[2024 Tiantai Attraction] Travel Guide for Huading National Forest Park (Updated Sep)

Gem off the beaten track in Zhejiang⛰️

Nestled in the Tiantai Mountains this lovely Huading National Forest Park. You can drive through it, park and take some easy strolls into the mountainside. There is a lovely azalea terrace, some rice fields and a short walk up the mountain with some nice mountain views. There is a nice temple yet it’s not open to the public but has some of the oldest red spruce trees I’ve seen in China. The road to get there is a nice windy road with gorgeous vistas on either side. Looks like it would be beautiful in the winter full of snow. Would recommend hiring a car to get there as it’s off the beaten track. Tickets are 50rmb each – walks range at 1hour at the most and it’s an easy “hike”.

Huading Rhododendron

Huading Rhododendron, belonging to the Rhododendron genus of the Ericaceae family. It was first discovered in 1990 by botanist Ding Bingyang and others on Huading Mountain in Tiantai County, Zhejiang Province, hence the name Huading Rhododendron. Subsequently, it was also found in places like Linhai City, Zhejiang, and is an endemic species of Zhejiang. It has been listed in the Zhejiang Province Rare and Endangered Plants and the Zhejiang Province Key Protected Wild Plants List (first batch). Huading Rhododendron is a deciduous shrub, up to 4 meters tall, with cracked bark, and flowers before leaves. The flowers bloom in early April, with large and beautiful purplish-red flowers. After flowering, leaves grow, and the tree crown resembles a canopy, making it highly ornamental. Huading Rhododendron is concentrated in Huading National Forest Park, where there are many thousand-year-old rhododendrons that bloom in May every year.

The main peak of Tiantai Mountain is Huading, known for its beautiful peaks, historical relics, famous tea, and exotic flowers

"Tiantai's forty-eight thousand feet seem to lean southeast as if they would topple." Tiantai Mountain is located within the territory of Tiantai County, Zhejiang Province, and is renowned as the origin of Buddhism and Taoism, with enchanting natural scenery. It is a national 5A-level scenic spot, featuring attractions such as Guoqing Temple, Shiliang Waterfall, Tiantai Mountain Waterfall, Qiongtai Xiangu Valley, and Tongbai Palace. Centered around the main peak Huading, the surrounding mountains spread out like lotus flowers, offering both serene and majestic views. Huading is the first stop of the 'travel sage' Xu Xiake's journey to Tiantai Mountain and is also the destination and highlight of the Tang Poetry Road in eastern Zhejiang. Huading Mountain, with an altitude of 1098 meters, is famous for its beautiful peaks, historical relics, famous tea, and exotic flowers. From the summit, one can see layers of peaks surrounding it, like stars around the moon, with green hills and azure peaks filling the view. 'Hua' is the ancient character for 'flower,' and 'Huading' literally means 'Flower Summit.' Visitors naturally come here to enjoy the flowers. However, the lotus-like peaks are not the main attraction; what captures everyone's attention is the rare sight of the 'cloud brocade' rhododendrons. Around May 10th each year is when the cloud brocade rhododendrons of Huading bloom in full glory. At this time, visitors flock to the mountain, and by 8 a.m., the three parking lots in the mountain are often full. The cloud brocade rhododendrons of Huading are large and bright, with thousands of flowers on a single tree, covering a vast area of a thousand acres, looking like brocade and rosy clouds. Their ancient trees, wide coverage, and abundant flowers are rare in the world and are the most famous botanical wonder of Tiantai Mountain. Although the May Day holiday is not the peak blooming period, it has already attracted a large number of tourists to come and enjoy the flowers. 📍Detailed address: Zhejiang Province, Taizhou City, Tiantai County, Shiliang Town, Huading Scenic Area Ticket price: 50 yuan Opening hours: 7:00—17:00 ⏳Time reference: 2-3 hours

Hotel beautifully nestled in the bamboo hills

This quiet and friendly family-owned hotel is gorgeous. It’s called “It’s reported that you have a home stay on a rooftop”. They grow their own vegetables and went out of their way to make our stay really nice. The hotel is nicely situated just ten minutes away from Huading National Forest Park and about 20 minutes from Shiliang Scenic Area. There’s a lovely small walk in the village around all the local vegetable patches and the food they served was delicious. We booked a king panoramic view which had a glorious bath and the hot water was on point. Nice rainwater shower as well with beautiful views overlooking the bamboo hills. The beds and linen were luxurious and super comfy. You can have a bonfire at night and watch the epic stars from the rooftop! The owners are so helpful – would definitely stay again! #tripblazers #CelebrateWithTrip #wintergetaway

Huading National Forest Park is the center of Tiantai Mountain National Scenic Area

In Huading National Forest Park, the dense vegetation holds a huge umbrella for us. The distant mountains are covered with a layer of gauze, and the shadows are smashed in the misty clouds. If you leave. It's like a few light inks, smeared in the blue sky. The mountain has a magnificent style, and the mountain also has a simple character. The mountains are bold and the mountains are handsome. The odd danger is the mountain, the mountain is the mountain, the flat is the mountain, the abrupt is the mountain, the gentle is the mountain, the whistling is the mountain. People live in the mountains, endless life, and breed for generations. Whenever the sun is clear, stand on the top of the sea. Four counts, "the peaks overlap, the mountains have eight." You can go east, look at Qiantang in the north, look at Cang in the west, and Yandang in the south. Eight peaks, such as the blossoming lotus, are all in sight. Huading National Forest Park, enjoy the first sunshine in the morning.

I have seen so many waterfalls