Taizhou & Linhai

Shenxianju, Tiantai Mountain and Linhai's Taizhou prefectural city wall, plus Qiongtai Fairy Valley and Dachen Island. An off-the-beaten-path mountain-and-sea destination in southeastern Zhejiang with great-value food.

Taizhou (the first character is pronounced “tāi”) lies on the central coast of Zhejiang. Its urban area comprises the Jiaojiang, Huangyan and Luqiao districts, and it governs the cities of Linhai, Wenling and Yuhuan and the counties of Tiantai, Xianju and Sanmen. This destination covers the best mountains and coast within about 100 km of downtown Taizhou (Wenling's Shitang, Changyu Caves and Fangshan are already included in the neighboring Yandang Mountain destination).

There are four main areas to explore: ① Xianju: the 5A-rated Shenxianju scenic area with its high-altitude walkways and Ruyi Bridge, plus Jingxing Rock, Gaoqian ancient village and Potan Ancient Town, and cycling on the Yong'an Stream greenway. ② Tiantai: Guoqing Temple, the ancestral temple of the Tiantai school of Buddhism, Shiliang Waterfall, Qiongtai Fairy Valley and Tiantai Mountain Grand Waterfall, azaleas and sunrise at Huading, Chicheng Mountain, and Jigong's former home. ③ Linhai: the Taizhou prefectural city wall, known as the “Great Wall of the South,” Ziyang Street, East Lake and the Jinshan pagodas, with the anti-pirate fortress town of Taozhu and sunrise-viewing Kuocang Mountain outside the city. ④ Islands and the urban area: Sanmen's Shepan Island, Dachen Island off Jiaojiang, Yuhuan's Daluk Island and Xuanmen Bay Wetland, Luqiao's Shili Street, Huangyan's Jiufeng Park and Fushan Grand Canyon.

The climate is subtropical monsoon, with April–May and September–November the best seasons. Typhoons are frequent from July to September, when island ferries stop and mountain attractions may close temporarily. Winter is mild, good for the old city and sunrise-watching. Getting there: the Hangzhou–Taizhou high-speed railway has Xianju and Tiantaishan stations, about 1 hour from Hangzhou; the Ningbo–Taizhou–Wenzhou railway serves Linhai and Taizhou stations; Taizhou Luqiao Airport has limited flights. Distances between counties and cities are 30–80 km, so a self-drive or chartered car is most convenient. We suggest 4–5 days: 1 day in Linhai's old city, 1 day at Shenxianju and around, 1–2 days at Tiantai Mountain, and 1 day for the islands or the urban area. Be sure to try maixia on Ziyang Street, Taizhou shibingtong, qian cake and Sanmen green crab, and ask the price before ordering seafood.

Top sights

• Taizhou Fucheng City Wall – The Linhai ancient city wall, known as the 'Great Wall of Jiangnan'. It follows the mountains and the river, with horse-face walls and barb…
• Ziyang Street – A thousand-year-old main street in Linhai's ancient town, with 1,080 meters of time-honored shops and snack stalls serving maixia (wheat sh…
• Shepan Island – The 'Island of a Thousand Caves' in Sanmen Bay, with more than a thousand caves left by ancient stone quarrying, a pirate-culture theme, an…
• East Lake of Linhai – A man-made lake from the Song dynasty on the east side of Linhai's old town, where a lakeside pavilion, a stele forest, and the city wall c…
• Jinshan Hill (Linhai) – A small hill in Linhai's old town with twin pagodas and scattered temples. From the summit you can overlook Ziyang Street, the Ling River…
• Taozhu Ancient Town – A Ming-dynasty garrison town built to defend against Japanese pirates. Its city walls, old street, and Guandi Temple are well preserved, an…
• Kuocang Mountain – Home to Mishailang, the highest peak in southeastern Zhejiang. Famous for its ridge of wind turbines and sunrise over sea of clouds, it is…
• Dachen Island – The Upper and Lower Dachen Islands in the outer sea off Jiaojiang, with sea-eroded rock formations, Jiawu Rock, and a memorial site for pio…
• Jiufeng Park – A forest park in Huangyan's urban area, ringed by nine peaks, with temples, a waterfall, and hiking trails. It is a favorite leisure spot f…
• Fushan Grand Rift Valley – A landscape of mountain collapse in the western hills of Huangyan, with caves and crevices formed by stacked boulders that you can crawl th…
• Luqiao Ten-Li Old Street – A thousand-year-old commercial street along the Nanguan River in Luqiao, where stone bridges, riverside steps, and time-honored shops line…
• Dalu Island (Yuhuan) – A forested island off the coast of Yuhuan, with sea-eroded reefs. The main highlight is the rock carvings by Hong Shiqing scattered across…
• Xuanmen Bay National Wetland Park – A coastal wetland created by reclamation at Yuhuan, with reeds, waterways, and bird habitat. Ideal for cycling and birdwatching.

Where to eat

• Xinrongji (Linhai Branch) – A Michelin one-star restaurant in Linhai, the birthplace of Xinrongji, set in a restored villa by Linghu Lake and speci…
• Auntie Tang's Bianshi – A modest Michelin Bib Gourmand shop on Huipu Road in Linhai's old town. For over a decade it has focused on handmade bi…
• Shen Ji Maixia Mianpi Shop – A long-standing maixia shop open for over twenty years, listed in the Michelin Bib Gourmand and popular with locals at…

Itineraries

• East Zhejiang Tang Poetry Road Road Trip – Follow the ancient poetic path through Shaoxing, Xinchang, and Tiantai to Linhai, retracing the steps of ancient poets…
• Zhejiang Province Grand Loop Road Trip – A grand loop covering Hangzhou, southwestern Zhejiang, Lishui, Wenzhou, Taizhou, and Shaoxing, taking you through the p…