This is a journey that I did not expect. Thanks to the Jilin Culture and Tourism Bureau for inviting me, who has lived in the south for a long time, to set foot on the three eastern provinces for the first time. I also went deep into Guandong, China, to experience the beauty of the country. Jilin.

This route is a niche self-driving route, starting from Changchun and heading northwest to Baicheng. It takes 6 days and 5 nights to wander around the borders of the three provinces of Jilin, Heilongjiang and Mongolia. The total distance is about 700 kilometers:

Day 2 Changchun - Da'an, Longhua Temple, Chagan Lake, Nenjiang Bay National Wetland Park (200 kilometers by car), stay in Da'an

Day 3 Da'an - Baicheng, Da'an North Steam Engine Exhibition Hall, Moon Water Conservancy Scenic Area, Momoge National Nature Reserve, Baishatan National Large Irrigation Area (120 kilometers by car), Subaicheng

Day 4 Baicheng-Taonan, Chaganhot Tourist Resort, Guandong Cultural Memory Street (30 kilometers by car), Sutaonan

Day 5 Baicheng-Changchun, Tongyu Xianghai Bird Garden, Mongolian Yellow Yu Forest District, Baola Wendu Natural apricot forest (350 kilometers by car), staying in Changchun

Day 6 leaving Changchun

In this travel note, I decided to use the city as the starting point to introduce the characteristics and attractions of each city. I didn’t stay in Changchun for long, and I only scratched the surface of each tourist attraction. There are a lot of guides on the Internet, so I don’t need to introduce them. In fact, I prefer niche attractions.

Longhua Temple

After leaving Changchun, the next stop is Songyuan City. We drove northwest and came to Longhua Temple, which is located on the bank of the Songhua River in the Forest Park of Ningjiang District, Songyuan City. The main hall is the central axis, with dense jungles, mountains and rivers, and beautiful scenery. It is a rare Feng Shui treasure land.

The temple adopts the architectural style of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and is built in the style of the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City in Beijing. Does it look familiar to you?

Unfortunately, Longhua Temple was not open on the day we visited, so we could only enjoy it by drone. The plane flew over a lotus pond and approached the majestic main hall. This was an aura that could not be felt at the iron gate at the entrance. The main hall is very deep and large. Even after flying for a long time, the plane was still within the scope of the temple. Later, I read the information and found out that Longhua Temple is the largest temple in Asia so far. No wonder it is so majestic.

Chagan Lake

Songyuan is most famous for Chagan Lake, but it is more well-known for the winter fishing at Chagan Lake, which started as early as the Liao and Jin Dynasties. customs and traditional fishery production methods.

Fishing and hunting start from mid-December to mid-January of the following year. Local people will put a 2-kilometer-long fishing net into the glacial lake, and wait until the right time to pull the net to catch local fish. It's called "fat-headed fish", and the bigger it is, the more valuable it is. If I have the chance, I will definitely come and visit in winter.

But what is there to do here in summer? In the summer, Chagan Lake is more like a sea, with blue and clear water, where the sea and the sky meet. We drove on the seaside road, and it felt like Hawaii! Northeastern people call the lake "Pao", so this place can also be called "Chagan Pao". It is actually a barrier lake with a very large area. Standing by the lake, you can see an endless ocean.

Local people also like to come here to play on the artificial beach. Although the beach is not big, it is a paradise for children. You can play for 20 yuan for a day. If you don’t want to get into the water, you can go boating on the lake, using bicycles, electric boats, sailing boats, etc. I looked at the prices and found them a bit expensive, but you can actually bargain. You must play smart.

In fact, Chagan Lake is not far from Inner Mongolia. In ancient times, it was also a place under Mongolian jurisdiction, so there was also the habit of riding horses. There is a meadow by the lake, and the locals keep a few ponies, allowing tourists passing by to experience the thrill of horseback riding. Of course, it cannot be compared with the prairie, but it is still fun to pose for photos.

In addition to playing, you must try the local fathead fish when you come to Chagan Lake. These fish are caught during winter fishing and kept frozen in the refrigerator to be supplied throughout the summer.

Local people use stoves to stew fish. Ginger, garlic, chopped green onion, dried chili peppers, soybean paste, soy sauce, etc. are fried into a pot of secret soup base, then add plump fish pieces, simmer for about 20 minutes, and the pot is ready. The aroma hits my face, so delicious!

We ate at a restaurant called Northeast Big Stew. It was a restaurant, but more like a food stall. There was a stove for each table, and there was no air conditioning in the large room. Everyone ate the stew pot around the stove, sweating profusely. , this is Northeast. Four people ordered 2 kilograms of fat-headed fish for 35 yuan per kilogram, plus vermicelli and other side dishes. Everyone was holding their stomachs after eating, and it only cost about 120 yuan. It was so affordable!

Nenjiang River

Nenjiang River is one of the oldest river basins in China. It has traces of human life since the Neolithic Age. It is the northern tributary of Songhua River and originates from the southern part of Daxinganling Mountains in Inner Mongolia. On the other side, it flows through the junction of Heilongjiang Province, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Jilin Province.

The first bay where the Nenjiang River flows into Jilin Province is called Baishatan Beach. It is a small dam that does not look very distinctive, but in fact it is opposite to Heilongjiang. As soon as I arrived here, I received a "Heilongjiang welcomes you" message. Information, my heart suddenly felt inexplicably excited.

In Da'an City, there is the Nenjiang Bay National Wetland Park, a national 4A-level scenic spot, located on the Songnen Plain. It has been a natural harbor since ancient times and is also the largest inland river port open to the outside world in Jilin Province. . Nowadays, there is no trace of the port, but it has become a wetland where wild birds live. Only a few pavilions remain, proving that glory once came.

We continued to drive to Moon Pao, which is the Nenjiang relic lake. It looks like a swamp wetland. It irrigates the surrounding farmland, grassland, woodland, etc., and is also a famous freshwater fish breeding base in the province. I also saw many oil extraction machines here. Although they were not very large ones, there was one not far away. After asking the locals, they found out that Yuepao Town is rich in oil resources. This is a river basin with fertile water and grass and abundant products.

Da'an North Steam Engine Exhibition Hall

When we were chasing the Nen River, we passed a city called Da'an. The city itself is not special, but we found a very special "car tomb" here. The program of aerial photography of Jilin has also introduced it, called Da'an North Steam Engine Exhibition Hall.

You can visit here for free. Except for the introduction on TV programs, there are very few online guides. There was not a single tourist when we came. The sign at the door said Da'an North Machinery Workshop. There was an iron gate. It was open and no one was guarding it, so we drove in.

Inside is a work workshop. On the right, there are several workers repairing the locomotive. On the left, there are many trains. If you go deeper, you can see more and more shocking locomotives.

I call it the "Train Tomb" because the trains here are all retired. These locomotives were built in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China. They served in the construction of frontier areas such as the Northwest, and traveled millions of kilometers, composing great songs of railway transportation production. Today, although they no longer serve as traction tasks, they are actually only temporarily withdrawing from the stage of history. They are used as strategic reserves. If China needs to use them someday, these locomotives will definitely be able to complete the task worthy of expectations.

In the center of the exhibition hall, these locomotives form a circle and are arranged very neatly. From God's perspective, it is very shocking to look down. Moreover, these locomotives are very clean and tidy, and there is no trace of the fact that they have traveled such a long distance.

Several carriages are open for viewing, which demonstrate the operating principle of the steam locomotive. You can also sit in the position and act as a conductor, pretending that you are controlling the train, which is quite enjoyable.

Momoge National Nature Reserve

Momoge sounds like the pronunciation of "mother" and is Mongolian. Momoge National Nature Reserve is located in the flat Songnen Plain. On the western edge, there are several large flowing sand dunes that look like mother's breasts, hence the name.

There is also a name here called "Hometown of Chinese White Cranes". Every year in the golden autumn of October, more than 4,000 white cranes arrive as scheduled, accounting for 90% of the world's white cranes. In addition to white cranes, there are also red-crowned cranes, white-headed cranes, gray cranes and other migratory birds. Tens of thousands of migratory birds soared above the wetland for a while, blocking out the sky and the sun, like a "storm of migratory birds".

Although you can’t see such wonders in Momoge in summer, you can only appreciate the wetlands dotted with rivers and lakes and depressions. Many children drive ducks in the stream here, and some wash cars. , it seems to be a suburban playground for local people.

Momoge Nature Reserve is now opening up a number of tourist routes, including ecological experience, bird watching activities, river rafting, grassland horse racing, hunting, grass sports, Mongolian style tours, etc. Come to this bird Similar to the Grand View Garden, you can fully integrate into nature and experience life outside the world.

Chaganhot Tourism Resort

In Mongolian, "Chagan" means white, "Haote" means city, and "Chaganhot" means White City. It is the historical name of Baicheng. In order to promote the development of tourism, the local government established the Chaganhot Tourism Resort, which spans the Horqin Grassland in the three provinces of Jilin, Heilongjiang, and Mongolia. It is the largest yurt group in Jilin Province.

When I studied Genghis Khan when I was studying, the impression in my mind was that he was in charge of the grasslands, and all the grasslands in China belonged to him. When I came to Chaganhot, I saw the statue of Genghis Khan. He should not only be the ruler of the grassland, but also the spiritual leader of the local people! This Horqin Grassland was also one of the areas once governed by Genghis Khan. There is a long corridor that introduces his great achievements in detail.

Walking in, there is a group of yurts. There are about 20 or 30 white yurts, some large and some small. They can be rented as tents to escape the heat, have meals, and stay overnight. I saw a yurt supermarket and walked in to take a look. There was a Mongolian aunt who was looking after the shop. The things she sold were nothing special, so I asked her if I could rent a yurt to live in. She said yes, it would cost 600 yuan during the day, and it would be cheaper at night at 400 yuan. There is no bed, no tables and chairs, it’s just a Datong bunk, which can fit more than 10 people, but the toilets and showers are in the public toilets outside. , it seems that only friends who want to see the starry sky on the grassland will choose it.

If you don’t want to live there, you can eat in a private room. Roast whole lamb is 2,300 yuan per head. The price is quite reasonable. If there weren't too few of us, I would really like to eat here!

Many locals will drive here for vacation, and no tickets are required. A vehicle only costs 5 yuan. Bring folding tables, chairs and tents, and camping is not a problem at all. The tourist area has a reservoir on one side and a grassland on the other. The scenery is very beautiful, and the grassland is very cool in summer, with the temperature around 30 degrees. As long as adequate sun protection measures are taken, this is indeed a resort.

We wanted to drive around the tourist area, but found that it was really too big and there was no way to go around in circles, so we had to go back the same way. When we returned, we also saw a shepherd and a handsome sheepdog driving a group of lambs. Living in the city, we don’t see many strange things, so we thought it was quite spectacular, so we followed the sheep for a while. Sometimes I envy this kind of nomadic life. I work at sunrise and rest at sunset, doing whatever I want and enjoying myself.

Taonan City

After leaving Chaganhot, we turned back to the south. Our next destination was Taonan City, a small town within the jurisdiction of Baicheng City. Taonan can only be regarded as the urban-rural fringe area of ??the 6th and 7th tiers in China, with bustling downtowns and dilapidated streets, and even dry toilets in some places, but it is a true microcosm of domestic urban development.

Tianen Prefecture Bureau, from its name, I thought it was some kind of government agency related to astronomy and geography. In fact, when the Qing Dynasty took charge of this area, it built this "Mongol Palace" as an office in the center of Taonan City. The building complex has the characteristics of the Qing Dynasty. The structure is a Chinese-style layout with "two entrances to the royal palace". The roof walls are decorated with cornices and antique decorations. It can be seen that this city once had a glorious time.

Wu Junsheng's official residence, also known as Dashuai Mansion, is also called "Wu Da Touji Tower" by locals. It is a museum of ancient buildings, full of Guandong style in China. Let me briefly introduce Marshal Wu. When he was an army general in the Republic of China, he led his army to Taonan. The Marshal was successful in pacifying the enemy and received a bounty. He used the money to build a commercial building there. , known as "Shuai Mansion Building". Shuaifu Building was the tallest commercial building in Taonan City at that time. It was located in the center of the most prosperous "Xinglong Street". It had a complete range of goods and a wide range of sales. It remained the commercial center of Taonan until 1973, but it was gradually discontinued thereafter. It now exists as a museum, recording the ups and downs of the city.

People have also erected statues and monuments for Marshal Wu, but the official residence has been turned into an old restaurant, which gives a feeling of sadness and the passage of time.

We can’t talk about tourism when we pass through Taonan, but if you happen to pass by, maybe you can spend half a day walking around to see the precipitation of history and feel the pace of urban development.

Tongyu Xianghai

Jilin is known as "Changbai in the east and Xianghai in the west". Xianghai is a national nature reserve and a national 4A tourist area. Located in Tongyu County, Baicheng City.

Xianghai is a natural reserve in western China. You can enjoy ecological landscapes such as swamps, lakes, birds and animals with original grassland characteristics, Mongolian yellow elm, natural apricot forest, and reed swamps.

We drove towards Changchun and passed through a large forest, which was Mongolian yellow elm and natural apricot forest.

Local residents know very well that clear waters and lush mountains are valuable assets, so they attach great importance to protecting the ecological environment. I stood under a tree with dense shade. Even in the scorching summer heat, there was no wind to cool me down and no rain to moisturize me. The lush woods provide an excellent ecological environment for various birds and are also natural oxygen bars for humans. If the eucalyptus turns yellow and the apricot forest turns pink in autumn, it will be a more attractive scenery!

We drove all the way to Changchun. We saw a straight and flat asphalt road with neat and orderly woods and farmland on both sides. This is the result of border construction by the national and local governments and also pave the way for future tourism development. I believe In the near future, this area will also develop into a mature tourist area, allowing more tourists to experience the natural scenery with ethnic characteristics.

Jilin tourism is not just Changbai Mountain. Going deep into Jilin, there are actually other different attractions and self-driving routes.

Let me briefly summarize this self-driving trip to Jilin. The total distance from Changchun to Baicheng is about 700 kilometers. You can see all the natural scenery. It is leisurely and not tiring. It is very suitable for a family trip.

1. Changchun is the hometown of FAW, and FAW-Volkswagen is everywhere, so you have to follow the locals and rent a Volkswagen, which is doubly respectable. The car rental fee for 6 days is more than 1,200 yuan, plus tolls and gas expenses, the total per capita is about 1,000 yuan.

2. The local consumption level is very low. Except for the attractions in Changchun that require payment, most other attractions are free. The portions are large and cheap. We were a group of 4 and spent 6 days eating, drinking, lodging, and spending 1,000 yuan per person, which is affordable!

3. The route is dominated by natural landscapes, including vast grasslands, plains, forests, wetlands, etc. This route has few tourists and is a niche and fresh, most suitable for adventurers and pioneers.

4. The portions of Northeastern food are large, so don’t order too much to avoid wasting it. The taste is a bit sour and sweet, a bit like the taste of Goryeo. Even if it is spicy, it is not too spicy. If you don't like sweet, remember to go for sweet.

5. I am departing from Guangzhou. The round-trip direct flight ticket to Guangzhou plus fuel cost is 950 yuan. The total cost of one trip is about 3,000 yuan, which is super cheap! I wonder if you would like this kind of trip?