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Far away in the northeast of the province, close to the Fujian-Jiangxi border, is the Wuyi Shan scenic district, containing some of the most unspoilt and picturesque scenery in southern China. It's the only inland part of Fujian regularly visited by tourists and consists of two principal parts, the Jiuqu River which meanders at the feet of the mountains, and the Thirty-six Peaks that rise up from the river, mostly to its north. With peaks protruding from low-lying mists, the scenery is classic Chinese scroll-painting material, and the reserve, dotted with small, attractive villages, can be a tremendous place to relax for a few days, offering clean mountain air and leisurely walks through scenery of lush green vegetation, deep red sandstone mountains, soaring cliff faces, rock pools, waterfalls and caves. Despite the remoteness, Wuyi is surprisingly full of local tourists in high summer, so a visit off-season might be preferable, when you'll also see the mountain tops cloaked with snow. With foreign tourists relatively rare in Wuyi, you should bear in mind that they are regarded as fair game for some serious overcharging. Wuyi is best visited en route between Fuzhou and Xiamen, given that the circuitous rail link between the two cities passes very close to here. The sixty-square-kilometre site is bordered by the Jiuqu (Nine Twist) River to the south, which runs its crooked course for some 8km between Xingcun village to the west, and the main village in the area, WUYIGONG to the east - where it joins the Chongyang Stream running from north to south and bordering the area to the east. Wuyigong, which contains the bus stop and some hotels, lies in the cleft between the junction of these two waterways. The traditional, and still the best, way to appreciate the Wuyi Shan area is to take a leisurely two-hour bamboo-raft trip along its main artery, the Jiuqu River. The rafts leave daily between 7.30am and 2pm all year round, and you can pick one up from more or less anywhere on the river. From the first crook in the meandering river right up to the ninth, you'll have stupendous views all the way. The odd boat-shaped coffins in caves you can glimpse above the fourth crook, are said to be four thousand years old. The fee currently being charged for a six-passenger boat along all nine twists is around Y60 per person, though you'll need to have your own group. There are a series of trails heading north into the mountains from the main trailhead area behind the Jiuqu Hotel (about halfway between Xingcun and Wuyigong). Foreigners are charged a very steep Y50 for entering the trails here, though it is possible to avoid this charge by walking a little downstream and looking for a path cut into the rock. The mountains look quite large and imposing, but in fact are relatively easy to climb. The summit of Tianyou Feng (Heavenly Tour Peak) is no more than a thirty-minute clamber away from the Jiuqu Hotel. The best time to get up here is early morning, when you can catch the sunrise and watch the early-morning mists clear to reveal a good view of the nine crooks in the Jiuqu River. There are a number of tiny pavilions and tea gardens on the lower slopes should you need sustenance on the way up. Another peak well worth the ascent is Dawang Feng (King of Peaks) at the easternmost end of the river, north of Wuyigong, more of a gentle walk than a climb (2hr). If you have time, try to get to the Shuilian Cave , about 6km north of the river; you can walk along easy trails or take a minibus from the Jiuqu Hotel area or from Wuyigong. In summer months a large waterfall cascades down a cliff of red sandstone, into which a tea house has been cut. You can sit in the tea house and sip the locally grown tea - one of the best varieties in China - while the waterfall literally crashes beside you (watch out for a heavy charge at the entrance to the cave, though). The walk between the cave and river passes tea plantations, more tea houses and all kinds of little sights, including Yingzui Yan (Eagle Beak Hill), whose point of interest is the walkways leading to a set of caves where, during the Taiping Uprising, local bigwigs fled to escape persecution.
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