Two-Day Summer Vacation Stroll in Wuzhen

Rest by the water listening to oar strokes, feast under the starry sky, and unlock the 25℃ poetic scenery of Jiangnan 👗 Outfit Suggestions: - Tops: Light blue/moon white cotton-linen Hanfu or new Chinese-style buttoned shirt (Hanfu rental 50 RMB/2 hours, perfectly matches the white walls and black tiles) - Bottoms: Water-repellent gauzy wide-leg pants + soft-soled embroidered cloth shoes (the bluestone slabs are slippery like mirrors after rain!) - Props: Bamboo-framed oil-paper umbrella (for sun and rain), round fan (adds charm for carved window photos), vintage lantern (night photography essential) - Sun protection essentials: Mosquito repellent wristband (mosquitoes are fierce in the water alleys), ice silk sleeves, foldable mini fan💨 > 💡 Insider tip: Summer in Wuzhen is the egret startled by the sound of oars gliding over Shuangqiao Bridge, the moment the gelatinous Wan San pork melts on your tongue, and the sparkle in the boatwoman’s eyes as she hands you a bowl of chilled sweet fermented rice wine. DAY 1: East Scenic Area’s Daily Life · West Scenic Area’s Dreamy Night 🚗 Route: East Scenic Old Street → Hongyuan Tai Dyeing Workshop → West Scenic Area Oar Boat → Water Lantern Night Banquet > 💳 Cost reference: East & West Scenic Area combined ticket 190 RMB + Oar boat 180 RMB/boat ≈ 370 RMB 🌅 Morning: East Scenic Area Morning Charm · Poetry in Blue Printed Cloth (7:30-10:30) - Caishen Bay Tall Pole Boat: Capture the boatman’s bamboo pole leaping into the air before the morning mist clears, wide-angle framing the shimmering water and black tile reflections (📸 Photo spot: stone steps east side of Fengyuan Shuangqiao Bridge, walk on the right side symbolizing “wealth”); - Hongyuan Tai Dyeing Workshop Drying Yard: Walk through a hundred meters of blue printed cloth, holding an umbrella and glancing back, the fluttering cloth corners like blue waves (📍9:00 less crowded with soft light); - Mao Dun’s Former Residence Wooden Window: Lean on the window with a replica of "Midnight" in hand, raindrops falling along the eaves forming a natural bead curtain (📸 Prop: free sweet wine bowl from Sanbai Distillery). 🍜 Lunch: Local Flavors on Old Street (11:30-12:30) - Must-try street food: - Radish Silk Pancake: Small stall beside Qian Changrong Restaurant in East Scenic Area, golden crispy with spicy sauce (5 RMB), capture the moment the oil fragrance bursts when bitten; - Lotus Leaf Steamed Pork: Steamed in a century-old stove at Jiujiang Building, the meat aroma infused into the lotus leaf (48 RMB), lift the lid to shoot the rising steam. 🌇 Afternoon: West Scenic Area Light and Shadow · Art Coexisting with Water (14:00-17:30) - Mu Xin Art Museum Corridor: Stand in Hanfu before the concrete slanting wall, shoot from above the shadow and water reflection forming a geometric minimalist masterpiece (📍Waterfront glass curtain wall “Wind and Water” check-in spot); - Caomu Bense Dyeing Workshop: Carry indigo cloth running past the drying rack, continuous shots of fluttering cloth corners (tie-dye experience 30 RMB with free handkerchief); - Bridge Within a Bridge Secret Spot: Stand atop Tongji Bridge to shoot “Double Bridge Overlapping Moon,” wait for the oar boat to pass through the bridge arch to capture an ink painting atmosphere (📸 Best spot: west side of Renji Bridge). 🌙 Evening: Starry River Oar Boat · Elegant Flavors (18:30-21:30) - Glazed Lantern Night Cruise: Curl up at the bow covered with a blue printed cloth blanket, warm yellow lantern light on your face as you look down and smile softly (the boatwoman sings “Beautiful Taihu”); - Scholar’s Lamb Noodles: Order the “Jack Ma’s favorite” braised lamb noodles, capture the sizzling moment when hot oil is poured over (38 RMB, paired with Sanbai wine to dispel dampness); - Recommended Night Stay: - Tong’an Inn: Renovated Ming and Qing architecture, terrace views of White Lotus Pagoda star trails (800 RMB/night including morning tea); - Muyun Homestay: Smart homestay outside the scenic area, 5-minute walk to West Scenic Area (200 RMB/night). DAY 2: Morning Tea Life · Wetland Seclusion 🚗 Route: Water Morning Market → White Lotus Pagoda → Dragon-shaped Field → Xuchang Sauce Garden → Return > 💳 Cost reference: Dragon-shaped Field free + Sauce Garden experience 20 RMB ≈ 20 RMB 🌉 Early Morning: Enjoy the Water Town Alone (6:00-8:30) - Morning Tea Market: Sit by the river on a small stool sipping salty soy milk, capture the wrinkles and smile of the old lady handing you fried dough sticks (📸 Exclusive: free reservation for guests staying in scenic area hotels); - White Lotus Pagoda Climb: Climb at 7:30 to shoot the morning mist over the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, wide-angle framing thousands of sails passing by. 🛶 Morning: Wetland Pastoral Song · Sauce-flavored Years (9:00-11:30) - Dragon-shaped Field Rapeseed Flower Sea: Carry a bamboo basket running into golden waves, toss your straw hat into the sky for continuous shots of a “pastoral poem” nine-grid (📍Wetland boardwalk aerial shot blending people and scenery); - Xuchang Sauce Garden Drying Yard: Hold a clay jar standing before a thousand sauce jars, shoot a geometric composition masterpiece (try pickled cucumbers with porridge, free). 🍲 Lunch: Farewell Feast on Lingshui Street (12:00-13:00) - Must-try fresh water dishes: - Steamed White Water Fish: Freshly caught river fish with perilla, fish meat translucent like white jade (68 RMB), gently flick with chopsticks to show tenderness; - Dingsheng Cake: Red bean paste filling from Lin’s shop in West Scenic Area, hold the cake with Dingsheng Bridge as background to shoot a “top of the list” photo (10 RMB). ❗ Key Tips 1. Travel to beat the heat: - Shanghai/Hangzhou high-speed train → Tongxiang Station (1h), take K282 bus direct (5 RMB); self-driving park at “West Scenic Area P1 Parking Lot” (20 RMB/day); 2. Off-peak strategy: - East Scenic Area opens at 7:30, rush to the dyeing workshop to avoid crowds, West Scenic Area oar boat best after 19:30 for coolness and lantern viewing; - Mu Xin Art Museum closed on Mondays, White Lotus Pagoda climb at dusk for stunning canal sunset photos; 3. Summer exclusives: - Night tour includes free mung bean soup (19:00-21:00), morning tea market offers Wumi rice dumplings (6:00-9:00); - Collect 3 photos of blue printed cloth and post on Trip.com topic “Wuzhen Blue Charm” to enter a draw for a plant-dyed handkerchief experience voucher; 4. Total cost: Tickets and transport about 300 RMB + accommodation 600 RMB + meals 200 RMB ≈ 1100 RMB per person (staying in the scenic area is more worthwhile!). > ✨ The gentleness of Wuzhen is: you sit on a wooden stool at the morning tea market, blending the summer heat into your bowl of soy milk, while cicadas sing in the folds of the fluttering blue printed cloth.