Kaizhou

Xuebaoshan is rather cool in the mornings and evenings in summer, so bring a jacket.

Kaizhou offers lakeside leisure, history and culture, and mountain retreats for escaping the heat. The city has a slower pace, and everyday costs are relatively friendly. The following 2-day, 1-night route can serve as a reference for a first visit.

Itinerary Planning

• Day 1 Slow Tour of Culture and Lake Views: In the morning, visit the Kaizhou Museum to learn about the region’s history. In the afternoon, explore Kaizhou Juzixuan Garden and climb Wenfeng Tower for a distant view of the lake city. At dusk, stroll along the Hanfeng Lake lakeside walkway and enjoy the night view of the Fengyu Covered Bridge. For dinner, head to New Century Food Street to try local snacks.
• Day 2 Red Culture or an Ecological Summer Retreat: In the morning, visit the Liu Bocheng Memorial Hall. In the afternoon, adjust your plans according to the season. In summer, you can drive to Xuebaoshan for alpine camping and a cool mountain break. In spring or autumn, you can visit Kaizhou Old Town and take an evening painted-boat cruise.

Key Attractions

Kaizhou’s sightseeing can roughly be divided into urban culture and leisure, and natural scenery in the surrounding areas. You can combine stops according to your time and energy.

• Hanfeng Lake National Wetland Park: Free admission. You can rent a jet ski for lake activities or take a painted boat cruise; the Fengyu Covered Bridge and the water-level regulating dam are especially representative. A lakeside walk at dusk is refreshing in the lake breeze and suits a slower-paced itinerary.
• Kaizhou Juzixuan Garden: Tickets are about 30–40 yuan. The garden includes Wenfeng Tower, the Confucian Temple, and the examination hall area. It is a good place to learn about the imperial examination culture and is often used for Hanfu travel photos. There is usually a traditional Chinese studies performance at 10 a.m., so you can plan your arrival time in advance.
• Liu Bocheng Memorial Hall: Free admission; reservation required. This is a national classic red tourism site where you can learn about the life of Marshal Liu Bocheng in a fairly systematic way. The memorial hall is closed on Mondays, so avoid that day in your itinerary. His former residence is outside the city, so pay attention to the distinction when using navigation.
• Xuebaoshan National Forest Park: Tickets are about 60 yuan. The average summer temperature is 21°C, making it suitable for hiking alpine meadows, camping, and stargazing. It is about a 3.5-hour drive from the urban area. There are no restaurants inside the scenic area, so prepare dry food in advance.
• Kaizhou Old Town: Free admission. The white-walled, dark-tiled buildings look more layered after the lights come on at dusk. You can eat hotpot at Lansheng Tower while enjoying lake views. On weekend evenings, there is also the “Yiyuan Theater.”
• Kaizhou Museum: Free admission. The museum displays more than 600 cultural relics, including an Eastern Han bronze basin, and is suitable for visitors interested in history. Allow about 1 hour for a visit. It is also closed on Mondays.

Local Food and Snacks

Kaizhou food comes in generous portions and is generally affordable. Many local flavors can be found in small street-side eateries.

• Kaizhou Dahunzheng: Beef, ribs, potatoes, and other seasonal vegetables are placed in a bamboo steamer and steamed at high heat. The aromas of meat and vegetables blend together, making this a very representative local home-style dish.
• Laoqinniang Beef Baomian: People in Kaizhou often call wonton-like foods baomian. The baomian here has thin wrappers and plenty of filling. The soup base includes mountain pepper, also known as litsea cubeba, giving it a distinctive flavor. It works well as breakfast.
• Kaizhou Spicy Numbing Beef: The beef has a firm texture, with a spicy, numbing flavor and a sweet aftertaste. It also carries the local food memory of the “hometown of scholars” and makes a good souvenir.
• Street Snacks: Try Shushi steamed dumplings, which taste even better with chili oil for dipping. Among teppanyaki snacks, tiger-skin chicken feet and pork belly are quite popular. Dongdong shredded radish and fresh pork pies, as well as Hanfeng Lake shaved ice in summer, are also worth adding to your snack list.

Transport and Practical Tips

• Transport: If driving from Chongqing’s main urban area, take the G42 or G69 expressway; the trip takes about 3.5–4 hours. By public transport, take the high-speed train to Wanzhou North Station first, then transfer to a bus or ride-hailing car to Kaizhou. The starting fare for taxis in the urban area is about 5–6 yuan, and you can also rent a bicycle for touring around the lake.
• Where to Stay: It is recommended to prioritize hotels around the New Century business district or Hanfeng Lake, such as Kaizhou Nihao Hotel, for convenient transport and dining. If your main goal is to escape the summer heat, you can choose a starry-sky tent guesthouse in Xuebaoshan.
• Notes: Liu Bocheng Memorial Hall and Kaizhou Museum are closed on Mondays. Hanfeng Lake boat cruises stop operating at 5 p.m., so arrange your time in advance if you plan to watch the sunset. Xuebaoshan is relatively high in elevation, with a clear temperature difference at night, so bring a windproof jacket.