Exploring Liyang? Here’s How to Discover Its Bamboo Forests and Tea Hills

The straightforward answer is that Liyang, a county‑level city in southern Jiangsu, is best known for the vast bamboo sea of Tianmu Lake and the gentle tea‑covered hills that surround it—but its charm lies in the quiet paths between the famous sights. Most visitors make the mistake of heading straight to the Tianmu Lake resort area, spending a few hours on the lake and leaving without touching the region’s deeper bamboo trails or countryside villages. The solution is to base yourself near the lake for a day of bamboo walks and a boat ride, then venture to the **Nanshan Bamboo Sea** for a quieter, more immersive forest experience. With a car or careful taxi planning, you can experience both the popular highlights and the serene backcountry.
The biggest mistake is underestimating the scale of the Nanshan Bamboo Sea. The park is enormous, and trying to see it all on foot in a few hours can be exhausting. Another common error is visiting on a weekend without a plan for the cable car, which can have queues of an hour or more. The principle is simple: choose one or two focal points for the day, arrive early, and let the slower paths—not the main thoroughfares—show you the bamboo forest’s real beauty.
Start your day at **Tianmu Lake**. The lake itself is a reservoir surrounded by low mountains, with a few islands and a scenic drive along the shore. The main attraction is the **Tianmu Lake Bamboo Sea**, a well‑maintained park with boardwalks winding through dense bamboo groves. Arrive when the park opens (usually 8:00 AM) to walk the main trails before the crowds. The highlights are the **Bamboo Maze** and the walk to the **Guanjing Pavilion**, which offers a view over the tops of the bamboo. If you’re traveling with children, the small cable car and the glass bridge add a playful element.

After the bamboo walk, take a **boat ride** on Tianmu Lake. The lake is dotted with small islands; the most popular is the **Dragon’s Hill Island**, which has a tea house and views back toward the bamboo hills. The boat ride is a pleasant way to rest after walking, and the water views offer a different perspective on the landscape. If you have time, the **Wuyuan Mountain** area on the north shore has a quieter path and a small temple.
For a deeper bamboo experience, head to **Nanshan Bamboo Sea** in the afternoon. This park, a 30‑minute drive from Tianmu Lake, is less manicured and more expansive. The **mirror lake** at the entrance is a classic photo spot, but the real reward lies in walking the **Jiulong Trail**, a 3‑kilometer path that climbs gradually through dense bamboo, with occasional clearings that look out over the valley. The cable car here takes you to a ridge with panoramic views, but the middle section of the walking trail is where you’ll feel truly immersed.

A concrete example: a traveler I know spent a day in Liyang by starting at Tianmu Lake Bamboo Sea at 8:00 AM. She walked the main trails, took the glass bridge, and had a bamboo‑shoot noodle lunch at a small restaurant outside the park. She then drove to Nanshan Bamboo Sea, arriving around 1:00 PM. Instead of taking the cable car, she walked the Jiulong Trail, which took about two hours at a leisurely pace. She was back in her car by 4:00 PM, feeling she’d experienced both the polished and wild sides of Liyang’s bamboo landscape.
Logistics: Liyang is about a 2.5‑hour drive from Shanghai or 1.5 hours from Nanjing. High‑speed trains stop at Liyang Station; from there, taxis are available to the scenic areas, but a rental car gives you the most flexibility. The Tianmu Lake area has a range of accommodation, from lakeside resorts to guesthouses in the surrounding villages. For food, try the local bamboo shoots (chunsun), freshwater fish, and the regional specialty of “fish head stew” (yutou) served in a clay pot.
[I visited in early May, and the bamboo was at its freshest green. Tianmu Lake was lovely but crowded by 10am. The tip to go to Nanshan in the afternoon was perfect—the walking trail there was almost empty, and the light through the bamboo in the late afternoon was beautiful. The bamboo shoot noodles are a must.]
[The Jiulong Trail at Nanshan is the highlight. It’s a gentle climb, well‑marked, and you feel completely surrounded by bamboo. The cable car at Nanshan had a long line when I was there, but the trail was quiet. Definitely a better choice if you’re able to walk.]
[I went to Liyang primarily for the bamboo, but the lake boat ride was a nice addition. The Dragon’s Hill Island has a tea house where you can try local green tea. The whole area feels very relaxed compared to the more crowded Yangtze Delta spots. A great weekend escape from Shanghai.]
[I combined Liyang with a visit to the nearby Tianmu Lake hot springs, which was a wonderful way to end the day. The bamboo walking, the boat ride, and then soaking in the outdoor pools as the light faded—a perfect rhythm. Highly recommend if you have an extra day.]
Liyang’s bamboo landscape offers two distinct experiences: the manicured trails and lake views of Tianmu Lake, and the deeper immersion of Nanshan Bamboo Sea’s walking paths—best enjoyed by arriving early, choosing one trail for immersion, and sampling local bamboo shoot dishes.
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