Shaoxing | The breathtakingly beautiful Lanting Tianzhang Temple

🌱 Shaoxing | Anshan Ancient Trail + Lanting Anshan Ancient Trail (morning) ⮕ Lanting Scenic Area (afternoon) 1️⃣ It is recommended to 【drive by yourself】. Renting a car for 【24 hours】 is enough, with a total cost of about 【350】; 2️⃣ It is advised to arrive at Anshan Ancient Trail 【before 8:00 am】 for fewer people and more time to enjoy and take photos; stay the previous night near 【Jingling Town】 or 【Huangao Village】, about 6km away; We chose the return route, which took about 3.5 hours to get back to the starting point (including time for photos and rest). Hiking route options: ❶ Return route: Xiaoxiquan Village - Youlongtan - Huguoan - Feilong Waterfall - Ancient Castanopsis Tree - Anshan Village (mostly flat roads + small stream paths, with some steps to climb) ❷ Loop route: Xiaoxiquan Village - Youlongtan - Huguoan - Feilong Waterfall - Ancient Castanopsis Tree - turn left at the fork before Anshan Village (the latter half of this route mainly involves wild paths and climbing slopes; we climbed almost half but it was too tiring so we returned the same way) 3️⃣ After hiking, you can stop by the 【Mumen Gongxue】 on Jingling Old Street for lunch; we tried it the night before and found it delicious, so we reserved lunch for after the hike. The energy replenishment was timely; The guesthouse restaurant seems to be run by a young owner, with a kind grandmother cooking; there's no menu, but you can directly ask if they can make what you want to eat; the ingredients are fresh, and the taste is reminiscent of the food our grandmothers used to make; 4️⃣ Next, head to the 【Lanting Scenic Area】. The entrance's goose pond, ancient pavilions, and bamboo forests are stunning; if it's crowded, you might start with the 【Tianzhang Temple Ruins】. The beauty of Tianzhang Temple varies with the seasons and weather; Fushan Park ⮕ Hotel Check-out 1️⃣ On the last day, you can visit 【Fushan Park】 next to the hotel to breathe in the fresh air and overlook the entire city from above; five minutes out of the park, there's an 【Undertree Coffee】 where you can take a break with a cup of coffee; for lunch, head to 【Zhuji Authentic Ciwu Noodle (Renmin West Road Store)】 for a carb delight. Remember to go early to avoid long queues during meal times; 2️⃣ Time to go home! Shaoxing is beautiful, often reminding one of childhood summers spent at grandma's house, a memory that's vague yet familiar; 3️⃣ The best weather for visiting Anshan Ancient Trail is after a day of rain, which will ensure a plentiful water flow; during our visit, it was sunny all week, and the water flow was not strong; 4️⃣ Be prepared for mosquitoes, as those in Anshan Ancient Trail and Lanting are aggressive and can cause blister-like bites