Things to do in Jurong

Choosing the right route is crucial when hiking in Maoshan with elderly people and children. Seeing the "Eighth Grotto-Heaven" stele marks the start of the core scenic area. The steps here aren't particularly steep, so a leisurely walk is perfectly fine. The roadside signs are clear, and Yuanfu Wanning Palace is only a few hundred meters away. You can experience Taoist culture without climbing too high. The mountaintop offers expansive views and fresh air, making it a pleasant place for the whole family to stroll and relax. It's truly a perfect leisure destination for a family trip! 👍✨

The buffet was decent, with reasonable value for money. It's a long-established hot spring resort with numerous pools, surrounded by lush greenery, making it very comfortable. The only truly worthwhile hot spring is the fishpond, which is free of charge.

We went on October 5th. The weather was great, and the environment on the mountain was lovely. However, many attractions required an additional fee, such as the thrill ride, family go-karting, and paintball. If you plan to do these, you might want to check if you can buy a combined ticket. Rafting cost 150 yuan per person, and even with raincoats, you'd get completely soaked, especially your shoes. Luckily, the staff warned us, so we didn't go rafting. The sightseeing train was 39 yuan per person, which wasn't cheap, but you had to wait at each stop, and there was no one to guide the queue; you had to grab your own spot, which was quite frustrating. The restaurants near the entrance were also mediocre. I thought Chinese food wouldn't be too bad, but I was proven wrong.

Half-day tour route: North Gate entrance - Qinhuai source - Intangible Cultural Heritage Market Culture Street - Qianlong Ancient Theater - Zuixiang - Baozhi Temple - Exit the scenic area. This route is suitable for tourists with tight schedules and can quickly check in the main attractions. One-day tour route: Visit Qianhua Ancient Village in the morning, check in the above main attractions, and experience folk activities; taste special food in the ancient village at noon; go to Baohua Mountain in the afternoon, climb the mountain to enjoy the natural scenery, visit Longchang Temple, and feel the Zen of the thousand-year-old temple.

I took my wife to Tangshan No. 1 Hot Spring over the weekend. Since it was past the peak season, there weren't as many people as I expected. We soaked in almost all the pools, and my wife even went for a swim in the pool at the end. The best thing about this hot spring is that it uses natural hot spring water, without the smell of bleach or disinfectant. Our skin wasn't dry after soaking, so the overall experience was good. Unfortunately, the staff told me that it might close down next year.

Baohua Mountain is definitely worth a visit! It is like a paradise not far from the bustling city, integrating natural scenery, profound humanities, religious holy places and leisure experiences. Here are a few reasons why it is particularly worth going: 1. **Buddhist holy land, ancestral home of Vinaya school:** * **Core attraction:** The famous **Longchang Temple** (also known as Baohua Temple) is located on the mountain. This is the ancestral home of the Buddhist Vinaya school (Nanshan Vinaya school). It has a high status in the Buddhist world and is known as the "No. 1 mountain of Vinaya school". For those who believe in Buddhism or are interested in Buddhist culture and history, this is a must-visit holy place. * **History and architecture:** Longchang Temple has a long history and its buildings are simple and solemn. The temple has precious cultural relics, such as the Bronze Hall and the Beamless Hall, which reflect the exquisite craftsmanship of ancient architecture and the profound religious atmosphere. Here you can feel the quiet and solemn atmosphere of the thousand-year-old temple. 2. **National Forest Park, Beautiful Natural Scenery:** * **Excellent Ecological Environment:** Baohua Mountain is a national forest park with a very high forest coverage rate, dense vegetation, many ancient trees and famous trees, fresh air, rich negative oxygen ion content, and is a natural "big oxygen bar", very suitable for washing lungs and relaxing the body and mind. * **"The beauty of the forest and the beauty of the peaks":** Although the mountain is not particularly tall and steep, it is winding, with layers of peaks and ridges, and the scenery is beautiful and pleasant. There are the famous "Baohua Thirty-Six Scenic Spots", such as magnolia flowers (wild Baohua magnolias in spring are very precious), sea of fog, green peaks, ancient trees, etc., with different scenery in different seasons. 3. **Qianhua Ancient Village, Immersive Folk Experience:** * **Reconstructed Ming and Qing Style Street:** Qianhua Ancient Village (Yangliuquan Village) at the foot of the mountain is a carefully built Ming and Qing style folk culture village. Blue bricks and black tiles, small bridges and flowing water reproduce the lively street style of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. * **Folk activities and performances:** There are various traditional handicrafts, special snacks, and folk performances (such as street juggling, opera, etc.) in the ancient village, which are very lively and interesting, suitable for taking photos and experiencing local customs. 4. **Mountain hiking, close to nature:** * **Perfect hiking trails:** Baohua Mountain has perfect hiking trails with moderate slopes, suitable for all ages. During the hiking process, you can exercise your body, enjoy the forest landscape, listen to the birdsong and streams along the way, and enjoy the wildness of the mountains and forests. * **Overlooking view:** After reaching the top, the view is wide, and you can overlook the surrounding scenery from a distance, which is refreshing. 5. **Excellent geographical location and convenient transportation:** * Baohua Mountain is located in the northwest of Jurong City, Jiangsu Province, not far from Nanjing City and Zhenjiang City (usually about 1 hour drive away), which is very suitable as a destination for a one-day trip or weekend short trip around Nanjing/Zhenjiang. 6. **All seasons are suitable, each with its own characteristics:** * **Spring:** The mountain flowers are in full bloom, especially the rare Magnolia grandiflora, which is a good time to enjoy the flowers.

One of the most worthwhile attractions in Nanjing Garden Expo Park is the "Thirteen Gardens of Suzhou Charm," showcasing the unique garden styles of thirteen cities in Jiangsu Province. Of course, this is geared towards experts; ordinary visitors will find it difficult to appreciate the differences. The park is home to many cats, all residing in the thirteen gardens. The Nanjing and Changzhou gardens have particularly numerous and adorable cats, prompting the park to develop a cat-themed area. The park also features interactive NPCs representing famous figures from Jiangsu Province to enhance the visitor experience. However, when we visited, there were few tourists, and the NPCs seemed rather tired, resulting in the cancellation of many small performances and interactive activities. While the gardens are enjoyable to stroll around casually, they can become somewhat uninteresting if you come specifically for them.

Tangshan Fangshan National Geopark in Nanjing is the largest and most important ecological forest reserve in Jiangning District, Nanjing, named for its unique ecological environment and long history. While many people associate Tangshan with hot springs, it offers much more. Tangshan Fangshan National Geopark is the oldest place in Jiangning and even the entire city of Nanjing. The ancient Nanjing Man, dating back 300,000 years, originated here, and there is a site where the Nanjing Man excavation was conducted that can be visited. Currently, Tangshan Fangshan National Geopark offers several well-developed resorts and tourism and cultural projects for visitors to experience.

We were very fortunate that our top guide today was Ms. Dong Ling. Her professional expertise was solid; she didn't just recite from memory. She eloquently explained the stories and archaeological backgrounds behind each of the museum's treasures, making dry history vivid and easy to understand. My son and I deeply experienced the thousand-year history of Nanjing. Highly recommended!