Anyang 5-Day Tour: Henan Only Show & Millennium City Park

Today's deep experience involves reserving a whole day to follow the story-driven route, focusing on the main plays and well-reviewed small plays; dine and rest inside the park, ending in the evening.

Attraction Introduction: One highlight in the itinerary is Only Henan. 'Only Henan·Drama Fantasy City' is located in Zhongmu and is a massive theatrical settlement built with rammed earth. Through more than twenty theaters and nearly a hundred performances, it presents the hardships, harvests, and resilience of Central Plains civilization. Main theaters like 'Fantasy City', 'Train Station', and 'Li Family Village' are highly acclaimed, while the small theaters each have their own unique creativity, with the imagery of wheat fields running throughout. It is a phenomenal cultural tourism landmark in Henan. This is not a traditional attraction, but an immersive cultural experience. My understanding is that it is essential to reserve a whole day, schedule the main plays first, and then intersperse the smaller theaters; book tickets in advance through official channels and check the performance schedule carefully, as popular sessions often sell out.

Friendly Reminder: Signal in the canyon may be weak, so arrange meeting points with the guide in advance and do not act alone. Visitors generally report that Drama Fantasy City’s immersive experience is loved by young people, but tickets are expensive and time-consuming; it is advised to choose core theaters and reserve at least half a day. Based on the actual situation, with a tour group it is best not to just rush through; listening to the guide is the essence. The cultural stories behind each attraction are often more memorable than the photos, so ask the guide on the spot if you don’t understand something.

Arrive in the morning and walk through the streets restored according to the "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" painting, watch folk performances and live-action shows; try Bianliang snacks at noon, and continue visiting the garden in the afternoon or take a night tour of the Song Capital Imperial River to experience the prosperity of Northern Song Bianjing.

Attraction Introduction: A highlight of the itinerary is Qingming Riverside Landscape Garden, located at Kaifeng. It is a Song culture theme park built based on Zhang Zeduan's "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" from the Northern Song, faithfully reproducing the Rainbow Bridge, Bian River, streets, and restaurants from the painting, recreating the bustling life of Tokyo Bianliang. The park has live performances and folk parades throughout the day. The most famous is the nighttime water performance "Great Song: Dream of Tokyo," which uses light and shadow to recreate the magnificence of the Northern Song capital. During the day, visitors can watch immersive folk performances such as the opening ceremony, Magistrate Bao welcoming guests, and Mr. Wang's matchmaking event. This is also a paradise for hanfu enthusiasts; wearing Song-style hanfu while walking between the Rainbow Bridge and Bian River will make for perfect ancient-style photos. My understanding is that visitors should first get the performance schedule upon entering, plan the must-see shows and nighttime activities, and then explore and eat at leisure; strolling through the streets during the day is the most immersive, while the night performance is a visual and auditory feast worth watching if the budget allows.

Tips: Popular attractions in the park have long lines, so pick up a map and performance schedule upon entering and prioritize must-see activities. Visitors generally feel that wandering the streets during the day is most immersive, while the nighttime "Great Song: Dream of Tokyo" receives mixed reviews; performance tickets are relatively expensive, so budget accordingly. For authentic food, walk deeper into the alleys as the lines and taste at the main entrance are average. Always compare prices before buying souvenirs, as local supermarkets often provide more authentic products.

Set off from the hotel early in the morning and head straight to Mount Song. First, listen to the tour guide explain the background and highlights, then take a leisurely self-guided tour and take additional photos according to your interests. After lunch, rest for a while, and return to the hotel in the evening to save energy for the next day.

Attraction Introduction: One of the highlights arranged in the itinerary is Mount Song. Mount Song is the Central Peak among the Five Great Mountains, mainly located in Dengfeng City, divided into Taishi and Shaoshi Mountains, with the main peak, Junji Peak, reaching about 1,492 meters in elevation. Its uniqueness lies in the coexistence of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism on the same mountain for a thousand years: Songyang Academy was a significant center of Neo-Confucianism during the Song dynasty, and the famous story of 'Standing in the Snow at Cheng's Gate' is said to have happened here; the Zhongyue Temple is one of the largest and best-preserved temple complexes among the Five Great Mountains; the Guoxing Platform in Gaocheng Town, built under the supervision of Guo Shoujing during the Yuan dynasty, is one of the oldest existing astronomical observation structures. In 2010, the historical building complex of 'The Centre of the Heaven and Earth,' represented by Songyang Academy, Zhongyue Temple, Songyue Pagoda, Shaolin Temple Permanent Residence, Pagoda Forest, Chuzu Hermitage, and Guoxing Platform, was listed as a World Heritage Site. My understanding is that there is no need to try to see everything on the first day — first visit the Academy and Zhongyue Temple to understand the ritual system of 'The Centre of the Heaven and Earth,' and save the energy for climbing the mountains later; if time permits, head to Shaoshi Mountain's Sanhuang Zhai plank road in the evening to watch the sunset, which is the most photogenic part of the trip.

Tips: In mountainous areas, there is a large temperature difference between morning and evening, and the wind on the mountain top is strong, so a windproof jacket and warm base layers are necessary. Visitors generally report that most tourists think Mount Song is worth a special visit. It is recommended to slow down, follow the guide's explanation, and leave time for the details that move you the most as well as the best photo spots. Based on your actual condition, reserve energy: tackle the highlights in the morning when you are fresh, slow down in the afternoon, and do not exhaust yourself on the first day, otherwise, you will have no strength for the following days.