[2025 Yi County Attraction] Travel Guide for Lu Village Observation Deck (Updated Apr)

#discoverchina #anhui The drizzling rain and lingering mist wrapped Lu Village in a dreamlike haze, softening the edges of its iconic white-walled, black-tiled Hui-style houses. As I wandered the quiet lanes, the first golden blooms of rapeseed flowers peeked through the emerald fields, their vibrant yellow glowing against the muted tones of the damp earth and misty sky. The raindrops clung to cobblestones and wooden eaves, adding a delicate shimmer to the scene, while the distant hills faded into the clouds like an ink-wash painting. There was a profound stillness—broken only by the occasional drip of water from a tiled roof or the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze. In that moment, Lu Village felt untouched by time, a serene masterpiece of nature and tradition woven together.

Take a trip to see the faraway places you've kept on your wish list for years~ 🗓Itinerary: Day [One] a. Guangzhou → Nanchang (high-speed rail ￥480) b. Check in to the hotel (near Yongshu Road subway station) c. Visit: Bayi Square (Art Museum, Bayi Uprising Monument, Bayi Square Subway Station Exit 3) → Bayi Uprising Memorial Hall (Bayi Uprising Memorial Hall Subway Station Exit 5) → Jewelry Street (on foot) → Food Street (on foot) → Wanshou Palace (on foot) → Tengwang Pavilion night view (on foot, walk north along the river towards Beiyuan) → Return to hotel (taxi) 📋The above locations are all close to each other. Just follow the navigation. Due to limited time, I didn't go inside the Art Museum or Tengwang Pavilion. Those interested can spend 1–2 days here. I wasn't that interested in this area, so I only spent half a day sightseeing and taking photos. 🍽Food: Wa Guan Tang (I don't eat spicy food, so I didn't try many dishes.) Day [Two] a. Nanchang → Wuyuan (high-speed rail ￥115.5) b. Stay at Huangling Scenic Area (take a taxi from the high-speed rail station) c. See the Huangling night view 📋Staying inside the scenic area means you don't have to wait in line for the cable car. Staff will pick you up and drop you off at the hotel entrance, and there are discounts on tickets (￥100/person). There are performances at different times in the scenic area. The staff told me that the Stream of Light Forest opens around May or June. It wasn't open when I went, but the pictures look beautiful, so don't miss it. 🍽Food: There aren't many food options in the scenic area. Don't buy the freshly made steamed buns; they're not very good. You can eat at the restaurants opposite the scenic area at the foot of the mountain. Day [Three] a. Visit Huangling (recommended to go early to avoid crowds) b. Wuyuan → Huangshan, Huangshan → Yixian East (high-speed rail) c. Xidi (Hongcun & Xidi combined ticket ￥175.8, there's a bus from the high-speed rail station to Xidi for ￥3/person) d. Stay in Hongcun (there's a bus from Xidi for ￥6/person) Day [Four] a. Lucun (free, take a taxi, navigate to the viewing platform to take photos before walking down) b. Tachuan (free with high-speed rail activity, take a taxi) → Chuntianaqiuchuan Cafe (on foot) → Hongcun (on foot, stay in Hongcun) 📋Tachuan is quite desolate in winter. It should be more beautiful in autumn. 🍽Food: Slow Life Pure Tree Inn (the overall taste is okay, the chestnuts are very sweet), Jushantang (recommended Huizhou fried rice), the local stir-fried greens (probably Shanghai bok choy) are delicious. Day [Five] a. Hongcun b. Huangshan (take a bus or share a ride from the station) c. Stay near the transfer center (convenient for going up the mountain in the morning) Day [Six] a. Up Mount Huangshan (uphill ticket package ￥299/person. Easy route: Yungu Cable Car → Bai’e Ridge Station → Black Tiger Pine → 701 TV Tower → Guangming Peak → Baiyun Hotel → One Hundred Steps Cloud Ladder → Yuping Pavilion → Welcoming Guests Pine → Yuping Cable Car ￥90. Recommend going up the back mountain via Yungu and down the front mountain, as the uphill road from the Ciguang Pavilion on the front mountain seems to have more stairs.) 📋Bring hot water and tissues in winter. There's food on the mountain, so you don't need to bring any. The burgers are good, although a bit pricey. The snow-covered scenery of Mount Huangshan on a sunny day after a snowfall is truly beautiful. My photography skills are limited, so the photos don't do it justice. b. Go down the mountain to Tunxi Old Street/Liyang Old Street (taxi, average, optional) c. Stay near the airport (it's not easy to get a taxi from Huangshan, stay in the city if you're not in a hurry to catch a flight) Day [Seven] Return trip Every moment of the journey is a warm embrace of life.

Photos taken on Dec 4-5, 2023 Navigation: Lucun Scenic Platform If you stay in Lucun or visit the Wood Carving Building, you can ask the villagers for directions, as there is a shortcut to the Lucun Scenic Platform. This platform is a paradise for photography enthusiasts. Even before dawn, many people are already waiting on the platform. Photos 1-8 are taken at sunset, and photos 9-12 are taken on a foggy morning. Duration: 1.5 hours

In southern Anhui I didn't go to Tachuan I went to the Lucun Observation Deck At sunset I flew my drone to take aerial photos Although there was no misty fairyland like in the morning I could still enjoy the early winter scenery like an oil painting When it comes to Anhui, there are a few names that are unforgettable Zhu Yuanzhang from Fengyang The "Southern Anhui Incident" during the War of Resistance Against Japan The "Three Sheep" in the era of self-media The "Authentic Shijiazhuang Anhui Beef Noodles" in Shijiazhuang There are few TV dramas that show the rural areas of southern Anhui, but it is really beautiful, and I believe the stories that happen there will be beautiful too

The autumn in southern Anhui really looks like the cover of a Chinese textbook. The prototype of the ink painting should look like this in my mind~ The morning fog and sunrise in Lu Village truly restore this beautiful picture! As soon as the sun comes out, the view in front of you is instantly lit up, and the leaves of the Chinese tallow tree also reveal beautiful colors~ Let's set off quickly while the autumn scenery is in full swing❗️ - 📍Lu Village Viewing Platform 💰Free 🚗You can navigate directly to the destination and park along the roadside, but there may be traffic jams and you have to walk a short distance, about 10 minutes. Or you can ride a shared electric bike🛵. We borrowed an electric bike from a homestay and rode directly to the entrance of the viewing platform. It was only about 20 meters to walk~ 🛌It is recommended to stay near the west entrance of Lu Village or Hong Village. There are fewer people and it is closer to the viewing platform, so you don’t have to get up very early. - 🕘The sunrise is around 06:30 recently. It is recommended to arrive before 06:00. It is better to go earlier on weekends. ✔️There is only one viewing platform, which is not big, but people can stand on the lower platforms on both sides. You can check the location more. Basically, you can't move after you stay in one place. - 📸「Photography Tips」 1️⃣ The most beautiful light is within half an hour after the sun comes out. The white-walled and gray-tiled Hui-style buildings are covered with a layer of gauze and surrounded by colorful lights. It is really beautiful! ! ! 2️⃣ Don't open the aperture too wide to expose the sun directly to avoid burning the photosensitive element 3️⃣ Mainly rely on telephoto to take pictures, adjust the phone to about 5 times 4️⃣ After the crowd disperses a little, you can walk down and take beautiful portraits - 📌Tips: Currently, except for the rice fields in Tachuan (p14-16) that have been left for landscape, the others have been harvested almost~ but the red leaves can still be preserved for about another week. It has been raining recently, so it is better to come as early as possible.

Southern Anhui has entered the best time to view red leaves. Don’t miss the sunrise in Lu Village this autumn. When the sun goes over the hills, the whole world is shrouded in golden light. Cooking smoke and morning mist. White walls and black tiles. Red maples and Chinese tallow trees. This is the autumn in poetry. 📍Lu Village Observation Deck Parking is available near the observation deck, but there are not many parking spaces. It is easy to get stuck in the early morning during peak season. . 💡The sunrise time in autumn is around 6:25. It is recommended to arrive at the observation deck around 6 o'clock and wait. The experience will be much better if you avoid the weekend.

After climbing Mount Huang, I visited the nearby villages to experience the poetic and picturesque Southern Anhui villages, shrouded in misty rain, ethereal as if unreal. Lucun: There are many dogs in the village, as well as plenty of restaurants and guesthouses, but the commercial atmosphere is not as strong as in Hongcun. There are quite a few students sketching, making it suitable for leisurely strolls. 📍Location: Navigate to Lucun parking lot, 1.8 kilometers from Hongcun 🎫Ticket: 45 yuan, currently free of charge, reportedly until the end of October 🅿️Parking: Free parking at the entrance of the village 🌈Check-in spot: Wood Carving Building 🚴Transport: Self-driving is the most convenient; if coming from Hongcun, you can ride a shared electric bike Bishan Village: There are many original residents in the village, with little commercialization and a strong cultural atmosphere, making it very suitable for photography and check-ins. 🎫Ticket: Free 🅿️Parking: Free parking at the entrance of the village 🌈Check-in spot: Bishan Bookstore, Cow Pen Café, Village Entrance Convenience Store, Bishan Supply and Marketing Cooperative, Pigsty Bar 🚴Transport: Self-driving is best; there are few buses, about 4 kilometers from Yixian Ancient Town