The hidden gem town around Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai~

In Yixing, Jiangsu, there is a summer town where you can go boating on the lake, stroll around the town, take a bamboo forest train, and enjoy the water park! It's a one-stop vacation town for eating, living, and traveling, perfect for a two-day getaway with family and friends~ 📍Yixing, Jiangsu. Yao Lake Town 🚝 Take the high-speed train to "Yixing Station," then a 30-minute taxi ride 🚗 Drive to Yao Lake Town Visitor Center 2 hours from Hangzhou, 1.5 hours from Nanjing, 2.5 hours from Shanghai ❗ The town is not fully open yet, but the Yao Lake Bamboo Rat Water Park and surrounding small train, boat rides, and performances are already available! Day1⃣ Yao Lake Grand Hotel ➡ Yao Lake Bamboo Rat Water Park ➡ Dragon-shaped Water Show Day2⃣ Bamboo Forest Train ➡ Intangible Cultural Heritage Single Bamboo Drifting ➡ Sculling Boat Lake Tour ➡ Strolling around the town 🌴Recommended Attractions 1️⃣ Yao Lake Bamboo Rat Water Park Although it's a Jiangnan town, summer is incomplete without water activities! There are indoor and outdoor areas with many water activities for both adults and children. Play in the indoor wave pool, enclosed big horn slide, and surf during the day, and head outdoors after sunset. If that's not enough, you can extend your fun into the night until 9:30 PM. 2️⃣ Bamboo Forest Train The entire journey is 7 kilometers, taking 50 minutes, passing through tunnels, lakes, bamboo forests, and tea fields... like a fairy tale train from a Hayao Miyazaki movie. Choose the air-conditioned train in summer and the open train when the weather is cooler for great photos. ❗ Departs on the hour (9:00-17:00) every hour Cost: 50/person 3️⃣ Sculling Boat Drift on Yao Lake in a sculling boat and enjoy the town's scenery, very relaxing! It's best to ride in the morning or evening when the temperature is more comfortable. Cost: 60/person 4️⃣ Strolling around the town Many shops in the town are not fully open yet, but the architectural style is very photogenic. The town blends various Jiangnan architectural styles, scattered around the lake, reflecting local elements of mountains, water, pottery, bamboo, and tea. Walking around the lake offers a unique flavor, with many photo spots. 5️⃣ Intangible Cultural Heritage Single Bamboo Drifting/Dragon-shaped Water Show There are three Single Bamboo Drifting performances daily at 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, and 5:00 PM near the lakeside square. It's truly breathtaking, worthy of being an intangible cultural heritage! With just a bamboo pole, performers can walk steadily on the water, even doing leg lifts and handstands, which is impressive. Every night at 8:00 PM, you can enjoy a grand dragon-shaped water show. The lakeside square offers a full view, and the audience seats provide an even more stunning experience! The 30-meter-high fountain creates various shapes under the music and lights, adding tranquility to the night at Yao Lake Town. 🏠 About Eating and Staying 1️⃣ This trip focuses on comfort and relaxation, so we stayed at the Yao Lake Grand Hotel within the scenic area. It's very easy to find, right next to the water park. You can take a shuttle bus to the train and boat rides without walking. 2️⃣ The hotel offers a buffet and an à la carte Chinese restaurant. Breakfast is included, and the dinner buffet is only available on Fridays and Saturdays, with unlimited seafood and crayfish! You can also choose to eat some local snacks and barbecue at the Yao Lake Market. 📝 Tips: 1️⃣ Bring your own water play equipment for the water park! 2️⃣ It's still quite hot here, so remember to use sunscreen. 3️⃣ The town is not fully open yet, but you can still stroll around and take photos📷