May Day Reverse Travel: Recommending a Truly Off-the-Beaten-Path Small City

In southwestern Zhejiang, there's an extremely underrated small city that features both natural wonders and rich historical heritage, which even earned the famous ancient traveler Xu Xiake's favor three times. This place is "Jiangshan," a small city that combines both natural beauty and cultural significance. I spent two days in Jiangshan, visiting Nianbadu Ancient Town and Jianglang Mountain, spending less than 500 yuan per person. If you don't want to travel far during the May Day holiday, you can follow my itinerary👇🏻 📍Jiangshan City, Zhejiang Province 🚗Self-driving recommended, about 1 hour drive between attractions 🚄Take high-speed train to Jiangshan Station, then take shuttle buses to scenic spots ❶ Nianbadu Ancient Town 🎫69 yuan (May Day early bird ticket) This ancient town is the embodiment of northern and southern cultural fusion in Jiangshan. Located at the junction of Zhejiang, Fujian, and Jiangxi provinces, you can see four different architectural styles: Zhejiang, Hui, Fujian, and Jiangxi. The town is built along the river and surrounded by mountains. When it rains, layers of sea clouds appear on the distant mountains. Commercial development here is minimal, allowing you to experience authentic local life as you walk through the town. 📸Photo spots ✔️Dongsheng Bridge During the blue hour, when the stone bridge lights up, its reflection on the water surface looks like a scene from an ancient poem. ✔️Wenchang Pavilion Only through a drone can you see the spectacular view of Nianbadu's architectural beauty. ✔️Chenggong Pavilion Overlooks the entire ancient town and the clouds on distant mountain tops. ✔️Echo Wall An interesting alley where you can hear clear echoes inside. ❷ Jianglang Mountain 🎫89 yuan, free for under 18 (May Day early bird ticket) Jianglang Mountain, which attracted Xu Xiake three times, is truly captivating. After rain, the mountain forest wrapped in clouds and mist adds a touch of ethereal beauty, with many small waterfalls along the way. The overall hiking difficulty is low, beginner-friendly, and it takes about 3 hours round trip to reach Yixiantian (One-Line Sky). Recently, there's a "Mountain Climbing Ranking Competition" - after checking in at Kaiming Zen Temple, Huixian Temple, and Dengtian Platform, you can get a coffee at the Xu Xiake Energy Station at Hupao Spring☕️ ⛰️Must-visit spots ✔️Huixian Rock A mountain path carved through rocks, looking out from the crevice adds a sense of mystery. ✔️Xiake Pavilion The best viewpoint for the Three Slices of Stone, where you can see all three mountains completely. ✔️Yixiantian (One-Line Sky) A winding staircase leads to the mountaintop, where only a narrow strip of sky is visible between mountains, creating a marvelous sight.