Yaoli was anciently called ‘Yaoli’. It got its name because it is the birthplace of Jingdezhen ceramics. There are not too many tourists here. What there are are quiet Huizhou-style old buildings, landscapes, and the glorious marks left when the ancient pottery industry was prosperous. Yaoli is very suitable for a leisurely stroll. The photos taken when the vegetation is lush in summer are especially beautiful. The Yaoli scenic area includes five sub-scenic areas, from northeast to southwest in sequence: Wanghu Ecological Tourist Area, Meiling Leisure Resort Area, Raonan Ceramic Theme Park, Porcelain and Tea Ancient Town Tourist Area, and Kaolin Mine Ruins Park. These sub-scenic areas are relatively scattered. There are more than ten kilometers between the porcelain and tea ancient town and Wanghu, and there is no shuttle bus. Therefore, usually stay and eat in the ancient town, and then charter a car for 1-2 days to visit these scenic areas. Tourists usually arrive at the porcelain and tea ancient town first. Entering the scenic area gate is the ticket office. Usually, tickets will be bought here. Tickets can also be bought at the sub-scenic areas. If you plan to visit scenic spots, it is more cost-effective to buy a joint ticket for the five scenic spots in the scenic area (the joint ticket is valid for two days). If it is just to see the scenic spots, in fact, there is no need to stay overnight in Yaoli. It is enough to visit all the scenic spots by chartered car in one day. If you are in a state of relaxation, you might as well stay for an extra day or two. There is no large-scale tourism development here like Wuzhen. The lives of the locals are integrated with the surrounding scenery. The original air, landscapes and humanities are worthy of you slowing down here. Strolling around the town is free. The ancient town is basically in a square shape. Strolling around takes about two hours. The Yaoli River is very spiritual. The elevated canals along the road are the characteristics of Yaoli compared to other Huizhou-style dwellings. Not only are the landscapes very beautiful, but walking on it can also overlook the ancient town. The Ming and Qing commercial street in the town is also worth a stroll. Although it is not as prosperous as it was back then, it is full of commercial atmosphere. Along the way, there are people selling alkali water cakes. A kind of food that looks a bit like soap and tastes similar to rice cakes. It is a local specialty snack and can be bought and tasted. Charter a car and start from the ancient town. The first stop is Wanghu. In fact, Wanghu is not a lake. Instead, there are two families surnamed Wang and Hu here. In addition to several waterfalls, there is also a primeval forest with many very tall trees. When the weather is clear, walking in the shade of the trees, the ground is dappled with tree shadows, and the photos taken are also very beautiful. In Meiling, mainly look at the ancient buildings of the Zhang Family Ancestral Hall and a group of thousand-year-old camphor trees. You can also walk on the Huirao Ancient Road paved with bluestone. In addition, many film and television works have been filmed here. The famous one is the Red Army Bridge that Pan Dongzi walked through in ‘Sparkling Red Star’, which must not be missed. In summer, you can also go to Yaoli Rafting next to the scenic area to play in the water (additional payment). The Raonan Ceramic Theme Park is close to the ancient town and is one of the more interesting ones among several scenic areas. Inside, you can not only see ancient kiln mouths, but also have an experience activity where you can play with pottery and pull blanks by yourself.
Explore the scenic area for approximately 4-5 hours. The Gao Ling Tu Mine Ruins Park is composed of two scenic spots, Gao Ling and Dong Bu, which were once the hub for raw materials like kaolin and glaze fruits for Jingdezhen porcelain, enjoying a prosperous period. Today, visitors can stroll along the ancient Dong Bu street and docks, and view the ancient Gao Ling mine pits, remnants of the past prosperity. However, due to its opposite direction from other attractions, visiting may increase the cost of chartering a vehicle, resulting in fewer visitors. It is recommended to consider visiting based on personal interest. The park is open all year round from 08:00 to 17:00.
Preferential policies include: Children under 1.2 meters (not included) enter for free; children between 1.2 meters (included) and 1.4 meters (not included) enjoy discounted tickets; seniors aged 60 (included) to 65 (not included) with a senior card or ID card enjoy discounted tickets; seniors aged 65 (included) and above with a senior card or ID card enter for free; full-time undergraduate and below students with a valid student ID enjoy discounted tickets; disabled individuals with a disability certificate enter for free; active-duty military personnel (with soldier or officer ID) enter for free; tour guides with a national guide certificate enter for free; travel agency general managers with a qualification certificate (valid for inspection or leading a group) enter for free; journalists (with a journalist certificate issued by the State Press and Publication Administration) enter for free; members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering with an academician certificate enter for free; members of the China Writers Association with a membership certificate enter for free; members of the China Photography Association with a membership certificate enter for free. Please note that the above information is for reference only, and the actual policies may vary based on the day’s disclosure at the Yao Li Scenic Area.
Service facilities include parking lots: Yao Li Scenic Area Parking Lot, reference price: free; address: Yao Li Scenic Area Visitor Service Center; capacity: 30 large vehicles, 140 small vehicles; Rao Nan Ceramic Theme Park Parking Lot, reference price: free; address: Rao Nan Ceramic Theme Park Visitor Service Center; capacity: 128; Wang Hu Natural Tourism Ecological Area Parking Lot, reference price: 20 for large buses, 10 for small cars; address: Wang Hu Natural Tourism Ecological Area Visitor Service Center; capacity: 18 large buses, 154 small cars.
Restrooms: The scenic area is equipped with multiple restrooms located in places such as the Millennium Ancient Town, Rao Nan Ceramic Theme Park, Mei Ling Leisure Resort Area, and Wang Hu Natural Tourism Ecological Area.
