[2024 Longyan Attraction] Travel Guide for Gaobei Tulou Cluster (Updated Dec)

Transportation 1. High-speed rail to Longyan Station, then take a bus to Longyan. Bus schedules are not reliable. Buy bus tickets in advance on the Longzhou eXing WeChat account. Remember to buy return tickets. 2. Self-driving. The downside is that you have to take the same route back. 3. Chartered car. The advantage is that it is worry-free, but it is a bit expensive. Tickets: CNY 50. Visit 4 tulou buildings. They are all connected, so it is not physically demanding. Attractions 1. Chengqi Building: The King of Tulou. It has a bagua layout and is four stories high. It has four circles and 400 rooms. It has a circular layout and has been around for 300 years. The building has three circles and a center. 1. The outer circle is for people, kitchens, and granaries. 2. The second circle is for bathrooms. 3. The third circle is for girls' private schools (boys' private schools are outside). 4. The center is for ancestral halls and Buddhist halls. It is said that the prototype design of Big Fish & Begonia was inspired by this building. 2. Qiaofu Building: Also known as the Doctor Building, it is famous for producing 11 doctors. The tulou is home to a family. The owner and his son still live there. 3. Shize Building: A square building. The ground at the entrance is paved with cobblestones in the shape of coins, symbolizing wealth. 4. Wuyun Building: Also known as the Unbreakable Building. It has no stone wall foundation and has been around for 590 years. The front wall is now tilted 1.5 meters inward, but it is still stable. You cannot enter the building, but you can view it from the outside. Tips 1. The scenic area is not large. It takes 3 hours to visit with a guide. 2. Most tulou buildings can only be visited on the first floor. You cannot go upstairs. There is a fee to go upstairs. 3. There are many cobblestone roads in the tulou scenic area. Wear comfortable shoes. 4. There are many elderly people making cigarettes in the tulou buildings. You can buy them if you like. There are also tulou cultural and creative products.

Fujian Tulou counts more than 10,000 buildings, and before I went there, I was a bit confused about how to choose and how to get there, plus there are so many names of Tulou, and I always felt something was missing from the posts online, so I organized my thoughts after coming back for your reference: 🏠Introduction to Tulou 1⃣️History: The people from the Central Plains built Tulou in the south to avoid wars. 2⃣️Shape: Tulou are not only round, they can be categorized into round, square, and Wufeng buildings (symmetrical left and right, lower in the front and higher in the back, with roofs shaped like flying birds, hence the name Wufeng). 3⃣️Structure: There are corridor-style enclosed buildings and unit-style enclosed buildings. Most of the key Tulou scenic areas we visit are corridor-style, meaning the middle parts are interconnected, while unit-style are not. 4⃣️Function: Vertically, each building houses one family, with the kitchen on the first floor, granary on the second, and living quarters above the third floor. The first and second floors have no windows to prevent thieves and wild animals from climbing in. 🎑Classification of Tulou Mainly divided into Nanjing, Yongding, and Hua'an, with most concentrated in the first two. - Nanjing: Yunshuiyao, Tianluokeng, Hekeng - Yongding: Gaobei, Hongkeng, Chuxi, Nanxi - Hua'an: Dadi (Specific key Tulou features, ticket prices, and routes are detailed in the image) ❓How to Choose Tulou Generally, you visit 2 scenic areas in one day, and most people don't care about the details. I suggest choosing one from the commercial scenic areas, as they are quite similar. - More commercial: Yunshuiyao, Tianluokeng, Gaobei, Hongkeng - More homestays: Yunshuiyao, Tianluokeng - Public transportation available: Yunshuiyao, Tianluokeng, Yongding Tulou King - Good for photography, fewer people: Chuxi The following are personal opinions, not guidance: - Classic route lovers: Tianluokeng + Gaobei (Tulou King) - Unique feature lovers: Tianluokeng + Hongkeng (Tulou Prince) - Water enthusiasts: Yunshuiyao - Photography and quietness lovers: Tianluokeng + Chuxi - Focused understanding: Tianluokeng or Gaobei/Hongkeng or Chuxi (choose one of three) 🪧A Few Additional Points 1. I think Tianluokeng is more interesting and cost-effective than Yunshuiyao, which is more frequented by tour groups, but it still depends on your purpose. If you just want to stroll around, it doesn't matter which you choose. 2. Just choosing any key Tulou will give you a general idea, as there are so many, they only differ in layout and features, that's all. 4. Apart from Chuxi Jiqing Building, you have to pay to go upstairs in other Tulous, be aware of free tea and free well visits. 5. Tulous are generally located on mountain roads, requiring walking, so it's recommended not to wear high heels. 🍜Eating and Accommodation Yunshuiyao and Tianluokeng both have well-equipped restaurants and homestays, while other Tulous have villagers who cook for themselves, suitable for individual travelers, and not every Tulou offers in-house hostels, most do not. 🚗How to Get There Departing from Zhangzhou Ancient City: 1. Join a tour group: One-day tour prices usually range from 300 to 700. 2. Chartered car: Tianluokeng + Yongding Tulou King 550, Tianluokeng + Chuxi 650 (excluding tickets) 3. Self-driving: Yongding and Nanjing are about 100 kilometers away from Zhangzhou, about a 1-hour drive one way. 4. Public transportation: Tianluokeng/Yunshuiyao/Hekeng have minibuses from Nanjing high-speed rail to the scenic area, and each scenic area is quite scattered, with no taxis available.