An aerial view of the Nantong Horticultural Expo Garden [Photo/WeChat account: gotonantong]

The weeklong National Day holiday is just around the corner. The following two-day travel route in Nantong is a great way to experience the city.

Day 1: Langshan Mountain — Nantong Horticultural Expo Garden — Nantong Museum Cluster in Haohe River scenic area — Night tour on Haohe River

Day 2: Zhou Ji Green Expo Garden — Seyuan Garden

Langshan Mountain has long been a major attraction in Nantong. It stands 109 meters above sea level and is famous for its Buddhist culture.

The scenic area is located in the southern suburban area of Nantong. Tourists driving their own car are encouraged to visit the mountain directly before checking into their hotels.

The Nantong Horticultural Expo Garden is at the foot of Langshan Mountain and is the venue for the fifth Horticultural Exposition of Jiangsu Province. The garden features striking horticultural scenery from 13 provinces and cities in China.

After having a lunch in the downtown area, visitors can head for the museum cluster in the Haohe River scenic area. Nantong is home to more than 30 museums, including the China Abacus Museum and Nantong Blue Calico Museum.

Nantong Museum, China's first public museum founded by Zhang Jian, a renowned industrialist and scholar, is also located here.

When night falls, visitors are encouraged to take a boat ride on the Haohe River, one of the best-preserved moats in China.

The second day should start with a visit to the Zhou Ji Green Expo Garden in the eastern suburban area. The garden covers an area of 320,000 square meters and is home to more than 8,000 species of rare plants from all over the world.

The last stop is Seyuan Garden, which was founded in 1924. It houses more than 10,000 trees in 200 rare varieties and is hailed as the city's "oxygen bar".