Exploring the Immortal Mountains and Secret Realms of "Journey to the West"

🌿 Lushan 2-Day Trace-Seeking Guide 🏡 Choose the Right Accommodation to Save Energy • Core Area of Guling Town: Top choice! Recommended Yunwuju Homestay, a 5-minute walk to the sightseeing bus station, with a scenic balcony to enjoy the sea of clouds. Around 600 RMB per night per person, you can fall asleep to the sound of pine waves. • Convenient East Line Area: If focusing on Hanpokou and Wulao Peak, choose a farmhouse near Sandiequan, with direct access to attractions the next day, perfect for hiking enthusiasts. ⚠️ Avoid traps: Don’t trust "low-price mountaintop rooms," some homestays are more than 3 km from the core area, making walking very inconvenient on rainy days! 🚗 Complete Transportation Guide • Getting Up the Mountain: Take a taxi from Jiujiang Station to the Lushan Cableway lower station (50 RMB), then take the cable car 7 minutes directly to Guling Town (round trip 130 RMB), a must for those prone to motion sickness; self-driving requires mountain roads, beginners beware. • Scenic Area Transport: Buy the 70 RMB/7-day unlimited sightseeing bus pass! Covers all filming locations, first departure at 7 AM to catch the morning mist for great shots. • Shuttle to Filming Locations: Wulongtan requires a 15-minute walk from the power station dam; wear non-slip shoes as the path by the creek is slippery. 📸 Filming Location Check-ins & Itinerary Huaguo Mountain Water Curtain Cave · Xiantan Exploration Line • Morning: Head straight to Wulongtan, the filming site of the monkeys playing in "The Monkey King’s First Appearance." Squat on the rocks by the pond, imitate Wukong scratching his head and gazing afar, with the babbling creek instantly bringing the scene to life; don’t miss the golden photo frame and cartoon statues of the master and disciples at the check-in point, where you can watch clips from the original filming on loop. • Afternoon: Walk to Lushan Botanical Garden, the backdrop of the heavenly soldiers’ battle in "The Great Sage’s Havoc in Heaven" is this coniferous forest. Find an ancient cedar tree to shoot upwards; when the mist drifts by, it looks like a celestial palace. Remember to check old group photos of extras to pose the same way. • Evening: Go to Ruqin Lake to shoot the sunset, where the shimmering lake surface and mountain mist intertwine. Though not a filming location, it recreates the "fairyland atmosphere" from the show. Sitting on the lakeside bench for photos is very atmospheric. • Dinner: Shiniu Restaurant on Guling Street, must-try Stone Chicken stewed with Stone Ear mushrooms (the top of Lushan’s "Three Stones"), paired with Yunwu tea to cut the richness, about 80 RMB per person. The Great Sage’s Havoc in Heaven · Strange Peaks Pursuit Line • Early Morning: Arrive before 6 AM at Hanpokou Wangpo Pavilion, the filming site of Sun Wukong’s battle with Erlang Shen. Standing on the viewing platform, Taiyi Peak in the distance looks like a silhouette of the heavenly palace. When the sea of clouds roils, you can almost see the "Somersault Cloud." The red photo frame at the check-in point holds classic stills, making photos full of story. • Morning: Climb Wulao Peak, choose the Sanfeng Viewing Platform, which was used as the distant view of Huaguo Mountain in the series. If the weather is clear, you can shoot the "Stone Monkey Watching the Sea" silhouette, best light before 11 AM. • Afternoon: Optional visit to Jiangjun River, where the scene of Zhu Bajie inviting Wukong out of the mountain in "The Clever Monkey King" was filmed. Stroll along the riverbank, find a flat rock to sit and shoot, with the sound of the creek evoking the famous line "Big Brother, Master has been taken away." • Before Departure: Shop at Guling Street specialty stores, buy Yunwu tea cakes (a tribute product favored by Zhu Yuanzhang) as souvenirs, 15 RMB per box with great value. 🍜 Food Highlights & Warnings | Local Secret List ✅ Must-Try Recommendations • Signature Dishes: Stone Fish with Eggs (so fresh it’ll make your eyebrows raise), Bamboo Shoot Stir-fry with Pork, freshly made at farmhouses, filling for about 50 RMB per person. • Specialty Snacks: Bamboo Tube Rice at Guling Night Market, glutinous rice mixed with smoked cured meat, fragrant and filling, 25 RMB per serving and very photogenic. • Drink Choice: Freshly brewed Lushan Yunwu Tea, refreshing and cleansing, tea houses in the scenic area offer tea picking and making experiences, 80 RMB per person. ❌ Avoid These • Roadside "wild Stone Ear mushrooms" are often fake; look for properly packaged official products. • Be cautious ordering high-priced set meals in the scenic area; Lushan fried noodles + clay pot soup set for 30 RMB is more practical. 💡 Bonus Tips 1. Bring a foldable selfie stick! Essential for panoramic shots at Hanpokou and Wulao Peak, capturing both strange peaks and clouds. 2. Pre-download corresponding "Journey to the West" episodes; comparing scenes while checking in enhances immersion. 3. Bring a light jacket in summer (average temperature 22°C); after rain, the sea of clouds appears with a 90% chance! 4. If lacking stamina for Sandiequan, take the one-way cable car (55 RMB) to save energy climbing 1,300 steps. Every wisp of cloud and mist in Lushan hides a childhood "Great Sage Dream"✨ Only by visiting will you understand, here is not just poetry and painting, but an enduring myth.