Take you into the most "oxygen-rich" county town, a 1-day tour of Guidong, Hunan
At the junction of Hunan, Jiangxi, and Guangdong provinces lies a "cloud town" nurtured by mist and fog—Guidong.
It doesn't rely on popularity but boasts Hunan's earliest liberated county, one of the nation's first "China Natural Oxygen Bars," the main peak of the Luoxiao Mountains—Qiyun Mountain, the millennium-old "Bamian Mountain Ancient Trail," the origin of "Linglong Tea," and one of the "Red Army Long March's starting points." I just returned from this light forest-style one-day trip, costing less than 600 yuan per person, where you can breathe in plenty of negative oxygen ions, drink the first spring tea oil powder, climb the sea of clouds viewing platform, and capture shots with a Studio Ghibli animation vibe!
🚄 Transportation (round trip 400 yuan)
Recommended to start from Chenzhou—take the high-speed train to Chenzhou West Station, then taxi or carpool directly to Guidong County Town (about 1.5 hours, 60 yuan per person); if driving yourself, it's even more flexible, taking the Wushen Expressway + Guixin Expressway, a total of 220 km, with fuel and tolls about 320 yuan, split between two people only 160 yuan each! (Note: Guidong has no train station and no direct high-speed train yet, but it’s only a 90-minute drive from Chenzhou, making it very cost-effective.)
⛰️ Morning: Qiyun Mountain National Forest Park (ticket 65 yuan, including shuttle)
No need to hike hard! Take the shuttle directly to the "Sea of Clouds Viewing Platform" (1,700 meters above sea level). Once at the top, it’s like stepping into a painting: waves of clouds rolling like the sea, pine forests floating on the crests, and if lucky, you might see a Buddha’s light. On the way, check in at the stone monument of Hunan’s highest peak, the millennium-old rhododendron slope (in full bloom in May), and the Red Army trench site—this is where the Red Sixth Army Corps set out on their western expedition.
🍜 Lunch: Linglong Tea Oil Powder + Guidong Yellow Glutinous Rice Cake (35 yuan per person)
A local breakfast favorite! Cold-pressed oil from high-mountain Linglong tea seeds mixed with noodles, topped with freshly fried soybeans, chopped chili, pickled radish, and scallions—fragrant but not greasy, 10 yuan a bowl; the yellow glutinous rice cake is steamed with glutinous rice and gardenia water, soft, slightly bitter with a fresh aroma, 5 yuan for two pieces. At the old street’s "Grandma’s Tea Oil Powder," two people can eat warmly and satisfyingly for 70 yuan total.
🌿 Afternoon: Shatian Wanshou Palace or Bamian Mountain Ancient Trail (choose one)
If you want to learn some history, choose Shatian Wanshou Palace (free): In 1928, Mao Zedong issued the "Three Main Rules of Discipline and Eight Points for Attention" here (the origin of the later "Eight Points for Attention!"), with blue brick courtyards, Red Army slogan walls, and the original intention lecture hall—very immersive; if you want a relaxed photo shoot, choose the entrance section of Bamian Mountain Ancient Trail (free): stone steps winding into the forest, mossy patches, babbling streams, a 30-minute walk will get you the "deep forest deer sighting" atmosphere.
🎁 Before heading back: bring a jar of "Guidong Linglong Tea" or a pack of "Qiyun Mountain Wild Kiwi Dried Fruit" (30 yuan each)
A nationally recognized geographic indication product, spring tea has a fresh and sweet aftertaste; the dried kiwi is sweet, sour, soft, and chewy, 30 yuan per bag, lightweight and healthy.
💰 Total cost breakdown:
Transportation 320 + Tickets 65 + Meals 70 + Souvenirs 30 = 485 yuan! With 115 yuan left, you can add a cup of honeysuckle herbal tea or buy a small bamboo woven pendant~
Guidong is low-key but blends the clouds of the Luoxiao Mountains, the fire of the Red Army, the fragrance of tea oil, and the simplicity of mountain people into a steaming bowl of Linglong Tea Oil Powder. One day is enough to cleanse your lungs and slow down like a breeze in the mountains.