#Hampton by Hilton Wuwei Liangzhou Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in May)
This might be the most beautiful ancient city I have ever visited
👉Wenlv Jun's exploration of this ancient city🏯
Although named 'ancient city', it is virtually undeveloped and unadvertised
Some locals still live their normal lives here
Beyond the town lies the endless Gobi Desert, with the Qilian Mountain Range in the distance🏞
The yellow earth rammed walls enclose nearly a hundred simple dwellings🏘
The occasional passing residents, the sound of horse bells, the breeze of the desert
A casual snapshot is a beautiful Western Region scroll🌈
It made me, an unexpected visitor, slow down my pace.
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This is Yongtai Ancient City🏯, 2.5h drive from Lanzhou, a military fortress built by the Ming government to defend against invasions by ethnic minorities from the north, established in the 36th year of the Wanli era (1608), with a history of over 400 years. It is now a national key cultural relics protection unit.
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✅✅✅Recommended features
1⃣Simple architecture
The rammed earth walls and gates look very vicissitudinous, and there are nearly a hundred old earth houses in the city, including residential houses, schools, and other buildings, which are very different from the newly built ancient cities elsewhere.
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2⃣Zero commercialization
There are only convenience stores and small restaurants serving local residents, no small commodity shops, and no various noisy commercial facilities, everything is so authentic, outshining a host of ancient cities in the country.
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3⃣Photography
The desert scenery combined with the ancient city gates and dwellings is suitable for various styles of photos. The ancient city under the afterglow of the setting sun is very atmospheric.
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4⃣Stargazing spot
Far from the city and without light pollution, you can see a very spectacular night sky and the Milky Way.
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5⃣Few people
There are very few tourists here, quiet and serene. It is very suitable for friends who like off-the-beaten-path places.
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📍Navigation: Yongtai Ancient City, Baiyin, Gansu
🎫Ticket: Free
🅿️There is a large parking lot outside the city, no parking fee.
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✅✅✅Tips:
1. There are only 2 small restaurants in the city where you can eat.
2. There are several homestays in the city, you can inquire about accommodation on your own.
3. Yongtai Ancient City is close to Wuwei, highly recommended for combined tours.
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🚗3-day 2-night travel route suggestion
𝐃𝐚𝐲𝟏: Lanzhou➠Yongtai Ancient City➠Wuwei Museum➠Dayun Temple➠Tengger Desert Scenic Area
𝐃𝐚𝐲𝟐: Wuwei Confucian Temple➠Western Xia Museum➠South City Gate➠Jiumo Luoshi Temple➠Haizang Temple➠Desert Sculpture Park
𝐃𝐚𝐲3: Leitai Han Tombs➠White Pagoda Temple➠Shenzhou Desert Wildlife Park➠Return trip
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🏠Accommodation | Wuwei Hilton Garden Inn
✔Convenient parking, many surrounding amenities.
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🥙【Food Recommendation】
▪Wang Lao San Delin's special lamb head with fragrant noodles: Local specialty noodles, paired with spicy lamb offal, appetizing!
▪Old Hezhou Lao Ma's big plate chicken: A decades-old shop that only serves one dish, big plate chicken. The chicken is tender and flavorful.
PAULINA TURNER
Wuwei has a strong appeal, making it a must-visit on my travel list as a key town along the Hexi Corridor
Compared to popular destinations, I prefer unique, less-known places.
After reading the many poems about Liangzhou written by poets, this city on the Hexi Corridor has been added to my travel itinerary.
Liangzhou🏯, now Wuwei, Gansu. Although it's less famous than Dunhuang, a single visit will leave you in awe of its profound cultural heritage and stunning scenery, making you regret not coming sooner‼️
Wuwei's summer mornings and evenings are only in the 20s (degrees Celsius), and it's cool in the shade during the day too🍃
Take a few days to organize your travel plans and save this guide❗
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🚌How to get there
🚄Train: Wuwei has dozens of trains to and from Lanzhou every day
✈️Plane: Fly to Lanzhou and then go to Wuwei
🚗Self-driving: The highways are very convenient
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🚗Travel Guide
𝐃𝐚𝐲𝟏: Lanzhou➠Wuwei Museum➠Dayun Temple➠Tengger Desert Scenic Area
𝐃𝐚𝐲𝟐: Wuwei Confucian Temple➠Xixia Museum➠South City Gate➠Jiumo Luoshi Temple➠Haizang Temple➠Desert Sculpture Park
𝐃𝐚𝐲3: Leitai Han Tombs➠White Pagoda Temple➠Shenzhou Desert Wildlife Park➠Return trip
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✅✅✅Recommended Attractions
📌 Wuwei Museum
The collection is as rich as that of the Gansu Provincial Museum. The Silk Road Hall and Tiantishan Grottoes Hall are highlights.
Admission: Free
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📌 Dayun Temple
Built during the Former Liang dynasty, the bell tower inside the temple is a local landmark.
Admission: Free
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📌 Wuwei Confucian Temple
A large architectural complex with various stone steles and plaques from different dynasties.
Admission: 30
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📌 Xixia Museum
The only place in China dedicated to the display of the Western Xia civilization, housing the priceless Western Xia Stele.
Admission: Free
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📌 Jiumo Luoshi Temple
Built during the Later Liang period, it was where the eminent monk Jiumo Luoshi propagated Buddhism and is an important symbol of Buddhism's introduction to the Central Plains.
Admission: Free
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📌 Haizang Temple
Founded during the Eastern Jin dynasty, it has a large complex of ancient buildings. The wooden archway is a masterpiece.
Admission: Free
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📌 Tengger Desert Scenic Area
A less-visited desert area with various desert activities.
Admission: Free
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📌 Leitai Han Tombs
Famous for the unearthed bronze galloping horse, a significant symbol of the Han dynasty's management of the Western Regions.
Admission: 45
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📌 White Pagoda Temple
The site of the Mongol-Tibetan alliance during the Yuan dynasty and a historical witness to Tibet's formal incorporation into China's territory.
Admission: Free
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📌 Desert Sculpture Park
Located deep in the desert, it features hundreds of sculptures by artists, perfect for photography. At night, the sky is filled with stars and the Milky Way is clearly visible.
Admission: Free
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📌 Shenzhou Desert Wildlife Park
Home to many animals of the northwestern deserts, such as wild donkeys and wild horses. The park is vast, with large free-range and display areas that maintain the animals' vitality.
It's recommended to rent an electric car or bicycle due to the park's size.
Admission: 20
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🏠Accommodation | Wuwei Hilton Hampton Hotel
✔Convenient parking, many amenities nearby
✔Clean and tidy
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🥙【Food Recommendations】
▪Wang Lao San Delin's Special Lamb Head: Local specialty noodles, paired with spicy lamb offal, appetizing!
▪Old Hezhou Lao Ma's Big Plate Chicken: A decades-old restaurant that only serves one dish, big plate chicken. The chicken is tender and flavorful.
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𝐓𝐢𝐩𝐬
🔸For city attractions, you can use shared electric bikes or take a taxi, while for attractions outside the city, you can drive or hire a car