Stop going to overcrowded popular spots! The ultimate guide to Lizhuang Ancient Town is here

Hey babes👋, today I’m definitely sharing a hidden gem travel destination with you all—Lizhuang Ancient Town! 📍Location: Lizhuang Ancient Town, Yibin, Sichuan 🎫Tickets: Free! Free! Free! Important things said three times! 🚗Transportation Guide: - High-speed rail: First arrive at Yibin West Station, then transfer to bus No. 45 directly to Lizhuang. The whole trip takes about 1 hour and costs only 6 yuan, super cost-effective! - Self-driving: Take the Chengdu-Chongqing Ring Expressway - Yibin Ring Expressway - Lizhuang exit, about 2.5 hours total. The scenic area parking lot is only 10 yuan per day. 🏨Accommodation Recommendations: - Xinghe Art Hotel🌟: Located inside the Moon Field Scenic Area, open the window to see stunning views. Prices range from 680 to 980 yuan/night. Guests also get free VIP seats for the show "Bodao Changge"—such a great deal! - Lizhuang Yueli Homestay: In the core area of the ancient street, a 5-minute walk to Kuixing Pavilion. Prices range from 450 to 650 yuan/night. They offer Hanfu rental (80 yuan/day) and white rice cake making experience. Wearing Hanfu while strolling the ancient town really enhances the atmosphere! - Riverside Inn: By the Yangtze River, with wide river view rooms, priced 280 to 420 yuan/night. They also provide free pick-up and drop-off services and gift Lizhuang Baijiu tasting packs! 🍜Food Guide: - Lizhuang White Meat: A must-eat! A must-eat! A must-eat! A representative dish of Dahebang Sichuan cuisine, the meat slices are as thin as cicada wings, fatty but not greasy. Recommended at "Liufen Restaurant," small portion 48 yuan, dipped in special red oil garlic paste, paired with local sorghum liquor—absolutely amazing! - White Rice Cake: Soft texture, sweet and delicious, with many innovative flavors. Recommended "Danshi White Rice Cake," 2 yuan per piece, soft and sweet with a strong rice aroma! - Traditional Sorghum Liquor: Lizhuang Baijiu uses traditional craftsmanship, fragrant and mellow. Visit "Lizhuang Ancient Town Distillery," 25 yuan per jin. A little secret: heat the baijiu and add preserved plum for a richer taste! - Mute Peanuts: Another local specialty snack, 10 yuan per bag, crispy and fragrant, once you start eating, you can’t stop. 🌟Must-Visit Landmarks: - Xuanluo Hall: A Ming Dynasty architectural marvel, all wooden structure without nails or rivets, the coffered ceiling looks like a spiral ascending to heaven. Mr. Liang Sicheng praised it as “an outstanding beam and column structure, proud of its time.” Best time to visit is 9:00 - 11:00, but the hall is dimly lit, remember to use your phone light to capture details📸. - Kuixing Pavilion: A Qing Dynasty pavilion by the Yangtze River. Climb up to overlook the magnificent confluence of three rivers. At night, when lit up, it looks like a “Moon Palace on the River.” Best night visit time is 19:30 - 20:30, but the stairs inside are narrow, wear non-slip shoes. - Yu King Palace: The largest Yu King Temple in Southwest China, 108 steps symbolize flood control achievements, and the wooden carvings on the opera stage depict the “Twenty-four Filial Exemplars” vividly. Best to visit between 14:00 - 16:00, but touching the wood carvings is prohibited; use a telephoto lens for photos. - Former Site of Tongji University College of Engineering: Tongji University’s wartime campus, red brick buildings and the Yangtze River form a “scholarly salvation” scene. Best to visit 10:00 - 12:00, the school history museum is free, and there’s a volunteer guide at 10:30. - Moon Field Scenic Area: A newly added cultural tourism complex, recreating Ming and Qing dynasty streets, plus an immersive show "Bodao Changge" that makes you feel like you’ve traveled back to ancient Bodao life. Best visit time 15:00 - 17:00, arrive 30 minutes early for the show, wearing Hanfu enhances the experience! 📅3 Days 2 Nights In-Depth Itinerary: - Day 1: Ancient Architecture Tour + War Memory Morning: Arrive at Xuanluo Hall at 9:00 to admire the Ming Dynasty architectural wonder, then visit the “Former Site of the China Construction Society” (free); at 11:00 walk to “Xizi Alley” to take vintage photos on the bluestone road, light-colored cotton-linen long dresses recommended for great shots! Noon: 12:30 eat Lizhuang White Meat at “Liufen Restaurant” to savor authentic Sichuan flavor. Afternoon: 14:00 visit “Zhang Family Ancestral Hall” to admire the hundred-crane cloud window carvings, then go to the “Former Site of the Central Museum” to see the cultural relics relocation exhibition; 16:30 visit “Lizhuang War of Resistance Museum” to learn about Tongji University’s relocation history through old photos and artifacts. Evening: 19:30 watch the 1000-drone light show on Guoxing Avenue, recommended to go to the second-floor terrace of “Riverside Coffee,” order a “Yangtze Sunset” special cocktail (38 yuan), enjoy the view while taking photos—so relaxing! - Day 2: Intangible Cultural Heritage Handicrafts + Riverside Healing Morning: 9:00 go to “Biliufu Oil-paper Umbrella Shop” to experience lacquer fan making (80 yuan/person, 2 hours, take it home), peacock blue base color is best for photos; 11:30 take a 15-minute taxi to “Peach Blossom Creek Camping Base,” order pumpkin mousse (28 yuan) at the rice field café, watch egrets fly over golden rice fields—like a paradise. Noon: 13:00 eat “Sour Soup Fish Hotpot” at the camping base (60 yuan per person), freshly caught Yangtze crucian carp with wood ginger oil soup base, sour and spicy, very appetizing! Afternoon: 14:30 visit “Lizhuang Baijiu Distillery” for a brewing experience (50 yuan/person), distill a jar of 52-degree sorghum liquor by hand (take it home); 16:30 take a rowboat (80 yuan/boat) to experience cormorant fishing interaction, shoot stunning “Fisherman’s Evening Song” photos at sunset—breathtaking. Evening: 18:30 check in at “Xinghe Art Hotel,” watch stars and ancient town lights from the rooftop viewing platform, extremely romantic. - Day 3: Return Morning: 9:00 visit “Dongyue Temple” to watch the “Flower Field Wedding” Chinese wedding show (if available), join in ball grabbing and candy throwing interactions to catch some good luck; 11:00 stroll “Bodao Street,” play traditional games like goldfish scooping and printing wind chimes at “Dazhu Courtyard” (free), relive childhood joy. Noon: 12:00 eat white meat set meal at “He San White Meat” (includes white rice cake + yellow cake, 35 yuan per person), white meat wrapped with cucumber strips is refreshing. Afternoon: 14:00 shop for souvenirs at “Lizhuang Gifts” store, osmanthus white rice cake (20 yuan/box), intangible heritage oil-paper umbrellas (120 yuan each), and get commemorative stamps on site; 16:00 take a custom express train (20 yuan/person) back to Yibin West Station, ending a wonderful trip. ⚠️Avoid Pitfalls Guide: - Peak Crowds: Zhang Family Ancestral Hall and Kuixing Pavilion have tour groups concentrated from 10:00 - 12:00, recommend arriving before 9:00; drone show crowds lessen after 20:00, good for empty shots. - Ticket Booking: War of Resistance Museum and Zhang Family Ancestral Hall require on-site ticket purchase (10 - 30 yuan), queue before 14:00; “Bodao Changge” show tickets booked on Trip.com one day in advance get 20% off. - Weather & Clothing: Check weather forecast before traveling, bring appropriate clothes, wear non-slip shoes (stone roads can be slippery). - Shopping Traps: Most silver jewelry in the scenic area is imitation, recommend buying authentic products at the handmade workshop next to “Biliufu Oil-paper Umbrella Shop” (30% cheaper). Babes, Lizhuang Ancient Town is really so much fun! Save this guide and find a time to go!💕