Just back from Lishui, and I really don't recommend going in September or October because it's just...
Just back from Lishui, and I really don't recommend going in September or October 😅 because it's just...
—The late summer heat turns the Yunhe Terraces into a blinding mirror, autumn typhoons strike without warning, and the mountain mosquitoes are so vicious you'll question your life choices. The key issues are that the rice isn't fully golden in September, and the National Day crowds arrive first in October. The stone bridge at Zhutan Mountain in Xiandu is packed with people, the white sails at Guyan Huaxiang are sweaty before they even catch a breeze, and the winding mountain roads to the old villages in Songyang will make you nauseous. I came back a shade darker, covered in bug bites, and still craving that yellow rice cake, filled with regret thinking, "Why didn't I wait until mid-to-late October?" (Of course, Jinyun shaobing, yellow rice cake, pounded meat soup, and the sails on the Oujiang River are delicious, but if you aren't prepared for the four-fold challenge of late summer heat, autumn typhoons, motion sickness on mountain roads, and the awkward in-between autumn colors, coming to Lishui in September or October is just padding the stats for the Yunhe cable car and Xiandu travel photographers.)
💸 A double ordeal for your body and wallet
1. The dual assassins of late summer heat and autumn typhoons: In September, extreme highs in Lishui can reach 35–37°C, and the humidity will ruin your makeup. September is also a critical month for autumn typhoons; rain can start at any moment in the mountainous areas of Yunhe, Songyang, and Jingning, and instead of a sea of clouds, you'll get fog on mountain roads and landslide warnings.
2. National Day price gouging and scattered attractions: Yunhe Terraces admission is CNY 70, the round-trip cable car is CNY 195, Xiandu is CNY 85, and Guyan Huaxiang is CNY 20+20. The attractions are scattered like puzzle pieces (Jinyun, Yunhe, Songyang, and Jingning are 1.5–2 hours apart via winding mountain roads). If you don't drive yourself, you'll spend a fortune on chartered cars, and during National Day, homestays on the mountaintop start at CNY 600 and are still hard to book.
3. Experience a mountain mosquito siege for free: In Chenjiapu, Yangjiatang, and Kenggen Stone Village in Songyang, the mosquitoes are more enthusiastic than the tourists in the evening. Regular repellent is useless, and the bites on your legs will itch for three days.
4. Autumn colors are a work in progress: In September, the terraces are still a mix of green and yellow. The sun-drying of the autumn harvest in Kenggen doesn't start until mid-to-late September, and the peak of the golden waves in Jiuqu Yunhuan is actually in mid-October. Going during National Day means paying a premium to see scenery that is not quite ready.
🏔 4-day, 3-night Jiangnan secret realm ordeal itinerary (a must-read if you're stubborn)
Day 1: Lishui Station > Guyan Huaxiang > Stay in Liandu (CNY 120 per person)
· Morning: Arrive at Lishui Station by high-speed rail and pick up your rental car. Visit Guyan Huaxiang (CNY 20, white sails by the river + Oujiang River sunset; the main street is commercialized, so explore the old alleys of Dagangtou).
· Noon: Eat Jinyun shaobing, Oujiang River fish, and dried creek fish in Huaxiang (CNY 35 per person; don't order the full set at the trendy White Sail Coffee).
· Afternoon: Visit Tongji Weir to see ancient water conservancy (free, off the beaten path) > Return to Liandu to drink pounded meat soup on Chuzhou Old Street.
· Evening: Stay in Lishui city/Liandu (don't stay inside the scenic area, it's expensive and damp), and eat stir-fried yellow rice cake with dried bamboo shoots (CNY 30 per person).
Day 2: Jinyun Xiandu, stone bridges, and crowds (CNY 150 per person)
· Before 07:30: Xiandu (CNY 85, Zhutan Mountain stone bridge + Dinghu Peak; it only looks like an ink wash painting with thin morning mist. After 08:30, tour groups arrive. The local farmer leading the ox is a paid photo op, don't force it).
· Noon: Eat Jinyun shaobing, local noodles, and hemp duck in Jinyun (CNY 30 per person; it's tastier outside the scenic area).
· Afternoon: Xiao Chibi + Furong Gorge + Yandang Bookstore (a bookstore converted from an abandoned stone mine; the cool tones make for great photos, and it's less crowded than the main peak).
· Evening: Return to Liandu or stay in Jinyun.
Day 3: Yunhe Terraces, a day of gambling on the sea of clouds (CNY 220 per person)
· 05:30: Head up the mountain in the dark to Jiuqu Yunhuan to watch the sunrise (you have to stay on the mountain to have a chance at good photos; staying in the county seat means a tiring and dangerous drive up the mountain in the early morning).
· Morning: Qixingdun (high altitude, where the sun-drying of the autumn harvest and the sea of clouds align after mid-October) > Kenggen Stone Village (Baiyin Valley, an ancient stone village with fewer people).
· Noon: Eat farm-style chicken, dried bamboo shoots, and highland rice on the mountain (CNY 45 per person; options are limited, so don't be picky).
· Afternoon: Take the Guanyun cable car (CNY 195 for a round-trip package, a lifesaver for lazy travelers) > Go down the mountain and stay in Yunhe/Songyang.
· Evening: Visit the Pingmin Bookstore in Chenjiapu, Songyang, and walk around the outer circle of Flying Bird Collection (don't believe the filters calling it the most magical ancient village on the internet; the old rammed-earth houses don't have elevators, and you'll cry if you have a lot of luggage).
Day 4: Songyang ancient villages + return trip (CNY 100 per person)
· Early morning: Yangjiatang Village (the golden Potala Palace; the morning light hitting the yellow walls is stunning, but it turns into a wet market once the tour buses arrive after 9:00).
· Noon: Eat mountain flour dumplings, lantern cakes, and Qingming rice cakes in Songyang (CNY 25 per person).
· Afternoon: Choose one from Hengkeng/Xikeng/Damushan Tea Plantation (cycling in the tea plantation is less crowded than the ancient villages) > Buy Songyang fragrant tea/yellow rice cake/dried sweet potato as souvenirs (buy them at the county supermarket, not at the creative shops in Chenjiapu).
· Return: Return the car at Lishui Station. Don't believe the "2 hours to the high-speed rail station" estimate during the National Day rush; winding mountain roads + return traffic can drag it out to 3.5 hours.
⚠️ Hard-learned lessons (exclusive to Sept–Oct)
1. Don't believe the "cool autumn in Jiangnan" myth in September: Daytime temperatures are 25–33°C, and the UV rays in the mountains are intense. The true peak of Lishui is from mid-October to mid-November (golden rice waves, full autumn harvest drying, more sea of clouds, and fewer crowds).
2. Autumn typhoons are the hidden boss: 1–2 typhoons in September may affect Lishui. If there is a heavy rain warning in the mountains, don't go up the winding roads to Yunhe/Songyang; landslide road closures are not a joke.
3. Avoid National Day if you can: From October 1 to October 5, the Xiandu stone bridge has lines, mountaintop rooms in Yunhe are priced sky-high, and the Guyan Huaxiang cruise boats have long queues. If you really must go, choose before September 20 (weekdays) or after October 9.
4. Not driving = burning money: The soul of Lishui is that it is scattered. Yunhe/Songyang/Jinyun/Jingning are all connected by winding mountain roads. Public transport is time-consuming, and chartered cars are expensive. If there are two or more people, just rent a car at the high-speed rail station.
5. Stay on the mountain to see the terraces: The sunrise at Jiuqu Yunhuan in Yunhe is the soul of the trip. Staying in the county seat means driving up the mountain in the dark in the early morning, which is tiring and you won't get the shot.
6. Don't idolize the ancient villages in Songyang: Chenjiapu and Yangjiatang are beautiful but heavily commercialized. If you want to see the real countryside, go to Hengkeng, Xikeng, Zhoushan, or Jieshou, and don't just crowd into the three internet-famous villages.
7. Bug repellent + light jacket are non-negotiable: The mosquitoes in the mountains are vicious, the temperature difference between morning and evening is large, and the bluestone paths in the ancient villages are slippery. Don't skimp on non-slip shoes, mosquito repellent, and a light windbreaker.
This autumn, if you want to see the last secret realm of Jiangnan, the best time is mid-to-late October—golden rice waves, autumn harvest drying begins, more sea of clouds, and the crowds have receded. Coming in September or October is like paying National Day prices to enter a four-fold gauntlet of late summer heat, autumn typhoons, motion sickness on mountain roads, and unfinished autumn scenery. 🏔️🦟