 The upcoming Chinese New Year falls on January 23, and the official holiday lasts from January 22 to 28. This is a valuable opportunity to seek out some traditional New Year leisure activities, and where better to do this than in “heaven on earth,” Hangzhou and the surrounding areas.
Mountains high Nestled around Tianmu Mountain just outside Lin’an in Zhejiang Province are a number of villages where country life is unchanged in centuries. And many of these villages now cater specifically to tourists, allowing a glimpse of this way of life. Visitors can stay in the villagers’ farmhouses at the weekends. While you’re there you can enjoy local cuisine which specializes in free-range chicken, fresh from the bamboo groves, which is accompanied by home-made fermented liquor. The alcohol is reputed to reduce fatigue. During the Spring Festival holiday, the villagers lay on a number of traditional feasts. Date: Fridays and Saturdays till January 22 Contact: 0571-6387-7081 (Tianmu Mountain tourism office) Route: Take the train to Hangzhou, and then a bus from Hangzhou West Bus Station to Yuqian town in Lin’an city, where you can get on another bus directly to the Tianmu Mountain. Nearby sights: Chanyuan Temple Global Times | December 19, 2011 |
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