully to avoid backtracking. The area suits self-drive trips, and it is best visited in the high-water season, when the waterfalls and river are at their most impressive. ### Transport Between Sights 1. Avoid human-powered tricycles. They are slow and overpriced. A group of several people can save considerably by chartering an electric cart. 2. The roads to the Dayuoyan and Yantou Central scenic areas are much better, mostly asphalt or concrete, and there are more minibuses. 3. During the Spring Festival travel rush, ticket prices rise by 20% or 25%. 4. Chartering a car from Nanxi River to Yandang Mountain costs ¥200–300. 5. Direct buses run from Oubei Wharf to Sihai Mountain, taking about 3 hours (one departure daily at 8:00 a.m.). If you miss it, take a bus from Oubei to Zhangxi, which runs frequently. From Zhangxi, charter a car to Sihai Mountain for about ¥50. 6. Buses from Yantou to Linkeng are infrequent, with only two departures a day, at 5:30 and 7:15. 7. There are no taxis in the Nanxi River area, only a type of small truck for carrying passengers. Drivers are usually married couples: the husband drives, while the wife collects fares and acts as guide. Chartering one for the day costs ¥150–200. ### Cycling Along the Nanxi River Bicycles can be rented in Yantou town, at most guesthouses. Cycling along the river lets you take in the many sights along the banks (Lion Rock, Furong Sanguan and others) and the ancient villages (Furong Village, Yantou's Lishui Street, Cangpo Village and others). It is a truly leisurely way to spend the day. ### Preparation and Enquiries ### Language The local dialect belongs to the same family as Wenzhou dialect, with some subtle differences. There is no need to learn it, as Mandarin will get you by without any problems. ### Climate and Best Seasons Apart from Kunming, this may be the only other place in China that can be called “land of eternal spring”, with an annual average temperature of around 18℃. There is no need to agonise over choosing a date for Nanxi River. Any time will do, as long as you have some leisure and can set aside your work. That said, Nanxi River is at its most beautiful in spring. ## Getting there & around ### Getting There and Away Nanxi River lies within Wenzhou, so for transport in and out, see the “Yandang Mountain” section. ### By Road Road links from Shanghai and Wenzhou to Nanxi River are well developed. National Highway 104 (Ningbo–Taizhou–Wenzhou Expressway) and Route 330 (Jinhua–Lishui–Wenzhou Expressway) run closely alongside each other, while the provincial highways Yongjia–Jinyun and Xianju–Qingshuibu run through the scenic area. ### Shanghai → Nanxi River Long-distance coaches run directly from Shanghai to Shangtang in Yongjia County, where Nanxi River is located, with one departure in the morning and one in the evening. Sleeper ticket: ¥160 (plus a ¥2 insurance fee). ### Wenzhou → Nanxi River Take bus No. 33 from Wenzhou Railway Station to Anlan Pavilion Wharf, then take a ferry to Oubei Town and transfer to a minibus heading for Yantou. The fare is about ¥15 and the journey takes just over an hour. You can also charter a car from Wenzhou Airport to Yantou; the trip takes about 1.5 hours and costs ¥150–200. ### Yandang Mountain → Nanxi River Direct buses run between Yandang Mountain (Xianglingtou) and Nanxi River (Yantou), departing at 7:30 and 12:30 (in peak season there is also a 16:00 departure). They detour through urban Leqing and Yongjia and take about 3 hours. Full fare: ¥25. ### Getting Around Once you arrive at Nanxi River, the biggest challenge is transport. Getting between sights often takes a lot of time, relying on human-powered tricycles or electric carts. ## Eat & drink Nanxi wheat cakes and plain noodles are famous local specialty foods along the Nanxi River. ### Local Specialities ### Farmhouse Dishes of the Nanxi River Nanxi farmhouse cooking is authentic and offers good value for money. The home-brewed wine is worth a taste. Recommended dishes: pumpkin stir-fried rice noodles (or plain noodles), mountain flour dumplings, field fish (red carp), tofu fish, dried stream fish, cured bacon, dried bamboo shoots, Nanxi rice tofu, kuzhu nut tofu, and local chicken. - **Nanxi Wheat Cake** — Carefully made, with thoughtfully chosen fillings. Finely sliced three-layer pork is mixed with homemade pickled vegetables or dried pickles. In the hands of a skilled village cook, the wheat cake comes off the griddle with a pale, clean surface and a plump body, neither scorched nor yellowed. One bite and it is pleasantly crisp and flaky, its fragrance lingering on the palate. - **Nanxi Plain Noodles** — The finished noodles are folded into a figure-"8" shape, which is why they are also known as "8"-shaped noodles, and they are a well-regarded local product across the Wenzhou area. The taste is good and the price is moderate. ## Nightlife No other entertainment is needed here. On moonlit nights, a stroll through the countryside is the most pleasant thing to do. ## Shopping ### Recommended Souvenirs ### Nanxi Specialties 1. Nanxi fragrant fish, bayberries, giant soft-shelled turtle, plain noodles, Shagang rice noodles and Yongjia paddy fish are all local specialties. 2. Nearly everything Nanxi people eat is homemade, and their hanging noodles ("guamian") are especially inventive and full of character. - **Wuniu Early Tea** — "Bailu made famous, Wuniu spring comes early; it outshines countless Biluochun..." In early March, its spring harvest is the first to reach the market. The leaves are flattened in shape and bright green in colour. Once brewed, the fragrance spreads and the taste is mellow and sweet. Fragrant pomelo: newly on the market in late September, these pomelos are juicy with a strong sweet-and-sour flavour. They keep well, so you may want to take some home. ## Where to stay There are two kinds of accommodation along the Nanxi River. Yantou Village has privately run small guesthouses with basic facilities, and naturally the prices are lower. Taogong Cave, Shizi Rock and Yantou Village also have hotels. - **Nanxi Story Guesthouse** — Located within the Shiwei Rock scenic area of the Nanxi River, at the entrance of Longwantan Forest Park, so it is close to the sights. (Yanshang Village, Hesheng Town, 15068400839) ## Things to see - **Lishui Ancient Street** (★★★): Admission ¥15; combined ticket ¥40 (includes Lishui Street, Cangpo Village and Furong Ancient Village); Opening hours 8：30—17：30; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/lishui-ancient-street - **Daruoyan Scenic Area** (★★★★): — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/daruoyan-scenic-area - **Shizi Rock (Lion Rock)** (★★★★): Time needed 1 hour — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/shizi-rock-lion-rock - **Fengyun Ancient Village** (★★★★): Admission ¥20 — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/fengyun-ancient-village - **Yongjia Academy** (★★★★): Admission ¥50; Opening hours 8：00—17：30; Time needed 1 hour — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/yongjia-academy - **Shiwei Rock** (★★★★): Admission ¥50 (includes boat fare); Opening hours 8：00—17：00; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/shiwei-rock - **Wild Pigeon Park** (★★★): Time needed 0.5–1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/wild-pigeon-park - **Longwantan National Forest Park** (★★★★): Admission ¥70; Opening hours 8：00—17：00; Time needed 3–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/longwantan-national-forest-park --- Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 1204–1217. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.