No wonder Qianlong liked going south of the Yangtze River in autumn for the maple leaves (with Nanhu Lake guide)

Nanhu Lake is truly a treasure, with stunning scenery, and there’s also Nanhu Tiandi for shopping. Driving 🚗 without backtracking guide (p1️⃣0️⃣) ⚠️ The full route around Nanhu Lake is very long, and since you don’t want to drive all the way around to get your car, it’s recommended to split the trip into two parts. Streamlined version: 1️⃣ First, park at Haogu Tower parking lot, 🌟 climb to the top of Haogu Tower to see the full view of Nanhu Lake (p6—9). This angle is very beautiful and a must-check-in spot, then walk over to Nanxi Garden. 2️⃣ Return to your car, then park at Nanhu Tiandi Parking Lot No. 2 (Parking Lot No. 1 is the farthest from the dock and the underground passage is closed, so Lot No. 1 is small and congested). From Nanhu Tiandi → Shao Garden → Huijing Garden Dock → 🚢 Lake Heart Island 🍁 (p1-5) → Nanhu Ferry Terminal (Nanhu Tiandi). 🚢💰 20 RMB round trip On the return trip, the final stop is Nanhu Tiandi, then Huijing Garden Dock. Since my car was parked at Nanhu Tiandi, I got off there. ⏰ The whole trip takes 3-4 hours. This is a treasure check-in spot reachable within 2 hours from Shanghai, perfect for a same-day round trip.