7:00 – 17:00 (Off-season: Jan 1 – Mar 31; Peak season: Apr 1 – Dec 31)

Enter the expressway at Nanbaixiang, then pass through Fenshuiguan, Fuding and Taimu Mountain, before exiting the highway at Zhangwan Interchange shortly before Ningde City (highway toll: 120 RMB). After exiting, turn right and drive straight for a while until you spot road signs for the Baishuiyang Scenic Area. Turn right again and travel roughly 10 kilometers to Badu Toll Station (toll fee: 6 RMB; this marks the start of the 83-kilometer Pingnan Secondary Highway). The subsequent 83 kilometers consist entirely of winding mountain roads. Traffic volume is light, yet the continuous twists and turns easily cause driver fatigue. Keep heading toward Pingnan County Town the whole time.

After the mountain roads, you will reach downtown Pingnan. The stately county government building comes into view before entering the town. Two hundred meters further lies a large roundabout:

It is recommended to refuel fully at the Fu’an Service Area beforehand.

Yuanyang Stream Scenic Area is located in the northeast of Pingnan County, Ningde, Fujian Province, 30 kilometers from the county seat, at the junction of Pingnan, Zhouning and Zhenghe counties. Covering a total area of 78.8 square kilometers, it is China’s sole designated Mandarin Duck Reserve to date. Mandarin ducks are Class II State Protected Wild Animals and beloved ornamental waterfowl.

Stretching 14 kilometers, Yuanyang Stream is surrounded by deep, dense forests that create a tranquil habitat ideal for mandarin ducks. Every autumn, hundreds to thousands of mandarin ducks migrate south from northern China to spend the winter here. Mandarin ducks have been spotted along this waterway for more than a century, earning Pingnan the reputation of “Hometown of Mandarin Ducks”.

The Baishuiyang Tourist Zone sits on the upper reaches of Yuanyang Stream and ranks among the four core scenic zones of the stream. Beyond the numerous waterfalls and grottoes lining both banks, the most breathtaking sight is the “Ten-Li Water Street”. Formed by three flat giant stone slabs lying beneath the water surface, the largest slab alone spans 40,000 square meters. When visitors walk across it, the water only covers their insteps. The shimmering sunlight turns the whole expanse bright white, hence the name “Baishuiyang (White Water Flat)”. The wide, level surface of Baishuiyang allows cycling and even car driving. A natural slide over 50 meters long lies downstream; sliding down bare skin causes no abrasion, giving it the moniker “natural surfing pool”.

The Yuanyang Stream Core Tourist Zone serves as the central attraction of the entire waterway. Famous for its wild mandarin ducks, macaques and rare flora, it integrates diverse natural landscapes including streams, waterfalls, peaks, rock formations, caves, deep pools and mist into one exceptional comprehensive scenic spot. Its signature highlight is the Hundred-Zhang Water Curtain Cave, ranked first among China’s five great water curtain caves. It features a huge drop, broad waterfall curtain, abundant year-round water flow that never dries up, and visitors can walk inside the cave to gaze upward at the pouring waterfall curtain.