Yandang Mountains

Billed as the finest mountain in the southeast, famed for the "Three Wonders" of the Lingfeng night scene, the Lingyan aerial performance and the Dalongqiu Waterfall, with the Fangdong cliff walkway and the fishing village of Shitang in Wenling nearby.

The Yandang Mountains lie in the northeast of Yueqing, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, about 70 km from downtown Wenzhou. A national 5A-rated scenic area and a UNESCO Global Geopark, they are known for rhyolite peaks, waterfalls and caves formed by volcanic eruptions more than 100 million years ago, and are hailed as the "finest mountain in the southeast." The core area is North Yandang: Lingfeng in the east (Hezhang Peak, Guanyin Cave and the night-time silhouettes), Lingyan in the middle (Tianzhu Peak, Zhanqi Peak, the Lingyan aerial performance and Xiaolongqiu), and Dalongqiu in the west (a waterfall about 190 m high). Together they are known as the "Three Wonders of Yandang." Smaller areas nearby include the Fangdong cliff walkway, Sanzhe Waterfall, Xiansheng Gate, Yanhugang and Yangjiao Cave. Farther afield you can add Middle Yandang, Longwantan Forest Park, and in Wenling, Fangshan, the Changyu quarry caves and the fishing village of Shitang. The best seasons are April–June (waterfalls at their fullest after rain) and September–November (crisp autumn air, good for hiking). From July to September typhoons and heavy rain are common and the scenic areas may close temporarily; in winter the waterfalls are thinner but crowds are small. Getting there: Yandangshan Station on the Ningbo–Taizhou–Wenzhou high-speed railway is about 10 km from Lingfeng, and about 2.5–4 hours from Hangzhou and Shanghai; Wenzhou Longwan Airport is about 1 hour away by car. Green tourist minibuses run between the scenic areas, and in the off season we recommend hiring a car. The best place to stay is Xianglingtou, at the entrance to Lingfeng, so you can walk to see the night scene. We suggest 2 days: Day 1, the Lingyan performance in the morning, Dalongqiu in the afternoon, and the Lingfeng night scene in the evening; Day 2, the Fangdong walkway, Sanzhe Waterfall or Xiansheng Gate. With one more day you can visit Fangshan, the Changyu quarry caves and Shitang for sunrise in Wenling. Good to know: Lingfeng, Lingyan and Dalongqiu sell tickets separately (about 45–50 yuan each), and a combined ticket is also available; visitors aged 60 and over and students pay half price, and those aged 70 and over enter free; there are many steps on the mountain paths, so watch for slippery surfaces after rain.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries