Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area and Nine-Bend Stream

Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area lies in Wuyishan City, Nanping, in northern Fujian, China, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site listed for both its natural and cultural value. The landscape combines red sandstone peaks, deep gorges and bamboo-lined streams with a long tradition of tea growing, Neo-Confucian scholarship and Taoist retreats. The centrepiece is the Nine-Bend Stream, a winding river threading between steep cliffs, which visitors travel by bamboo raft with a boatman poling downstream for about an hour and a half; the rafting fee is charged on top of the scenic area ticket of about ¥140 for three days. On foot, the Tianyou Peak climb rewards visitors with a view over the bends, while Tiger Roaring Rock and the Great Red Robe tea area show the cliff-top tea bushes that produce the famous Wuyi rock teas, including Da Hong Pao. Boardwalks, stone steps and shuttle buses link the different zones, and many visitors tour the Yunv Peak area and the tea plantations as well. Two days is a comfortable length of stay, though a single long day can cover the raft and one hike. Crowds peak at holidays and summer weekends, when raft queues grow long; early morning starts and weekdays are calmer. March to May and September to November bring comfortable temperatures, while summer is hot and humid and winter can be misty and cool. Wuyishan Airport and Wuyishan East Railway Station are about 20 minutes by taxi from the gates, and the town has a wide range of guesthouses and tea houses where visitors can taste local teas.