Huaguo Mountain

​Huaguo Mountain​​ (花果山) is a ​​AAAAA-rated​​ destination, celebrated as the inspiration for Journey to the West’s mythical realm. Spanning ​​84.3 km²​​, its 136 peaks—crowned by ​​Yunv Peak​​—combine red granite formations, ancient forests, and cultural relics. The park attracts 3M+ annual visitors for its ​​"three wonders"​​: legends, geology, and ecology.

​​Key Attractions​​

1. ​​Mythical Landmarks​​

   • ​​Water Curtain Cave​​: A natural waterfall-fronted cave, believed to be Sun Wukong’s home. Ming-era inscriptions like "High Mountain Flowing Water" adorn its entrance.
   • ​​Monkey Stone & 72 Caves​​: Granite formations resembling Journey to the West characters, plus tectonic caves like ​​Havoc Heaven Cave​​ where demons allegedly gathered.

2. ​​Cultural & Religious Sites​​

   • ​​Sanyuan Palace​​: A 1,600-year-old Taoist temple where Emperor Qianlong worshipped. Houses ​​Ayuwang Pagoda​​ (1023 CE), a 9-tier Buddhist relic.
   • ​​Mao Zedong Inscription​​: A stele quoting Mao’s acknowledgment of Huaguo as Sun Wukong’s "official" hometown.

3. ​​Natural Wonders​​

   • ​​Yunv Peak​​: Summit offering sunrise views over the Yellow Sea. The ​​"Jade Maiden’s Hair-Washing Basin"​​ rock pool is a poetic landmark.
   • ​​Biodiversity​​: Home to ​​300+ wild macaques​​, Yuntai camellias, and 1,190 medicinal plants like Ginkgo biloba.

​​Geological Significance​​

• Formed by ​​Cretaceous-era tectonic shifts​​, its granite cliffs showcase rare ​​sea-erosion caves​​ (evidence of ancient sea-level changes).
• Designated a ​​national geopark​​ for its "stone oceans" and layered metamorphic rock formations.

​​Visitor Experience​​

• ​​Activities​​:
  • ​​Hiking​​: Trails like ​​18 Bends​​ lead to hidden shrines. Electric shuttles (¥50) ease access to peaks.
  • ​​Monkey Feeding​​: Interactive zones (caution: food-stealing macaques!).
• ​​Seasonal Highlights​​:
  • ​​Spring​​: Peach blossoms at ​​Taohua Stream​​.
  • ​​Autumn​​: Sea-of-clouds vistas from ​​Zhaohai Pavilion​​.

​​Practical Tips​​

• ​​Hours​​: 7:00–17:30 (Mar–Nov); 8:00–16:00 (Dec–Feb).
• ​​Tickets​​: ¥100 (peak); ¥50 (off-season).
• ​​Transport​​:
  • From Shanghai: 3-hour high-speed rail to Lianyungang + bus (30 mins).
  • Direct flights to ​​Lianyungang Baitabu Airport​​.

Huaguo Mountain is a ​​living museum​​ of myth and nature—where Journey to the West leaps from pages into towering cliffs and chattering monkeys.