Slow Life in an Ancient City at the Foot of North Sacred Mountain | 3-Day Hunyuan Travel Guide

🏨 Accommodation: Apple Select Hotel (Hunyan Ancient City Branch) 📍 Location: Intersection of Hengshan South Road and Beiyue East Street, 10-minute walk to Hunyan Ancient City, 10-minute drive to Hanging Temple, 15-minute drive to Mount Heng. Near popular restaurants like Beiyue Hengshan Village and Cai's Restaurant. 5-minute walk to large shopping centers. ✨ Highlights: - Smart Technology: Whole-room intelligent control system (voice-controlled lights/curtains), memory foam mattresses, Bluetooth audio system, robot service in rooms, and free laundry service. - Family-Friendly: Special family-themed rooms with children's slippers, toothbrushes, and toys for worry-free family trips. 🌄 Itinerary Day 1: Experience the Local Life in Ancient City Morning: - 08:30 Walk to Hunyan Prefecture Office (open 8:30-17:30), explore the 649-year-old Ming and Qing dynasty government office, watch the "Court Opening Ceremony" performance (daily at 9:00/15:00). - 10:30 Visit Yong'an Temple (10 yuan admission), admire the Yuan Dynasty mural "Water and Land Ceremony," a 1,200-square-meter mural group known as the "Oriental Sistine Chapel." Noon: - 12:00 Walk to Cai's Restaurant (Yide Street Branch), must-try Astragalus lamb (one of Hunyan's three treasures) and deep-fried pork, around 40 yuan per person. Afternoon: - 14:00 Stroll through ancient city alleys, visit Ma Family Mansion (free) and Yuanjue Temple Brick Pagoda (National Cultural Heritage), take photos on the "Eight Views of Hunzhou" themed walkway. - 16:30 Try the intangible cultural heritage Hunyan bean jelly at Daxi Bean Jelly Restaurant (served with lotus beans + dried tofu), recommend sweet and sour flavor, adjustable spiciness. Evening: - 19:30 Night tour of Yong'an West Street, Ming and Qing architecture illuminated by lanterns, recommended photo spot at the "Black Tortoise Divine Beast" themed wall. Day 2: Hanging Temple and Mount Heng Morning: - 07:30 Take a taxi to Hanging Temple (15 yuan), book climbing tickets in advance through "Mount Heng Scenic Area" WeChat account (115 yuan/person, includes admission + climbing fee), least crowded between 7:30-8:30. - 09:00 Experience the thrilling "suspended by three hairs" temple, recommended photo spots: panoramic view from temple square, aerial view of Golden Dragon Gorge from wooden walkway. Noon: - 12:00 Visit Beiyue Hengshan Village (5-minute walk from hotel), try Hunyan youmian kaolao noodles with lamb sauce, paired with sea buckthorn juice. Afternoon: - 14:00 Drive to Mount Heng Scenic Area (15 minutes), take cable car (54 yuan/person) to Kuixing Pavilion, 1-hour hike to Tianfeng Peak, visit "Hengzong" cliff inscriptions and Bitter-Sweet Well. - 17:00 After descending, visit Li Yumei's Tomb (free), admire Qing Dynasty white marble sculptures, including 64 pairs of lifelike mythical beasts. Day 3: Astragalus Culture and Departure Morning: - 08:30 Take a taxi to Astragalus Culture Park (10 yuan), experience astragalus slicing, taste astragalus tea and honey, buy wellness souvenirs (recommend astragalus foot bath bags). - 10:30 Visit Hunyan Bean Jelly Street, recommend "Four White Daughter-in-law Bean Jelly," available in vacuum packaging for shipping. Noon: - 12:00 Return to hotel for luggage, print itinerary for free at business center, take Bus 901 (10 yuan/person, 1.5 hours) back to Datong. 📌 Useful Tips 1. Transportation: - Datong to Hunyan: Bus 901 runs 40 times daily (6:30-18:00), tourist buses from Datong South Station go directly to Mount Heng. - Within Hunyan: Shared e-bikes 1 yuan/15 minutes, covering routes from ancient city to Hanging Temple. 2. Tickets: - Hanging Temple climbing tickets require time slot reservation (daily 8:00/10:00/14:00/16:00), morning recommended to avoid crowds. - Mount Heng admission 30 yuan, one-way cable car 35 yuan, half-price for students with ID. 3. Food: - Breakfast recommendation: "Famous Fragrant Hand-Cut Noodles" near hotel, hand-cut noodles with braised egg for 8 yuan. - Dinner try "Fan's Daughter-in-law Chongqing Hotpot," local-style spicy soup base with Hunyan bean jelly. 4. What to Wear: - Spring (April-May): Windproof jacket + light sweater, large temperature variations on Mount Heng; Summer (June-August): Short sleeves + sun protection clothing, light jacket needed for night tours. 📸 Photography Spots - Hanging Temple: Wide-angle shots from temple square, aerial views of Golden Dragon Gorge from wooden walkway. - Mount Heng: Mountain and Xuanwu Lake views from Tianfeng Peak observation deck, martial arts style photos at "Hengzong" cliff inscriptions. - Ancient City: Hanfu costume photos under lanterns on Yong'an West Street, symmetrical composition at prefecture office gate. 🌟 Summary Hunyan is an underrated treasure of a city, offering the thrilling Hanging Temple, majestic Mount Heng, ancient city life, and the wellness secrets of astragalus. Staying at Apple Select Hotel provides both modern convenience and quick access to local life. Recommend spending 3 days for an in-depth experience, especially during off-peak seasons to enjoy the serenity and grandeur of this North Sacred Mountain secret paradise.