September Yancheng 2-Day Off-the-Beaten-Path Itinerary | Enjoy the Seafood of Yellow Seas During the Fishing Season and Discover Hidden Charm in Ancient Towns on the Mudflats
September Yancheng 2-Day Off-the-Beaten-Path Itinerary | Savoring the Yellow Sea Fishing Season and Discovering Hidden Charm in Mudflats and Ancient Towns
Yancheng in September has just ended its four-and-a-half-month summer fishing moratorium. In mid-September, the Yellow Sea fully opens for fishing, with thousands of boats returning to Huangsha Port, bringing plump crabs and fresh shrimp. Avoid the crowded Tiaozini core area and Xixi Ancient Town. This local favorite route connects the national central fishing port, the Red Sea mudflats, and a thousand-year-old salt transport town. Less crowded, more scenic, and with accommodations and activities costing just over 500 RMB per person, you can fully experience the salty freshness of the Yellow Sea and the vibrant atmosphere of the ancient towns.
Day 1: Sheyang Route: Fishing Port Opening + Red Mudflats and Grasslands
In the morning, navigate directly to "Sheyang Huangsha Port Fishing Port Wharf" and park near the fish stalls along the main street. Arriving around 9 AM is perfect; fishing boats operating near the shore are returning to port to unload their catch. The wharf is piled high with water-drenched swimming crabs, lively shrimp, and shimmering small yellow croakers; even the air is filled with the salty freshness of the sea. Don't rush to find a restaurant. First, take a stroll along the Yunmian River boardwalk. The old docks, old fishing nets, and decommissioned wooden fishing boats have been converted into exhibits. There are almost no tourists, and every snapshot captures the authentic, rustic charm of a fishing village.
For lunch, walk further into the fish stall street and choose a local eatery frequented by locals, avoiding the trendy restaurants with their fancy exteriors. A must-try is the steamed swimming crab; the crabs, caught in September, are full of roe and fat, costing just over 60 yuan per jin (approximately 500 grams). The crab meat is so tender it bursts with flavor. Also, order some handmade yellow croaker balls, bouncy and bursting with broth when you bite into them. Stir-fry some local mud snails, fresh with a hint of spiciness, perfect with rice. You'll eat until you're stuffed for about 80 yuan per person.
In the afternoon, navigate to "Yellow Sea Highway No. 1, Sheyang South Section" and drive slowly along the coastline, avoiding the official viewpoints crowded with tourists. Drive south for three or four kilometers, and you'll see vast stretches of Suaeda salsa mudflats along the roadside, slowly turning red in September, like a soft red carpet spread across the sea. Find a safe shoulder to park, walk to the mudflats, and you can see small sand crabs crawling sideways. In the distance, wind turbines slowly turn, and the air is filled with the scent of the sea.
In the evening, circle around to the unnamed embankment on the west side of Moon Bay to wait for a sunset over the Yellow Sea. As the sun sinks below the horizon, it dyes the mudflats and seawater a warm orange hue. The silhouettes of returning fishing boats slowly glide across the water, offering a wilder, more natural feel than a typical tourist sunset.
Day 2 Dongtai Route: Ancient Town Morning Tea + Salt Transport Old Street
Start the morning with a trip to "Fu'an Town Old Street." Arriving at 7:30 am, you'll be just in time for the bustling morning market. The fish soup noodle shop at the entrance of the old street is highly recommended. The broth, slowly simmered with crucian carp and eel bones, is milky white and thick. Add handmade alkaline noodles, sprinkle with white pepper, and a bowl for nine yuan—it's so delicious you'll drink the broth to the last drop. Also, order a basket of freshly steamed crab roe buns—thin-skinned, generously filled, and bursting with broth when you bite into them. Enjoy them with ginger slices to cut through the richness. After lunch, stroll along the old street. The cobblestone path is lined with old houses; blacksmith shops, grain and oil stores, and shoe repair stalls are still there, reflecting the daily lives of locals, untouched by commercialization.
A 20-minute drive at noon will take you to Anfeng Ancient Town. No need for a pass; just explore the free main street. Avoid the shops on the main street; turn into the side alleys. The Bao Family Mansion and Wu Family Ancestral Hall are hidden among the blue bricks and gray tiles. The ivy climbing the walls in the corners of the courtyards is turning red with early autumn, and the quiet is so peaceful you can hear the leaves falling. Have lunch at an old teahouse in the ancient town. Order Dongtai stir-fry and Pingqiao tofu—both are home-style Huaiyang flavors, a satisfying meal for around 50 yuan per person.
In the afternoon, navigate to "Tiaozini North Reclamation Area Seawall." Avoid the crowded core scenic area; this area has more open mudflats and fewer tourists. Walk along the seawall path; egrets forage on the mudflats, and reeds sway in the wind. The sea breeze in September is neither stuffy nor dry. Find a rock to sit on, watch the tide slowly rise, and your whole being will slow down.
Practical Tips
1. Seafood prices fluctuate during the fishing season. Look for restaurants with clearly marked prices; buying by weight is more cost-effective than buying by portion. Be cautious of shops near scenic area entrances.
2. The mudflats offer no shade, and the UV rays are still strong in September, so don't skimp on sunscreen. The mudflats are muddy, so wear non-slip shoes and avoid venturing too far out.
3. Only the exhibition halls in Anfeng Ancient Town require an entrance fee; exploring the old street is completely free, so there's no need to buy a combined ticket.
The true flavor of Yancheng isn't found in the popular tourist spots. It's the sound of fishing boats returning to port, the reddish Suaeda salsa on the mudflats, and the freshness of a bowl of fish soup noodles. Exploring these less-known corners is how you truly experience the essence of this small city on the Yellow Sea.
September Yancheng 2-Day Off-the-Beaten-Path Itinerary | Savoring the Yellow Sea Fishing Season and Discovering Hidden Charm in Mudflats and Ancient Towns
Yancheng in September has just ended its four-and-a-half-month summer fishing moratorium. In mid-September, the Yellow Sea fully opens for fishing, with thousands of boats returning to Huangsha Port, bringing plump crabs and fresh shrimp. Avoid the crowded Tiaozini core area and Xixi Ancient Town. This local favorite route connects the national central fishing port, the Red Sea mudflats, and a thousand-year-old salt transport town. Less crowded, more scenic, and with accommodations and activities costing just over 500 RMB per person, you can fully experience the salty freshness of the Yellow Sea and the vibrant atmosphere of the ancient towns.
Day 1: Sheyang Route: Fishing Port Opening + Red Mudflats and Grasslands
In the morning, navigate directly to "Sheyang Huangsha Port Fishing Port Wharf" and park near the fish stalls along the main street. Arriving around 9 AM is perfect; fishing boats operating near the shore are returning to port to unload their catch. The wharf is piled high with water-drenched swimming crabs, lively shrimp, and shimmering small yellow croakers; even the air is filled with the salty freshness of the sea. Don't rush to find a restaurant. First, take a stroll along the Yunmian River boardwalk. The old docks, old fishing nets, and decommissioned wooden fishing boats have been converted into exhibits. There are almost no tourists, and every snapshot captures the authentic, rustic charm of a fishing village.
For lunch, walk further into the fish stall street and choose a local eatery frequented by locals, avoiding the trendy restaurants with their fancy exteriors. A must-try is the steamed swimming crab; the crabs, caught in September, are full of roe and fat, costing just over 60 yuan per jin (approximately 500 grams). The crab meat is so tender it bursts with flavor. Also, order some handmade yellow croaker balls, bouncy and bursting with broth when you bite into them. Stir-fry some local mud snails, fresh with a hint of spiciness, perfect with rice. You'll eat until you're stuffed for about 80 yuan per person.
In the afternoon, navigate to "Yellow Sea Highway No. 1, Sheyang South Section" and drive slowly along the coastline, avoiding the official viewpoints crowded with tourists. Drive south for three or four kilometers, and you'll see vast stretches of Suaeda salsa mudflats along the roadside, slowly turning red in September, like a soft red carpet spread across the sea. Find a safe shoulder to park, walk to the mudflats, and you can see small sand crabs crawling sideways. In the distance, wind turbines slowly turn, and the air is filled with the scent of the sea.
In the evening, circle around to the unnamed embankment on the west side of Moon Bay to wait for a sunset over the Yellow Sea. As the sun sinks below the horizon, it dyes the mudflats and seawater a warm orange hue. The silhouettes of returning fishing boats slowly glide across the water, offering a wilder, more natural feel than a typical tourist sunset.
Day 2 Dongtai Route: Ancient Town Morning Tea + Salt Transport Old Street
Start the morning with a trip to "Fu'an Town Old Street." Arriving at 7:30 am, you'll be just in time for the bustling morning market. The fish soup noodle shop at the entrance of the old street is highly recommended. The broth, slowly simmered with crucian carp and eel bones, is milky white and thick. Add handmade alkaline noodles, sprinkle with white pepper, and a bowl for nine yuan—it's so delicious you'll drink the broth to the last drop. Also, order a basket of freshly steamed crab roe buns—thin-skinned, generously filled, and bursting with broth when you bite into them. Enjoy them with ginger slices to cut through the richness. After lunch, stroll along the old street. The cobblestone path is lined with old houses; blacksmith shops, grain and oil stores, and shoe repair stalls are still there, reflecting the daily lives of locals, untouched by commercialization.
A 20-minute drive at noon will take you to Anfeng Ancient Town. No need for a pass; just explore the free main street. Avoid the shops on the main street; turn into the side alleys. The Bao Family Mansion and Wu Family Ancestral Hall are hidden among the blue bricks and gray tiles. The ivy climbing the walls in the corners of the courtyards is turning red with early autumn, and the quiet is so peaceful you can hear the leaves falling. Have lunch at an old teahouse in the ancient town. Order Dongtai stir-fry and Pingqiao tofu—both are home-style Huaiyang flavors, a satisfying meal for around 50 yuan per person.
In the afternoon, navigate to "Tiaozini North Reclamation Area Seawall." Avoid the crowded core scenic area; this area has more open mudflats and fewer tourists. Walk along the seawall path; egrets forage on the mudflats, and reeds sway in the wind. The sea breeze in September is neither stuffy nor dry. Find a rock to sit on, watch the tide slowly rise, and your whole being will slow down.
Practical Tips
1. Seafood prices fluctuate during the fishing season. Look for restaurants with clearly marked prices; buying by weight is more cost-effective than buying by portion. Be cautious of shops near scenic area entrances.
2. The mudflats offer no shade, and the UV rays are still strong in September, so don't skimp on sunscreen. The mudflats are muddy, so wear non-slip shoes and avoid venturing too far out.
3. Only the exhibition halls in Anfeng Ancient Town require an entrance fee; exploring the old street is completely free, so there's no need to buy a combined ticket.
The true flavor of Yancheng isn't found in the popular tourist spots. It's the sound of fishing boats returning to port, the reddish Suaeda salsa on the mudflats, and the fresh taste of fish soup noodles. Exploring these less-known corners is how you truly grasp the essence of this small city on the Yellow Sea.