Ride the rails to Liyang

The contemporary city is famous for the 18-square-kilometer Tianmu Lake, its 2,330 hectares of bamboo forest and its hot springs, which have been named among the top 10 in China.

The white tea harvested in the spring is arguably the most celebrated local specialty.

The buds are picked just as they're sprouting and are fried in an iron wok.

The brews are light and aromatic. But the flavor dissipates after about two pours.

"It contains less caffeine and more polyphenols than green tea, and offers many health benefits," says a tour guide with the Qiancaixun White Tea Garden.

Liyang is known for its population's longevity. Locals attribute this to their tea-drinking habits and the area's forested landscape.

The settlement's main tea garden is located on a small island in Tianmu Lake, about 7 kilometers from downtown.

Visitors often take a 40-minute scenic boat ride to the island. They disembark to stroll around the rows of tea trees and pick fresh leaves.

A 300-square-kilometer ecological-protection zone surrounds the water body.

The excellent natural environment produces the bighead carp that are a local delicacy.