Things to do in Yiwu

2026 Asia 100 - Family-friendly Attractions

Hengdian World Studios

Hengdian World Studios is located in Hengdian Town, Dongyang, in central Zhejiang Province, adjacent to Yiwu, which is famous for its small commodity market. It is one of the largest film and television shooting bases in China and is known as "China's Hollywood." It is not actually a single city, but rather composed of multiple attractions scattered throughout and around the town, such as the Qin Palace, Ming and Qing Palace Garden, Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival, Guangzhou Street/Hong Kong Street, and Dream Valley. Qin and Han palaces, Song Dynasty streets, Ming and Qing palaces, and modern trading ports are all gathered in one town, making walking through it feel like traveling back and forth between different dynasties. Films such as "Hero," "The Promise," and "Curse of the Golden Flower" were born in the Qin Palace, while hit palace dramas like "Palace," "Empresses in the Palace," and "Scarlet Heart" were mostly filmed in the Ming and Qing Palace Garden. It is a unique daily scene here to frequently bump into film crews at work on the streets and see extras dressed in ancient costumes passing by. Each attraction has distinct highlights: The Qin palace was built for filming "The emperor and the assassin," featuring imposing high platforms and grand halls—the iconic sword duel scene from "Hero" was shot here, now adapted into the live stunt show "Heroes' duel." The riverside scene at Qingming festival attraction brings Zhang Zeduan's Northern Song Bianliang to life, with rainbow bridges, Bian river, and Song-dressed NPCs roaming among taverns and teahouses; its signature performance "Dream of Bianliang" recreates bustling street life through ancient magic tricks. The Ming-Qing palace emulates Beijing's forbidden city with layered vermilion walls and golden roofs—familiar sights for fans of Qing dynasty dramas—while the multimedia show "Forbidden city chronicles" condenses centuries of imperial history. Guangzhou street·Hong Kong street revives old Canton and colonial Hong Kong (1840s-early 20th century), featuring the lively aquatic action show "Raging sea rivalry." Other areas include Dazhi temple, Pingyan cave dwellings, and Chinese cultural park—each offering unique exploration. The attractions are some distance apart, so you can usually only visit two or three in a day. If you have enough time, consider staying overnight: explore palaces and encounter film crews during the day, then head to the dream valley themed around nightlife in the evening. Besides amusement facilities, it features live performances, "The dream of Taiji" and "Mountain torrents", which are the highlights of Hengdian at night. The film studio has so many attractions that a 1-day tour may only cover 2-3 attractions. If time permits, we recommend staying overnight to explore at a leisurely pace and catch more shows—only then can you truly experience the charm of Hengdian.

No. 2 of Night Attractions in Jinhua

Fotang Ancient Town

Futang Ancient Town is located in the southwest of Yiwu City. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, countless ships have traveled on the river, and Futang's floating bridge pier is an important stop. Today, the ancient town has long been desolate, but you can still see traces of its prosperity in the dazzling array of ox legs, window lattices, brick carvings and stone carvings in the ancient town's residential buildings. As a tourist attraction, Futang Ancient Town is still under development and is free of charge. There is almost no commercial meaning in the streets and alleys. The simple life of the locals deep in the alleys is a rare sight elsewhere. The nearly 2-kilometer-long old street is the soul of the ancient town. Zhi Street, Shanghui Street, Yanbutou Heng Street, Fuqiaotou Heng Street and two east-west side streets form the core of the ancient town. Since Futang has been a commercial port since ancient times, there are still many shops along the street. The layout of downstairs being shops and upstairs being residences is still preserved. Old wooden doors and low counters can be seen everywhere. Old shops such as Ruitaixiang give people the illusion of going back in time. The Xinhua Theater on the old street is still a distinctive cultural symbol of Futang. The theater is decorated with square tables and chairs that were common in the 1980s, and there are often local opera performances. If you come across it, you might as well enjoy it with the villagers who come from nearby villages to watch the show. Wuqiji Residence (Wu's House) is the biggest attraction in the ancient town. However, since the ancient town has not been fully developed, there are no obvious road signs on the street. However, you can basically find it by asking the locals. This two-entry old house in the style of Ming and Qing Dynasties combines the grandeur of Huizhou architecture and the delicacy of Zhejiang carvings. The carvings include opera characters, fishermen, farmers, pavilions and towers, and even the drainage outlets in the corners are decorated with exquisite stone carvings. The owner of Wu's House spent his entire life building this mansion, but he experienced various hardships such as the Anti-Japanese War and land reform, but he was not able to live here for a day. When tourists are in it, they can't help but sigh with emotion. Another old house worth seeing is Huaiyin Hall (Liji Eight-sided Hall) located on the north bank of Houyangtian Pond. The eight pairs of Huizhou horse head walls on both sides are very impressive. The eight houses are both separate and connected, and the shape is unique. In addition, when you walk into the depths of the alleys, you will find more exquisite old buildings hidden in the corners, and the photos you take are quite charming. In the Brown Sugar Culture and Art Museum on the old street, you can also see the sculpture display of the ancient method of making Buddhist brown sugar, which is very vivid. After viewing the buildings, walk to the riverside, and the quaint Qing Dynasty bridge will immediately catch your eye. The name of the ancient wharf is engraved on the stone on the shore, and the sculptures on the wall record the prosperity of "trading chicken feathers for sugar" here in the past.

Yiwu Jiming Pavilion

The building is designed with both tradition and modernity in mind. It has a platform level, a courtyard level, a corridor bridge level, and a rainbow bridge level. It has the "Flying Pavilion Hall" and the "Golden Phoenix Hall".It is a local landscape building.

No. 6 of Best Things to Do in Jinhua

Lu-Family Residence in Dongyang

The Luzhai Complex consists of multiple residential complexes with longitudinal axes and thousands of houses. According to the essence of Suedang, its architectural scale and exquisite decoration are top notch. There are many existing buildings from the time of Jingtai back to the beginning of the Warlord Era, and they are concentrated on both sides of the axis of Suojutang. The official residence of Sangtangtang Hall is meticulously structured and symmetrical. It is an outstanding representation of ancient architecture. In the Luzhai architectural complex, paintings, corbels, and harpies from different periods are all of the highest quality.

No. 1 of Activities in Jinhua

Night Markets in Yiwu

No. 6 of Night Attractions in Jinhua

Exotic Street

Exotic Street is situated in the Binwang Commercial District of Yiwu in Zhejiang Province. The businesses on the street are mainly restaurants, entertainments, and the clothing trade, some of which are wholesale fabric sellers. The street has quite a strong commercial atmosphere. Exotic Street is divided into functional areas for speciality dining, leisure and entertainment, and quality goods shopping. The street satisfies the needs of both locals and tourists alike.

Old Station 1970 Cultural and Creative Park

1970 Cultural and Creative Park covers a large area and was converted from an old site, retaining many rustic features. It features a book bar, pottery studio, murals, and more, making it well worth a visit.

Yiwu International Expo Center

Yiwu International Expo Center is located in the cultural center area of Yiwu City. It consists of two parts: the exhibition hall and the supporting five-star hotel.

No. 7 of Fall Viewing Attractions in Jinhua

Shenli Gorge

Shenli Gorge is a classic natural canyon-like landscape with countless undulating hills, numerous waterfalls and lush natural resources, especially the large number of naturally found birds. Since the Song Dynasty, Shenli Gorge has been a good location for scholars to visit. The popular celebrities of the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties have created a lot of travel poems, such as Wu Siqi, Fang Feng, Xie Tao, and Psalms.

Yiwu Botanical Garden

Yiwu Botanical Garden is located in the northwest of Yiwu City. It is divided into five major parks, including ten major landscapes such as Flower Valley Terraces, Plum Forest, and Colorful Forests. It has planted and cultivated a variety of trees, flowers and other plants, and the scenery is beautiful.