Trip Overview
When: June (Dragon Boat Festival holiday - 4 days off)
Duration: 2 days
Travelers: Group of friends from different cities
Budget: ~1,500 RMB (~$210 USD) per person
Transportation: High-speed train from Shanghai to Nanjing South, then metro to Gaochun
Essential Foreigner Info
Getting There: Take high-speed train from Shanghai to Nanjing South Station (G字头高铁, ~1.5 hours), then transfer to Nanjing Metro Line S1 to Gaochun. Alternatively, drive from Shanghai (about 3.5 hours) - parking is easy at scenic spots.
About the Slow City: Yaxi International Slow City (桠溪国际慢城) in Gaochun District is China's first designated "International Slow City." The concept focuses on relaxed living, sustainable tourism, and reconnecting with nature. It's NOT a theme park - it's a philosophy.
Best Time to Visit: June-July for lotus flowers in full bloom. The Dragon Boat Festival (端午) adds local cultural experiences.
Money Matters: Most restaurants and hotels accept mobile payment (Alipay/WeChat Pay). Carry some cash for small vendors at tourist sites.
Day 1: Gucheng Lake Water Slow City
The Dragon Boat Festival long weekend finally arrived - four days off! I'd been craving a proper getaway. Having visited many spots in Zhejiang, I decided to explore Jiangsu instead,锁定南京 (targeting Nanjing) as my destination.
One weekend, I spotted a promotional article about Gucheng Lake Water Slow City (固城湖水慢城) - with lotus flowers that I desperately wanted to photograph. Tickets booked, off I went!
Gucheng Lake Water Slow City (固城湖水慢城)
Address: No. 9, Yinhu Road, Gaochun District, Nanjing (南京市高淳区迎湖路9号)
Hours: 8:30-17:30 (March 1 - October 30); 8:30-17:00 (November 1 - February 28)
How long had it been since I went out for some fresh air? The anticipation was real. I met up with friends we'd hadn't seen in ages, each traveling from their respective cities to converge on Gaochun.
Upon reaching Gucheng Lake Water Slow City, we went straight for the main event: the thousand-acre lotus pond. There are 99 different lotus varieties here - you'll need a whole day to see them all!
Beyond admiring the lotuses, we experienced bamboo rafting through the Hundred Lotus Garden. Each bamboo raft fits 8 people, and sailing through takes about an hour. Pro tip: ask the boatman to steer closer to the lotuses for incredible close-up shots!
The park offers both sightseeing buses and a tourist train - kids absolutely love the train. Riding the little train through the slow city feels wonderfully nostalgic.
Beyond the bamboo rafts, there are also covered boats and those Instagram-famous glass boats - perfect for photos!
This is prime lotus season. Pink lotus flowers bloom gloriously - I was amazed to see white lotuses too!
As our raft glided through, ripples spread across the water while lotus leaves and flowers swayed in the breeze - like a living Chinese landscape painting.
Many visitors came as families - everyone's been cooped up too long and needs fresh air. Besides locals, plenty of tourists came from nearby Nanjing. Driving to Gaochun is most convenient. The sun was blazing, so some visitors used lotus leaves as umbrellas - actually a great hack for shade and staying cool!
Inside the Hundred Lotus Garden, there's also a water obstacle course - a 50-meter water slide with various floating pads and rings. Kids were having an absolute blast. Summer means water play, and what better way to enjoy lotus viewing than tackling the water obstacle course?
The carefree smiles of children are infectious. As they played in the water, parents relaxed in the shade - summer vacation had officially begun!
Where We Ate:
Must-try Gaochun cuisine! At Gucheng Lake Happy Fishing Hotel (固城湖快乐垂钓酒店), we had shrimp滑蒸花甲 (steamed clams with shrimp paste), 花开富贵 (prosperity flower dish), 农家锅巴 (farmer's rice锅巴), and 糖醋藕尖 (sweet and sour lotus root tips). Several dishes incorporated lotus elements!
The 糖醋藕尖 (sweet and sour lotus root tips) - I found them even more tender and crispy than regular lotus root slices!
Have you ever eaten dishes wrapped in lotus leaves? They have a unique lotus fragrance - highly recommended!
Since it was Dragon Boat Festival, they also served us zongzi (glutinous rice dumplings). It was my first time celebrating Dragon Boat Festival with friends - we ate with great gusto!
Since it's called Happy Fishing Hotel, fishing is obviously a thing. After dinner, we watched an exciting fishing competition - everyone's fishing speed was incredible, averaging 2 seconds per fish! Mind-blowing.
Gaochun Old Street (高淳老街)
Every city seems to have an old street, and Gaochun is no exception. This old street was much less crowded than other cities' - we could wander more comfortably. Gaochun Old Street (高淳老街) was built during the Ming Dynasty as the main commercial street in Chunxi Ancient Town. After 500+ years of continuous construction through Ming and Qing dynasties, it now stretches over 800 meters.
Main attractions include: Guanwang Temple, Gaochun Folk Museum, Yang Hall, New Fourth Army First Brigade Headquarters, Gaochun Folk Performance Hall, Old Site of New Fourth Army Office in Gaochun,乾隆古井 (Qianlong Ancient Well), and the Jesuits Church site.
Walking on the bluestone slabs, I stepped into a charming ancient-style bookstore. Picking up a book and reading quietly - it calms the mind instantly.
Beyond lotuses, hairy crabs from Gucheng Lake are also a specialty. Visiting in June-July? Don't miss them!
Where We Stayed:
That night, we stayed at Liuzhouhui City Boutique Hotel (六洲荟城市精品酒店) - a newly opened stylish boutique hotel. The room was spacious with a walk-in closet - very popular with the ladies. The hairdryer in the cabinet is from Xiaomi with excellent quiet performance.
The elegant color scheme suits me perfectly.
The shower has dry-wet separation.
Each guest room also comes with a complimentary fruit plate.
The breakfast was good too - clean and hygienic with all the expected varieties.
Day 2: Yaxi International Slow City
This is China's first "International Slow City" - with electric buggy routes and walking trails. It features seasonal flower seas, thousand-acre red maples, folk culture, plus jungle crossing, tree canopy walking, and other exciting experience projects. It's won numerous awards including China's Human Settlement Environment Example Award, one of China's first characteristic towns, and provincial-level ecotourism demonstration zone.
Recommended Activities: Jungle Crossing, Tree Canopy Walk, Rainbow Slide, Tree Canopy Slide.
Jungle Crossing is a huge hit with kids. Children of all ages wore safety helmets and tackled the course together. I saw an adorable sibling pair - the older brother patiently pulling his younger sister along.
Jungle exploration is great for developing children's perseverance and team spirit.
Beyond kid-friendly activities, there are adult options too. Tree Canopy Walk (树冠漫步) comes highly recommended - consisting of glass walkways and sky bridges, 8-12 meters above ground. The glass walkway is much longer than typical scenic spots - a total of 130 meters with a 5D crack effect. Those not afraid of heights can walk to their heart's content!
Walking among the tree canopy, everything is lush and green, with waterways in the distance.
After the glass walkway, let's try something more thrilling. The Rainbow Slide (彩虹滑道) involves sitting on a tire and sliding down yourself. It looks险 (risky), but just grip the handles and go. The speed increases as you descend - but it's safely controlled. I played it twice!
Originally I didn't want to try the Tree Canopy Slide (树冠滑漂) because I didn't bring spare clothes and was afraid of getting wet. But after hearing it wasn't too thrilling, my two friends and I got in the same boat and set off. Unexpectedly, it got more exciting - the water splash wasn't too big, but when we finally crashed into the river, a wave soaked us all! Fortunately, in summer it dries quickly and we had a great time. Pro tip: best to have 2 people per boat - the impact won't be as strong and you won't get soaked.
If you dream of a reclusive paradise life, don't miss Youzi Mountain Special Rural Village (游子山特色田园乡村). Here you'll find Outside World Coffee (物外咖啡) and Silence Design (不语设计) - never expected to find such distinctive shops in a rural area!
The café is decorated simply but with great artistic flair.
These summer afternoons are perfect for sitting here, ordering coffee, and发呆 (daydreaming) to while away the time.
The design studio also has some special artworks worth viewing.
A very famous TV drama was filmed here in Gaochun's Chunqing Tea Garden - it's 《人民的名义》("In the Name of the People"), China's hit anti-corruption series!
The main produce here is碧螺春 (Bi Luo Chun) - one of China's famous green teas.
Gazing at the tea-covered mountains, your heart naturally calms. During tea-picking season, the whole mountain must be filled with tea fragrance.
Right beside the tea garden is Qingcha Space Tea Culture Experience Hall (青茶空间茶文化体验馆) - a tea house that welcomes foreigners. The owner let us sample several teas. Gaochun's tea water has a fragrant taste that's quite pleasant - we quickly finished a whole pot. Here's something you might not know: in summer, the easiest way to cool down isn't ice water but hot water! Plus tea is healthy, so drink more tea!
In summer, tea houses are also great places to cool down - the clear tea soup is so refreshing to look at.
Alternative Accommodation - B&B Experience:
If you've already tried hotels, consider a B&B experience. Let me recommend one: Xiaomaoshanjiao - Huazhu She Zhengfu Grass Hall (小茅山脚——花筑奢·正福草堂).
The garden entrance has the refinement of a Suzhou garden - I almost forgot I was still in Gaochun.
I sat quietly, appreciating this summer-exclusive scene. This elegant lifestyle is what I long for.
This place is truly perfect for gathering a few close friends or families with kids - everyone becomes close like family.
Another Option - Zhensong Resort Hotel (枕松度假酒店)
If you want to return to nature and be a forest fairy, then head to Zhensong Resort Hotel (枕松度假酒店). This is a Nordic-style luxury forest cabin - Nanjing's most distinctive forest cabin. Trees in the forest, cabins among the trees - designed and built by the Canadian Wood Industry. The hotel has three room types: Forest (林), Woods (木), and Deep Forest (森).
Slow down, savor life. Why not be a snail for once, live a slow-paced life, and return to nature's embrace.
Epilogue: The Slow Life
Slowing down
Discovering life's beauty
Even just wasting time
You can live at your own pace here
Time belongs to me