Routes

Hot springs tour in central Anhui

Updated: 2011-01-14 13:40

"Hexian Hot Springs/Humble Abode (Lou Shi)/Xiang Yu Shrine" 3-day Winter Tour

Route summary

Experience the large open-air garden hot spring -- Hexian Fragrant Hot Spring;

Visit the Humble Abode

Visit Xiang Yu Shrine built in memory of Xiang Yu, the King of Western Chu;

Taste the local food in Hexian county. Xiangquan Town is a national organic vegetable base and a national first duck town;

No compulsory purchases need to be made and there are no extra charges throughout the trip. The distance between attractions is short. This is truly a relaxing journey;

Itinerary

Day 1 Hefei/Wujiang town/Xiangquan town

Hotel pickup and transfer to Xiangquan town, Hexian county by bus [Fragrant Hot Spring spa Resort] (roughly 2.5hrs drive). Fragrant Hot Springs spa Resort is located in Hexian county, Chaohu city, Anhui province. The resorts most remarkable feature is its Jiangnan-style garden. The resort has been built in the Anhui architectural style, incorporating Chinese history and culture, local culture, royal culture as well as Zen and Buddhist philosophies. At the resorts core lie the open-air hot springs. It also provides catering, accommodation and entertainment facilities. Tourists can have a short rest after check-in, before going to Wujiang town (around 20min’s drive) after lunch, and then continuing onto Xiang Yu’s Shrine. Return to the resort in the evening.

Day 2 Xiangquan town

Should they wish, tourists can take a stroll around the resort in the morning, letting the garden-like environment relax body and soul. After lunch, the afternoon will bring a chance to bathe in the hot springs. Xiangquan town has 6-7 hot springs, each offering water temperatures of 47~50℃ throughout the year. The spring water contains various beneficial minerals, and the bathing areas have been artistically designed and reasonably distributed. There are more than 30 characteristic hot spring pools varying in size, including: the beauty care pools, Prince Pool, Qinxin Garden, Four-season Pool, spa, Supreme Spring and Geothermal Belt. What could be more pleasant than soaking in the hot spring waters while watching the beautiful rural landscape in the distance through a curtain of falling snow!

Day 3 Xiangquan town/Hexian/Hefei

The final day begins with a chance to sleep in, after which breakfast is served and the day’s traveling begins. Visitors head first for Hexian (about 25min’s drive) where they get the chance to visit [Humble Abode] as described in poem "Erudite scholars come in good spirits to talk with me. And among my guests there is no unlearned common man. How could we call a room humble as long as there is a virtuous many in it". Later on, tourists will visit [Zhenhuai Building in the Southern Song Dynasty]. Zhenhuai Building is also known as the "Drum Tower". It is situated opposite the Hexian county People’s Government and was built in the Northern Song Dynasty. Afterwards the group will return to Hefei in the evening for a final farewell.

(chinadaily.com.cn)