Mount Wuyi
Discover Mount Wuyi
Mount Wuyi (武夷山 Wǔyíshān) is a very popular scenic area in Nanping prefecture, Fujian Province, China. Attractions include mountains much like those at Guilin, temples and other historic buildings, and raft rides down a sensational river canyon. The area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its natural environment and for its culture. It is also famous for tea.
Taste of Mount Wuyi...
Lots of restaurants list the prices per pound which will add up to quite a lot! The menu is mixed for prices per dish and you might not notice when you order. This is true for pheasant, rabbit and other rarities including bear and the expensive fish. The pheasants are only killed for you and you are probably expected to eat the entire animal. The restaurants in the Wuyi Resort area are overpriced and very oily with the dishes not being particularly good. There is not much choice for local food but it is not recommended to seek out the "土家" restaurants. Some motorcycle touts are in cahoots with these restaurants and will drop you off expecting you to go there, playing innocent about "oh I thought you said you want to eat dinner". Ask the price before you order if you eat in any restaurants without menu given to you! Go into real town in the evenings (20:00 is good) when the local food stands make nice Fujian dishes for just a few ¥ although a little less sanitary than you might expect. For non-local fast food, there are a Dico's (hamburg chain) and KFC in the resort area. If you are avoiding the local restaurants (see above) then it might just be this or bread from the supermarkets and bakeries (which are also not very good). There is an occasional bike race which will close the park partially, most likely the entire north side. You can probably still be in the park but the buses do not run at that time and the prices in town might be a little bit higher at the time.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Mount Wuyi into what it is today.
Various court officials, poets and scholars have lived here. It was a famous retreat for such folk. Ancient volcanic landscape that millions years of erosion has transformed into a maze of gorges, precipes and caves. Unearthly. Lots of snakes, including many preserved in restaurants or pharmacies in town — snakes pickled in wine are a traditional Chinese medicine. You may notice that bird song is less common than in other places in China; this is mainly due to snakes. Going off the beaten path in forest areas without a guide is not recommended. To get into the main body of the park, it costs ¥140 for 1 day, ¥150 for 2 days and ¥160 for 3 days. You must purchase tickets for the bus along with the entry tickets: ¥70, ¥85, or ¥95 for 1, 2, or 3 days, respectively. You can purchase the rafting separately for ¥130 per person and pick a time. There are only 8 times to go rafting and on weekends it can be very busy. A package deal for 2 days of tour and rafting is ¥365 per person. There are student tickets available if you bring a valid student ID (although validity is not checked thoroughly), bringing the price for the 3-day ticket (including bus, excluding rafting) down to ¥145. You can do everything in one day if you rush, but two days is more relaxed and enjoyable. There is a ticket counter near the (closed) middle entrance, in downtown Wuyi. This is operated by a tour operator, and they charge ¥25 extra for tickets....
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsTo get into the main body of the park, it costs ¥140 for 1 day, ¥150 for 2 days and ¥160 for 3 days. You must purchase tickets for the bus along with the entry tickets: ¥70, ¥85, or ¥95 for 1, 2, or 3 days, respectively. You can purchase the rafting separately for ¥130 per person and pick a time. There are only 8 times to go rafting and on weekends it can be very busy. A package deal for 2 days of tour and rafting is ¥365 per person. There are student tickets available if you bring a valid student ID (although validity is not checked thoroughly), bringing the price for the 3-day ticket (including bus, excluding rafting) down to ¥145. You can do everything in one day if you rush, but two days is more relaxed and enjoyable. There is a ticket counter near the (closed) middle entrance, in downtown Wuyi. This is operated by a tour operator, and they charge ¥25 extra for tickets....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
The area is split into 3 parts: Park Area (South and North) in the western part, Resort (like a city with lots of tea shops, not the actual city!) in the eastern part, and the City to the north of the resorts. You can buy tickets and switch to the shuttle bus network at the 27.6886117.98955 North Gate or the busier 27.6282117.98126 South Gate, or conceivably also the 27.6416117.91947 West Gate at the start of the rafting. Public transit buses run through parts of the park (e.g. past Wuyi Palace), so it is possible to find yourself at a tourist bus stop without the required ticket. You will be directed to the nearest park entrance to buy it, and they'll generally let you ride the shuttle to get there. The local tourist agency can provide a guide and driver for a fee. You will get to see much more than just hiking on your own if you do know where to go and would only stop at the bus stops but you can also organize this yourself.
Where to Stay
There is an occasional bike race which will close the park partially, most likely the entire north side. You can probably still be in the park but the buses do not run at that time and the prices in town might be a little bit higher at the time. Not many tourists come to see this but the crew will fill up more hotels. Camping is not allowed in the park. If you get found someone might kick you out of the park area. As the area has snakes you might not want to consider doing this anyway. The area of the park stretches further than the bus stop locations but the pretties part is within the rafting to the north gate. Do not hike outside the paths as the area has many snakes, some rather large too (rare, as they would probably be caught for medicinal uses already), and cliffs. The area is otherwise very safe. People are very friendly and touts are merely annoying. The staff of the park are helpful and emergency staff is available in case of accidents.
Money & Budget
The area is famous for tea. A small pack costs a few yuan and comes in several containers. The tea is generally the same but is filled by the shop itself fresh so that is why you might see slight variations as well. The big gift packs cost more just for the nice design. The prices at the Dahongpao valley are high; buy it in the resort area for a decent price. Prices for tea in China are rather like prices for wines in the West; there is plenty of reasonable stuff at decent prices, but something that is either top-quality or rare can be quite expensive, and a product that is both may cost a phenomenal amount. The record is held by some tea off a few bushes halfway up a cliff in the Da Hong Bao valley, bushes whose product was once reserved for the Emperor.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Do not hike outside the paths as the area has many snakes, some rather large too (rare, as they would probably be caught for medicinal uses already), and cliffs. The area is otherwise very safe. People are very friendly and touts are merely annoying. The staff of the park are helpful and emergency staff is available in case of accidents. Fly to another major city from here or take a train to Fuzhou, Xiamen. There are many tours through Fujian that include Wuyi Mountain mid-way through which might be the best way to tour through all Fujian has to offer (by tour bus) such as Fujian Tulou. The high-speed train line continues north to Shangrao, with access to Sanqingshan, then onward to Huangshan, if you haven't had your fill of spectacular rocks.