Hidden Gem Towns in Anhui: A Private Guide

We have found four lesser-known towns around Anhui that are perfect for 1-2 day short trips. Each has its own unique charm, fewer crowds, and beautiful scenery, making them ideal for weekends or short holidays. To help you quickly compare, here is a summary of the core information for the four towns: **Quick Overview of Four Hidden Gem Towns** * **Tongling · Yongquan Town** * **Core Features**: Huizhou-style gardens, mountain hot springs, nostalgic Jiangnan * **Suitable For**: Family trips, couples’ vacations, relaxation seekers * **Estimated Budget (per person)**: 💰 800-1200 RMB (2 days 1 night) * **Jing County · Chaji Ancient Town** * **Core Features**: Ming and Qing dynasty architecture, original villages, sketching art * **Suitable For**: Artistic youth, history enthusiasts, photographers * **Estimated Budget (per person)**: 💰 500-800 RMB (2 days 1 night) * **Shitai · Xianyu Town** * **Core Features**: Natural oxygen bar, mountain stream water play, selenium-rich health care * **Suitable For**: Summer family trips, hiking lovers, wellness seekers * **Estimated Budget (per person)**: 💰 400-700 RMB (2 days 1 night) * **Xiuning · Huangjian Township** * **Core Features**: Cloud sky road, stargazing camping, ancient trail hiking * **Suitable For**: Driving enthusiasts, outdoor adventurers, star photography * **Estimated Budget (per person)**: 💰 600-1000 RMB (2 days 1 night) --- **1. Tongling · Yongquan Town: A Jiangnan Dream of Hot Springs and Ancient Streets** * **Budget, Transportation, and Accommodation** Departing from Hefei or Nanjing, take a high-speed train for 1.5-2 hours to Tongling Station, then a taxi about 30 minutes to the town. The **Yongquan Yijiangnan Resort Hotel** in the town is the preferred accommodation, with off-season prices around 400-600 RMB per night. The cost usually includes breakfast, hot springs, and Hanfu experience, offering great value. **The average cost per person for 2 days and 1 night (including transportation, accommodation, meals, and basic experiences) is about 800-1200 RMB.** * **Recommended Attractions** * **Yijiangnan Twelve Scenes**: A garden landscape composed of spots like Tingsong Pavilion and Wangjiang Terrace, with picturesque views at every step, perfect for Hanfu photo shoots. * **Jiangnan Flavor Street**: Use exchanged copper coins to buy snacks and experience a unique time-traveling fun back to ancient times. * **Mountain Hot Springs**: Hotel guests can enjoy free access to the mountain-built hot springs, soaking while watching the mountain view at dusk is very relaxing. * **Must-Try Food** Be sure to try the **Old Hen Soup** slow-cooked over firewood for 8 hours, rich in flavor. In the "Jiangnan Flavor" street area, try the **Zhongming Pig Slaughter Soup** and handmade tofu skin along with other authentic snacks purchased with copper coins. **2. Jing County · Chaji Ancient Town: A Sleeping Ancient Village of Southern Anhui** * **Budget, Transportation, and Accommodation** Take a bus from Xuancheng or Jing County bus station to Chaji, about a little over 1 hour. The ancient town has many inns converted from old houses, such as Chaji Wuli Renjia Homestay, with affordable prices usually between 200-400 RMB per night. Expenses in the town are low, and **the average cost per person for 2 days and 1 night can be kept within 500-800 RMB.** * **Recommended Attractions** * **Ming and Qing Dynasty Architecture Cluster**: Walk along the Xuxi, Shixi, and Cenxi streams to admire the staggered Ming and Qing residences, ancient bridges, and ancestral halls, experiencing the "Three Streams Through the Village" layout. * **Sketching Art Atmosphere**: This is a famous sketching base where you can often see students quietly painting, with a strong artistic vibe. * **Original Ecological Life Scenes**: Many villagers keep their doors open, showing natural and simple life scenes, perfect for capturing very down-to-earth photos. * **Must-Try Food** At the farmstay inns, taste home-cooked dishes made by the hosts using local ingredients. Jing County is known as the hometown of Xuan paper, and you can also check out local specialty agricultural products. **3. Shitai · Xianyu Town: A Secret Summer Resort for Water Play and Oxygen Absorption** * **Budget, Transportation, and Accommodation** Xianyu Town is located in Shitai County, Chizhou City, suitable for self-driving from Anqing or Chizhou, about 1.5-2 hours by car. There are many farmhouses and inns in the town and surrounding mountain villages, with simple but clean accommodations, generally priced between 150-300 RMB per night. **Overall expenses are low, with 400-700 RMB per person for 2 days and 1 night sufficient.** * **Recommended Attractions** * **Bitan Village Shallow Beach**: Clear and shallow river water, suitable for family water play. Local volunteers have built a simple rafting area, very fun. * **Qifeng Village Creek Pool**: A quiet place hidden deep in the mountains with a natural spring pool to rest and cool off, very peaceful. * **Lianhua Mountain Waterfall**: In Lianhua Village, you can see a small waterfall group flowing down from the mountains, bringing a refreshing coolness. * **Must-Try Food** Be sure to try the **selenium-rich cuisine**. Xianyu Town is a well-known selenium-rich area; local tea, rice, and river seafood raised with mountain spring water are all rich in selenium, both delicious and healthy. **4. Xiuning · Huangjian Township: A Cloud Station on the Anhui-Zhejiang Sky Road for Self-Driving** * **Budget, Transportation, and Accommodation** This is definitely a **paradise for self-driving enthusiasts**. Starting from Huangshan City (Tunxi), drive about 1.5-2 hours along the "Huizhou Sky Road" to reach here. The core experience is camping; you can bring your own gear to camp for free or at a low cost at the designated **stargazing camping site**. You can also choose simple farm inns in the countryside. **The average cost per person for 2 days and 1 night is about 600-1000 RMB, mainly depending on dining and accommodation choices.** * **Recommended Attractions** * **Huizhou Sky Road Huangjian Section**: The road itself is a scenic spot, with multiple viewing platforms along the way offering panoramic views of magnificent canyons and rolling seas of clouds. * **Yangshan Ancient Trail**: A well-maintained Ming and Qing dynasty ancient trail where you can hike among century-old trees and feel the traces of history. * **Stargazing Camping**: At the high mountain camping base, you have the chance to see the brilliant Milky Way at night, an excellent experience. * **Must-Try Food** Experience the **intangible cultural heritage bamboo shoot drying process** and taste the freshly made flavors. Along the way, farmhouses offer wild vegetables and native chicken soup with unique flavors. **Travel Tips** * **Best Time to Visit**: Yongquan Town is suitable all year round, with autumn and winter being better for hot springs; Chaji Ancient Town is best in spring and autumn; Xianyu Town and Huangjian Township are excellent summer resorts. * **Booking Reminder**: For Yongquan Town, it is recommended to book hot springs and tea experiences one day in advance. For Chaji Ancient Town, contact inns in advance to see if they can help arrange discounted tickets. * **Gear Suggestions**: Bring sandals and change of clothes for water play in Xianyu Town. For self-driving or hiking in Huangjian Township, be sure to prepare comfortable hiking shoes and warm jackets (mountain areas have large temperature differences). I hope this guide helps you plan a perfect trip to these hidden gem towns. If you are particularly interested in any town or have more specific travel dates (such as holidays), I can provide more detailed advice.