Wuyuan
Every March/April, Wuyuan County, Jiangxi Province, China has blankets of rapeseed blossoms that bloom for only a period of 10 days. The vibrant lush fields not only compliment the surrounding scenery, but also the picturesque traditional Chinese villages around the county. This part of China is exactly what you think of when you dream of Chinese history.
Likeng village, one of the more touristic villages in Wuyuan, has stalls of local street food and shops filled with Jiangxi snacks. Numerous restaurants along the canal serve fresh carp from the river and the traditional village is perfectly complimented by Chinese lanterns after sundown.
I can imagine Jiangling village is only really visited when the flowers are in bloom because the only thing I actually remember from the village is the rolling hills of rapeseed blossoms and local villagers selling plastic bags for our feet. However, upon reflection, perhaps it’s just as beautiful when blanketed in lush green grass. You typically take a bus to the top of the village and then work your way down into the fields. In the fields, you can find random statues of The Monkey King folktale and random sculptures perfectly arranged for photo opportunities.
Huangling village seemed almost designed completely for tourism. You pay to go into the scenic zone and then you are able to wander as you desire. There were many cafes, shops, restaurants, hotels, and the odd house. It was bustling and full of Chinese tour guides waving their flags and shouting at the flocks of tour groups which are mostly pushing you through the alleys. Some buildings were historically significant and there was even an upside down house in the village.
To get here, we took the train to Wuyuan Station and outside the station, there were many taxis and minibuses. We directed them to our hotel and then hired taxis to take us around for the day we spent there.
