April Zhejiang Weekend Getaways | One per Week, Exploring Niche Destinations

| One per week, exploring niche destinations. Ancient villages, seas of flowers, islands, and mountains—there's something to cure your mini-holiday blues.
🌸 Spring Limited Edition: Secret Flower Havens
1. Kaihua, Quzhou – Taihui Mountain
- Highlights: The "Potala Palace" of Jiangnan, with terraced canola flower fields reaching into the clouds in April, and picturesque village houses.
- Activities: Watch the misty flower fields from the "Viewing Platform" in the early morning, hike the ancient village of "Gaotenkeng" (a stargazing spot).
- Eat & Stay: Taste Kaihua clear water fish and river snails at a farmhouse, and stay in a rammed earth homestay on the hillside.
- Transportation: 3-hour drive from Hangzhou, or 1.5 hours by chartered car from Quzhou High-Speed Rail Station.
2. Yunhe, Lishui – Terraces
- Highlights: The largest terraced fields in East China, with the "Sky Mirror" reflecting the glow of the sky during the April irrigation period.
- Activities: Watch the sea of clouds at sunrise from Qixingdun, and explore the ancient She ethnic village of Baiyin Valley (Kenggen Stone Village).
- Tips: Clouds and mist are common after rain; drone aerial photography is even more stunning.
🏮 Ancient Charm of Jiangnan: Niche Ancient Towns
3. Shaoxing – Anchang Ancient Town
- Highlights: An uncommercialized water town, where awning boats glide through the sauce-scented corridors in April.
- Must-try: Take a boat ride and listen to the oars, buy fermented bean curd from Renchang Sauce Garden, and eat rice wine steamed buns with sausages.
- Night tour: When the lanterns light up, take long-exposure shots of the small bridges and flowing water.
4. Ningbo – Qiantong Ancient Town
- Features: An ancient village with a Ming Dynasty Bagua water system, where white walls and black tiles are reflected in pear blossoms in April, and the filming location of the movie The Hairdresser.
- Activities: Listen to the stories of the Tong family's old house, "Qunfeng Zanhut," and taste the three treasures of Qiantong (old tofu, hollow tofu, and spiced dried tofu).
⛰️ Mountain Healing: Hiking and Oxygenating
5. Tiantai, Taizhou – Huading Mountain
- Limited Scenery: Thousand-year-old azaleas bloom at the end of April, with ancient trees and seas of flowers like pink clouds.
- Hiking Route: Huading Temple → Azalea Forest → Baijing Platform (easy hike, 2 hours, beginner-friendly).
- Nearby Attractions: Remnants of the Sui Dynasty plum blossoms at Guoqing Temple, and the "Highest Waterfall in China" at Tiantai Mountain Waterfall.
6. Huzhou – Mogan Mountain
- Spring Fun: New green bamboo forests, experience digging spring bamboo shoots and tea picking in April, and stay in a designer homestay with a private hot spring.
- Secret Realm Recommendation: Xiantan Village Art Museum, and the "Little Jiuzhaigou" at Dadouwu Reservoir.
🌊 Island Romance: Blue Overture
7. Zhoushan – Gouqi Island
- April Advantages: Fewer tourists, stay in a sea-view room for a hundred RMB, and taste the delicious seafood before the mussel season.
- Must-see: Shanhai Qi Guan to watch the sunset, and explore the mysterious Green Field Wonderland uninhabited village (more mysterious when the ivy is not completely green).
- Transportation: Drive from Shanghai/Hangzhou to Shenjiawan Pier, then take a 2-hour ferry.
8. Wenzhou – Nanji Island
- Highlights: One of the most beautiful islands in China, with wildflowers blooming on the Sanpanwei Grand Lawn in April, like a grassland on the sea.
- Activities: Hike along the coastline and stay at the Mitu Houlong Cave Hotel (Türkiye-style cliff stone house).
🍃 Spring Travel Tips
- What to Wear: The temperature difference is large in mountainous areas, so bring a windproof jacket; it is recommended to wear cotton/linen or Hanfu in ancient towns for photos.
- Avoid Crowds: Arrive at popular attractions before 8 am on weekends to capture empty scenes.
- Food Radar:
- Shaoxing: Yellow wine popsicle, drunken crab
- Taizhou: Egg white sheep tail, wheat shrimp
- Zhoushan: Scallion oil swimming crab, seafood noodles
✨ Zhejiang in April is like God's overturned palette. Choose a direction and set off to turn your weekend into poetry and faraway places.