Three days in Xiajin shattered my spending mindset
Three days in Xiajin shattered my spending mindset|Unlocking the slow life at the ancient mulberry forest hot springs for just a thousand yuan🍂✨
I used to think traveling had to be expensive, but after spending three days last weekend in Xiajin, Shandong, I realized you can feel like a "big spender" with just 1,000 yuan! This small county town hidden in Dezhou not only has a thousand-year-old ancient mulberry forest and hot spring resorts, but even the intangible cultural heritage foods are so cheap it’s heartbreaking, completely overturning my idea of "poor home, rich road"😭💸
Day 1: Travel through the thousand-year-old mulberry forest and enjoy freedom with mulberry fruit
It only takes 1.5 hours by train from Jinan to Xiajin, with a hard seat costing 27 yuan! After getting off, head straight to the Yellow River Old Course Forest Park, where there are more than 6,000 century-old mulberry trees. Although you can’t pick mulberry fruit in autumn, the golden mulberry forest boardwalk looks like a painting.
🍁📸 The ticket is 50 yuan. I made a wish under the ancient mulberry king tree (said to be very effective!) and even snagged a spot for some “light and shadow masterpieces” with a photography group. In the evening, I stayed at Sangyu Courtyard Homestay near the park, 200 yuan per night with a small courtyard. Soaking my feet while stargazing at night was a perfect cure for the working person’s burnout✨🌌
For dinner, I highly recommend the intangible cultural heritage Budai Chicken! The whole chicken is stuffed with a three-flavor filling, and half costs only 40 yuan. The meat is so tender it falls off the bone with a touch. Paired with mulberry pancakes, the fruity aroma mixed with the scent of grains, 5 yuan each, I ate until full🍗🌮
Day 2: Cycling + hot springs, unlocking a leisurely bourgeois life for a hundred yuan
I rented an electric bike (30 yuan/day) and cycled along the Yellow River Old Course Greenway. The vast mulberry forest rustled in the autumn wind. I stumbled upon Jiulongmiao Village’s ancient mulberry garden, where there were few people and wild scenery. Every casual photo looked like a National Geographic shot.
📸🍂 In the afternoon, I visited the Xiajin Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum (free!) to experience making mulberry bark paper. The “root calligraphy art” using tree roots is a masterpiece of craftsmanship. For 30 yuan, you can even make a rubbing to take home🖌️🎨
At dusk, I headed straight to Debai Hot Spring Resort, 138 yuan to soak in 56 hot spring pools! The outdoor pools are surrounded by maple trees. Watching the sunset while applying a mulberry leaf face mask instantly made me understand the joy of Yang Guifei.
♨️🍃 At night, I strolled to the neighboring Debai Tourism Town’s Zhenxian Village. When the lantern street lights up, it feels like stepping into the Tang Dynasty. I even caught a martial arts roly-poly girl dancing. I bought a cup of mulberry rice wine with glutinous rice balls (10 yuan), watched a water curtain movie, and the atmosphere was perfect🏮🌠
Day 3: Wetland birdwatching + souvenirs, buying out the suitcase for a hundred yuan
I got up early to go to Jiulongkou Wetland to breathe fresh air. This season is perfect for birdwatching. Egrets flock in the reed marshes, and bringing some bread can attract them for a “photo buddy.”
🦢🥐 Before leaving, I rushed to Debai Picking Garden to pick strawberries (10 yuan for all you can eat!), and also bought souvenirs: traditional dried mulberry fruit 20 yuan/bag, mulberry leaf tea 30 yuan/can, Xiajin millet 10 yuan/jin… All gifts for the family sorted for a hundred yuan. Mom praised me for being practical🎁💪
Before heading back, I slurped a bowl of old tofu with fried dough sticks, the black cotton oil aroma was intoxicating—and it only cost 5 yuan! After tallying up, I was shocked: transportation 300 + accommodation 400 + food 200 + tickets 100, capped at a thousand yuan?! Turns out saving money on travel isn’t stingy, it’s smart!💡🙆♀️
Xiajin Walking Tips
Outfit guide👒👟: Mosquitoes are many in the mulberry forest, so long sleeves + comfortable shoes are a must! For wetland birdwatching, bright-colored jackets make photos pop~
Money-saving code💳: Book Debai Hot Spring packages on Trip.com in advance (including meals is even better), choose homestays near the park, and enjoy a great stay for about 200 yuan per person!
Hidden experiences🕵️♀️: Come in May-June to freely pick mulberry fruit; autumn and winter hot springs with snow scenes are even more romantic~ The root calligraphy experience at the intangible cultural heritage museum requires a reservation~
Transportation tips🚲: Taxi rides between attractions cost about 10 yuan per person, but renting an electric bike offers more freedom (remember to bargain!).
After this trip, I completely gave up the prejudice that “expensive means better.” Xiajin’s autumn has no influencer filters, but with the ancient mulberry forest’s history, the warmth of the hot springs, and 5-yuan all-you-can-eat snacks, it tells me: true luxury is spending little money for great satisfaction❤️🔥 If you’re tired of endless competition, come to this small town in northwest Shandong and rediscover the simplest quality of life~🍂✨