All over the place in Moganshan

Moganshan is technically a mountain within Moganshan national park, but here in Shanghai we usually refer to it as a broader area, full of bamboo forests, mountains, hills, nature and small villages.

I’ll share some practical information and write from my own experience, based on the three places I’ve stayed in. If you want extensive information about everything Moganshan has to offer, I would recommend this page on SmartShanghai or this website, full of practical information. I will keep adding to this page as I will keep exploring different parts of Moganshan.

I stayed in the Solvang Village Boutique Hotel, Pinghouwu Hotel, and Arcadia Resort Moganshan.

Solvang:Perfect if you want to stay in a small village and go on peaceful hikes and walks directly from the hotel, especially if you are looking for a retreat-like experience. The place itself is very quiet, and the lights are turned off at 10 p.m. It is less suitable if you prefer a livelier area with more facilities.

Pinghouwu: A perfect base if you want to visit the main scenic area and prefer a larger village with more restaurants and cafés. Less ideal if you are looking to fully escape into nature and go on hikes directly from your hotel.

Arcadia: Arcadia is perfect if you want a peaceful retreat surrounded by bamboo forest and nature. It feels similar to Solvang in its calm luxerous atmosphere, but Arcadia has the extra luxury of a beautiful pool. Less suitable if you prefer to be near a village. You need to walk a bit further (or take the golf car) to get to the start of the bigger hike,

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Practical information

-You can go by car from Shanghai, it will take you a few hours.

-You can take a train to Deqing and take a taxi from there, or ask the hotel if they can arrange a pick-up service.

-Moganshan has many villages, attractions and hiking routes. They are not close to each other, so it’s best to choose one village or area to stay in and explore from there.

-You can't really go wrong. It's beautiful everywhere, and every part has it's own charm.

-When deciding where to go, think about whether you want a more luxurious resort atmosphere or a local homestay feel, and whether you’d prefer to be surrounded by nature, in a rural village, or near the main scenic area.

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1. Moganshan Solvang Village Boutique Hotel

Moganshan Solvang Village Boutique Hotel in the middle of the bamboo forest.

Staying in this hotel in Dazaowu Village is staying in a bamboo forrest. It is also staying in a small village, and enjoying rural life. Rooms are roughly between 1100-1500RMB tonight. The interior is Scandinavian-style and the atmosphere is calm and personal, with wood interiors, soft colours and big windows that look out over the surrounding hills. It feels more like a mountain guesthouse than a hotel, and the owners clearly care about details. The food is local and amazing and can be ordered for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and be enjoyed outside on the terrace, or inside the restaurant where there's a fireplace for cold evenings.

From this hotel you can do three main hikes, and the staff will provide you with navigation. I’ll highlight two of them, as the third is more like an extension of one of these routes.

• The first hike takes you from the hotel through the nearby village all the way to the water reservoir. Along the way you’ll see plenty of dogs, freshly cut bamboo drying in the sun, small fires for cooking, and vegetables being washed in the stream that runs through the village. You’ll meet few people along the way, and there are no cafés or restaurants, which makes it feel quiet and authentic.

  
  

First part: the village.

As you continue, the path opens up to farmland where you can see local farmers at work. In November the harvest turns the fields a deep golden yellow, while in spring everything is lush and green.

The hike ends at the water reservoir. Right next to it there’s a small, lovely coffee place, the perfect stop before heading back.

Second part and the reservoir.

• The second hike takes you to the other side, partly through a bamboo forest and along small paths, ending at a stunning viewpoint.

Through the forest, to the view point.

You need to step off the path in some places, and it is quite a climb, so you should be reasonably fit. If that feels too challenging, you can take a Didi or ask the hotel to arrange one to bring you up and then walk back down, or do it the other way around. At the top there is a beautiful, peaceful terrace where you can enjoy tea and some snacks. Absolutely worth it.

the third hike would be a not very impressive waterfall, not too far from the hotel, and on the same route as to the view point. It's a nice little walk on a paved path through the forest.

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2. Moganshan Pinhouwu Hotel

The Pinhouwu Hotel

Moganshan Pinhouwu hotel in Houwu village is a lovely hotel that feels more like a homestay. The rooms are very spacious, beautifully designed with great attention to detail, lots of light wood and soft colours, and surprisingly luxurious for the price. You can already book a beautiful room for around 570 RMB per night. The hotel has an extensive menu, and the food is delicious. We only stayed for one night but would have loved to stay longer. Houwu is a larger village with several restaurants and cafés, and there is also a bus to the Moganshan Scenic Area. When we arrived, we explored the surroundings and went for a walk, and the next day we visited the scenic area.

• On our day of arrival we walked around to explore the village, and then took a path up a mountain and enjoyed a quiet walk in the bamboo forest, on a paved road.

A walk in the forest near the hotel.

• The next day we went to Moganshan Scenic Area. About a ten-minute walk from the hotel you reach a shuttle bus that runs frequently up the mountain to the official entrance of the scenic area. This is the main visitors’ zone on Mount Mogan, where you find the well-known viewpoints, historic villas, and walking trails through the bamboo forest. Although the name Scenic Area refers to the entire region, the shuttle takes you specifically to this central part of the mountain that most visitors come to explore.

Beautiful colours in early April in Moganshan Scenic Area.

We went without a clear plan, and that worked out very well. It’s easy to find the scenic walking trails leading to beautiful viewpoints. The castle, in particular, can be admired from many angles along the way. There are plenty of small shops, restaurants, and street vendors around. This part of Moganshan is the busiest.

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3. Arcadia Resort Moganshan

Moganshan Arcadia Resort in Muzhuwu Village is a beautiful hotel tucked away in a bamboo forest. It slightly resembles Solvang Village in its use of natural materials and its retreat-like atmosphere, though Arcadia feels more like a resort than a mountain village. There’s a stunning pool with spectacular views, and from the hotel you can take a lovely walk to a tea plantation. The trail is pleasant, though the plantation itself is not as striking as those near Hangzhou.

Our favourite hike was the one leading to the same viewpoint you reach from Solvang Boutique Hotel, only approached from the other side. It’s a beautiful route through the forest, though the path is paved all the way. The hotel offers a golf cart to take you to the start of this hike. The food at Arcadia is excellent- we only tried the Chinese dishes, which were outstanding. The resort also offers many activities for guests who want to explore the area further.

Hikes around the hotel.

• We did a hike on day 1, day 2 and day 3. The hikes from day 1 and day 3 start more or less at the hotel and both are beautiful and rural. If you turn left after leaving the hotel, you hike toward a tea plantation. This plantation is not as spectacular as the ones in Hangzhou, but the walk itself is very scenic. If you turn right, you walk toward an old rural village. The host of the hotel can give you navigation to the tea plantation if you want. In reality it does not matter which direction you take when you leave the hotel, because everything is beautiful and you will find small paths going up and down everywhere.

The 'big' hike

On day two we did a longer hike. The hotel takes you to the starting point in a small golf cart. The starting point is somewhere in the village and you could probably walk there yourself, but you would need to know exactly where to go. You can also go with a local guide who will take you along the route. The hike is moderate. You go uphill of course, but the entire path is on firm ground so you do not need to climb through trees or scramble over rocks. The route is beautiful and incredibly peaceful. You walk through the forest, hearing nothing but animals and the wind. In the end you arrive at the same viewpoint as Solvang Village, where you can enjoy tea and some snacks.