How to Arrange Your Travel Itinerary in Jiujiang

This itinerary covers top downtown attractions in Jiujiang plus Dragon Palace Cave, a well-known nearby scenic spot. It can be added as a wonderful extra extension before or after your Lushan trip.

Day 1: Suojiang Tower → Xunyang Tower → Jiujiang Yangtze River Bridge → Pipa Pavilion → Gantang Lake (Yanshui Pavilion) → Dragon Palace Cave

Morning After arriving in Jiujiang by train, take Bus No.5 or No.23 downtown to Suojiang Tower. The tower is the landmark of Jiujiang, with a spiral wooden staircase inside for climbing. A short walk away stands Xunyang Tower. You can enjoy the lake and river scenery here. Standing on the upper floor, you will see the surging Yangtze River veiled in mist, bringing great peace of mind. Keep walking along the river to reach Pipa Pavilion. It sits at the southern end of Jiujiang Yangtze River Bridge and features classic Chinese garden architecture. The great poet Bai Juyi wrote Song of the Pipa Player and Song of Everlasting Sorrow right here. You will be fully immersed in the poetic scene and reluctant to leave.

Afternoon After lunch, take Bus No.16, 101, 102 or 103 and get off at Yanshui Pavilion Stop for Gantang Lake. In the Three Kingdoms period, this lake served as a naval base for the Eastern Wu Kingdom. The islet in the middle was once the reviewing platform for Zhou Yu, a famous military general of Eastern Wu. Focus your visit on the Yanshui Pavilion complex. Later, take a coach from Jiujiang Bus Station to Pengze County and transfer to Dragon Palace Cave. The cave gets its name because it closely resembles the East China Sea Dragon Palace depicted in the classic novel Journey to the West. Stretching 2,700 metres, it is filled with stalactites, stone curtains and stalagmites. Key sightseeing areas include the Front Hall, Corridor, East Palace, West Palace and Main Palace. Overnight at Dragon Palace Hotel.

Picturesque lakes and mountains make this a perfect leisure getaway.

Day 1: Yunju Mountain → Zhenru Temple Day 2: Zhelin Lake

Day 1 Tour Yunju Mountain Scenic Area, home to Zhenru Temple, one of China’s three model Buddhist monasteries. The area boasts abundant cultural relics and natural landscapes. Stay overnight at a resort or farmhouse inside the scenic zone.

Day 2 Take a boat tour around Zhelin Lake with a one-ticket entry priced at 35 RMB per person. Highlights include Asia’s largest earth dam, Peach Blossom Island, Adventure Park, Haihun Scenic Zone, Water Margin City, Golden Monkey Island, Hundred-Bird Island and Folk Culture Village.

Take a bus from Guling Street, get off at Flower Path after passing Heavenly Bridge. Stroll along the flower-lined path to Splendid Valley, then visit Immortal’s Cave nearby. Afterwards, take a bus to Great Heavenly Pool. Walk down the stone steps for hundreds of metres to admire Dragon Head Cliff, then continue on foot to the Suspension Bridge. Ride the cable car back to the entrance of Great Heavenly Pool, then take a bus to Stone Gate Gorge. After the tour, head back to Guling Street by bus.

Dining Most tourists dine at their accommodation. Restaurants in the town offer similar value for money. Plenty of eateries and farm restaurants are available next to the Central Garden.

Accommodation As a famous summer resort, Lushan has well-developed accommodation. Guling Town is the central hub for dining, lodging and sightseeing. The most distinctive stays are century-old villas hidden deep in woods, though they come with high prices. You can also choose from hotels, guest houses and farm inns for all budget levels. Guling Street is recommended for the best cost performance.

After breakfast, head to Hanpo Pass, one of China’s nine top sunrise viewing sites and the best spot on Lushan to watch the dawn. It lies between Hanpo Peak and Hanyang Peak, forming a huge gap that looks as if it could scoop up all the water from Poyang Lake at the foot of the mountain. Five Elders Peak rises straight from Poyang Lake to the sky, boasting the most magnificent and precipitous views on the whole mountain. Only here can you truly catch the authentic charm of Lushan. The Three-Tiered Spring Waterfall further ahead is a fairyland on earth. The poet Li Bai once marvelled at the scene: Its torrential waters plunge three thousand feet, As if the Silver River fell from heaven’s height. A trip to Lushan would be incomplete without seeing this wonder.

Dining Have breakfast on Guling Street before departure. When you descend from Five Elders Peak before visiting the waterfall, walk roughly 100 metres from the Three-Tiered Spring parking lot toward the fifth peak and turn left. There you will find farm restaurants serving local dishes. Have dinner back at Guling Street in the evening.

Accommodation You may stay another night on the mountain or return to downtown Jiujiang.

First visit Xunyang Tower to enjoy the grand view of the Yangtze River. Then head to White Deer Cave Academy to soak up traditional culture. In the afternoon, travel to Dragon Palace Cave in Pengze County, Jiujiang. Dozens of small inns cluster around the cave with low prices: most cost around 20 RMB per night, and the most expensive ones are no more than 80 RMB. No star-rated hotels are available here. After touring the cave, you can continue to nearby Stone Bell Hill in Hukou County.

Dining Have lunch downtown and dinner near Zhelin Lake Scenic Area.

Accommodation Return to downtown Jiujiang or stay overnight in Hukou County.

Spend your final day enjoying the fresh scenery of Zhelin Lake. The lake is named after Zhelin Town, the site of Asia’s largest earth-fill hydropower dam. It features 997 islands of varied shapes and sizes, among which Peach Blossom Island, Golden Monkey Island and Peacock Island are the most famous. The countless green islets scattered across the water form a spectacular world-class landscape. This beautiful and mysterious area boasts unique natural resources that make it a rare treasure. Vast blue water stretches as far as the eye can see, dotted with thousands of lush green islands. Countless nameless islets emerge and disappear amid the ripples, surrounded by rolling mountains and towering ancient trees covered in thick greenery