Xinshu Zuokou, a lakeside mountain village — the “Heart Stay in Zuokou, Lakeside Mountain Village” self-driving tour event by Music FM 968 came to a perfect close

      This is a vibrant lakeside scenery of lush green mountains and clear waters; this is a booming tourism destination open for leisure and vacation. Amidst crisscrossing fields and paths, National Highway 330 runs through the area, while the Hangzhou–Huangshan High-Speed Railway and the Qiandao Lake–Huangshan Expressway have been successively completed and opened to traffic.

      This is Zuokou Township, located on the northwest shore of the northeastern Qiandao Lake area, just 9 kilometers from Qiandao Lake Town. It lies adjacent to the city and by the lake, with two major expressways passing through, ensuring convenient connectivity. With the arrival of the “two expressways” era and the completion of the Fengmao Peninsula Connector Road and National Highway 330, Zuokou has become even more closely linked with the urban area, the lake district, and the new development zone, truly establishing itself as a suburban township.

      Convenient transportation makes Zuokou a resort where you can easily embrace the vibrancy of the city or retreat into the tranquility of nature. Its rich cultural heritage transforms the century-old temple fair traditions into vivid historical artistry, adding color to this dynamic and energetic lakeside mountain village.

      From October 19 to 20, Zuokou Township in Chun’an County launched the “Heart Stay in Zuokou, Lakeside Mountain Village” rural experience festival. Two hundred listeners of Zhejiang Radio & TV’s Music FM (Music FM 968) participated in this two-day, one-night off-peak, value-packed self-driving tour.

      At the opening ceremony, the participants enjoyed a rural cultural performance, strolled through the Zuokou Temple Fair to watch traditional opera, and savored distinctive farmhouse delicacies, fully immersing themselves in the local folk culture and unique charm. In the evening, following a special long-table banquet at the Maoling Homestay Village in Zuokou, an energetic and romantic rural starlight music party kicked off. After a day of activity, the participants let go of all their worries and immersed themselves in the rural homestay experience. Zuokou is home to over 70 homestays and farm stays, each with its own distinctive features and strengths. Among them, Blue Horse Station and Lakeside Villa have been rated among “Hangzhou’s Top Ten Boutique Homestays,” while Lao Tianzhuang Farmhouse has been honored by the National Tourism Administration as a “China Rural Tourism Gold-Level Farm Stay.” These boutique accommodations are either nestled among mountains and waters or hidden within mountain villages—small yet beautiful, delicate and refined. The hosts have poured their understanding and love for life into these spaces, offering a rustic charm with deep flavor.

      Throughout the event, family interactions, firsthand experiences with nature, and the freedom to relax helped bring urban dwellers closer to Zuokou’s ecological environment. Many parents remarked that they were amazed by Zuokou’s breathtaking scenery and felt its tourism resources made it the perfect choice for quality parent-child time. The participants who joined the self-driving tour quietly enjoyed two days of leisurely and peaceful rural life, allowing their bodies and minds to unwind from the stresses of the week. A photography competition ran throughout the two-day, one-night joyful itinerary, giving everyone the chance to get to know, understand, and promote Zuokou through the experience.

      In Zuokou, there is endless history and culture to explore, and picturesque landscapes that seem to stretch forever. The township is embraced by serene green mountains and dotted with babbling streams, featuring a winding lakeshore, scattered islands, and continuous bays, with quaint villages and towns nestled among the beautiful scenery. Here, you’ll find stunning peaks such as Golden Purple Peak, Paradise Mountain, and Sugarcane Mountain, along with the unique Golden Purple Peak Ecological Valley and Lingxia Wetland. Visiting here is like stepping into a green world—embracing it is like embracing a green home.

      In recent years, under the guidance of the county Party committee and government, Zuokou Township has focused on the strategy of “joint conservation without excessive development.” Leveraging its transportation advantages and rich natural and cultural resources, it has vigorously developed its tourism economy and used festival events to create a new brand for rural tourism. In 2018, the township welcomed a total of 390,000 visitors and achieved a total tourism revenue of 46.37 million yuan. In the new year, the township Party committee and government seized the opportunity for renewal, rebranding the area with the theme “Heart Stay in Zuokou, Lakeside Mountain Village” — a place to leave your body and mind. Taking this opportunity, they further expanded and upgraded the homestay industry brand, boldly innovating and experimenting.

      For years, Zuokou Township has been committed to developing rural tourism and boosting the local economy through tourism. This year, the township launched a “Clean Countryside, Beautiful Homes” village environment improvement campaign to enhance its charm, developed Party-building poverty alleviation bases to invigorate the “Party Building + Rural Tourism” model, and created three short-distance leisure routes themed around “Heart Stay in Zuokou, Lakeside Mountain Village,” all providing solid support for rural tourism development. Moving forward, Zuokou will continue to enrich the connotation and characteristics of its tourism brand through practice, striving to make the Heart Stay in Zuokou Rural Experience Festival a signature achievement of Qiandao Lake.

      On crisp autumn days, take a step to explore and wander between green mountains and clear waters, stopping along the way. Whether you’re climbing to take in the views or sitting by the lake to enjoy small scenes, Zuokou showcases its unique holiday spirit. A beautiful paradise, a haven for the soul, a connection to nature — let your body and mind stay in Zuokou.