Huaguo Mountain

Huaguoshan rises to 624 metres outside Lianyungang, the highest point in Jiangsu, and the sixteenth-century novel Journey to the West places the Monkey King's birth here, in the Water Curtain Cave behind a waterfall. The identification has shaped the mountain: the cave exists, a fissure behind falling water, and the site is signed and interpreted throughout in terms of the novel. A troop of wild macaques lives on the slopes and has become entirely habituated, taking food from visitors and occasionally bags. Temples, a Tang pagoda, granite outcrops and views to the Yellow Sea fill the rest, with cable cars and shuttle buses covering the height.

What you actually see

• The Water Curtain Cave - the fissure behind a waterfall named in the novel.
• The macaque troop - habituated wild monkeys along the paths.
• The summit views - the Yellow Sea and plain from Jiangsu's highest point.
• The temples and pagoda - religious buildings across the slopes.

When to go

April to October; the mountain is green in summer and coloured in autumn. Weekends and holidays bring crowds. The macaques are most active in the morning and around food.

Honest expectations

The monkeys are bold and steal food and bags; feeding them is discouraged and bites occur. The site is heavily themed around the novel, which will mean little without knowing it. Shuttle and cable car fees add to the entry ticket.

Nearby

Lianyungang and the Yellow Sea coast lie north.