What makes Yunjishan Ancient Town, this viral attraction, so popular?

Travel Guide • Self-driving: Depart from Guangzhou, take the Guanghe Expressway, and exit at the Xinfeng exit. The journey takes about 1.5 hours. Depart from Shaoguan, take G358 National Highway, and the journey takes about 1.5 hours. • Public transportation: First, go to Xinfeng County. You can take a bus from Guangzhou Yuexiu South Bus Station or Guangyuan Bus Station to Xinfeng Bus Station, and then take a taxi or bus to Yunjishan Ancient Town. At Xinfeng Bus Station, you can take bus routes 2, 8, 9, etc. to different attractions and some areas of the city. Ticket Information The ticket price for Yunjishan Scenic Area is about CNY 30, and the opening hours are 08:00–17:30. Recommended Itinerary • Day 1 • Morning: Arrive at Yunjishan Ancient Town, stroll along the streets of the ancient town, admire the Huizhou-style buildings, and feel the tranquility and simplicity of the ancient town. Although the ancient town is a replica, the architectural details are handled quite well. The overhanging eaves, brackets, carved beams, and painted rafters reveal a strong Chinese style, as if traveling back to ancient times, allowing you to fully appreciate the ancient town's charm. • Noon: Taste local specialties in the restaurants of the ancient town, such as mountain spring tofu and farmhouse cured meat. These delicacies are made with local ingredients and taste delicious, allowing your taste buds to feel the unique charm of the ancient town. • Afternoon: Go to the source of Xinfeng River, stroll along the boardwalk, and admire the beautiful natural scenery. There are mountains and rivers, and lush trees. You can take pictures here to record the wonderful moments. You can also explore Quanlin Waterfall, play in the water, listen to the gurgling water by the waterfall, and feel the tranquility and magnificence of nature. • Evening: Check into a hotel or guesthouse near Yunjishan Ancient Town, such as Yunjishan Hot Spring Resort or Yuntianhai Hot Spring Resort, and soak in the hot spring pool to relieve the fatigue of the day. Or choose to stay in a local-style inn, such as Yunjishanju Inn, to experience a different accommodation experience. • Day 2 • Morning: Get up early to enjoy the sunrise of the ancient town. Watch the sun slowly rise from the mountains, and the golden sunlight shines on the roofs of the ancient town, covering the ancient town with a mysterious veil. • Noon: Enjoy lunch at a farmhouse near the ancient town, and taste Xinfeng specialties, such as Xinfeng rice noodle roll, Ai Ci (mugwort glutinous rice cake), and thousand-layer cake, to experience the local food culture. • Afternoon: You can choose to visit the surrounding attractions, such as Matou Xiutian Ancient Village, stroll through the sea of rapeseed flowers or rice fields in the ancient village, and feel the rural scenery; or go to Buddha's Hand Squash Village to experience the fun of picking. Food Recommendations • Local specialties: Xinfeng rice noodle roll has a soft and glutinous taste and rich fillings, with a variety of options such as pork and shrimp; Ai Ci is made of glutinous rice flour and mugwort juice, and is soft, glutinous, and sweet; thousand-layer cake has layers of delicate taste; mountain spring tofu is fresh and delicious; farmhouse cured meat has a strong aroma; and mountain stream fish has delicious meat. • Surrounding delicacies: In Xinfeng County, you can taste more local specialties, such as free-range chicken, perilla duck, whole pig casserole, Fengjiang River fish, goose vinegar pot, and ginger casserole duck. Accommodation Recommendations • Yunjishan Hot Spring Resort: The environment is beautiful, and there are a variety of room types to choose from. Some rooms have private hot spring pools, allowing you to enjoy the comfort of the hot spring in your room. The resort also has restaurants, swimming pools, and other facilities to meet your various needs. • Yuntianhai Hot Spring Resort: It is large in scale and fully equipped. It has multiple hot spring pools and mountain spring swimming pools. The hot spring water is rich in a variety of minerals that are beneficial to the human body and has skin-beautifying effects. The hotel also has a variety of facilities such as dining and entertainment, making it a good place for leisure and vacation. • Yunjishanju Inn: It is a local-style inn with the entire floor for rent. It has a four-bedroom and one-living room layout, complete facilities, a mahjong table, and a barbecue downstairs. There is also a small bar, which is suitable for families or friends to travel together, so that everyone can relax and enjoy a leisurely parent-child time or a gathering with friends. Important Tips • Best time to travel: Yunjishan Ancient Town is suitable for tourism in all seasons. In spring, you can enjoy mountain flowers, in summer, you can escape the summer heat, in autumn, you can watch the maple leaves, and in winter, you can step on snow to find plum blossoms. Every year from November to January of the following year is the best time to view maple leaves. The mountains are full of red leaves, which are picturesque and beautiful. • Precautions: The area around the ancient town is mostly mountainous, and the road conditions are complicated, so pay attention to driving safety when traveling by car. When soaking in the hot springs in the hot spring area, be sure to abide by the relevant regulations and control the time and temperature of the hot springs to avoid causing discomfort to your body. Some attractions and facilities in the ancient town require walking a long distance, so it is recommended to wear comfortable shoes.