Jiangxi has many mountains: Lushan, Wugong Mountain, Guifeng Mountain, and so on. However, Sanbai Mountain is less known. This time I came to the source of the Dongjiang River, the drinking water origin for residents of Guangdong and Hong Kong.
✅ Reasons for recommendation:
✨ A 5A-level scenic area with very few people; highly recommended for quiet mountain hiking during holidays.
✨ The hiking difficulty is very low, equipped with shuttle buses, coaches, and sightseeing boats, friendly for enthusiasts.
✨ You can see the mountain ranges as well as the Dongjiang First Waterfall, with a mix of beautiful scenery.
The Sanbai Mountain you recommended in Jiangxi is indeed a "hidden gem" tucked away in the deep mountains. Combining search results and your experience, here are some additional details to help perfect this "off-the-beaten-path and stunning" recommendation:
1. Why is it "off-the-beaten-path yet stunning"?
Sanbai Mountain is the source of the Dongjiang River (the drinking water source for Guangdong and Hong Kong residents), with a forest coverage rate of 98% and extremely high negative ion concentration, making it a natural oxygen bar. However, due to inconvenient transportation in the past, visitors mainly came from Jiangxi, Guangdong, Fujian, Hong Kong, and Macau. After upgrades and renovations (closed for construction in 2017 with an investment of 1.19 billion yuan), infrastructure has greatly improved, but its popularity has not fully opened up. The number of holiday visitors is far less than popular mountains like Lushan and Wugong Mountain, making it suitable for hikers seeking tranquility.
2. Additional verification of your recommendation reasons:
- ✅ About "5A-level": Currently, it is a national 4A-level scenic area (according to search results), but it is striving to become 5A (data from 2020). The scenic area standards are already aligned with 5A, such as newly built three visitor centers, circular hiking trails, and shuttle buses.
- ✅ About "hiking difficulty": The scenic area offers various routes including electric cart roads, hanging plank roads, walking trails, and backpacker hiking trails. There is also a sightseeing boat route connecting Dongfeng Lake and other attractions, suitable for people with different physical conditions. For example, you can take a shuttle bus from Guoqiaolong Visitor Center to Fu'aotang, then walk the plank road to see the waterfall, all with ease.
- ✅ About "mixed scenery": Besides the Dongjiang First Waterfall (which you mentioned), there is Fu'aotang (a high mountain lake), Jiuqu Creek (a canyon stream), Dongfeng Lake (a picturesque landscape), as well as a glass skybridge and glass plank road (new popular photo spots). The mountains, waterfalls, lakes, and forest landscapes are richly layered.
3. Practical tips for visiting Sanbai Mountain (from search results):
- Transportation: Exit at the Sanbai Mountain interchange on the Ningding Expressway, 10 minutes to the scenic area; shuttle buses connect various attractions inside the park, and sightseeing boats are available on Dongfeng Lake.
- Must-see attractions:
1. Fu'aotang: The core attraction of Sanbai Mountain, featuring the "Dongjiang Source" inscription, with crystal-clear lake water reflecting the mountains.
2. Dongjiang First Waterfall: The waterfall drops from a height of over 100 meters, splashing water everywhere, more spectacular during the rainy season.
3. Glass Skybridge/Plank Road: Suspended above the canyon, overlooking Jiuqu Creek, great for photos (new experience, avoid queues on holidays).
4. Dongfeng Lake: Take a boat ride on the lake, enjoy the green mountains on both sides, perfect for relaxation.
- Accommodation: There is the Sanbai Mountain Hot Spring Resort inside the scenic area, where you can soak in hot springs after a tiring day; nearby are rural homestays in towns like Zhengang and Chetou, offering Hakka cultural experiences.
Summary:
Sanbai Mountain’s "off-the-beaten-path" status is temporary. Its "stunning" appeal comes from its pristine natural landscape (the clear source of the Dongjiang River), rich scenic layers (mountains, water, waterfalls, lakes), and comfortable travel experience (low difficulty + well-developed facilities). If you want to avoid crowds at popular mountains and still feel the awe of nature, this place is definitely worth a visit!
Ember_Wolfsbane/931