Stand on the edge of Shimen Lake and the water sits still between wooded slopes, with the ridge of Mount Guanzhi rising behind it. This is the scenery that gives Longyan its name, and it is the reason most travellers put the city on a Fujian itinerary at all.
Longyan suits travellers who are already comfortable moving around Fujian without much English around them, and who are willing to base themselves in the city while making day trips out to the countryside. The two things that define the area are the Hakka earth houses to the west and the geopark at Liancheng, and both need a little planning to reach.
This guide covers the sights the sources describe in and around Longyan, with notes on how to combine them and what to expect when you get there.
Top things to do in Longyan
1. Fujian Tulou
The earth houses of the Hakka people are the best-known attraction in the area and are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. They are large, often round, built to hold an extended family and designed to be easily defended. There are none inside the city itself, but there are thousands in the villages to the west.
Hotels can arrange a car or van to visit them, typically for ¥200-300 per day. Expect little or no English to be spoken once you are out in the villages.
2. Hukeng
Hukeng, south-west of Longyan, holds a particularly large grouping of tulou and is known as the Earth House Culture Village. Entrance is ¥90, and for an additional ¥10 you can add the neighbouring tulou cluster of Gao Bei Tu Lou.
Hukeng offers a quiet and sincere glimpse of tulou life, and there are several restaurants catering to tourists, with meals running ¥90-120. Many of them offer homemade rice wine, and hotels in and around Hukeng and Gao Bei are plentiful.
3. Gao Bei Tu Lou
This tulou cluster sits next to Hukeng and can be added to your Hukeng ticket for ¥10. It is more geared to tourists and shopping than Hukeng is, so the two make a natural pair if you want both the lived-in version and the busier one.
Combine the two in a single day out from Longyan, and plan to stay overnight nearby rather than rushing back.
4. Mount Guanzhi National Geopark
Longyan's most popular scenic attraction, in Liancheng County, contains two main sights: Mount Guanzhi and Shimen Lake. Opening hours are 08:00-17:30 from May to October and 08:30-17:00 from November to April. Admission is ¥115, or ¥99 if purchased online.
Take a long-distance bus to Liancheng County. From the Liancheng County Bus Station you can catch a taxi or bus no. 6, which stops within 800 metres of the park entrance; the entrance is about 2.5 km from the bus station and about 5.5 km from Longyan Guangzhishan Airport.
5. Shimen Lake
Shimen Lake is one of the two main sights within Mount Guanzhi National Geopark, and it is covered by the same admission. Pair it with the climb of Mount Guanzhi rather than treating it as a separate outing.
Give the geopark a full day, since the bus journey to Liancheng County and the onward transfer to the entrance both take time.
6. Mount Guanzhi
The mountain itself is the second of the two main sights inside Mount Guanzhi National Geopark, and the park is named for it. The same ticket and the same opening hours apply.
Because the park closes in the late afternoon, aim to arrive in Liancheng County in the morning rather than the middle of the day.
7. Longyan Museum
The museum sits at No. 2 People's Square on Longyan Avenue in Xinluo District, reachable on bus nos. 1, 3, 9, 16, 20 and 30. Admission is free. Summer hours are 08:30-11:30 and 15:00-17:30; winter hours are 08:30-11:30 and 14:30-17:00. It is closed on Mondays.
Note the midday closure when you plan your visit, and treat it as an easy half-day in the city rather than something to build a whole day around.
8. Tianzi Hot Spring Resort
This resort in Dongxi Village, Chengjiao Township, Yongding District, has a 4/5-star hotel and 90 hot spring pools in different styles. It is open 08:30-23:00 and admission is ¥238.
Take bus no. 2 from the Yongding Bus Station to reach it. It pairs well with a tulou trip in Yongding District, since you are already out that way.
9. Zhigao Amusement Park
An amusement park in the west part of town, with rollercoasters and Disneyland-like architecture. Opening times are 15:00-22:30 on workdays and 9:30-22:30 on weekends and holidays. Admission is ¥120 for adults and ¥50 for children.
The late weekday opening means it works best as an evening activity, or as a weekend stop if you are travelling with children.
10. Meihuashan National Nature Reserve
Meihuashan National Nature Reserve is part of the China Biosphere Reserve Network and lies within Longyan. The surrounding forest coverage is unusually high, which is what gives the area its green, wooded character.
This is a nature outing rather than a city sight, so set aside time for the journey out and back rather than squeezing it between other stops.
11. The Hakka villages of western Longyan
Beyond the specific tulou clusters, there are a large number of Hakka villages in the area worth exploring. Western Longyan is known as the "Home of Hakka People", and the rural county of Changting is often referred to as the home of the Hakka.
The Ting River is known as the "mother river" of the Hakka people. As in Longyan itself, do not expect English to be spoken in the villages.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Longyan Museum on People's Square in Xinluo District, arriving when it opens at 08:30. Check the season first, since summer hours run to 11:30 and 15:00-17:30 while winter hours are 08:30-11:30 and 14:30-17:00, and it is closed on Mondays.
Afternoon: Head west towards the Hakka villages and the Fujian Tulou. If you have arranged a car or van through your hotel, this is the day to use it; Hukeng and the neighbouring Gao Bei Tu Lou cluster can be covered on one ticket, with Hukeng at ¥90 and Gao Bei added for ¥10.
Evening: Eat in Hukeng, where several restaurants cater to tourists and many offer homemade rice wine, then stay overnight in one of the hotels around Hukeng or Gao Bei rather than travelling back to the city in the dark.
Frequently asked questions
Are there tulou inside Longyan city?
No. There are none in the city itself, but there are thousands in the villages to the west, including the large grouping at Hukeng and the neighbouring Gao Bei Tu Lou cluster.
How do I get to the tulou without my own car?
Hotels can arrange a car or van to visit these places, typically for ¥200-300 per day. This is the simplest option if you are basing yourself in Longyan.
Is English spoken in Longyan and the surrounding villages?
Do not expect any English to be spoken, either in Longyan or in the villages around the tulou.
When is the best time of year to visit Mount Guanzhi National Geopark?
The park is open 08:00-17:30 from May to October and 08:30-17:00 from November to April. Rainfall in the region is greatest in spring and early summer and least in autumn and early winter, which is worth weighing when you pick your dates.
Work out whether your trip centres on the tulou villages or on the geopark at Liancheng, then build the rest of your days around that choice.