Qiongtai Fairy Valley is located 8 kilometers northwest of Tiantai County. It is a valley among many scenic spots in Tiantai that is famous for its granite landform. Here, there are clear lakes, streams and steep, verdant mountains. It is especially worth seeing among the hundred scenic spots in Tiantai. The scenic area has upper and lower entrances. Since there is about 1 kilometer of Lingyun plank road near the upper entrance, which is very steep, it is generally recommended to enter from the upper entrance and exit from the lower entrance (Yingxian Square).
Going down all the way saves time and effort. It takes about 2.5 hours to walk through from top to bottom. On the contrary, it takes nearly 4 hours. There are shuttle buses running between the two entrances. You can take a bus to the lower entrance and then transfer to a shuttle bus to go up the mountain (about 1 hour on foot). There is one bus every 1 to 2 hours, and it costs 10 yuan per person. Entering the scenic area from the upper entrance, the first thing you encounter is the Yellow Emperor Altar, which is said to be the place for offering sacrifices to heaven in those years. Later, you begin to enter the canyon. Standing on the top of the mountain and overlooking the mountains and waters in the distance is extremely magnificent.After walking across the Duxian Bridge spanning between the cliffs, you will come to the steep Lingyun plank road. Walking down along the plank road carved on the gorge wall, you will often meet tourists coming up from the lower entrance and panting. Along the way, the surrounding granite peaks will change into wonderful shapes as you walk. You can often take spectacular photos. On the archway at the exit of Lingyun plank road are engraved the two characters ‘Tongtian’.
Looking back at the winding plank road on the cliff at this time, it is inevitable to feel emotional. When you reach the Yuxian Bridge, you will arrive at Lingxi Stream. There are scenic spots such as Baizhangyan Waterfall, Jinting Cave Heaven, and Wuzhen Terrace nearby for viewing. Lingxi Stream runs through the entire subsequent tour. Although the plank road along the stream is also a suspended path, it is very flat. Walking in the deep valley with lush vegetation and seeing the strangely shaped rocks piled up in the stream and the gurgling water will give you a feeling of integrating into nature. When the water surface becomes wider, it is within the scope of the fairy lake. In fact, this is a reservoir. The plank road is built along one side of the lake. In the shallow water, there are several natural rocks standing in the water, which are called ‘Fairy Lake Rhyme Collection’. Some are like Ji Gong, and some are like Taoist priests gathering herbs, vividly.
Later along the way, there are pictographic rocks named Xu Xiake Exploring the Way and Li Bai Reciting Poems. You can also give them meanings according to your imagination, which is very interesting. At the end of the plank road, you can see a corridor bridge spanning the lake from a distance. The dam under the bridge blocks the lake water and forms a waterfall with a drop of dozens of meters, which is very spectacular.
However, when returning, one needs to stop a car on the roadside. The transportation is relatively inconvenient and it takes about half an hour on foot.
Opening hours: Open all year round from 08:00 to 16:00.
