I returned to China recently, for this trip I decided to visit regions I have yet to visit. One of those places is Fujian. I've seen pictures of Wuyishan online and decided to include the park in my itinerary.
Mt. Wuyi is a popular destination for both locals and foreigners visiting Fujian. Wuyishan became a UNESCO Heritage Site in 1999. The park has unique rock formations and the famous river that snakes through many bends.
Day 1
I arrived at night at Wuyishan Railway Station. I was looking for the bus stop that passes my hotel, but decided to take a taxi instead. It wasn't so expensive at CNY40 and the trip didn't take long either. After check in I went to sleep eager to explore the mountain.
Bus 6 or 7 stopped at the station in front of the hostel, both these buses passed by the South Entrance of the park. It didn't take long to reach the entrance as it was only 3-4 stops away. I quickly made my way to the ticket counter and bought a 2-days ticket. I didn't bother paying for the raft ride because the price for it was exorbitant (CNY130!).
I rode the bus through scenic landscapes and rock formations covered in lush foliage. I followed the signs that pointed towards Tianyou Peak.
Tianyou Peak
I've seen many parks in China, and Wuyishan was one of the prettiest I've seen. There were no snow-capped mountains and alpine trees, but it was beautiful in its own way.
You'll mostly walk up and down steps and go through paved or wooden platforms while exploring China's national parks.
I was covered in sweat after almost an hour of walking. The distance wasn't far and the trail wasn't difficult, it was just REALLY hot and humid. The views of the serpentine river and foliage-covered rock formations were worth the effort.
I thought the stone steps I walked up on were the last set, there was another long, steep staircase leading to the peak.
Once I got to the actual platform, the views were spectacular. Thankfully, it wasn't cloudy or rainy.
I decided to follow the flat trails to wherever. I saw tourists riding the bamboo rafts, some of them even waved to me.
There were beautiful rock formations when I followed the different trails. There were also caves that provided a cool place to rest before exploring again.
Tiger Roaring Rock
After resting for a while, I went to the next stop in the park, which was Tiger Roaring Rock.
There were more sets of trails and stairs that provided overlooking views of the surroundings. However, after seeing the view from Tianyou Peak, these were just good, but nothing spectacular.
A Thread of Sky
The last stop I went to was a Thread of Sky or "Yixiantian". It wasn't all that impressive, but what made it unique was the story behind it. The narrow crevice resembled the first stroke of the character "Qian" which is one of the divinatory symbols of the Eight Trigrams.
Day 2
My ticket was valid for one more day so I decided to explore the northern part of Wuyishan.
Water Curtain Cave
The first stop I went to was the Water Curtain Cave. My knee was already aching from all the walking up and down steps the previous day. Once I made it to the scenic spot, I was a bit disappointed at what I saw. There wasn't much water at the waterfall. I didn't bother going up the steps and decided to leave.
Dahongpao Tea Trees
Wuyishan is also famous for Dahongpao tea. This type of rock tea is famous all over the country and is one of the reasons local tourists go to the park. The Dahongpao tree is also very rare and only a few are around.
I stayed 2 nights at Wuyishan Lanhai Tingfeng International Youth Hostel. A bed in the dorm was super cheap and good value at around CNY33. I booked a couple of weeks before my trip. I felt like I got more than what I paid for. It is also near a bus stop to the train stations and the park's entrances and is within walking distance to markets and restaurants, simply put the location is central. You can book here: Lanhai Tingfeng Hostel. The hostel is closer to the south entrance of the park. Bus 6 and 7 stops outside the hostel.
The park is located in northwest Fujian. Your jump-off point is Wuyishan City. There is an airport and train stations. There are accommodations in the city and outside the north and south entrances.
Wuyishan Station and Wuyishan North are closer to the park than Wuyishan East. I would recommend taking the first two for convenience.
Bus fare is from CNY1 to CNY3.
There are trails inside the park and buses to take you to the different scenic spots. The bus is included in the price of the ticket so you might as well use it. Wuyishan is much like other parks in China, there are walkways and stone steps to the peaks and platforms.
You have the option to go bamboo rafting for an additional CNY130 (I didn't do this because I found the price exorbitant).
I visited during shoulder season (June), this means there are fewer people. I was walking in some trails where I was the only one. There were no crowds jostling for position at the platforms. Peak season is during the summer from July to September. You can visit the park all year-round, but you'll have to deal with rainy and misty days depending on the season.
*Everything's in Chinese Yuan
51 - Transportation
133 - Food and drinks
66 - 2 nights for a dorm bed at Wuyishan Lanhai Tingfeng Hostel
29 - Miscellaneous
225 - 2 days ticket for Wuyishan
504 - Total
I spent two full days in Wuyishan and entered the park twice. It's too big to see in one full day unless you rush through everything. There are buses inside that will take you to different parts. Get a map and pick an area you want to explore. I would recommend going up Tianyou Peak because it provides the overlooking views of the river, rock formations and the landscape you often see online. While in Fujian, you might also want to add the Earth Towers to your itinerary.
Guide to Wuyishan
Mt. Wuyi is a popular destination for both locals and foreigners visiting Fujian. Wuyishan became a UNESCO Heritage Site in 1999. The park has unique rock formations and the famous river that snakes through many bends.
Day 1
I arrived at night at Wuyishan Railway Station. I was looking for the bus stop that passes my hotel, but decided to take a taxi instead. It wasn't so expensive at CNY40 and the trip didn't take long either. After check in I went to sleep eager to explore the mountain.
Bus 6 or 7 stopped at the station in front of the hostel, both these buses passed by the South Entrance of the park. It didn't take long to reach the entrance as it was only 3-4 stops away. I quickly made my way to the ticket counter and bought a 2-days ticket. I didn't bother paying for the raft ride because the price for it was exorbitant (CNY130!).
I rode the bus through scenic landscapes and rock formations covered in lush foliage. I followed the signs that pointed towards Tianyou Peak.
Tianyou Peak
I've seen many parks in China, and Wuyishan was one of the prettiest I've seen. There were no snow-capped mountains and alpine trees, but it was beautiful in its own way.
You'll mostly walk up and down steps and go through paved or wooden platforms while exploring China's national parks.
I was covered in sweat after almost an hour of walking. The distance wasn't far and the trail wasn't difficult, it was just REALLY hot and humid. The views of the serpentine river and foliage-covered rock formations were worth the effort.
 |
| Steep staircase going up Tianyou Peak |
Once I got to the actual platform, the views were spectacular. Thankfully, it wasn't cloudy or rainy.
I decided to follow the flat trails to wherever. I saw tourists riding the bamboo rafts, some of them even waved to me.
There were beautiful rock formations when I followed the different trails. There were also caves that provided a cool place to rest before exploring again.
Tiger Roaring Rock
After resting for a while, I went to the next stop in the park, which was Tiger Roaring Rock.
There were more sets of trails and stairs that provided overlooking views of the surroundings. However, after seeing the view from Tianyou Peak, these were just good, but nothing spectacular.
A Thread of Sky
The last stop I went to was a Thread of Sky or "Yixiantian". It wasn't all that impressive, but what made it unique was the story behind it. The narrow crevice resembled the first stroke of the character "Qian" which is one of the divinatory symbols of the Eight Trigrams.
Day 2
My ticket was valid for one more day so I decided to explore the northern part of Wuyishan.
Water Curtain Cave
The first stop I went to was the Water Curtain Cave. My knee was already aching from all the walking up and down steps the previous day. Once I made it to the scenic spot, I was a bit disappointed at what I saw. There wasn't much water at the waterfall. I didn't bother going up the steps and decided to leave.
Dahongpao Tea Trees
Wuyishan is also famous for Dahongpao tea. This type of rock tea is famous all over the country and is one of the reasons local tourists go to the park. The Dahongpao tree is also very rare and only a few are around.
Where to Stay in Wuyishan
I stayed 2 nights at Wuyishan Lanhai Tingfeng International Youth Hostel. A bed in the dorm was super cheap and good value at around CNY33. I booked a couple of weeks before my trip. I felt like I got more than what I paid for. It is also near a bus stop to the train stations and the park's entrances and is within walking distance to markets and restaurants, simply put the location is central. You can book here: Lanhai Tingfeng Hostel. The hostel is closer to the south entrance of the park. Bus 6 and 7 stops outside the hostel.
How to Go to Wuyishan
The park is located in northwest Fujian. Your jump-off point is Wuyishan City. There is an airport and train stations. There are accommodations in the city and outside the north and south entrances.
- If you're arriving at the airport, you can take bus 6, 7 or 9 to the park.
- If you're arriving at Wuyishan North Station, board bus 7 or 9 to the park.
- From Wuyishan East Station, bus K1 goes to the park
- From Wuyishan Station, you'll have to take bus 2 to Dongbao Huocchezhan Lukou and then switch to bus 6 to the park.
Wuyishan Station and Wuyishan North are closer to the park than Wuyishan East. I would recommend taking the first two for convenience.
Bus fare is from CNY1 to CNY3.
Getting Around Wuyishan
There are trails inside the park and buses to take you to the different scenic spots. The bus is included in the price of the ticket so you might as well use it. Wuyishan is much like other parks in China, there are walkways and stone steps to the peaks and platforms.
You have the option to go bamboo rafting for an additional CNY130 (I didn't do this because I found the price exorbitant).
Best Time to Visit Wuyishan
I visited during shoulder season (June), this means there are fewer people. I was walking in some trails where I was the only one. There were no crowds jostling for position at the platforms. Peak season is during the summer from July to September. You can visit the park all year-round, but you'll have to deal with rainy and misty days depending on the season.
Expenses for Wuyishan
*Everything's in Chinese Yuan
51 - Transportation
133 - Food and drinks
66 - 2 nights for a dorm bed at Wuyishan Lanhai Tingfeng Hostel
29 - Miscellaneous
225 - 2 days ticket for Wuyishan
504 - Total
I spent two full days in Wuyishan and entered the park twice. It's too big to see in one full day unless you rush through everything. There are buses inside that will take you to different parts. Get a map and pick an area you want to explore. I would recommend going up Tianyou Peak because it provides the overlooking views of the river, rock formations and the landscape you often see online. While in Fujian, you might also want to add the Earth Towers to your itinerary.
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