Furong: Instagram Waterfall Town

I saw a few Instagram Reels about an ancient scenic waterfall town in China called Furong, so I figured I would add one night there to my itinerary. It was stunning. However, in true China fashion, it also struck me as highly commercialized and somewhat artificial. I had to buy an entrance ticket to enter the area where my hotel was. Like Nanxun, I felt like I was staying in an amusement park modeling what a Chinese town should look like.

That being said, the views were impressive. I arrived in Furong on Christmas Day. It was no white Christmas, but it certainly felt charming nonetheless.

I set out to explore the scenic area which was a visually rich blend of ancient architecture with modern lighting and infrastructure.

I will admit, I did enjoy looking at the lit up hotels and restaurants layered into the steep mountainside.

The series of illuminated waterfalls was an impressive sight.

You could even walk underneath them.

This was the view from my hotel room balcony.

I put on a Spotify Christmas mix and listened to Mariah Carey as I opened the various letters from friends and family that Julia had so thoughtfully gathered and delivered to me back in Beijing as a Christmas surprise. As they don't celebrate Christmas in China, I had not seen a single tree or Christmas decoration all day, so I felt in the Christmas spirit for the first time.

I woke up the next morning for a lovely scenic early breakfast before yet another high speed train to my next destination, the city of Chongqing.

I decided to splurge and spend an extra $2 for a premier seat (bringing my total fare up to $7) which meant I got my own private cabin with a sliding door separating me from the plebs.

The views were wonderful as I soared through the Chinese countryside. I felt some fatigue from navigating China's built up tourist infrastructure and was excited to get back to my roots of wandering and eating food uninhibited by entry tickets and the sort. Chongqing here I come!