[2024 Baokang Attraction] Travel Guide for Yaozhi River Scenic Area (Updated Sep)
Rivers
Address:
Baokang, Xiangyang, Hubei, China
Opening times:
Open today at 08:30-17:30(Admission ends at 16:00)Opening Soon
Recommended sightseeing time:
2-4 hours
Phone:
0710-5069809
Yaozhi River | Exploring the Secret Forest, Hubei's Little Jiuzhai
Yaozhi River Scenic Area is located at the cultural intersection of Shiyan Shennongjia and Xiangyang, and has been rated as one of China's top ten most beautiful leisure villages. It is named in commemoration of Emperor Yao and Danzhu who managed the mountains and waters here. The area is rich in phosphate resources, abundant in water resources, and boasts a unique natural environment.
Transportation: It takes about five hours to drive from Wuhan, which is a bit far. If you are driving to Shennongjia, you can plan a stop here. Alternatively, you can take a high-speed train to Baokang Station, which takes about two hours, and then transfer to a bus for an hour to reach the scenic area.
Location: Yaozhi River Tourist Resort
Features: Yaozhi River Tourist Scenic Area has many attractions, including Yao Emperor Divine Gorge, Three Realms Cave, Old Dragon Palace, Agricultural Culture Museum, China Phosphate Museum, and Cave Wine Cellar. Personally, I think the most distinctive ones are Yao Emperor Divine Gorge and Three Realms Cave.
Yao Emperor Divine Gorge:
Yao Emperor Divine Gorge has three lakes, five gorges, and seven gardens. The entire route is lined with green trees, streams, and small waterfalls. The scenery is beautiful, and the further you go, the bluer the water becomes. There is a section near the phosphate mine where the water is a large area of blue, exactly like Tiffany blue, a rare water color. The water quality is clear, breaking away from the usual color of mountain streams, making it look like a fairyland.
Three Realms Cave:
It is said that 100 million yuan was invested to create this attraction, which includes the Heavenly Realm, Mortal Realm, and Underworld (it takes about 1-2 hours to explore). It is built based on the unique geological features of Yaozhi River's mine caves and is mainly themed around some mythological stories and simulated natural landscapes. The Underworld might be slightly terrifying, simulating various tortures of hell, so those who are timid should enter with caution.
Accommodation: Yunling Holiday Homestay, located inside the scenic area, offers many room types to choose from.
Food and Drink: There is not much commercial development here, and there are no small vendors. Villagers' homes offer farmhouse meals, allowing you to experience local specialty dishes.
AUW. Leo 2308
Xiangyang in Hubei is a nice summer resort area
🏨 Baokang Yaozhi River Resort Area
🚉Transportation Strategy:
It takes 2 hours by highway (exit at Yaozhi River exit) plus half an hour of mountain road driving (the road condition is very good, with two lanes for easy passing) to reach the parking lot at the entrance of Yaozhi River Resort Hotel
🍽Dining Recommendations:
You can have lunch at the hotel at noon, or continue driving along the road inside Yaozhi River, where there are many farmhouses available for dining.
👍Most Recommended:
Check into the hotel (package deal of 398 includes hotel stay and double scenic area tickets), the hotel environment is really nice, great experience (annual cardholders can also choose farmhouses and homestays at the entrance of Sanjie Dongtian, as well as independent cottages)
🗓Itinerary:
Day One
Visit Laolong Cave at 3 pm, it's a large karst cave, super cool inside and very suitable for summer heat escape!
If you want to experience the mountain slide, you can park your car at the Sanjie Dongtian entrance parking lot and take the slide up the mountain. It is recommended to drive directly to the Laolong Cave parking lot for a better experience!
By 17:00 it's basically cooled down, you can go to the glass viewing platform for photos (you will see it when driving down from Laolong Palace, make sure to park your car in a safe place before walking there)
For dinner, you can go to a farmhouse, ending the first day's itinerary
Day Two
Have breakfast at the hotel (try to be as early as possible, if it's late, you can only have noodles)
At 9:00, visit Yaodi Shenxia, it's not hot in the morning and very comfortable, you can wear light-colored clothes for better photos, the water in front is green, and near the exit, the water turns blue, which is really beautiful!
At 11:00, after finishing the meal, you can start the return trip. There is a country cottage on the mountain top (beautiful scenery but expensive dishes) or you can eat at the hotel and take a rest before leaving.
If you have good physical strength, you can continue to visit the Sanjie Dongtian scenic area and return after playing!
griffin_9506
Baoke | A summer retreat that 90% of people in Hubei don't know about
| A summer retreat that 90% of people in Hubei don't know about. What a surprise!!!
I found our own little Jiuzhaigou in Hubei! The green mountains and clear waters, the streams gently flowing, coming here
instantly makes you feel relaxed, leaving all troubles behind and fully enjoying the pleasure of hiking
📍Detailed address: Yaozhi River Village, Maqiao Town, Xiangyang City.
🚉Travel strategy: If driving, just take the highway directly to Yaozhi River exit. Don't foolishly get off the highway at Dianya and then take the national road; the road is well maintained, but it's full of twists and turns, and those who have never driven on mountain roads might get carsick. (We went from Dianya because we visited Jiulu Fort first before heading to Yaozhi River)
Accommodation: If not driving, it's convenient to stay at the Yaozhi River Resort Hotel, and the hotel's ticket package is quite cost-effective. If driving, stay in Yanya Town, where there are many hotel options with good environments and reasonable prices. It's only a half-hour drive from the town to the scenic area, and you can also experience the Yaozhi River Tunnel (the tunnel is dark and low, without lights, so you need to turn on your car lights).
Sightseeing: After arriving at the scenic area, make sure to follow the signs so you don't go the wrong way; there's a fork in the road that leads to the Old Dragon Palace in Sanjie in winter. Actually, this blue water is not far from the entrance of the scenic area, just walk upstream. But the scenic area will ask you to buy a ticket for a shuttle that takes you to the upper stream and lets you walk down along the riverbank (if you can't walk anymore, you can call the driver to pick you up) for about five kilometers, which is quite tiring mainly because going downstairs is hard on the knees. If you just want to take photos, you can ask the scenic area if you can go directly to the blue pool without taking the shuttle, which is the most effortless. I felt it was worth it after walking for a long time and finally seeing such beautiful pool water. Of course, taking the shuttle allows you to experience passing through a pitch-black tunnel. This might also be considered an attraction! After all, private cars can't drive in, and probably wouldn't dare to, as there are too many tunnels without lights.
Summer is really suitable for visiting, it's very cool in the mountains, even a bit cold.
📝Tips:
1. It's particularly cool in the mountains, a great place to escape the heat
2. The blue river water is super beautiful, and on a good day, you can see Tiffany blue
3. The scenic area is very large, I personally recommend taking the sightseeing car, 10 yuan per person
4. There are many attractions in the scenic area, such as the Old Dragon Palace, Sanjie Cave Heaven, Emperor Yao's Divine Gorge...
5. The scenery of Emperor Yao's Divine Gorge is truly stunning!!!! The whole sightseeing trip takes about 2-3 hours
6. There is a big temperature difference between morning and evening, so you can bring a jacket
7. There are many mosquitoes in the mountains, bring mosquito repellent
_TI***c7
Baokang Yaozhi River - a fairyland on earth
Canyons and mountains - the location is the Yaozhi River Scenic Area in Baokang County, Xiangyang City. The main attractions of the scenic area include Emperor Yao's Divine Gorge, Old Dragon Palace, and Three Realms Cave Heaven, which are not very far from each other. The gorge is very cool and is especially suitable for summer retreats; it's even a bit cold in May. There are two entertainment facilities, a glass walkway and a slide, but both are quite small.
The water upstream in the gorge is green, while downstream it is blue, like a sapphire hidden in the mountains, very beautiful.
Navigation: Yaozhi River Tourist Area Visitor Center Parking Lot, which can be reached directly (free of charge). The mountain road has eighteen bends, and it takes more than an hour to get there from Baokang County. It is mostly self-driving tourism, and I didn't see any buses.
Attractions -
The first stop is Emperor Yao's Divine Gorge (free with the Xiangyang annual pass), located opposite the visitor center. After exchanging tickets at the visitor center, take a shuttle bus into the scenic area, which can go all the way to the uppermost part of Emperor Yao's Divine Gorge. Walk slowly downstream along the river, there is shade from trees, and the blue river water is beautiful at the end. Along the way, there are attractions like Emperor Yao's Temple and the Rainbow Suspension Bridge to visit, and the scenic area is quite large.
The second stop is the Three Realms Cave Heaven parking lot. During the May Day period, there is a free song and dance drama performance at the square in front of the entrance to Three Realms Cave Heaven.
The interior of Three Realms Cave Heaven is not included in the annual pass. If time and budget allow, you can enter and stroll around. There is a cave on the mountain top that can also be visited. Parking here is quite tight, and it can get congested on holidays.
EmilyMcNeil40
Wow! I've finally found the perfect summer retreat - Yaozhi River
🔻Discovering 'Heaven on Earth', a summer haven in Xiangyang, Hubei|||
We stumbled upon a 'fairyland', walking among it, feeling embraced by 'Mother Nature'. Here, the landscape merges with waterfalls flowing straight down, truly a hidden gem for travelers. Teacher Cheng said: This is the 'Baokang secret realm'.
The area is vast, with many attractions to explore, such as the celestial Yao Emperor Gorge, the unfathomable Old Dragon Cave, the Three Realms Cave that traverses three worlds, and China's first phosphate mine museum focusing on phosphate exhibits... Each one is astonishing. Oh, and it's also a cool haven in the scorching summer.
🔸【Attraction Tips】
1. The attractions cover a large area, so it's recommended to take a sightseeing car or drive yourself, as the spots are quite far apart.
2. It's advised to allocate at least a whole day; we didn't fully experience many attractions in half a day, like the Three Realms Cave (which tells the stories of the heavens, the earth, and the human world, and is an actual mine cave from the past). The staff mentioned it takes about 2.5 hours.
3. The weather can be quite hot under the sun, but it's particularly cool inside the caves, with an average temperature of around 10 degrees Celsius (bring a jacket). So, you can plan your route wisely, like entering the caves at noon to enjoy the coolness, and visiting outdoor attractions in the morning or at sunset to enjoy the beautiful scenery.
4. There aren't many food supply points in the attractions, so it's a good idea to bring your own snacks and water.
5. Since the scenic area is large, it's recommended to wear comfortable shoes.
🔸【Attraction】Yaozhi River Tourist Area
Oliver Cook 890.
Help! A hidden gem for travelers, Yaozhi River!
Family members, do you know? In Hubei, there is a little-known travel treasure land - Yaozhi River! It is known as Hubei's Little Jiuzhaigou, with its heart-soothing Tiffany blue waters, simply a stunning gift from nature!
🚗【Travel Tips】Setting off from Wuhan, it takes a 5-hour drive, but once you arrive at this uncommercialized sanctuary, you'll find it all worthwhile. Alternatively, you can take the high-speed train to Baokang Station, then transfer to a bus, and easily reach Yaozhi River.
🏞【Yaozhi River Features】Yaozhi River tourist resort, a place that combines natural beauty with cultural history. Here you have Emperor Yao's Divine Gorge, Three Realms Cave Heaven, and many other attractions, each one making you linger and forget to return.
💎【Emperor Yao's Divine Gorge】Step into Emperor Yao's Divine Gorge, and you'll be captivated by the natural scenery of three lakes, five gorges, and seven gardens. The water gets bluer as it flows, that touch of Tiffany blue, crystal clear to the bottom, as if you are in a fairyland.
🌌【Three Realms Cave Heaven】The Three Realms Cave Heaven, built with an investment of 100 million, takes you through the realms of heaven, the mortal world, and the underworld. The perfect combination of mythological stories and natural scenery offers you a feast for both the eyes and the soul.
🏡【Accommodation Experience】Yunling Holiday Homestay is located right in the beautiful Yaozhi River scenic area. A variety of room types are available, allowing you to enjoy the natural beauty while having a comfortable accommodation experience.
🍲【Culinary Exploration】Although there is not much commercial development here, the authentic Hubei cuisine of the local farmhouses is definitely not to be missed. Taste the local specialties and feel the local customs of Yaozhi River.
📚【Suggested Bookmark】If you are also looking for a place away from the hustle and bustle, close to nature, Yaozhi River is definitely your best choice. Save this travel guide, and plan your next trip!
Yaozhi River, a place that moves your heart, a secret realm worth exploring for yourself. Come to Yaozhi River, start your journey with nature, and let your soul be thoroughly purified and relaxed.