Things To Do in Linhai

Most tourists start with the Old City, known as Lao Jie Fang, a well preserved section of cobblestone streets from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Life in many of the two-story wooden buildings on Zi Yang Jie seems to continue much as it did over a century ago. The area has more than 40 ancient wells, and small communities sprang up around each. For those interested in local snacks, keep an eye open for the Wang Tian Shun Bakery, at 306 Zi Yang Jie, itself over 100 years old. The small savory cakes have a delicious aroma but be warned that this crunchy bread requires very strong teeth, being referred to as "goat's horns" (yang jiao ti) and "horse's hooves" (ma ti su) for good reason. Past the gatehouse by the East Lake look out for the huge stadium-cum-shopping mall (Chong He Men Guang Chang), designed to look like a Hakka Roundhouse, which is especially impressive at night.