Anlong is truly "a 22°C Nanming Lotus City overshadowed by Xingyi's glory."
My darlings! Come to Anlong (the "Ancient Capital of the Southern Ming Dynasty, Hometown of Chinese Rice Noodles, and Ten-Mile Lotus City" in Qianxinan Prefecture) in July and August. Let me be frank first—the county seat is at an altitude of 1200m, and the average summer temperature is 22-25℃🔥 (more humid than Xingyi, a light jacket is essential at night). But Anlong boasts "5000 mu of lotus ponds in Zhaodi, the tomb of the Eighteen Masters of the Ming Dynasty, the red walls of the Yongli Imperial Palace, the Zhang Zhidong Poetry Inscription at Banshanting, the Buyi Ancient Village, and the double wonders of red oil cold rice noodles and Erkuai Ba (rice cakes)." The high-speed rail from Guiyang goes directly to Anlong Station (about 1.5 hours), and the intercity bus from Xingyi costs 16 yuan. Prices are also significantly lower than in Xingyi! This guide focuses on "escaping the scorching sun during the day, leisurely strolling along the ancient embankment and enjoying the lotus fragrance, free time to relax and contemplate the red trails, and indulging in cold rice noodles, Erkuai cakes, and beef rice noodles." No special forces required; let's just relax and savor the slow pace of life at Zhaodi! 💕🌿
💰 Budget Reference (3 days 2 nights, summer low-cost version)
· Accommodation: Budget hotels in Anlong County (outer area of Zhaodi/Datong Road) approximately 100-150 RMB/night (guesthouses in the ancient town are slightly more expensive; newer hotels on the outskirts, such as Shengji Hecheng/Bancheng Hotel, are 130-180 RMB; hostel beds are 50-70 RMB).
· Dining: Cold rice noodles in red oil (5-8 yuan/11 yuan minced meat) + beef rice noodles (10-15 yuan) + Erkuai cakes stir-fried with cured meat (15-20 yuan) + Siwawa (15 yuan/person), averaging 35-50 RMB/day per person.
· Transportation: Guiyang → Anlong high-speed rail round trip approximately 208 yuan (Xingyi bus 16 yuan one way), city bus 2-3 yuan + taxi starting 8 yuan, shared ride to Datang/Naxi Ancient Village approximately 30 yuan. Budget: 208 yuan (round trip transportation) + 30 yuan city bus fare + 30 yuan shared ride.
· Entrance Fees: Zhaodi Scenic Area (temporarily free, originally 15 yuan) / Tomb of the Eighteen Masters of the Ming Dynasty (free, originally 10 yuan) / Yongli Palace (Anlong Museum, free) / Banshan Pavilion / Bishan Academy / Donghu Wetland / Datang Buyi Village / Naxi Ancient Village are all free. Dushan Cave 80 yuan / General Cave 698 yuan (optional). Budget: 0 yuan.
· Total: 270-380 yuan (purely free attractions + Guiyang high-speed rail round trip) for a very chill trip. Including one visit to Dushan Cave approximately 430-540 yuan!
🏔️ Recommended Attractions (Free/Low-Cost, Summer Escape)
1. Zhaodi Ten-Mile Lotus Pond + Banshan Pavilion (Northeast of the City, 0 RMB, Kangxi Stone Embankment + 5000 Mu Lotus Field, Peak Bloom Mid-July-August, Visit at 7:30 AM for Morning Mist or 5:30 PM for Sunset, Visit Banshan Pavilion to Find Zhang Zhidong's Youthful Poems) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
· Highlight: 0 RMB (Temporarily Free)! Guizhou's Little West Lake lives up to its name. Enjoy the winding bridge over the lotus blossoms, take photos of the transparent petals against the light at the Drunken Lotus Pavilion, and wear light-colored cotton/linen/Song Dynasty Hanfu (rent 30 RMB/hour) with the blue bricks for amazing photos! 🪷
· How to Visit: Visit before 9:00 AM or after 4:30 PM, return to the hotel between 12:30 PM and 3:30 PM. Don't buy the 40 RMB boat ticket; save the money for rice noodles.
2. Tomb of the Eighteen Gentlemen of the Ming Dynasty + Yongli Palace (Anlong Museum, 0 yuan, Tomb of Loyal Ministers of the Southern Ming Dynasty at the foot of Tianbang Mountain + Red Walls and Green Bricks of the Former Yongli Emperor's Palace, bring your ID card for registration, visit before 9 am or after 4 pm to avoid study tour groups) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
· Highlights: 0 yuan! A rare real-life site of the Southern Ming Dynasty. The vines and red walls in the backyard of the palace make for photos reminiscent of Hengdian World Studios. The stone figures and horses in the tomb are solemn. Listen to the guided tour of "The Eighteen Gentlemen's Martyrdom" – it's not boring! 🏛️
· Cost: 0 yuan.
· How to do it: Go there as soon as it opens at 9 am, return to the hotel in the hottest part of the afternoon, and take photos of the red walls again after 4 pm.
3. Bishan Academy + Old Town Paper Street/Shuncheng Street (0 yuan, Outer perimeter of the Qing Dynasty Academy + Jianfen Old Alley, Long Wumao Jianfen stall, 5 yuan a bowl, open only half a day from 7 am to 12 pm) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
· Highlights: 0 yuan for sightseeing and eating! Take photos of the scholarly atmosphere at the academy's screen wall; hidden in the alleys of Shuncheng are twenty-year-old stalls where 5 yuan for minced meat noodles with Sichuan peppercorn oil is the soul breakfast of locals~🥢
· Cost: 0 yuan (5-11 yuan for food).
· How to do it: Go at 8 am, the stalls close after 12 pm.
4. Datang Buyi Ancient Village + Naxi Ancient Village (Qianxiang/Lianxin in the north of the city · 0 yuan · Century-old stilted buildings · Welcoming song · Ancient banyan tree · Go after 4:30 pm to avoid the midday sun) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
· Highlights: 0 yuan! No paid experience workshops; take photos of the village's stone mill, drying ground, and indigo-dyed drying racks; an old lady sells 5 yuan colorful sticky rice, wearing plain clothes with silver jewelry~🏘️
· Cost: 0 yuan (30 yuan/person for shared ride).
· How to do it: Go after 3:30 pm, no private courtyards or drying grounds.
5. Donghu Wetland + Green Sea Red City Square (Free admission, evening breeze along the lakeside willow path, photo opportunity at the 1964 cultural and creative building exterior, local square dancing at 7 PM) & Anlong Natural Pyramid (Next to S210, Free admission, distant view of the karst cone peak, sunset on the stone surface after 4:30 PM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
· Highlights: Donghu is less crowded and cooler than Zhaodi; the pyramid doesn't require climbing, just taking silhouette photos of the "Guizhou version of Angkor Wat" from the roadside~⛰️
· Cost: Free admission.
· How to do it: Go after dinner, without walking down the steep bank.
🗺️ Travel Itinerary (3-day slow travel version, July-August lotus season)
Day 1: First Impression of Lotus City, Sunset over Red Walls
· Morning: Arrive at Anlong Station from Guiyang High-Speed Railway → Bus/Taxi to the outskirts of Zhaodi. Go to Longwumao Rice Noodles on Shuncheng Street for brunch: spicy cold rice noodles with Sichuan peppercorn oil (5-11 yuan) (only open until 12 pm!).
· Afternoon: 🔥12:30-15:30 (Hottest time: sleep/binge-watch TV at the hotel/linger in the air-conditioned Yongli Palace (finish visiting the palace and the Tomb of the Eighteen Gentlemen at 9 am)!)
· Evening: Take photos of the sunset over the lotus pond at Banshan Pavilion on Zhaodi → stroll around Green Sea Red City Square → eat Siwawa (a type of steamed bun) + golden mini potatoes + braised food (about 30 yuan) → rest early.
Day 2: Slow Stroll Through the Ancient Village & Morning Light in the Old Alley
· Morning: 7:30 am: Go to Zhaodi to take more photos of the morning mist and lotus flowers → 9:30 am: Return to Chengbishan Academy for photos → buy Zhanji Shagao/Wa'ergao (a type of steamed rice cake) on Caozhi Street.
· Afternoon: 15:30 : Share a ride to Datang/Naxi → stroll through the stilted houses → 17:00: Leave the village.
· Evening: Return to the city's youth entrepreneurship market for Erkuai Ba (a type of rice cake) stir-fried with cured pork, chicken oil noodles, and lotus root starch dumplings → early rest (chicken oil is a must-try during the peak season for chicken mushrooms in July and August).
Day 3: Wetland Leisure & Return Trip
· Morning: Wake up naturally → stroll in Donghu Wetland → buy (Erkuai Ba/chicken oil/sand cake) at the farmers' market → eat beef noodles and Chongchong Gao (a type of rice cake) → buy souvenirs → take the high-speed train back.
🍜 Food Recommendations (Must-Eat List - Eat in order of the old street!)
1. Spicy Cold Rice Noodles (Long Wu Mao/Xiuping Road Old Shop - Thin rice noodles cut into strips with scissors + spicy oil + crispy soybeans + houttuynia cordata + tomato sour soup - Vegetarian 5 yuan / Minced meat 11 yuan - The soul of Anlong breakfast) & Beef Rice Noodles (Beef bone broth + local yellow beef + spicy sauce - 10-15 yuan) & Chongchong Cake (Steamed rice cake + brown sugar - 2-5 yuan) 🥣
· Special Features: The rice noodles are smooth, chewy, and have a layered sour and spicy flavor that surpasses cold rice noodles. Long Wu Mao's 5 yuan price hasn't increased in 20 years, making it a living fossil!
· Cost: Rice noodles 5-11 yuan, rice noodles 10-15 yuan.
2. Erkuai Ba (red-hulled late-season rice, steamed and pounded twice, cut into strips and cooked in sweet wine/stir-fried with cured meat, 15-20 yuan/serving, sticky but not greasy) & Siwawa (thin pancake wrapped with ten kinds of shredded vegetables + spicy and sour dipping sauce, 15 yuan/person) & Zhanji Shagao + Waergao (5-10 yuan/box) 🥢
· Reminder: Choose the stir-fried cured meat version of Erkuai Ba for a better taste with rice, and take the Shagao home as a snack~
· Cost: Erkuai Ba 15-20 yuan, Siwawa 15 yuan.
3. Buyi Lotus Feast (Summer Limited Edition: Steamed Pork with Lotus Leaf/Fried Lotus/Stewed Chicken with Lotus Seeds, Small Portion NT$40-60, Farmhouse near Zhaodi) & Spicy Chicken with Glutinous Rice Cake (Small Portion NT$40, AA system) & Chicken Oil Rice (Fresh Chicken Oil from July-August, Small Bottle NT$30-50) 🐂
· Recommendation: Order only two items from the Lotus Feast to avoid waste. The chicken oil rice is incredibly delicious!
· Cost: Small portion of the Lotus Feast NT$40-60.
4. Anlong Erkuai Ba (Vacuum-packed NT$10-20/box) & Chicken Oil (Small Bottle NT$30-50) Souvenirs (Zhanji Sand Cake/Red Oil Rice Noodle Packet/Buyi Embroidered Handkerchief) 🎁
· Recommendation: Buy the "Lotus Pastry Gift Box" at the old grocery store/farmers market on Datong Road (not at the Zhaodi entrance, where it's overpriced by 3 times). 💡 Tips
· Weather: July-August daytime 24-28℃ / evening 18-20℃ ⛈️☀️, many mosquitoes at the lotus pond! SPF50+ sunscreen + light jacket (cool evening breeze at Zhaodi) + folding umbrella + mosquito repellent + non-slip shoes (slippery stone embankment), frequent showers, but the lotus flowers are more vibrant~
· Ironclad rule for escaping the heat: ❄️ Strictly avoid staying in hotels/palaces from 12:30-15:30. Go to Zhaodi before 7:30 am or leave Banshanting/Datang after 16:30! Midday sun reflection on the lotus surface + double the UV damage.
· Transportation: ✅ Take the High-Speed Rail to Anlong Station (don't buy a ticket for Xingyi Station by mistake), then take the Zhaodi Special Line bus for NT$3; you can walk to Zhaodi/Tomb of the Eighteen Gentlemen/Imperial Palace/Bishan Academy; a shared taxi to Datang costs NT$30; Zhaodi is temporarily exempt from the NT$15 entrance fee, but don't trust mobile vendors offering "internal fees."
· Cultural Respect: At the Tomb of the Eighteen Gentlemen, don't make noise or step on the stone steps; at the Imperial Palace, don't touch the dragon pillars; in the Buyi Village, don't enter private courtyards or step on the hearth; smile before taking a picture of an elderly woman; when wearing Hanfu, don't step on the lotus pond.
· Shopping: Buy rice noodle packets/erkuai (rice cakes) at the farmers' market; the "3 boxes of chicken cakes for 9.9" in the old town are mostly fake; genuine chicken oil, fresh in July-August, small bottles cost NT$30 or more.
Anlong truly lives up to its reputation as a "22°C Southern Ming Lotus City overshadowed by Xingyi"—offering the evening breeze of Zhaodi, red oil rice noodles, the red walls of Yongli Palace, and the aroma of crispy rice cakes. It's only 1.5 hours from Guiyang, but summer temperatures reach 25°C and prices are surprisingly affordable 💕. Bring a light jacket and relax in Anlong!
Dear friends! Come to Anlong (Qianxinan's "Ancient Capital of the Southern Ming Dynasty, Hometown of Chinese Rice Noodles, and Ten-Mile Lotus City") in July and August. Let me be frank—the county seat is at an altitude of 1200m, and the average summer temperature is 22-25°C 🔥 (even more humid than Xingyi, a light jacket is essential at night). But Anlong boasts "5000 acres of lotus ponds in Zhaodi, the tomb of the Eighteen Masters of the Ming Dynasty, the red walls of Yongli Palace, Zhang Zhidong's poem inscription at Banshan Pavilion, the Buyi Ancient Village, and the double wonders of red oil rice noodles and rice cakes." The high-speed rail from Guiyang goes directly to Anlong Station (about 1.5 hours), and the Xingyi intercity bus costs 16 yuan. Prices are significantly lower than in Xingyi! This guide focuses on "escaping the scorching sun during the day, leisurely strolling along the ancient embankment and enjoying the lotus fragrance, free time to relax and contemplate the red trails, and indulging in cold rice noodles, Erkuai cakes, and beef rice noodles." No special forces required; let's just relax and savor the slow pace of life at Zhaodi! 💕🌿
💰 Budget Reference (3 days 2 nights, summer low-cost version)
· Accommodation: Budget hotels in Anlong County (outer area of Zhaodi/Datong Road) approximately 100-150 RMB/night (guesthouses in the ancient town are slightly more expensive; newer hotels on the outskirts, such as Shengji Hecheng/Bancheng Hotel, are 130-180 RMB; hostel beds are 50-70 RMB).
· Dining: Cold rice noodles in red oil (5-8 yuan/11 yuan minced meat) + beef rice noodles (10-15 yuan) + Erkuai cakes stir-fried with cured meat (15-20 yuan) + Siwawa (15 yuan/person), averaging 35-50 RMB/day per person.
· Transportation: Guiyang → Anlong high-speed rail round trip approximately 208 yuan (Xingyi bus 16 yuan one way), city bus 2-3 yuan + taxi starting 8 yuan, shared ride to Datang/Naxi Ancient Village approximately 30 yuan. Budget: 208 yuan (round trip transportation) + 30 yuan city bus fare + 30 yuan shared ride.
· Entrance Fees: Zhaodi Scenic Area (temporarily free, originally 15 yuan) / Tomb of the Eighteen Masters of the Ming Dynasty (free, originally 10 yuan) / Yongli Palace (Anlong Museum, free) / Banshan Pavilion / Bishan Academy / Donghu Wetland / Datang Buyi Village / Naxi Ancient Village are all free. Dushan Cave 80 yuan / General Cave 698 yuan (optional). Budget: 0 yuan.
· Total: 270-380 yuan (purely free attractions + Guiyang high-speed rail round trip) for a very chill trip. Including one visit to Dushan Cave approximately 430-540 yuan!
🏔️ Recommended Attractions (Free/Low-Cost, Summer Escape)
1. Zhaodi Ten-Mile Lotus Pond + Banshan Pavilion (Northeast of the City, 0 RMB, Kangxi Stone Embankment + 5000 Mu Lotus Field, Peak Bloom Mid-July-August, Visit at 7:30 AM for Morning Mist or 5:30 PM for Sunset, Visit Banshan Pavilion to Find Zhang Zhidong's Youthful Poems) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
· Highlight: 0 RMB (Temporarily Free)! Guizhou's Little West Lake lives up to its name. Enjoy the winding bridge over the lotus blossoms, take photos of the transparent petals against the light at the Drunken Lotus Pavilion, and wear light-colored cotton/linen/Song Dynasty Hanfu (rent 30 RMB/hour) with the blue bricks for amazing photos! 🪷
· How to Visit: Visit before 9:00 AM or after 4:30 PM, return to the hotel between 12:30 PM and 3:30 PM. Don't buy the 40 RMB boat ticket; save the money for rice noodles.
2. Tomb of the Eighteen Gentlemen of the Ming Dynasty + Yongli Palace (Anlong Museum, 0 yuan, Tomb of Loyal Ministers of the Southern Ming Dynasty at the foot of Tianbang Mountain + Red Walls and Green Bricks of the Former Yongli Emperor's Palace, bring your ID card for registration, visit before 9 am or after 4 pm to avoid study tour groups) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
· Highlights: 0 yuan! A rare real-life site of the Southern Ming Dynasty. The vines and red walls in the backyard of the palace make for photos reminiscent of Hengdian World Studios. The stone figures and horses in the tomb are solemn. Listen to the guided tour of "The Eighteen Gentlemen's Martyrdom" – it's not boring! 🏛️
· Cost: 0 yuan.
· How to do it: Go there as soon as it opens at 9 am, return to the hotel in the hottest part of the afternoon, and take photos of the red walls again after 4 pm.
3. Bishan Academy + Old Town Paper Street/Shuncheng Street (0 yuan, Outer perimeter of the Qing Dynasty Academy + Jianfen Old Alley, Long Wumao Jianfen stall, 5 yuan a bowl, open only half a day from 7 am to 12 pm) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
· Highlights: 0 yuan for sightseeing and eating! Take photos of the scholarly atmosphere at the academy's screen wall; hidden in the alleys of Shuncheng are twenty-year-old stalls where 5 yuan for minced meat noodles with Sichuan peppercorn oil is the soul breakfast of locals~🥢
· Cost: 0 yuan (5-11 yuan for food).
· How to do it: Go at 8 am, the stalls close after 12 pm.
4. Datang Buyi Ancient Village + Naxi Ancient Village (Qianxiang/Lianxin in the north of the city · 0 yuan · Century-old stilted buildings · Welcoming song · Ancient banyan tree · Go after 4:30 pm to avoid the midday sun) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
· Highlights: 0 yuan! No paid experience workshops; take photos of the village's stone mill, drying ground, and indigo-dyed drying racks; an old lady sells 5 yuan colorful sticky rice, wearing plain clothes with silver jewelry~🏘️
· Cost: 0 yuan (30 yuan/person for shared ride).
· How to do it: Go after 3:30 pm, no private courtyards or drying grounds.
5. Donghu Wetland + Green Sea Red City Square (Free admission, evening breeze along the lakeside willow path, photo opportunity at the 1964 cultural and creative building exterior, local square dancing at 7 PM) & Anlong Natural Pyramid (Next to S210, Free admission, distant view of the karst cone peak, sunset on the stone surface after 4:30 PM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
· Highlights: Donghu is less crowded and cooler than Zhaodi; the pyramid doesn't require climbing, just taking silhouette photos of the "Guizhou version of Angkor Wat" from the roadside~⛰️
· Cost: Free admission.
· How to do it: Go after dinner, without walking down the steep bank.
🗺️ Travel Itinerary (3-day slow travel version, July-August lotus season)
Day 1: First Impression of Lotus City, Sunset over Red Walls
· Morning: Arrive at Anlong Station from Guiyang High-Speed Railway → Bus/Taxi to the outskirts of Zhaodi. Go to Longwumao Rice Noodles on Shuncheng Street for brunch: spicy cold rice noodles with Sichuan peppercorn oil (5-11 yuan) (only open until 12 pm!).
· Afternoon: 🔥12:30-15:30 (Hottest time: sleep/binge-watch TV at the hotel/linger in the air-conditioned Yongli Palace (finish visiting the palace and the Tomb of the Eighteen Gentlemen at 9 am)!)
· Evening: Take photos of the sunset over the lotus pond at Banshan Pavilion on Zhaodi → stroll around Green Sea Red City Square → eat Siwawa (a type of steamed bun) + golden mini potatoes + braised food (about 30 yuan) → rest early.
Day 2: Slow Stroll Through the Ancient Village & Morning Light in the Old Alley
· Morning: 7:30 am: Go to Zhaodi to take more photos of the morning mist and lotus flowers → 9:30 am: Return to Chengbishan Academy for photos → buy Zhanji Shagao/Wa'ergao (a type of steamed rice cake) on Caozhi Street.
· Afternoon: 15:30 : Share a ride to Datang/Naxi → stroll through the stilted houses → 17:00: Leave the village.
· Evening: Return to the city's youth entrepreneurship market for Erkuai Ba (a type of rice cake) stir-fried with cured pork, chicken oil noodles, and lotus root starch dumplings → early rest (chicken oil is a must-try during the peak season for chicken mushrooms in July and August).
Day 3: Wetland Leisure & Return Trip
· Morning: Wake up naturally → stroll in Donghu Wetland → buy (Erkuai Ba/chicken oil/sand cake) at the farmers' market → eat beef noodles and Chongchong Gao (a type of rice cake) → buy souvenirs → take the high-speed train back.
🍜 Food Recommendations (Must-Eat List - Eat in order of the old street!)
1. Spicy Cold Rice Noodles (Long Wu Mao/Xiuping Road Old Shop - Thin rice noodles cut into strips with scissors + spicy oil + crispy soybeans + houttuynia cordata + tomato sour soup - Vegetarian 5 yuan / Minced meat 11 yuan - The soul of Anlong breakfast) & Beef Rice Noodles (Beef bone broth + local yellow beef + spicy sauce - 10-15 yuan) & Chongchong Cake (Steamed rice cake + brown sugar - 2-5 yuan) 🥣
· Special Features: The rice noodles are smooth, chewy, and have a layered sour and spicy flavor that surpasses cold rice noodles. Long Wu Mao's 5 yuan price hasn't increased in 20 years, making it a living fossil!
· Cost: Rice noodles 5-11 yuan, rice noodles 10-15 yuan.
2. Erkuai Ba (red-hulled late-season rice, steamed and pounded twice, cut into strips and cooked in sweet wine/stir-fried with cured meat, 15-20 yuan/serving, sticky but not greasy) & Siwawa (thin pancake wrapped with ten kinds of shredded vegetables + spicy and sour dipping sauce, 15 yuan/person) & Zhanji Shagao + Waergao (5-10 yuan/box) 🥢
· Reminder: Choose the stir-fried cured meat version of Erkuai Ba for a better taste with rice, and take the Shagao home as a snack~
· Cost: Erkuai Ba 15-20 yuan, Siwawa 15 yuan.
3. Buyi Lotus Feast (Summer Limited Edition: Steamed Pork with Lotus Leaf/Fried Lotus/Stewed Chicken with Lotus Seeds, Small Portion NT$40-60, Farmhouse near Zhaodi) & Spicy Chicken with Glutinous Rice Cake (Small Portion NT$40, AA system) & Chicken Oil Rice (Fresh Chicken Oil from July-August, Small Bottle NT$30-50) 🐂
· Recommendation: Order only two items from the Lotus Feast to avoid waste. The chicken oil rice is incredibly delicious!
· Cost: Small portion of the Lotus Feast NT$40-60.
4. Anlong Erkuai Ba (Vacuum-packed NT$10-20/box) & Chicken Oil (Small Bottle NT$30-50) Souvenirs (Zhanji Sand Cake/Red Oil Rice Noodle Packet/Buyi Embroidered Handkerchief) 🎁
· Recommendation: Buy the "Lotus Pastry Gift Box" at the old grocery store/farmers market on Datong Road (not at the Zhaodi entrance, where it's overpriced by 3 times). 💡 Tips
· Weather: July-August daytime 24-28℃ / evening 18-20℃ ⛈️☀️, many mosquitoes at the lotus pond! SPF50+ sunscreen + light jacket (cool evening breeze at Zhaodi) + folding umbrella + mosquito repellent + non-slip shoes (slippery stone embankment), frequent showers, but the lotus flowers are more vibrant~
· Ironclad rule for escaping the heat: ❄️ Strictly avoid staying in hotels/palaces from 12:30-15:30. Go to Zhaodi before 7:30 am or leave Banshanting/Datang after 16:30! Midday sun reflection on the lotus surface + double the UV damage.
· Transportation: ✅ Take the High-Speed Rail to Anlong Station (don't buy a ticket for Xingyi Station by mistake), then take the Zhaodi Special Line bus for NT$3; you can walk to Zhaodi/Tomb of the Eighteen Gentlemen/Imperial Palace/Bishan Academy; a shared taxi to Datang costs NT$30; Zhaodi is temporarily exempt from the NT$15 entrance fee, but don't trust mobile vendors offering "internal fees."
· Cultural Respect: At the Tomb of the Eighteen Gentlemen, don't make noise or step on the stone steps; at the Imperial Palace, don't touch the dragon pillars; in the Buyi Village, don't enter private courtyards or step on the hearth; smile before taking a picture of an elderly woman; when wearing Hanfu, don't step on the lotus pond.
· Shopping: Buy rice noodle packets/erkuai (rice cakes) at the farmers' market; the "3 boxes of chicken cakes for 9.9" in the old town are mostly fake; genuine chicken oil, fresh in July-August, small bottles cost NT$30 or more.
Anlong is truly a "22°C Nanming Lotus City overshadowed by Xingyi"—it has the evening breeze of Zhaodi, red oil rice noodles, the red walls of Yongli, and the aroma of crispy rice cakes. It's only 1.5 hours from Guiyang, but the summer temperature is 25°C and the prices are surprisingly affordable. Bring a light jacket and relax in Anlong, my darlings!