Location: Yongding County
Top Things to do in Yongding County
Top Hotels in Yongding County
- 1. Tulou Fuyulou Changdi Inn
- 2. Hakka Earth Building Prince
- 3. Yuqinglou Hostel
- 4. Tianzi Hotspring Holiday Resort Longbowan Hotel
- 5. Kedu(International)Hotspring Holiday Resort
- 6. Tulou Mengtian Hostel
- 7. Panda Hostel
- 8. Kingdom Hotel
- 9. Qiaofulou Earth Building Hostel
- 10. Jianqing Xiaozhu Guesthouse Hotel
What to do and see in Yongding County, China: The Best Places and Tips
Yongding (Chinese: 永定) is a district under the jurisdiction of Longyan prefecture-level city in the southwest of Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. It is the home of many Hakka-speaking families. Yongding has a population of about 400,000, of which more than 99% are Hakka, the rest being Southern Min-speaking people. It was reported at the end of 2014 that Yongding had become a district, having previously been a county.
Restaurants in Yongding County
1. Hakka Houses
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 134 reviews
Reviewed By SingaporeGirl - Singapore
Expect to see what's advertised--large round (and square) communal-living spaces surrounding shared courtyards, meeting places and clan temple. Some are in very bad condition; others are being 'gentrified' to take advantage of their new-found fame. Some of the historical showrooms are very sad displays of deteriorating textiles, worn kitchen equipment and faded posters.The area is in sore need of conservation specialists. Some offer overnight home stays but be forewarned of very primitive plumbing facilities. Best enjoyed if you can ignore the crowds and try to imagine it as what it once was--communal living to protect threatened populations.
2. Yongding Earth Building
Overall Ratings
4 based on 138 reviews
Reviewed By Elizabeth S
The Tulou communities of Yongding's Hakka people are a must see sight. I've been living in China for two years and have visited many places here and I think the tulou of Fujian are really special. Everyone knows when they come that they will see impressive and interesting architecture but nobody mentions the stunning scenery and the incredible warmth of the Hakka people. The fact that many of these are very much still living breathing communities is fascinating. I especially recommend Chuxi and Hong Keng clusters. Try to visit Hong Keng cluster early to beat the crowds. And be sure to sit a while and chat to some locals over delicious locally grown tea! Though saying that there is very little English spoken around these parts so be ready to practice your Chinese! One more thing to note: public transportation between the tulou is pretty well non-existent so keep in mind you'll have to pay for taxis and/or motorbikes on top of entrance tickets. By China standards all in all mine was a fairly expensive trip (but totally worth it!); if you are not travelling alone it would be less pricy to get around.
3. Chuxi Tulou
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 41 reviews
Reviewed By LG_Kay - Singapore, Singapore
I hired a motorbike to bring me to ChuXi tulou, which is a 50 mins ride from HongKeng Cultural Village (洪坑村). This place is less touristy compared to ChengQiLou. I particularly love the surrounding environment, as the tulou clusters are situated nearby a stream against the mountain backdrop.
ChuXi tulou consists of the iconic 3 circular and 1 rectangle tulous. One of the circular tulous is converted into a museum. However, the museum was in restoration state. Though I was allowed to enter the museum, there were construction works going on, with debris lying everywhere. I guessed it will take a few years before the restoration works to be completed. Hence I suggest to skip this tulou and visit other tulou clusters for the time being.
If you are here, strongly recommend to climb the nearby hill to have a great panoramic view of the tulou clusters. The climb is relatively easy, with concrete steps and takes about 10 mins to reach the summit. Great photoshoots from here.
4. Hakka Culture Village of Yongding
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 28 reviews
Reviewed By Mike W - Los Angeles, California, Usa
This is one and only culture in southern part of China. this kind of building shows how people protect their life and property. a whole family together in a secure round castle. true unique way you will not found anywhere in the world. really worth of a tour.
5. Gaobei Tulou Compound
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 27 reviews
Reviewed By GaborLeo - Slagelse, Denmark
These earthen fortified houses of SW China are magnificent, unique structures. There are about 3000 such houses in the region, many of them still inhabited. They have been built since 1200s - the last ones quite recently. About 48 of them are recognised as World Heritage. We visited the Gaobei cluster on a Sunday - and apparently, so did all the inhabitants of a small Chinese city. It may be a platitude to refer to "many Chinese" but be prepared to have this experienece first-hand if you visit on a weekend. These structures are built on a stone platform, with sandstone blocks and mud brick walls, with wide, overhanging roofs to protect the walls from rain. They can be round, oval or square, and have no outside windows on the first two floors. Life is lived on the inner courtyard - which may contain a srhine, the kitchens, storerooms and these days, many shops. The inner structure is constructed of wood; bedrooms are on the upper floors. The buildings are in very different conditions, sadly many of them "maintained" with no regard to tradition, style - or taste. Many others are ruined by developments and modernisation - the outside eletcricity wires are not even worth mentioning. Still, they have a very strong presence in the landscape, they are majestic. Try to stay overnight - many of them rent out rooms to visitors, and when the other visitors are gone, you can wonder around undisturbed, appreciate the atmosphere, and there are always many places to eat or sip tea. We have done this - but not at this cluster. Still, worth a visit, but be warned - there is a new visitors' centre, and a short shopping mall to get through before you reach the "king tulou", Chengqi Lou. This is the largest tulou, with three concentric round of buildings on the inner courtyard, and many narrow passages between them, and thus even 20 people can create a congestion. The locals just get on with their activities, stoically tolerating the gawking visitors. On the top of the hill, there is a newly built viewing platform, overlooking the town. There really ought to be better care and protection of these buildings, they are majestic.
6. Nanxi Earth Buildings
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 8 reviews
Reviewed By Andrew_Alin - Greater Adelaide, Australia
These huge roundhouses, contructed almost entirely of compacted mud and timber, is a testament to the architectural techniques of ancient times.
That they are still standing after almost 700 years is really amazing !!
This whole area is a really unique experience, not to be missed.
7. Longyan Zhongchuan Village
Overall Ratings
4 based on 5 reviews
Reviewed By robin338 - Singapore, Singapore
This one is close to one of the Hakka houses spot...like its nearby surroundings, this one has no air pollution, no crows - only beautiful swallows and fat country chickens, and very friendly locals. One of the few nice places in China where hawkers will not hassle you to buy stuff or quote you sky high prices. There are a few local farmstay houses around - clean, simple accomodation and food. Worth a visit if you have come this far...
8. Yanxiang Lou
Overall Ratings
4 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By Mikhail M - Saint Petersburg
Поскольку мне было интересно увидеть по возможности больше тулоу, входящих в Список всемирного наследия ЮНЕСКО, я решил посетить данный объект в первый же день своего пребывания в культурной деревне хакка. Ведь это большое круглое тулоу - одно из немногих, которые вошли в Список сами по себе, отдельно, а не в составе группы. Добраться до него оказалось не так-то легко. Рейсовый автобус довёз меня только до Хукенга, а оттуда я поехал на попутке, подвезти меня любезно согласилась интеллигентная супружеская пара. Мы долго плутали, не могли найти то, что надо. Но традиционное китайское гостеприимство не позволило моим провожатым высадить меня и уехать, за что я им очень благодарен. Когда наконец мы нашли нужное тулоу, они уже были так заинтригованы и заинтересованы, что сами тоже сделали остановку, вышли из машины и пошли его осматривать. Построено здание в первой половине 19 века, окружено старыми деревьями, поблизости протекает ручей, вокруг горы, всё было гармонично. Внутри мне понравилась живописная резьба и каллиграфия. Мне не пришлось пожалеть о времени, потраченном на эту поездку.
9. Zhenfu Lou
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 3 reviews
Reviewed By Mikhail M - Saint Petersburg
Это большое круглое тулоу - одно из немногих, которые вошли в список всемирного наследия ЮНЕСКО сами по себе, индивидуально, а не в составе группы. Оно хотя и не очень древнее (ему чуть больше ста лет), но очень красивое. И внутри, и особенно снаружи. На заднем плане гора, на переднем – река. Не поленитесь, перейдите небольшой мостик через эту реку и полюбуйтесь на здание с противоположного берега. Отличный вид!
10. Kuiju House
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By Javier L - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
This tulou is probably the best maintained square-tulou in Hongkeng tulou cluster. When I was there, I was lucky to see the residents were drying the persimmons for preparation of Chinese New Year. It's a popular desserts for Chinese during Chinese New Year. If you want to take a picture inside of the people living room, you should ask permission before entering, as to respect the locals.
