The Yangzi basin

Having raced out of Sichuan through the narrow Three Gorges, the Yangzi (here known as the Chang Jiang) widens, slows down and loops through its flat, low-lying middle reaches, swelled by lesser streams and rivers that drain off the highlands surrounding the four provinces of the Yangzi basin: Anhui, Hubei, Hunan and Jiangxi. As well as watering one of China’s key rice- and tea-growing areas, this stretch of the Yangzi has long supported trade and transport; back in the thirteenth century, Marco Polo was awed by the "innumerable cities and towns along its banks, and the amount of shipping it carries, and the bulk of merchandise that merchants transport by it". Rural fringes away from the river – including much of Anhui and Jiangxi provinces – remain some of the least developed regions in central China, a situation the mighty Three Gorges Dam on the border between Hubei and Chongqing, whose hydroelectric output powers a local industrial economy to rival that of the east coast, is going some way to address.

The river basin itself is best characterized by China’s two largest freshwater lakes: Dongting, which separates Hunan and Hubei, and Poyang, in northern Jiangxi, famed for porcelain produced at nearby Jingdezhen. While all four provincial capitals are located near water, only Wuhan, in Hubei, is actually on the Yangzi, a position that has turned the city into central China’s liveliest urban conglomeration. Long settlement of the capitals has, however, left a good deal of history in its wake, from well-preserved Han-dynasty tombs to whole villages of Ming-dynasty houses, and a smattering of sites from the Three Kingdoms. Many cities also remain studded with hefty European buildings, a hangover from their being forcibly opened up to foreign traders as Treaty Ports in the 1860s, following the Second Opium War. Perhaps partly due to these unwanted intrusions, the Yangzi basin can further claim to be the cradle of modern China: Mao Zedong was born in Hunan; Changsha, Wuhan and Nanchang are all closely associated with Communist Party history; and the mountainous border between Hunan and Jiangxi was both a Red refuge during right-wing purges in the late 1920s and the starting point for the subsequent Long March to Shaanxi.

Away from the river, wild mountain landscapes make for excellent hiking, the prime spots being Anhui’s Huang Shan, followed by Zhangjiajie National Forest Reserve in Hunan’s far west. Pilgrims also have a selection of Buddhist and Taoist holy mountains to scale – Hubei’s Wudang Shan is outstanding – and less dedicated souls can find pleasant views at the mountain resort town of Lushan in Jiangxi.

In theory, getting around isn’t a problem, as high-speed rail lines and highways link all but the remotest of corners. Autumn is probably the most pleasant time of year, though even winters are generally mild, but near-constant rains and consequential lowland flooding plague the summer months.

HUIZHOU BUILDINGS, YIXIAN

Highlights

1 Yixian An amazing collection of antique Ming villages, used atmospherically in Zhang Yimou’s film Raise the Red Lantern.

2 Huang Shan Arguably China’s most scenic mountain, wreathed in narrow stone staircases, contorted trees and cloud-swept peaks.

3 Hubei Provincial Museum, Wuhan On show here are 2000-year-old relics from the tombs of aristocrats, including a lacquered coffin and an orchestra of 64 giant bronze bells.

4 Shennongjia Forest Reserve Wild and remote mountain refuge of the endangered golden monkey and (allegedly) the enigmatic ye ren, China’s Bigfoot.

5 Wudang Shan Temple-covered mountains at the heart of Taoist martial-art mythology; it’s said this is where tai ji originated.

< Back to The Yangzi basin

THE DEMISE OF THE YANGZI RIVER DOLPHIN

The baiji, or Yangzi river dolphin (白鲫豚, báijì tún), was once a common sight along the middle Yangzi, and one of only four freshwater dolphin species worldwide. The animals – 2.5m long, with a long thin snout and a stubby dorsal fin – were seen as a good omen by fishermen, lending their name to Anhui’s Baiji beer, which had their Latin name, Lipotes vexillifer, stamped on the bottle cap. But as China’s population expanded, new forms of fishing, industrial pollution, river traffic and dam projects quickly decimated the numbers of sonar-guided baiji. A six-week, 3200km survey in 2006 failed to find a single dolphin and they have since become the first aquatic mammal to be declared functionally extinct for the past 50 years.

Anhui

安徽, ānhuī

Despite a government vision of Anhui as a wealthy corridor between coast and interior, the region continues to live up to its reputation as eastern China’s poorest province. It has a long history, however, and million-year-old remains of the proto-human Homo erectus have been found here, while Shang-era copper mines in southern Anhui fuelled China’s Bronze Age. The province later became known for its artistic refinements, from decorative Han tombs through to Ming architecture.

Any success, however, has been in the face of Anhui’s unfriendly geography. Arid and eroded, the north China plains extend into its upper third as far as the Huai River, and while the south is warmer and wetter, the fertile wooded hills soon climb to rugged mountains, where little can grow. Historically, though, the flood-prone Yangzi itself has ensured Anhui’s poverty by regularly inundating the province’s low-lying centre, which would otherwise produce a significant amount of crops. Despite the expansion of highways and railways – not to mention several huge bridges across the Yangzi – Anhui’s economy still trails its booming neighbours, though there are compensations for this underdevelopment. Superlative mountain landscapes at Huang Shan and the collection of Buddhist temples at Jiuhua Shan have been pulling in sightseers for centuries, and there’s a strong cultural tradition stamped on the area, with a substantial amount of antique rural architecture surviving intact around Tunxi.

Hefei

合肥, héféi

Nestled in the heart of the province but generally overlooked in the rush to reach Huang Shan, Anhui’s capital, HEFEI, gets few chance visitors. Once ringed by parkland and canals – the remains of Ming-dynasty moats – the outskirts of Hefei are now dominated by hundreds of identikit apartment blocks, and the city’s sole points of interest are a couple of historical sites and an excellent new museum. Nevertheless it’s a comfortable enough place to stay, can be a handy transport hub and the locals will be happy, if perhaps surprised, to see you.

Mingjiao Temple

明教寺, míngjiào sì • Huaihe Lu • Daily 6am–6pm • ¥10

The busy, pedestrian eastern half of Huaihe Lu seems an unlikely location for Mingjiao Temple, a restored sixteenth-century complex whose fortress-like walls front unpretentious halls and a plum garden. The temple occupies a Three Kingdoms site where the northern leader Cao Cao drilled his crossbowers during the winter of 216 AD. A glassed-in well in the temple’s main courtyard reputedly dates from this time; it definitely looks ancient, a worn stone ring set close to the ground, deeply scored over the centuries by ropes being dragged over the rim.

SANGUO: THE THREE KINGDOMS

The empire, long divided, must unite; long united, must divide. Thus it has ever been.

So, rather cynically, begins China’s great fourteenth-century historical novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Covering 120 chapters and a cast of thousands, the tale touches heavily on the Yangzi basin, which, as a buffer zone between the Three Kingdoms, formed the backdrop for many major battles. Some surviving sites are covered in this chapter and elsewhere in the Guide.

Opening in 168 AD, the Romance recounts the decline of the Han empire and how China was subsequently split into three states by competing warlords. The two original protagonists were the villainous Cao Cao and the virtuous Liu Bei, whose watery character was compensated for by the strength of his spirited sworn brothers Zhang Fei and Guan Yu – the latter eventually becoming enshrined in the Chinese pantheon as the red-faced god of war and healing. A political dispute between Cao and Liu eventually broke down into forthright conflict, their armies fighting numerous campaigns through the Yangzi basin – both sides all the time claiming to represent the emperor’s wishes. Cao was eventually defeated in Hubei at the Battle of the Red Cliffs (208 AD), after Liu engaged the aid of the wily adviser Zhuge Liang, who boosted Liu’s heavily outnumbered forces by enlisting the help of a third warlord, Sun Quan – a campaign recently brought to life in John Woo’s blockbuster Red Cliff movies.

Consolidating their positions, each of the three formed a private kingdom: Cao Cao retreated north to the Yellow River basin where he established the state of Wei around the ailing imperial court; Sun Quan set up Wu farther south along the lower Yangzi; while Liu Bei built a power base in the riverlands of Sichuan, the state of Shu. The alliance between Shu and Wu fell apart when Sun Quan asked Guan Yu to betray Liu. Guan refused and was assassinated by Sun in 220 AD. At this point Cao Cao died, and his ambitious son, Cao Pi, forced the emperor to abdicate and announced himself head of a new dynasty. Fearing retaliation from the state of Shu after Guan Yu’s murder, Sun Quan decided to support Cao Pi’s claims, while over in Shu, Liu Bei also declared his right to rule.

Against Zhuge Liang’s advice, Liu marched against Wu to avenge Guan Yu’s death, but his troops mutinied, killing Zhang Fei. Humiliated, Liu withdrew to Baidicheng in the Yangzi Gorges and died. With him out of the way, Cao Pi attacked Sun Quan, who was forced to renew his uncomfortable alliance with Shu – now governed by Zhuge Liang – to keep the invaders out of his kingdom. By 229 AD, however, things were stable enough for Sun Quan to declare himself as a rival emperor, leaving Zhuge to die five years later fighting the armies of Wei. Wei was unable to pursue the advantage, as a coup against Cao Pi started a period of civil war in the north, ending around 249 AD when the Sima clan emerged victorious. Sun Quan died soon afterwards, while Shu abandoned all claim to the empire. Wei’s Sima clan founded a new dynasty, the Jin, in 265 AD, finally overpowering Wu and uniting China in 280 AD.

Li Hongzhang’s Former Home

李鸿章居, lĭhóngzhāng jū • Huaihe Lu • Daily 8.30am–6.30pm • ¥20

Just west of the Mingjiao Temple, the former home of controversial Qing dynasty politician Li Hongzhang is a similarly anachronistic mansion, whose surrounding grey brick wall hides a series of tastefully decorated courtyards and halls embellished with opulently carved wooden furniture. Li was heralded a hero for his role in quelling the Taiping Rebellion, but later fell from favour after signing a number of unequal treaties with foreign powers. Knighted by Queen Victoria, by the end of his life Li was as reviled in China as he was respected in the West, although having spent much of his career attempting to reform dynastic China.

Lord Bao Memorial Hall

包公祠, bāogōng cí • Daily 8am–6pm • ¥50

Down at the southeastern side of town, Baohe Park (包河公园, bāohé gōngyuán) is a nice strip of lakeside willows and arched bridges off Wuhu Lu, where the Lord Bao Memorial Hall identifies Hefei as the birthplace of Bao, the famous Song-dynasty administrator. Lord Bao’s ability to uncover the truth in complex court cases, and his proverbially unbiased rulings, are the subject of endless tales – he also often appears as a judge in paintings of Chinese hell. Along with gilded statues, some waxworks bring a couple of well-known stories to life: look for Lord Bao’s dark face, improbably "winged" hat and the three guillotines – shaped as a dragon, tiger and dog, according to the status of the condemned – he had made for summary executions.

The Provincial Museum

省博物馆, shěng bówùguăn • Huaining Lu • Tues–Sun 9am–5pm • Free • tel_icon 0551 63736677 • bus #162 or #166 from Shifu Guangchang

Hefei’s new Provincial Museum opened its doors in 2011 and provides sound evidence of Anhui’s contributions to Chinese culture, all displayed in state-of-the-art fashion 10km southwest of the centre. The museum traces the passage of time in the region, starting with the dinosaurs and moving through the arrival of man – the Homo erectus cranium from Taodian in the south of the province is one of the museum’s most treasured exhibits. Comparatively recent history emerges in a few Stone Age items and an exceptional Shang bronze urn decorated with tiger and dragon motifs. Elsewhere, there’s an exhibit of the "Four Scholastic Treasures" for which the province is famed: high-quality ink sticks, heavy carved inkstones, weasel-hair writing brushes and multicoloured papers.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: HEFEI

BY PLANE

Luogang airport (合肥骆岗机场, héféi luògǎng jīchǎng) is about 11km south of the city, and reachable by taxi (¥40), or hourly airport bus (¥25) from the airlines office (daily 6am–7pm; tel_icon 0551 2886626) on Fuyang Lu. You can also buy plane and train tickets here.

Destinations Beijing (6 daily; 1hr 45min); Changsha (3 daily; 1hr 10min); Guangzhou (7 daily; 1hr 55min); Nanchang (1 daily; 1hr 15min); Shenzhen (6 daily; 2hr); Tunxi (1 daily; 50min); Xiamen (7 daily; 1hr 20min); Xi’an (5 daily; 1hr 35min).

BY TRAIN

The train station (合肥火车站, héféi huǒchē zhàn) is 3km northeast of the centre at the end of Shengli Lu – bus #119 runs down Shengli Lu and into town along Changjiang Lu. The station is the hub for both regular and high-speed lines and destinations. Tickets can be bought at the station, at the airlines office on Fuyang Lu (see By plane), or at the train booking office on Lujiang Lu.

Destinations Beijing (10 daily; 4–14hr); Jingdezhen (2 daily; 8hr 30min–10hr 30min); Jiujiang (11 daily; 4hr 30min–6hr); Nanchang (11 daily; 6–8hr); Nanjing (many daily; 1–4hr); Shanghai (many daily; 3–6hr); Tunxi (3 daily; 6–7hr); Xian (5 daily; 14hr 30min–17hr).

BY BUS AND MINIBUS

Hefei’s confusing array of bus and minibus stations often offer overlapping services, so try the closest one first.

Jiaotong bus station (交通返点车站, jiāotōng fǎndiǎn chēzhàn) Shengli Lu. Serves major cities including Changsha, Shanghai and Wuhan.

Main bus station (客运总站, kèyùn zǒngzhàn) opposite the train station. Best for destinations within Anhui, including Tunxi.

Tourist bus station (旅游汽车站, lǚyóu qìchē zhàn) Zhan Qian Lu, 600m northwest of the train station. The best bet for Jiuhua Shan, although there are also services from the motely collection of minibus stands on Shengli Lu.

Destinations Jiuhua Shan (4hr); Jiujiang (5hr); Nanchang (6hr); Nanjing (3hr); Tunxi (4hr); Wuhan (6hr).

GETTING AROUND

Hefei’s countless underpasses and traffic lights make large parts of the city troublesome to negotiate on foot. Fortunately taxis are both readily available and inexpensive.

By bus Buses cost ¥1–2 and operate 6am–8pm (or later).

By taxi Flag fall is ¥8 for the first 2.5km, then ¥1.4 per km.

ACCOMMODATION

7 Days Inn 7天连锁酒店, qītiān liánsuŏ jiŭdiàn. 299 Changjiang Zhong Lu tel_icon 0551 62248177. Right in the centre of town, this characterless but scrupulously clean chain hotel is undeniably great value. ¥187

Donghai 东海饭店, dōnghǎi fàndiàn. 139 Mingguang Lu tel_icon 0551 64693004. Ignore the dated lobby and corridors and focus on the clean, modern rooms, which offer some of the best-value budget accommodation in town. ¥175

Hilton 希尔顿酒店, xīěrdùn jiǔdiàn. 198 Shengli Lu tel_icon 0551 62808888, web_icon hilton.com. A huge, opulent lobby, quality rooms and all the other services you would expect at a Hilton. Access is currently limited due to the construction work on Shengli Lu, but this should be finished in 2014. ¥630

Holiday Inn 古井假日酒店, gǔjǐng jiàrì jiǔdiàn. 1104 Changjiang Lu tel_icon 0551 62206666, web_icon holiday-inn.com.cn. Recently renovated and great value, Holiday Inn offers the usual range of facilities, along with a surprisingly good and inexpensive 24hr noodle bar. There’s also a coffeeshop alongside the fifth-floor reception. ¥468

author_pick Jinjiang Inn 锦江之星, jǐnjiāng zhīxīng. 123 Lujiang Lu tel_icon 0551 62641559, web_icon jinjianginns.com. Hefei’s downtown Jinjiang offers a great location on a leafy street just a few minutes back from Changjiang Lu. Inside you’ll find the usual generic but clean and comfortable rooms with internet access. ¥189

Yitel 和颐酒店, héyí jiǔdiàn. Changjiang Lu tel_icon 0551 62620088, web_icon www.yitel.com. Owned and operated by the same group as Motel 168, this upmarket business chain hotel offers a very central location and stylish rooms with all mod cons. A touch of local flavour is added by the pictures of old Anhui which adorn the walls. ¥399

EATING AND DRINKING

Off the Huaihe Lu pedestrian street, a warren of alleys holds stalls and canteens where you can fill up on stir-fries, noodle soups and river food, and a night market sets up here in the evenings.

85C 85度C, bāshíwǔ dù C. Jinzhai Lu tel_icon 0551 62836785. This Taiwanese coffee chain is gradually taking hold in the mainland, and offers good coffee and cakes at significantly lower prices than the city’s Starbucks. Daily 24hr.

author_pick Dongmen Kaoya Dian 东门烤鸭店, dōngmén kǎoyā diàn. Changjiang Lu tel_icon 0551 64299869. A fantastic, hugely popular example of a dying breed of basic Chinese canteen – no frills, but the open kitchen turns out delicious roast duck for ¥16 per 500g, along with a host of tasty accompanying dishes for just a few yuan each. Daily 6am–9.30pm.

Happy Grassland 欢乐牧场火锅, huānlè mùchăng huŏguō. Basement location next door to Mingjiao Temple on pedestrianized Huaihe Lu tel_icon 0551 62679177. A basic yuanyang hotpot (a divided pot with one spicy broth half and one clear broth half) costs ¥22, and friendly staff in this cavernous basement restaurant will help you pick out the best ingredients from the vast placemat menu. Daily 9am–2am.

Old Captain Pub Hongding Xintiandi, south of Changjiang Lu. Housed in Hongding Xintiandi, a low-grade version of Shanghai’s gentrified shopping, dining and drinking zone, this pub offers a fair approximation of a Western bar. Daily 6pm–late.

Qingsong Coffee 青松咖啡店, qīngsōng kāfēidiàn. Lujiang Lu tel_icon 0551 62639118. Warm, cosy, and a little bit smoky, this coffeeshop does a good line in steak meals (¥39–129), albeit with some unusual side dishes including fruit salad with mayonnaise. Daily 9am–2am.

Qingzhen Lanzhou Lamian 清真兰州拉面, qīngzhēn lánzhōu lāmiàn. North of Changjiang Lu. This tiny little canteen bustles with diners who come for just one thing – a hearty bowl of Lanzhou stretched noodles with beef and coriander for just ¥7. Daily 8am–10pm.

JIUHUA SHAN PRACTICALITIES

The mountain’s official "entrance" is marked by a huge ornamental gateway and temple at the back of Jiuhua Shan village, though well-concealed, smaller flagstoned paths ascend from behind Zhiyuan Temple and at the corners of the main road in the village itself. Using these access points, you can do a good, easy circuit walk on the lower ridges in about an hour, or extend this to a full day’s hike up around Jiuhua’s higher peaks – though again, you can save time by using park buses and the cable car. Market stalls along the village road sell postcards, trinkets, and waterproof maps and umbrellas for the frequently sodden weather. It’s fine to take photographs in the temples, but ask permission before photographing any monks.

Jiuhua Shan Village

九华山, jiǔhuá shān

As it climbs the lower slopes the twisting Jiuhua Shan road passes villages scattered amid the moist green bamboo stands, with some inspiring views of bald, spiky peaks above and valleys below. The road ends at picturesque Jiuhua Shan village, where the mountain’s accommodation and the most famous temples huddle around a couple of cobbled streets and squares, all hemmed in by encircling hills.

Zhiyuan Temple

执园寺, zhíyuán sì

Just inside the village gates, Zhiyuan Temple is an imposing Qing monastery built with smooth yellow walls, upcurving eaves and a tiled roof nestled up against a cliff. Despite a sizeable exterior, the numerous little halls are cramped and stuffed with sculptures; head for the main hall, in which a magnificently gilded Buddhist trinity sits solemnly on separate lotus flowers, blue hair dulled by incense smoke, and ringed by arhats. This makes quite a setting for the annual temple fair, held in Dizang’s honour on the last day of the seventh lunar month, when the hall is packed with worshippers, monks and tourists. Behind the altar, Guanyin statuettes ascend right to the lofty wooden roof beams.

Huacheng Temple

化城寺, huàchéng sì

Towards the back of the village, Huacheng Temple is the mountain’s oldest surviving place of worship, founded during the Tang dynasty. The stone entrance is set at the back of a large cobbled square whose centrepiece is a deep pond inhabited by some giant goldfish. Inside, Huacheng’s low-ceilinged, broad main hall doubles as a museum, with paintings depicting the life of Jin Qiaojue from his sea crossing to China (accompanied only by a faithful hound) to his death at the age of 90, and the discovery of his miraculously preserved corpse.

Roushen Temple

肉身寺, ròushēn sì

Past the new and garish Dabei Lou temple (大悲楼, dàbēi lóu), where the road bends sharply right, steps ascend to the "Flesh Temple" complex, whose entrance-hall atrium contains some gruesomely entertaining, life-size sculptures of Buddhist hell. These are so graphic that it’s hard not to feel that the artists enjoyed their task of depicting sinners being skewered, pummelled, strangled, boiled and bisected by demons, the virtuous looking down, doubtless exceedingly thankful for their salvation.

Baisui Gong

百岁宫, bǎisuì gōng • funicular railway (缆车站, lǎnchē zhàn) from the main street ¥55 one-way, ¥100 return

The path up the mountain diverges at Welcoming Guest Pine (迎客松, yíngkè sōng). Bear left and it’s a couple of kilometres past several pavilions and minor temples to Baisui Gong, a plain, atmospheric monastery whose interior is far from weatherproof, with clouds drifting in and out of the main hall. A rear room contains the mummy of the Ming priest Wu Xia, best known for compiling the Huayan sutras in gold dust mixed with his own blood; his tiny body is displayed seated in prayer, grotesquely covered in a thick, smooth skin of gold leaf. Steps descend to Zhiyuan Temple, or you can take the funicular railway down to the main street.

The upper peaks

Cable car (索道站, suŏdào zhàn) between Phoenix Pine and Heavenly Terrace • March–Nov ¥75 one-way • Dec–Feb ¥55

To reach the upper peaks, turn right at Yingke Song, and it’s a two-hour climb to the uppermost ridges via Phoenix Pine (凤凰松, fènghuáng sōng), more temples, wind-scoured rocks, and superb scenery surrounding the Heavenly Terrace (天台正顶, tiāntái zhèngdĭng) summit area. The indolent can also get here from the village by a combination of minibus and cable car.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: JIUHUA SHAN

By bus The enormous new Jiuhua Shan Tourist Interchange Station is part of the tourist complex at the base of the mountain. There’s also a left luggage office here if you don’t want to lug your pack around the mountain.

Destinations Hefei (4hr); Nanjing (4hr); Shanghai (8hr); Tangkou (4hr); Tunxi (2hr).

GETTING AROUND

By bus On arrival at the Interchange Station you’ll need to buy a 3-day bus pass (¥50), which covers transport to and from Jiuhua Shan village, plus limited journeys within the scenic area.

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

Aside from the following places in Jiuhua Shan village, there are also places to stay down at the tourist complex, but these are only worth considering if you arrive too late to ascend the mountain. There’s no shortage of places to eat, serving everything from buns to expensive game dishes, and it’s worth trying some of Jiuhua Shan’s excellent vegetarian fare.

Julong 聚笼大酒店, jùlóng dàjiŭdiàn. To the right of the village gates behind an illuminated fountain tel_icon 0566 2831368, web_icon jiuhuashan.cc. Some of the best rooms on the mountain, with flat-screen TVs and good bathrooms, but very overpriced. The restaurant serves equally expensive mountain fare, and there’s also a wine bar. ¥680

author_pick Shangketang 上客堂宾馆, shàng kètáng bīnguǎn. Just beyond Zhiyuan Temple tel_icon 0566 2833888, web_icon vistahotel.cn. This temple-owned hotel reminds you where you are, whether by the views from the rooms, the Buddhist ornaments in the corridors, or the vegetarian breakfast. Rooms sport Qing-style furnishings, and the restaurant serves an excellent selection of vegetarian dishes including fried fava beans (¥25), mashed yam and blueberry (¥28), and pickled vegetables prepared by the monks. ¥580

Taihua 太华山庄, tàihuá shānzhuāng. Next to the funicular railway tel_icon 0566 2831340. Clean, comfortable rooms with a/c, flat-screen TV, hot water and internet connection make this friendly guesthouse the best value on the mountain. ¥200

Zhiyuan Temple 执园寺, zhíyuán sì. By far the cheapest option on the mountain, the pilgrims’ dormitory offers hard beds in a barebones room, but the sound of monks chanting in the background might add character to an otherwise austere night. ¥20

Tunxi, Shexian and Yixian

The most obvious reason to stop in Tunxi, down near Anhui’s southernmost borders, is for its transport connections to Huang Shan, 50km off to the northwest: Tunxi has the closest airport and train station to the mountain, and many long-distance buses pass through as well. However, if you’ve even the slightest interest in Chinese architecture, then Tunxi and its environs are worth checking out in their own right, with a liberal sprinkling of seventeenth-century monuments and homes nearby at Shexian and Yixian.

Tunxi

屯溪, túnxī

An old trading centre, TUNXI (aka Huang Shan Shi) is set around the junction of two rivers, with the original part of town along the north bank of the Xin’an Jiang at the intersection of Huang Shan Lu and Xin’an Lu, and a newer quarter focused around the train station 1km or so to the northeast.

Lao Jie

老街, lăojiē

Tunxi’s historic, flagstoned Lao Jie (Old Street) forms a long stretch of elderly, restored shops selling local teas, medicinal herbs and all manner of artistic materials and "antiques" – inkstones, brushes, Mao badges, decadent advertising posters from the 1930s and carved wooden panels prised off old buildings. Some, particularly around Zhong Ma Lu, have re-branded themselves as coffee shops, bars and restaurants, and make great perches to watch the world wander by beneath the characteristic horse-head gables which rise up above the roof lines in steps. These originated as fire baffles between adjoining houses, stopping the spread of flames from building to building, but also served to discourage thieves, and became increasingly decorative over time.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: TUNXI

By plane Busy Huang Shan airport (黄山机场, huángshān jīchǎng) is 10km west of town. The only way into town is by taxi, which should cost ¥20–30 on the meter. Plane tickets can be bought at the airport, or from the airlines office near the Huangshan International Hotel on Huashan Lu.

Destinations Beijing (2 daily; 2–4hr); Guangzhou (1 daily; 1hr 45min); Hefei (daily; 50min); Shanghai (daily; 1hr).

By train The train station (黄山火车站, huángshān huǒchē zhàn) is at the end of Qianyuan Bei Lu on the northern city limits; aside from services to major destinations, there are also fast trains to Jingdezhen. Tickets can be hard to come by, especially sleeper berths, so it’s worth buying your outbound ticket as soon as you arrive. From the train station, #6 takes a back road into town, while #12 follows Huang Shan Xi Lu southwest from the bus station – either route is a 20min walk.

Destinations Beijing (1 daily; 20hr); Hefei (3 daily; 6hr 30min–8hr); Jingdezhen (11 daily; 2hr 30min–5hr); Nanchang (daily; 8hr); Nanjing (10 daily; 5hr 30min–8hr 30min); Shanghai (2 daily; 12–14hr).

By bus Tunxi’s bus station (黄山汽车站, huángshān qìchē zhàn), serving long-distance and local destinations, is inconveniently located in the middle of nowhere, several kilometres west of town; catch bus #1 from the train station, or a taxi (¥9).

Destinations Beijing (17hr); Hefei (4hr); Jiuhua Shan (4hr); Nanjing (6hr); Qingyang (2hr); Shanghai (7hr); Shexian (1hr); Tangkou (1hr); Yixian (2hr).

By minibus Minibuses to Tangkou (¥15–20), the gateway for Huang Shan, prowl the train station forecourt, leaving only when full. Some vehicles take the old route, which is slightly slower and cheaper than taking the expressway.

INFORMATION

Tourist information Local B&B owner Steven Huang (see Huangshan B&B) is a great source of information and can also assist with ticket and taxi booking. Alternatively, try the CITS in the Tiandu International Hotel at 5 Tiandu Lu ( tel_icon 0559 2512771).

GETTING AROUND

Tunxi’s centre is small enough to walk around, though you might need transport for arrival points.

By bus City buses cost ¥1–2. There is also an electric bus service which runs from the riverside park (Hubian Gu Cun) to Lao Jie for ¥2.

By taxi Flag fall is ¥5 for the first 3km, plus a ¥2 fuel surcharge, though drivers don’t like using the meter. Hiring a cab for trips to Shexian, Yixian or Huangshan should cost around ¥250–300 per full day.

By cycle rickshaw These anachronistic vehicles will also try to draw your business – just make sure that you agree the total price before starting the journey.

ACCOMMODATION

As the gateway to Huang Shan, Tunxi has a decent range of accommodation choices, mainly concentrated around the train station and on the other side of town near Lao Jie and the river.

Huaishang International 徽商国际大酒店, huīshāng guójì dàjiǔdiàn. 19 Qianyuan Lu tel_icon 0559 520888. This big, bold modern edifice is the best hotel in this part of town. Rooms are spacious, comfortable and well kept, and fitted with Qing-style furnishings and LCD TVs. Bathrooms have a separate shower and tub. Major discounts usually available. ¥390

Huangshan Bed & Breakfast 黄山市屯溪湖边农家乐客栈, huángshānshì túnxī húbiān nóngjiālè kèzhàn. East of the train station, north of Guojing Gong Lu, Hubian Cun tel_icon 0559 2585268, web_icon www.huangshanbedbreakfast.com. Isolated and with some train noise, but this hospitable, family-run B&B is great value. Rooms are fitted to high specifications given the price, and downstairs there’s free wi-fi, an enormous flat-screen TV and great food prepared by Steven’s wife. Steven used to be a local guide and is also a great source of information on the region. It’s difficult to find by yourself, so call in advance to arrange free pick-up. ¥100

Huashan 华山宾馆, huáshān bīnguăn. 3 Yan’an Lu tel_icon 0559 2328888. In a prime position overlooking the river at the end of Lao Jie, this enormous hotel has decent rooms, although the bathrooms are on the small side given the price. ¥530

Koala Hostel 考拉旅舍, kǎolā lǚshè. 58-4 Beihai Lu tel_icon 0559 2328000, email_icon yhahuangshan@126.com. A decent location near the train station, comfortable and well-priced rooms and dorms, and the opportunity to meet other travellers, makes Koala popular with international backpackers. There’s free wi-fi and the ground-floor café has a pool table and a choice of Western and Chinese meals. Dorms ¥40; doubles ¥100

author_pick Old Street Hotel 老街客栈, lǎojiē kèzhàn. 1 Lao Jie tel_icon 0559 2534466, web_icon oldstreet-hotel.com.cn. An excellent location at the heart of the town’s attractions, reasonable rates, friendly staff and traditionally furnished and comfortable rooms make this the best mid-range choice in Tunxi. ¥280

EATING AND DRINKING

Tunxi has plenty of good restaurants in which to sample the local huicai fare. As well as the listings here there are numerous small restaurants around the Xin’an Nan Lu-Lao Jie intersection. Near the train station, cheap eats can be found at the string of canteens off Qianyuan Lu on Hehuachi Zaochi Yitiao Jie (荷花池早吃一条街, héhuāchí zăochī yìtiáojiē).

Lao Jie Tong Julou Dajiudian 老街同聚楼大酒店, lǎojiē tóngjùlóu dàjiǔdiàn. Lao Jie tel_icon 0559 2572777. The basic English menu at this lively restaurant offers dishes including spicy Mandarin fish (¥58) and local speciality Yixian pork (¥28). In the summer you can dine outdoors. Daily 9.30am–2am.

Lao Jie Yi Lou 老街一楼食业, lǎojiē yīlóu shíyè. Lao Jie tel_icon 0559 2359999. Lao Jie’s most famous restaurant is spread over several dining areas, all replete with ornate stone carving, Qing-style furnishings and traditionally dressed staff. Always busy, the restaurant’s cuisine lives up to the decor, and choosing is made easier by the second-floor huicai buffet spread of every dish on the menu. Expect ¥65 per head. Daily 11am–1.30pm & 5–9pm.

Mr Dai’s Countryside Kitchen 戴记土菜馆, dàijì tǔcàiguǎn. 62-2 Beihai Lu tel_icon 0559 2120988. Handy for a meal before a train journey (or if you’re staying at Koala Hostel, next door), Mr Dai and family turn out delicious local specialities including Huangshan fried chicken with sweet nuts (¥48) in their simple restaurant. Daily 8am–10pm.

Old Street Coffee Bar 老街咖啡吧, lǎojiē kāfēiba. 26 Zhong Ma Lu, off Lao Jie tel_icon 0559 25311298. One of the first trendy cafés to open its doors on atmospheric Zhong Ma Lu, this cosy place does good coffee and a mix of Chinese and Western dishes (from ¥35). On summer evenings the outdoor seats offer perfect people-watching prospects, to the backdrop of the picture-pretty Huizhou houses. Daily 1–11pm.

PAIFANG

Any exploration of Shexian will reveal traditional Ming and Qing architectural features, most notably the paifang or ornamental archways – there are over eighty of these in She County alone. Wood or stone, paifang can be over 10m in height, and are finely carved, painted or tiled, the central beam often bearing a moral inscription.

They were constructed for a variety of reasons, foremost among which, cynics would argue, was the ostentatious display of wealth. This aside, the gateways were built to celebrate or reward virtuous behaviour, family success, important historical events or figures, and to reflect prevailing values such as filial piety; as such, they provide a valuable insight into the mores of the time.

The old town

From the bus station, take the bridge over the river and carry straight on past 100m of uninspiring, concrete-and-tile buildings; at the end of the road turn right, then take the first left, and you’re walking up Jiefang Jie, off which run the narrow lanes that comprise the older part of town. To the sides you’ll see the restored Nan Lou (南楼, nánlóu) and Yanghe Men (阳和门, yánghé mén) gate towers; straight ahead, Jiefang Jie runs under the smaller but highly decorative Xuguo archway (许国石坊, xŭguó shífăng), one of the finest in the region. You could just walk at random, snacking on traditional "pressed buns", but for a detailed look, seek out Doushan Jie (斗山街, dŏushān jiē), a street full of well-preserved Huizhou-style homes – choose one or more that looks appealing and pay (¥20) at the door for a poke around.

HUIZHOU HOUSES

One of the highlights of a visit to southern Anhui is the chance to see Huizhou houses, whose plan of two floors of galleried rooms based around a courtyard became the template for urban domestic architecture in eastern China. Tunxi’s best two examples are hidden in the eastern backstreets, both threatenend by ever-encroaching modern buildings. The more easterly house is that of the mathematician Cheng Dawei (程大位居, chéngdàwèi jū; ¥30; 8am–5pm); the other, closer to the old town, is known as the Cheng Family House (程氏三宅, chéngshì sānzhái; ¥30; 8am–5pm). Further examples can be found at the new riverside park development of Hubian Gucun (湖边古村, húbiān gǔcūn), where some 40 original Huizhou houses and two paifang memorial arches have been relocated, and you’ll find plenty more at Shexian or Yixian.

The Tangyue arches

堂越牌坊, tángyuè páifăng • ¥130 • taxi from Shexian ¥30, from Tunxi ¥60

The Tangyue arches form a strange spectacle of seven ornamental gates standing isolated in a row in a field about 5km west of Shexian. Given that there are plenty of other paifang to be seen in the region, the steep entry fee deters many would-be visitors, but these really are the best-preserved examples of Ming and Qing dynasty memorial arches anywhere in China. A sentimental story lies behind the construction of each archway – a father and son’s fight to save the other’s life in the face of execution was rewarded by the sparing of both of their lives and ultimately the "Filial Piety Archway".

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: SHEXIAN

By bus Shexian’s bus station is out on the highway, across from the old town, and has regular services to Tunxi (45min).

Yixian

黟县, yīxiàn

YIXIAN, a county town 60km due west of Tunxi, is not of interest in itself and should only be seen as a stepping stone to the surrounding picturesque villages, two of which have been recognized as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Xidi

西递, xīdì • ¥104 • bus from Yixian (15min)

XIDI is the pick of the local villages and hence the most visited; a particularly attractive place comprising some 120 eighteenth-century houses set along a river bank. There are endless examples of carved and gilded wooden screens and panels inside the houses, as well as thin line paintings on front walls showing pairs of animals or "double happiness" characters. Mirrors placed above the three-tiered door lintels reflect bad luck or reveal a person’s true character – a useful tool for judging the nature of strangers.

Hongcun and Nanping Villages

Hongcun ¥104, Nanping ¥40 • bus from Yixian (15–20min)

HONGCUN (宏村, hóngcūn) is another attractive collection of antique buildings, whose street plan resembles (with some imagination) the body of a buffalo, complete with horns, body and legs. Nearby NANPING village (南屏村, nánpíng cūn), of similar vintage, was used as a set in Zhang Yimou’s disturbing film Judou.

Mukeng

木坑竹海, mùkēng zhúhǎi • ¥30 • taxi or motorbike from Hongcun ¥20–30 return

The magical bamboo forests at Mukeng, 5km from Hongcun, is where the gravity-defying fight scene between Chow Yun Fat and Zhang Ziyi’s characters was filmed in the epic Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Despite its popularity, you can lose the crowds along a two-hour trail, which gradually climbs above an enchanting pond and then loops around the hillside giving spellbinding views before descending back to the entrance. If you want to try and relive some of the movie’s astounding wirework there’s a flying fox (¥40) which speeds you from the highest point of the path nearly down to the bottom in an astoundingly fast thirty seconds.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: YIXIAN

By bus Tourist buses from Tunxi bus station run direct to Xidi and Hongcun, while more regular buses serve Yixian county town itself, from where there are minibus shuttles to the villages.

By taxi A cab from Yixian should cost around ¥200 for the day, or ¥300 from Tunxi, but either way you’ll need to haggle.

ACCOMMODATION

Given the ticket price it’s worth staying overnight at Xidi, which offers the chance to experience the village in the soft light of evening without the crowds.

Xidi Travel Lodge 西递行馆, xīdì xíng guǎn. Xidi village tel_icon 0559 2317070. Beautifully atmospheric guesthouse built in the traditional style, with grey-tiled roof, whitewashed walls and simple modern rooms with a/c, featuring attractive wooden window screens. ¥120

Huang Shan

黄山, húangshān • March–Nov ¥230, Dec–Feb ¥120

Rearing over southern Anhui, Huang Shan – the Yellow Mountains – are staggeringly scenic, with pinnacles emerging from thick bamboo forests, above which rock faces dotted with ancient, contorted pine trees disappear into the swirling mists. This magical landscape has left an indelible impression on Chinese art, with painters a common sight on mountain paths, huddled in padded jackets and sheltering their work from the drizzle beneath umbrellas. Indeed, so great is Huang Shan’s influence on the national psyche – it’s said that once you’ve ascended these peaks you will never need to climb another mountain – that it’s the ambition of every Chinese to conquer it at least once in their lifetime. Consequently, don’t expect to climb alone: noisy multitudes swarm along the neatly paved paths, or crowd out the three cable-car connections to the top. All this can make the experience depressingly like visiting an amusement park, but then you’ll turn a corner and come face to face with a huge, smooth monolith topped by a single tree, or be confronted with views of a remote square of forest growing isolated on a rocky platform. Nature is never far away from reasserting itself here.

PINNACLES AND PINE TREES, HUANG SHAN

Tangkou

汤口, tāngkŏu

Some 50km northwest of Tunxi on Huang Shan’s southern foothills, TANGKOU is a large blob of hotels and restaurants, anchored around where roads from Tunxi and Jiuhua Shan meet. Buses drop you at the tourist service centre at the entrance to the new town where there’s a KFC and a 7 Days Inn, but no sights or particular charm. If you’ve arrived early enough to move on, do so, at least as far as the old town, right at the base of the mountain, where a hint of character still exists between the cranes, and there are lovely but daunting views up to the peak.

Wenquan

温泉, wēnquán • bus from Tangkou service centre ¥11

A further 3km uphill from Tangkou, where the mountain’s two main ascent routes diverge, WENQUAN ("Hot Springs") is an altogether more pleasant prospect than Tangkou, surrounded by pine and bamboo forest and perched above the clear blue Taoyuan Stream and a noisy waterfall. The first thing you’ll see here is the arched bridge over the gully, where the road heads on 8km to the eastern route’s trailhead; follow the footpath upstream and it’s about half an hour to Ciguang Pavilion (慈光阁, cíguāng gé), at the start of the western route. The town is named for its 42.30C thermal pools, but for the moment these can only be enjoyed at the luxurious Wenquan Hot Spring Resort, where it costs ¥238 per person to soak in the 23 different spas which all look out towards the mighty mountain.

The Eastern Route

Cable car (索道, suŏdào) daily 8am–4.30pm, March–Nov ¥85, Dec–Feb ¥65 • bus from Tangkou service centre to Yungu Temple ¥19

The eastern route is by far the easier of the two trails: the road from Wenquan ends at Yungu Temple (云谷寺, yúngǔ sì), where a cable car can whisk you to the summit area at White Goose Ridge (白鹅峰, bái’é fēng) in twenty minutes – once you’ve queued two hours or so for your turn. Alternatively, you can climb the steps to Bai’e Feng in under three hours, though the forest canopy tends to block views and the path is thick with porters ferrying laundry, rubbish and building materials up and down the slopes.

The Western Route

Cable car (索道, suŏdào) daily 8am–4.30pm, March–Nov ¥85, Dec–Feb ¥65 • bus from Tangkou service centre to Ciguang Pavilion ¥19

The exceptional landscapes on the 15km western route are accompanied by up to eight hours of exhausting legwork – though you can shorten things by catching another gondola halfway up the mountain from the trailhead at Ciguang Pavilion.

Ciguang Pavilion to Kingfish Ridge

There are around two thousand steps from the Ciguang Pavilion to the misleadingly named Midway Monastery (半山寺, bànshān sì), after which things start to get interesting as you continue up an increasingly steep and narrow gorge. The rocks are huge, their weirdly contorted figures lending some credence to the usual gamut of names hailing from ancient times, and the broken hillside is riddled with caves. A steep, hour-long detour from Banshan – not a climb for those nervous of heights – follows steps cut into the cliffs up to Tiandu Peak (天都峰, tiāndū fēng), where Kingfish Ridge (鲫鱼背, jìyú bèi), a narrow path extending over a precipice, provides Huang Shan’s most spectacular views.

Yuping Pavilion to the top

Back on the main track, the beautifully positioned Yuping Pavilion (玉屏楼, yùpíng lóu) is the true halfway house at around three hours into the journey, where the cable car from Ciguang Pavilion terminates. The vegetation thins out here, exchanged for bare rocks with only the occasional wind-contorted tree, one of which, Welcoming Guest Pine (迎客松, yíngkèsōng), has been immortalized in countless scroll paintings, photographs, cigarette packets and beer labels. The steps wind on up to a pass where more strange rocks jut out of the mist; bear right for the climb to Huang Shan’s 1864m-high apex at Lianhua Peak (莲花峰, liánhuā fēng) or press on to accommodation at the Tianhai Binguan. From here, it’s just a short climb to where you finally reach the peak circuit at Guangming Ding (光明顶, guāngmíng dĭng), with a TV tower and weather station off to the right, and Feilai Shi (飞来石, fēilái shí) ahead.

The Peak Circuit

It takes around three hours to make the beautiful but often busy circuit around the peaks. If you’re staying on the mountain, early morning or late afternoon typically gives the least crowds and best light.

White Goose Ridge and Beginning to Believe Peak

North (anticlockwise) from the eastern steps and White Goose Ridge (白鹅峰, bái é fēng) cable-car terminus, the first stop is where a track leads out to Beginning to Believe Peak (始信峰, shǐxìn fēng). This cluster of rocky spires makes a wonderful perch to gaze down to lowland woods and rivers, with white-rumped swifts and pine and rock silhouettes moving in and out of shifting silver clouds. Tour groups concentrate on the higher levels, so the lower stairs are more peaceful.

Beihai and Xihai

From Beginning to Believe Peak, the path continues round to the first of a few accommodation options at Beihai (北海, běihǎi). Crowds congregate each morning on the terrace nearby to watch the sunrise over the "northern sea" of clouds, one of the most stirring sights on the mountain. The views are good even without the dawn, and the area tends to be busy all day. Another twenty minutes on the main path brings you to the well-placed Xihai Fandian, the perfect spot to sip drinks on the terrace and watch the sunset over the "western cloud sea".

Three Ways down the mountain

A short way from Xihai the track splits: ahead is the Taiping cable-car station down to Songgu town on the mountain’s northern foothills. Stay on the main track for Paiyun Pavilion (排云亭, páiyún ting); on a clear day you’ll see a steep gorge squeezed between jagged crags below, all covered in pine trees and magnolias. Farther round, the lonely tower of Feilai Shi, the "Far-flying Rock" (飞来石, fēilái shí), looks across at cascades that are especially evident after rain. Beyond here, the path undulates along the cliff edge to where the western steps descend on the right (below the TV tower and weather station), and then winds back to the White Goose Ridge cable car.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: HUANG SHAN

Transport pours into the Huang Shan region from all over eastern China. There are direct buses from Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nanjing, as well as Jiuhua Shan, Hefei and other places within Anhui. Much of this, and all rail and air traffic, passes through Tunxi (aka Huang Shan Shi), with regular shuttle buses connecting the train and bus stations here with Huang Shan’s main gateway at Tangkou. Some long-distance buses go directly to Tangkou, and also might refer to it as "Huang Shan" on their timetables.

By bus Tangkou’s long-distance bus station is in the tourist service centre on the edge of the new town, connected to the old town by tourist buses, local minibuses, or a 30min walk. Buying outbound tickets at the station is straightforward.

Destinations Hefei (4hr); Jiuhua Shan (3–4hr); Shanghai (6hr 30min); Tunxi (1hr).

GETTING AROUND

By bus An efficient local bus service connects Tangkou service centre with the old town and the trailheads, although given the short distances prices are high.

By private vehicle Private minibuses and cars also tout for business and can be bargained to lower than bus prices if there are enough people.

ASCENDING HUANG SHAN

Huang Shan barely rises above 1870m, but as you hike up either of the staircases on the trails it can begin to feel very high indeed. You’ll need between two and eight hours to walk up, depending on whether you follow the easier eastern route or the lengthy and demanding western route. Alternatively, cable cars take upwards of twenty minutes to ascend, though queues can be horrendous (there’s usually less of a wait to go down), and services are suspended during windy weather. Once at the top, there’s a half-day of relatively easy hiking around the peaks.

Ideally, plan to spend two or three days on the mountain to allow for a steady ascent and circuit, though it’s quite feasible to see a substantial part of Huang Shan in a full day. Accommodation in Tangkou and Wenquan will store surplus gear: just bring a daypack, suitable footwear and something warm and weatherproof for the top – not forgetting the likelihood of year-round rain, and winter snow.

ACCOMMODATION

There are no accommodation bargains anywhere at Huang Shan, but spending extra to stay overnight on the mountain top will allow you to see it without the crowds at dawn and dusk, and is highly recommended. Local agencies might get you discounted rates, but during the week you can usually haggle a similar deal yourself at even the most expensive places. Note that in winter, hotels either drop their prices or close shop until spring.

TANGKOU

International Hostel 黄山温泉国际青年旅舍, huángshān wēnquán guójì qīngnián lǚshè. Just off the main road by the bridge tel_icon 0559 5562478, web_icon yhhuangshan.com. Not much in the way of character or comfort, but cheap, friendly and in a decent location on the road down to the river. The downstairs café serves Chinese meals and has free wi-fi. Dorms ¥40, doubles ¥80

Tangquan 汤泉大酒店, tāngquán dàjiǔdiàn. On the road out of town towards the mountain tel_icon 0559 5583333. When (or if) the construction boom finally ends in Tangkou, the Tangquan’s quiet location on the edge of town will come into its own. Set in an imposing block behind a government building, the hotel’s rooms are spacious and tastefully styled and feature all mod cons. ¥390

Xingang Dajiudian 黄山新港大酒店, huángshān xīngǎng dàjiǔdiàn. tel_icon 0559 5562648. On the main road up the hill from the bridge, this ageing property has rooms overlooking a pleasant central courtyard. Carpets and furniture are a little shabby but more expensive rooms have updated fittings including flat-screen TVs and computers. ¥160

WENQUAN

Plans to convert Wenquan into a five-star villa and hotel complex have left most of the small hotels in this pretty valley closed for the time being.

author_pick Best Western 温泉大酒店, wēnquán dàjiŭdiàn. tel_icon 0559 5585788, web_icon bestwestern.com. It might not be on the mountain top, but this hotel’s simply styled, clean and comfortable rooms in an incredible setting make it one of the best choices in the area. ¥460

PEAKS

Beihai 北海宾馆, běihǎi bīnguăn. tel_icon 0559 5582555. Despite its mountain-top location, the four-star Beihai Binguan boasts a Bank of China ATM, although its rooms are lacklustre for the money, despite a standard 30 percent discount on off-peak weekdays. Dorm beds ¥200, doubles ¥1680

Paiyun Lou 排云楼宾馆, páiyúnlóu bīnguăn. tel_icon 0559 5581558. Paiyun Lou offers a quiet location and has been attractively remodelled from its formerly distraught state, but there are no views from the rooms – though you haven’t far to go to find one. Dorms ¥120, doubles ¥1200

Shilin 石林大酒店, shílín dàjiŭdiàn. tel_icon 0559 5584040, web_icon shilin.com. A good range of comfortable and functional rooms, with views from the better ones. Dorms are comfortable but, as ever on the mountain, wildly over-priced. Dorms ¥200, doubles ¥1680

author_pick Xihai 西海饭店, xīhǎi fàndiàn. tel_icon 0559 5588888, web_icon hsxihaihotel.cn. Great location, well-kept rooms with a range of price options, and the forethought to provide bright-blue down jackets for snowy sunrise mornings makes this the best choice at the top of the mountain. Dorms ¥200, doubles ¥1280

EATING

As Tangkou expands there are increasingly more dining choices in town, but up on the peak it’s mostly plain Chinese fare at inflated prices, occasionally justified by delicious mountain produce. The main road through Tangkou, and the path along the river, are lined with small canteens and restaurants; some have bilingual menus offering arresting delights such as squirrel hotpot and scrambled mountain frog. If there’s no price on the menu, agree the cost in advance to avoid being ripped off.

Mr Cheng’s Restaurant 程先生餐馆, chéngxiānshēng cānguǎn. Opposite the post office, Old Tangkou tel_icon 130 85592603. Small café run by friendly and helpful Simon Cheng. The kitchen rustles up a host of reasonably priced Chinese classics (¥25–40), plus traveller favourites including pancakes and Western breakfasts. Simon can also assist with travel arrangements and mountain-top hotel bookings, plus he offers luggage storage. Daily 7am–10pm.

Yongshun Xiaochi 永顺小吃, yǒngshùn xiǎochī. Down by the river, Old Tangkou. A hole-in-the-wall canteen, typical of many in this part of town, turning out fresh and tasty noodles with veg and pork for ¥10 per bowl. Daily 6am–9pm.

BELLS OF BRONZE

The Hubei Provincial Museum’s impressive orchestra of 64 bronze bells, ranging in weight from a couple of kilos to a quarter of a tonne, were found in the marquis’ waterlogged tomb along with the wooden frame from which they once hung in rows. Played with hand-held rods, each bell can produce two notes depending on where it is struck; the knowledge of metals and casting required to achieve this initially boggled modern researchers, who took five years to make duplicates. Brief performances (¥15) can be enjoyed in the museum’s auditorium at 10.30am, 11.30am, 2.30pm and 3.30pm.

East Lake

东湖, dōnghú • Botanical Gardens daily 8am–5.30pm, ¥60 • bus #114, #401 or #402

The shores of Hankou’s vast East Lake not only host the high-speed rail station, the provincial museum and the university, but also have designated scenic areas in their own right. It is a lovely spot, and locals will proudly tell you that their East Lake is five times the size of Hangzhou’s considerably more famous West Lake. Moshan (磨山风景区, móshān fēngjǐng qū), the pick of the scenic locations, is known for its springtime plum and cherry blossoms, on view at Wuhan’s Botanical Gardens (磨山植物园, móshān zhíwùyuán).

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: WUHAN

More than 10km across, Wuhan has an extensive choice of transit points – there are four train stations and at least three main long-distance bus stations. Train and bus timetables usually spell out the district where services arrive, though the new high-speed rail terminal is simply written on tickets as "Wuhan Station".

BY PLANE

Tianhe airport (天河飞机场, tiānhé fēijīchăng) sits 30km to the north of Wuhan, with bus links (every 30min, ¥16–41) running to the long-distance bus stations and the China Southern airline office on Hangkong Lu in Hankou. There’s also a direct hourly bus to the high-speed rail station. Alternatively, a taxi into town will cost at least ¥80. Tickets can be purchased through most hotels or at the Xunlimen Ticket Centre (daily 8am–6pm; tel_icon 027 8580055) next to the Xunlimen Hotel (循礼门饭店, xúnlǐmén fàndiàn).

Destinations Beijing (15 daily; 1hr 40min); Guangzhou (8 daily; 1hr 35min); Hong Kong (2–3 daily; 1hr 50min); Shanghai (16 daily; 1hr 25min).

BY TRAIN

Hankou train station (汉口火车站, hànkŏu huŏchēzhàn) is an enormous new "European style" construction on Fazhan Dadao. It mostly handles services from the north, along with express trains from Yichang. The station is well equipped with left luggage (¥10/24hr), internet cafés (¥5/hr), a China Post and plenty of fast-food outlets and shops. Bus #38 or #595 will get you down to Hankou’s waterfront – as will the metro – while #507 continues over the river to Wuchang train station.

Wuchang train station (武昌火车站, wŭchāng huŏchēzhàn), southeast of the Yellow Crane Tower on Zhongshan Lu. Trains from southern China tend to favour this station; bus #507 will take you over the river to Hankou train station via the Customs House on Yanjiang Dadao; or exit the station, turn right up the road and Pangjiaxia metro station is 1km away.

High-speed rail station (武汉高铁站, wŭhàn gāotiě zhàn). High-speed G-Trains from across the country arrive at this station in northeast Wuchang. The station will eventually be connected to the city via metro line #4, but buses #610 (¥2) and #725 (¥1) also run into Hankou. A taxi to the town centre will cost around ¥50.

Destinations Beijing (many daily; 4hr 30min–18hr); Changsha (many daily; 1hr 30min–6hr); Guangzhou (many daily; 3hr 30min–15hr); Nanchang (many daily; 2hr 45min–9hr 30min); Shanghai (many daily; 5–15hr); Shiyan (many daily; 4hr–9hr 30min); Wudang Shan (14 daily; 5–8hr); Xi’an (many daily; 5–15hr); Yueyang (many daily; 1–4hr); Yichang (many daily; 1hr 45min–5hr).

BY BUS

Wuhan has several major long-distance bus stations, each handling services from all over the country – although note there are more services to Zhangjiajie from Wuchang’s station.

Fujiapo (付家坡车站, fùjiāpō chēzhàn) 358 Wuluo Lu, Wuchang. Wuchang’s main station has services all over the country, including Shanghai, Yichang and Zhangjiajie. Bus #15, #18 or #25 run into town.

Jinjiadun (金家墩汽车站, jīnjiādūn qìchē zhàn) 170 Fazhan Dadao, Hankou. Opposite the train station, this major depot is connected to the city by metro line #2, or bus #38 to Yanjiang Dadao.

Wuchang Hongji (宏基汽车站, hóngjī qìchē zhàn) 519 Zhongshan Lu, Wuchang. Not far from Fujiapo, Hongji has yet more services for the same destinations. Bus #402 or #503 from Hankou.

Destinations Changsha (4hr); Hefei (6hr); Jingzhou (3hr 30min); Jiujiang (4hr); Nanchang (6hr); Shanghai (12hr); Yichang (4hr); Yueyang (4hr); Zhangjiajie (12hr).

INFORMATION

Tours CITS, 909 Zhongshan Dadao, Hankou ( tel_icon 027 82822120), are a well-informed, English-, German- and French-speaking agency which can organize Three Gorges cruises and trips to Shennongjia and Wudang Shan. The tourist information centre at the high-speed rail terminal (daily 8.30am–midnight) has little to offer foreign visitors, least of all any spoken English. The best information sources are the five-star hotels, most of which have a good selection of free maps and government-issued tourist brochures and leaflets about things to do in the city.

Maps Maps (¥8) of Wuhan showing transport routes can be picked up at kiosks and hotels around town, though English is currently lacking.

GETTING AROUND

By bus The main city-bus terminals are at Hankou and Wuchang train stations, and near the Customs House on Yanjiang Dadao. Services are regular and cheap – it only costs ¥2 between Wuchang and Hankou stations – and crawl out to almost every corner of the city between around 6am and 10pm.

By metro Hankou’s line #1 is an elevated rail roughly following the curve of the river along Jinghan Dadao, while line #2 starts at Hankou Train Station and heads south across the river. Tickets are a very reasonable ¥1.5 for the first 5 stops, then ¥2 for 6 or more. Seven more lines are due to open by 2017.

By taxi Cabs are ubiquitous and, at ¥6–8 for the first 2km, not too expensive.

By ferry During daylight hours, there are passenger ferries across the Yangzi between the southern end of Hankou’s Yanjiang Dadao and Wuchang’s city-bus terminus, below and just north of the Changjiang Bridge; trips cost ¥1.5 and take about 15min.

By bicycle It might not seem the most appealing prospect, but Wuhan’s free bike rental service is worth using if you’re in town for a while. To rent a bike you’ll need to get a rental card, which is available for ¥300 deposit outside most metro stations.

WUHAN TOURIST BUS ROUTES

A convenient bus for sightseeing is the "Electric Special #1" (电一专路, diànyī zhuānlù), not to be confused with any other #1 bus or trolleybus – the Chinese characters are displayed either side of the number. It runs from Yanhe Dadao in Hankou, via Hanyang and the Great Changjiang Bridge (长江大桥, chángjiāng dàqiáo), and then links the Yellow Crane Tower with Changchun Guan and the Provincial Museum. Similarly, bus #401 covers the main sights including Changchun Guan, Guiyuan Temple, Yellow Crane Tower and the Provincial Museum.

A more expensive option is the sightseeing bus, which covers all of the city’s principal attractions in 120-minute loops every 30 minutes. Tickets cost ¥30 (with choice of English, French or Japanese audio) and can be purchased from any of the 18 station stops (including Yellow Crane Tower, the Provincial Museum, Guishan Park and the Ancient Lute Platform).

ACCOMMODATION

Wuhan’s hotels are fairly upmarket, but there are some cheaper options, and mid-range places can be good value. All of the following are located in Hankou.

Bestay Express 百时快捷酒店, bǎishí kuàijié jiǔdiàn. 5 Nanjing Lu tel_icon 027 59353280, web_icon bestay.com.cn. Part of the Jinjiang chain, Bestay offers cheaper, even more no-frills accommodation, but it’s clean, has in-room internet connection, beds are comfortable and the location is good. ¥89

Best Centurial 好百年饭店, hǎobǎinián fàndiàn. 131 Yanjiang Dadao tel_icon 027 82777798. This is one of the few options to stay in a bona-fide colonial-era building, though the facade is more impressive than the interior. The modern styling of the rooms is fading fast, and the cheaper rooms come in all shapes and sizes, some of which only have interior windows, so ask to see a few. River views are more expensive, but also noisier. Still, it’s comfortable enough, has cabled internet and is in a great location. ¥278

Home Inn 如家酒店, rújiā jiŭdiàn. 141 Yanjiang Dadao tel_icon 027 59207111, web_icon homeinns.com. Another identikit budget business hotel, Wuhan’s Home Inn enjoys a fantastic location in a courtyard next to the historic National Bank of New York City building. A little threadbare, but with all the facilities you could want for the price. ¥179

Huiyue 汇悦宾馆, huìyuè bīnguăn. 109 Jianghan Lu tel_icon 027 82779069. This hard-to-spot guesthouse, marked only by a doorway beside a department store, is nothing glamorous, but it is central and cheap. Often full despite basic rooms. ¥149

Jinjiang Inn 锦江之星, jǐnjiāng zhīxīng. 5 Nanjing Lu tel_icon 027 59353666 & 2 Jianghan Lu 027 82776600, web_icon jinjianginns.com. Two of Wuhan’s Jinjiang Inns offer great locations for travellers. Of the two, the Nanjing Lu branch is slightly nicer, but both have the same clean and comfortable rooms with internet access. ¥189

Marco Polo 马哥孛罗酒店, măgē bóluō jiǔdiàn. 159 Yanjiang Dadao tel_icon 027 82778888, web_icon marcopolohotels.com. The lap of luxury on the waterfront, but good discounts during quiet times mean this international hotel can be a comparative bargain. Rooms are super sleek in blond wood-and stand-alone tubs overlook the river in the better rooms. ¥863

Shangri-La 香格里拉大酒店, xiānggélǐlā dàjiǔdiàn. 700 Jianshe Dadao tel_icon 027 85806868, web_icon shangri-la.com. Wuhan’s first international five-star may have been superseded in some ways by the Marco Polo, but the prize for the city’s comfiest bed is still safe with the Shangri-La, and visiting celebs choose to stay here (David Beckham recently graced the Presidential Suite). Several restaurants and all the usual five-star amenities make for a smooth stay. ¥658

Tomolo 天美乐饭店, tiānměilè fàndiàn. 56 Jianghan 3 Lu tel_icon 027 82757288, web_icon yzjhotel.com. Boutique hotel in a great location just off pedestrianized Jianghan Lu. Rooms have a simple, modern style and attractive mosaic-tiled bathrooms, although some smell a little smoky. ¥348

EATING AND DRINKING

Wuhan’s food reflects its position midway between Shanghai and Chongqing, and restaurants offer a good balance of eastern-style steamed and braised dishes – particularly fish and shellfish – along with some seriously spicy flavours. There’s also a strong snacking tradition in town, with many places specializing in dumplings: various types of shaomai; tangbao, soup buns stuffed with jellied stock which burst messily as you bite them, much to the amusement of other diners; and doupi, sticky rice packets stuffed with meat and rolled up in a beanpaste skin.

HANKOU

Bordeaux Bar 波尔图酒吧, bōěrtú jiǔbā. Yanjiang Dadao tel_icon 027 82778779. One of many such café-bars in the area, replete with pavement tables and dimmed lighting. The Western-style pasta and steak dishes, along with Chinese fare, are expensive; expect at least ¥100/head. Daily 10.30am–1.30am.

Box Café 盒子咖啡, hézǐ kāfēi. Yanjiang Dadao end of Chezhan Lu. Cosy and friendly little coffee shop opposite the former US embassy. Coffees from ¥20, beers from ¥12. Daily 11am–11pm.

The Corrs Café 可儿咖啡, kě é kāfēi. Zhongshan Dadao tel_icon 027 82830131. Housed in a beautiful colonial-era building and decked out in cosy but classical style, this is a great place to take a break from the steamy streets of Hankou. Coffees and beers both cost ¥20–¥40. Daily 11am–midnight.

Dezhuang Huoguo Guangchang 德庄火锅广场, dézhuāng huǒguō guăngchǎng. Corner of Yanjiang Dadao and Eryao Lu tel_icon 027 82781789. If you’re craving northern-style hotpot, this is the place to come – big, bright, noisy and inexpensive, with the more raucous customers playing drinking games. Daily 10.30am–10.30pm.

Feeling Natural Café 西餐酒吧, xīcān jiǔba. Jianghan 1 Lu tel_icon 027 82825919. Big, open, airy and friendly café-bar just off Jianghan Lu. A good range of Western meals including breakfasts (¥25–30), burgers (¥20–25), pastas and salads. Special deals every night make this place a popular drinking spot, and you can also partake in a shisha (¥50) if that’s your thing. Daily 10am–3am.

author_pick Guoguo 锅锅, guōguō. Jiaotong Lu. Ridiculously popular canteen serving excellent, inexpensive breaded dumplings dripping in chilli oil. Order at the counter, then wait in line. Daily 11am–8pm.

Jiangnan Jiale Meishi 江南家乐美食, jiāngnán jiālèmeĭshí. Jiaotong Lu. Two doors up from Guoguo, this busy canteen serves up the whole range of local delicacies at just a fraction of the cost of the more proper restaurants. Daily 11am–8pm.

My Love 麦乐屋, màilèwū. Shengli Jie tel_icon 153 7752 0521. Not worth a visit in its own right, but great for a snack if you’re taking a wander through Hankou’s colonial backstreets, My Love offers a tasty range of filled pancakes – the bacon and egg version (¥9) is as close as you’ll get to a breakfast butty in Wuhan. Daily 8am–8pm.

Yonghe Dawang 永和大王, yŏnghé dàwáng. Jianghan Lu, and elsewhere. Open around the clock, this restaurant chain’s logo looks suspiciously like KFC’s but the food is very different: big bowls of beef noodle soup or doujiang, steamed buns and fried rice. Daily 24hr.

Zen Café 禅石餐饮, chánshí cānyǐng. 163 Yanjiang Dadao tel_icon 027 82849126. The cool, dark, industrial interior of this trendy coffee and pub chain is in stark contrast to the classical colonial exterior. Decent coffee (from ¥20), beers (from ¥12) and a range of meals (from ¥30) are served. There are plenty of quiet little nooks to relax in, plus there’s free wi-fi, and even a mini casino if you’re feeling lucky. Daily 11.30am–12.30pm.

WUCHANG

Changchun Sucai Guan 长春素菜馆, chángchūn sùcàiguăn. Wulou Lu, just east of the Changchun temple. Vegetarian restaurant with Ming decor and a resolutely Chinese menu. The "beef" and "chicken" are made from bean-curd sheets, "prawns" from bean starch, and so on. Portions are good, liberally laced with chillies and aniseed, and very tasty. Mains from ¥30 or so. Daily 8.30am–8.30pm.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: JINGZHOU

Since the advent of high-speed trains to Jingzhou most people arrive this way, but there are also long-distance buses to Shashi.

By train Jingzhou’s train station is northeast of the centre on the bus #1 route. Tickets for high-speed trains can easily be secured at the station on the day of travel.

Destinations Wuhan (many daily; 1hr 30min–3hr); Yichang (many daily; 30min–1hr).

By bus Buses arrive at Shashi’s long-distance bus station on Taqiao Lu. Bus #101 connects the station with Jingzhou, or taxis are readily available.

Destinations Wuhan (4hr); Yichang (2hr).

Yichang

宜昌, yíchāng

You may well end up spending a night at YICHANG, a transport terminus on the Yangzi 120km upstream from Jingzhou and virtually in the shadow of the Three Gorges Dam. Ringed by car showrooms (western Hubei has long been a car manufacturing centre), the town is where visitors land after riding ferries and hydrofoils down through the Three Gorges – or it can be used as a staging post for visiting the dam itself. To the north, wild Shennongjia Forest Reserve is just a bus ride away.

The town

The town itself is of little interest, though remnants of Yichang’s treaty port days provide a dash of character, such as the St Francis Cathedral (圣方济各堂, shèngfāngjĭ gè táng) on Zili Lu. In the face of the rapidly encroaching Japanese, Yichang also played a critical role in the 1938 evacuation of 30,000 people and nearly 100,000 tonnes of equipment west to Chongqing – a monument on Yanjiang Dadao commemorates this mammoth undertaking. Early evening is a good time to head down to the river and watch crowds flying kites, gorging themselves on shellfish at nearby street restaurants or cooling off with an ice cream.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: YICHANG

All plane, ferry, hydrofoil and train tickets are most easily booked through accommodation tour desks – you don’t have to be staying to use these – though train tickets come with a fee, so you might want to buy them yourself at the station, or at one of the numerous train ticket offices to be found around the city (¥5 service charge). The ticket centre next to the Yiling Hotel on Yunji Lu also sells airline tickets.

BY PLANE

By plane Sanxia airport (三峡机场, sānxiá jīchăng) is 10km east of town, covered by an hourly shuttle bus from the Air China office on Dongshan Dadao, or a ¥60 taxi fare. Be warned that fares are expensive.

Destinations Beijing (2 daily; 2–2hr 30min); Chongqing (2 daily; 1hr); Guangzhou (daily; 1hr 50min); Shanghai (1 daily; 1hr 35min).

BY TRAIN

Yichang Train Station (宜昌火车站, yíchāng huŏchē zhàn). The old train station is at the north side of town atop a broad flight of steps; this station is on the line north to Zhengzhou in Henan, or south to Zhangjiajie in Hunan.

Yichang East Station (宜昌火车东站, yíchāng dōng chángqìchē zhàn). High-speed trains for Wuhan and beyond leave from the enormous new East Station which can be reached by bus #1 (¥1) or a ¥20 taxi ride. There’s left luggage and an internet café here.

Destinations Beijing (4 daily; 8–21hr); Jingzhou (many daily; 30min–1hr); Xi’an (1 daily; 15hr 30min); Wuhan (many daily; 1hr 45min–6hr); Zhangjiajie (2 daily; 4hr 30min–5hr).

BY BUS

There are information desks and left-luggage offices at both terminals.

Yichang East long-distance bus station (宜昌东长汽车站, yíchāng dōng chángqìchē zhàn; tel_icon 0717 6445314) is next to Yichang East train station, and has services all over the province and the rest of the country.

Old long-distance bus station (长汽车客运站, chángqìchē kèyùnzhàn), 500m to the east of the train station on Dongshan Dadao. A few long-distance buses originate and terminate here, although as they all travel via the new East station, it’s far better to buy tickets and start your journey there.

Destinations Changsha (6hr); Jingzhou (2hr); Jiujiang (8–10hr); Muyu Zhen (5hr); Wuhan (4hr); Xiangfan (5hr); Xing Shan (4hr); Wudang Shan (6hr).

BY BOAT

By hydrofoil For those without the time or money for a full Three Gorges cruise, taking the hydrofoil will give glimpses of the grandeur, albeit accompanied by a noisy engine. Hydrofoils run from Taiping Xi hydrofoil port (太平溪码头, tàipíngxī mǎtóu) above the Three Gorges Dam to Badong (for Shennong Stream), Wushan (for Lesser Three Gorges) and Fengjie; at the time of writing they continued to Wanzhou, though Fengjie will be the terminus once regional highways are completed. The hydrofoil company lays on free transport between the port and their offices in town. There are five departures daily to Wanzhou (5hr; ¥300); when you buy your ticket, get the agent to write down the address of their office to show a cab driver, as this is where the bus to the port leaves from. Staff on board the hydrofoil sell bus tickets from the terminus to Chongqing.

By ferry Public ferry tickets for the 2-day journey upstream to Chongqing can be bought through accommodation. Fares to Chongqing range from ¥152 for a berth in an open dorm to ¥1042 (per person) for a private cabin. Some boats also stop at Wushan, Fengjie, Wanxian, Shibaozhai and Fengdu.

INFORMATION

Travel agents Yichang’s CITS office at 100 Yiling Lu ( tel_icon 0717 6911998 or 6908582) is staffed by helpful English-speakers and can also arrange all Three Gorges cruise tickets, plus tours to Zhangjiajie and Shennongjia. They can also organize tickets for daily bus-and-boat tours, taking in the Gezhou Dam and the Three Gorges Dam, after which passengers board the ominously named "Good Luck" for the trip through the Xiling Gorge. Tickets cost ¥280 including all entry fees and lunch, and will have you back in Yichang by 6pm.

GETTING AROUND

By taxi A cab costs a fixed ¥6 within the city centre.

ACCOMMODATION

Home Inn 如家酒店, rújiā jiŭdiàn. 126 Dongshan Dadao tel_icon 0717 6915818, web_icon homeinns.com. The usual clean, comfortable rooms and a good location next to the long-distance bus station make Yichang’s Home Inn fine value for an overnight stay. ¥159

Kaixuan 凯旋宾馆, kǎixuán bīnguǎn. 133 Yanjiang Dadao tel_icon 0717 6908000. A new hotel with plushly carpeted rooms and a pleasant location overlooking the Yangzi, plus helpful staff and attractive discounts. ¥220

Manor 山庄商务酒店宜昌凯旋宾馆, shānzhuāng shāngwù jĭudiàn. 105 Dongshan Dadao tel_icon 0717 6084500. A pleasant situation set above Dongshan Dadao and decent-sized (if slightly damp) rooms at reasonable prices makes this place enduringly popular. ¥150

Ramada 华美达酒店, huáměidá jiǔdiàn. 27 Yunji Lu tel_icon 0717 6528888, web_icon ramadayichang.com.cn. Rooms and bathrooms are a little small for the money, but this is still far and away Yichang’s most comfortable hotel, with a great location and all of the amenities you’d expect from this international chain. ¥618

Rest Motel 锐思特汽锁酒店, dùisītè qìsŭo jiŭdiàn. 31 Yunji Lu tel_icon 0717 6236888, web_icon restmotel.com.cn. A very central location, low prices and more character than the average budget business chain motel make the Rest Motel a good option, although some rooms suffer from road noise. ¥130

Yichang International 国际大酒店, guójìdà jiŭdiàn. 121 Yanjiang Dadao tel_icon 0717 6222888. Once Yichang’s best, these days the International still offers a good location, views and decent discounts, although some of the cheaper rooms come in unusual shapes and sizes – ask to see another room if you’re not happy. ¥260

EATING, DRINKING AND NIGHTLIFE

You certainly won’t go hungry in Yichang. Canteens and street stalls seem to line every back alley, and there’s a good collection of local places on Yi Ma Lu (including Tujia Fengwei Lou, below). Western fast food can be found near the old long distance bus station in the centre of town and there are also a growing number of coffee shops. Nightlife centres on the pubs at the southern end of Yunji Lu, many of which have live music every night – try N Zone, or Star Pub.

Beaner Coffee 宾乐美式咖啡, bīnlè měishì kāfēi. Yunji Lu. Generic Western-style café serving expensive coffee and a reasonable imitation of Western food including sandwiches (¥21–25), pasta and steaks. The location just off Yanjiang Dadao makes it a good place to take a break after a riverside wander. Daily 11am–11pm.

Beijing Jiaozi Guan 北京饺子馆, bĕijīng jiăoziguăn. Shengli Si Lu. A simple restaurant which serves up a variety of cheap and tasty northern-style dumplings; plain pork and cabbage are by far the best. Daily 11am–9pm.

Daoxiangge 稻香阁, dàoxiāng gé. 31 Shengli Si Lu tel_icon 0717 6222107. Enduringly popular place specializing in fish, but whose menu also stretches to dumplings (¥20) and game meats. Expect to pay ¥50–¥100 per person. Daily 9am–2pm & 4.30–9pm.

Tujia Fengwei Lou 土家风味楼, tŭjiā fēngweì lóu. 33 Yi Ma Lu tel_icon 0717 6230577. Small, friendly and very popular place serving homestyle dishes – the Tujia are a local ethnic group, scattered through the Yangzi gorges – including very spicy hotpots and tasty sweet-and-sour ribs (¥38). Daily 9.30am–9.30pm.

The Three Gorges Dam

长江三峡大坝, chángjiāng sānxiá dàbà • ¥105, includes ninety-minute tour of site in a perspex-roofed minibus

The vast Three Gorges Dam, 35km west of Yichang at Sandouping, is the most obvious target for a day-trip. Completed in 2006, the dam wall has raised water levels upstream by up to 175m and holds back a 660km-long lake. Now that the dam is fully operational it is the world’s largest producer of hydroelectric power, capable of generating 22,500 megawatts, or the equivalent of over fifteen nuclear power plants.

Part of the dam’s stipulated purpose is also to control the disastrous summer flooding which has long afflicted the lower Yangzi. The dam received its first serious test in 2010, when torrential "once-in-a-century" monsoonal rains upstream were just contained. Critics of the dam, meanwhile, label it a vanity project that has submerged countless archeological sites in the Three Gorges, required the relocation of millions of people, and which will become redundant through siltation within seventy years. But with its electricity consumption increasing every year, China desperately needs the power that the dam provides.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: THE THREE GORGES DAM

Note that if you’re travelling on a Yangzi cruise boat, the dam may be an option on your itinerary, so you shouldn’t need to set aside an extra day for the trip from Yichang.

By bus Take a northbound bus #4 from Yunji Lu in front of the train station to the Yemingzhu stop, then bus #8 (¥10) to Liuzhashou Reception Centre (六闸首游客接待中心, liùzháshǒu yoúkè jiēdài zhōngxīn) – ask the drivers where to get off and expect the whole journey to take an hour and a half.

By bus tour Daily bus tours depart from the old ferry terminal on Yanjiang Dadao. Tours leave at 8am and return at 1pm, and cost ¥150 including entry ticket.

Shennongjia Forest Reserve

神农架林区, shénóngjià línqū • ¥140

Hidden away 200km northwest of Yichang in Hubei’s far west, Shennongjia Forest Reserve encloses a rugged chain of mountains, culminating in the 3053m-high Da Shennongjia, the tallest peak in central China. The area has been famed for its plant life ever since the legendary Xia king Shennong – credited with introducing mankind to farming, medicine and tea – scoured these heights for herbs. More recently, the plant hunter Ernest Wilson found several new species here in the early twentieth century. And more fancifully, Shennongjia has been the setting for numerous sightings of the Chinese wild man – even if he eludes you, there’s a chance of seeing endangered golden monkeys here.

Muyu

木鱼镇, mùyú zhèn

From Yichang the road climbs through well-farmed, increasingly mountainous country overloaded with hydroelectric stations, passing tea fields and immense tower karst formations before following the narrow Shennong gorge to emerge at the rapidly expanding settlement of MUYU ZHEN, 17km south of the reserve. Foreigners are only allowed to visit one of the park’s four zones, accessed from Muyu, and for the meanwhile the town manages to feel quite remote, with locals still using woven basket backpacks to haul produce up and down the mountain, and wild honey collectors selling their hard-earned wares on the main street. However, a new motorway and airport are under construction, and "luxury" apartments are being built on the edge of town – like everywhere else in China, Muyu is changing, and fast.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: MUYU

By bus The bus station is located at the northern end of town, a short walk to accommodation options and restaurants. Tickets are easily available, although it’s worth buying them the day before if you plan on leaving early.

Destinations Yichang (4hr).

By tour Yichang’s CITS run Chinese-language tours at ¥400 per person, including transport, overnight accommodation and a whip around the highlights. For more comfort, longer on site and an English-speaking guide, you’re looking at double this price.

INFORMATION

Tourist office The Shennong Tourism Office ( tel_icon 0719 3456018) on the main street doesn’t seem to open very often, but theoretically can provide information.

GETTING AROUND

By minibus To reach the reserve gates at Yazikou from Muyu, flag down one of the plentiful early-morning Songbai-bound minivans on the main road (¥10). Hiring the whole minibus for the day costs ¥300–400.

By taxi Taxis to the reserve gates at Yazikou can be bargained to ¥20.

ACCOMMODATION

There’s abundant accommodation at Muyu Zhen, though things can get busy at weekends and holidays. Most of the cheaper places are to be found on the main road through town, so it’s quite easy to haggle over a few places before deciding. Aside from the upscale hotels it’s always worth checking the hot water situation before you check in.

Holiday Hotel 假日酒店, jiărì jiǔdiàn. Set off the main road at the bottom of town tel_icon 0719 3452600. An enormous property recently redeveloped by Shennong Tourism with clean and comfortable, if spartan, rooms, but no views. The larger and better furnished deluxe rooms are worth the extra money. Double ¥260, deluxe ¥320

Laojin Shanzhuang 老金山庄, lǎojīn shānzhuāng. Above and behind Holiday Hotel tel_icon 0719 3313555. This small and simple hotel has cheap, clean and spacious rooms with the odd glimpse of mountain. The rooms have 24-hour hot water and flat-screen TVs and the owners are friendly but don’t speak any English. ¥80

Shennong Shanzhuang 神农山庄, shénnóng shānzhuāng. Above the Holiday Hotel tel_icon 0719 3452513. Shennongjia’s smartest property enjoys commanding views across the hills, although the facade of the grand villa itself is starting to show signs of age. Rooms at the front are bright and attractive, while those at the back are gloomy, but they all have modern amenities and good bathrooms. ¥420

Teafield Farmstay 茶园农庄, cháyuán nóngzhuāng. Above Shennong Shanzhuang tel_icon 158 97876848. Halfway up the hill, this farmstay has clean, simple rooms and delicious fresh food served by the friendly owners in the small dining room. The rooftop terrace is a great place to enjoy a cuppa surrounded by tea fields. Get a Chinese-speaker to call ahead to arrange pick-up from town. ¥140

EATING

The hills are alive with wonderful medicinal herbs and exotic game and Muyu’s cuisine reflects this, but most places also serve a selection of favourites from around the country.

Luanchao Luanchi 乱炒乱吃, luànchǎo luànchī. Top end of the main street tel_icon 138 86843410. Local specialities plus a good selection of Sichuan dishes including yuxiang qiezi (¥18) are best enjoyed in the upstairs open-sided dining room. Daily 8.30am–10pm.

Xiaolou Yushui Renjia 小楼渔水人家, xiǎolóu yúshuǐ rénjiā. Across the bridge south of the Shennong Tourism Office tel_icon 0717 6222107. Delicious mountain dishes served in a lovely location right on the river. Bamboo rice, mountain mushrooms, "wild" vegetables and spicy pork (¥48) all feature on the menu. Ask if you can eat outside if the weather is nice. Daily 9am–2pm & 4–9pm.

The reserve

Once at the reserve entrance, known as Yazikou (鸭子口, yāzikŏu), you hand over the entry fee and add your name and passport number to the list of the few foreigners who make it here each year.

Xialong Tan

小龙潭, xiăolóng tán

From the gates, 6km of gravel track runs southwest up a valley to the couple of Forestry Department buildings that comprise Xiaolong Tan, where close-up views of golden monkeys (金丝猴, jīnsīhóu) are available at the "animal hospital". There’s also a Wild Man museum, where paintings, newspaper clippings, maps and casts of footprints document all known encounters with the gigantic, shaggy, red-haired ye ren, first seen in 1924. The creature was most recently spotted in June 2003 by a party of six, including a local reporter, who described the beast as being 1.65m tall, of greyish hue, with shoulder-length hair and a footprint measuring some 30cm.

Jinhou Ling

金猴岭, jīnhóu lĭng

There are some good walks around Xiaolong Tan. One route (much of it along a vehicle track) climbs south, for around 2.5km, to a forest of China firs on the slopes of Jinhou Ling, a prime spot to catch family groups of golden monkeys foraging first thing in the morning. Favouring green leaves, stems, flowers and fruit, the monkeys live through the winter on lichen and moss, which cover the trees here. The males especially are a tremendous sight, with reddish-gold fur, light blue faces and huge lips. A far rougher trail continues to the top of the mountain in four hours, although you’ll need a guide for this route.

Dalong Tan

大龙潭, dàlóng tán

A relaxed, 3km stroll north of Xiaolong Tan is Dalong Tan, a cluster of run-down huts by a stream, from where there’s an undemanding 8km walk up the valley to Guanyin Cave (观音洞, guānyīn dòng). Most of this is through open country, which gets plenty of wildflowers in the spring; birders can spot golden pheasants (红胸山鸡, hóngxiōng shānjī) and grouse-like tragopans (红胸角稚, hóngxiōng jiăozhì).

The Banbi Yan road

The gravel road from Xiaolong Tan curves westwards up the valley, climbing almost continually along the ridges and, in clear weather, affording spectacular views. On the way, you’ll cross Da Shennongjia (大神农架, dà shénnóngjià), though the rounded peak is barely noticeable above the already high road. Better are the cliffscapes about 10km along at Fengjing Ya (风景垭, fēngjīng yà) and the "forest" of limestone spires where the road finally gives up the ghost 17km due west of Xiaolong Tan at Banbi Yan (板壁岩, bănbì yán).

Wudang Shan

武当山, wŭdāng shān • ¥140 • unlimited use of mountain buses ¥70

Way up in northwestern Hubei, the 72 peaks of Wudang Shan, the Military Mountain, are steeped in legends surrounding its Taoist temples and fighting style. Wudang is associated with Zhen Wu, a martial deity whose portly statue graces many local temples, and whose birthday is celebrated on the third day of the third lunar month – a good time to visit the mountain. Wudang’s martial arts would have come in handy considering the vast number of outlaws who’ve inhabited these mountains over the centuries, not least the rebel peasant Li Zicheng, who amassed his forces and eventually deposed the last Ming emperor from here.

Many temple buildings here date to an imperial building frenzy during the fifteenth century – the work took three hundred thousand labourers ten years to complete – and the mountain is currently enjoying a bloom of tourist-funded religious fervour. A relatively easy ascent, coupled with the mountain’s splendid scenery and the availability of transport connections, makes this an appealing trip.

WUDANG’S MARTIAL ARTS

Wudang is most famous for its martial arts, which command as much respect as those of Henan’s Shaolin Monastery. It’s said that the Song-dynasty monk Zhang Sanfeng developed Wudang boxing – from which tai ji is derived – after watching a fight between a snake and a magpie, which revealed to him the essence of neijia, an internal force used (in typical Taoist manner) to control "action" with "non-action".

For those interested in learning some Wudang wushu, there are several academies: try the Jing Wu Martial Arts School ( tel_icon 0719 5666666) or Chuanzhen Martial Arts Institute ( 139 2471458, web_icon gongfuchina.com.cn), where you should be able to negotiate a course from around ¥2000 per week.

Wudang Shan town

武当山市镇, wŭdāngshān shìzhèn

The market town of Wudang Shan, base for ascents of the mountain, sits with the famed ranges rising immediately to its south. It’s not a big place, stretching thinly for a few kilometres along the main road, Taihe Lu (太和路, tàihélù), with a few side streets branching off. South down Huangbang Lu is the new Wudang Shan Museum (武当山博物馆, wūdāngshān bówùgŭan; free), which traces the history of martial arts here and includes plenty of English.

On the mountain

It’s possible to hike from Wudang Shan town to the summit in about eight hours; the footpath starts near the train station. Otherwise, a road ascends from the mountain gates some 2km from town, providing two options for reaching the top, both covered by buses. The easiest, and a popular option for those short of time or energy, is to catch the bus to the cable-car station at Qiongtai (琼台索道站, qióngtái suŏdào zhàn; ¥80 return), from where gondolas ascend to the summit area. The other option is to bus it halfway up the mountain to the clutch of temples and hotels at Nanyan Gong, and then make the tiring two-hour staircase ascent to the summit from there.

Zixiao Gong

紫霄宫, zĭxiāo gōng

Just 3km (and one bus stop) short of the Nanyan Gong roadhead, Zixiao Gong is a huge early Ming temple complex whose pattern of successively higher platforms appears to mimic the structure of the hills above. Pleasantly active with monks, tourists and the occasional mendicant traveller, the place is becoming the mountain’s most important monastery. Through the gates, a broad stone staircase climbs between boxy Tang pavilions housing massive stone tortoises to the main hall, whose exterior is lightened by the graceful sweep of its tiled roof. Surrounding courtyards are sometimes used for martial-arts displays.

Nanyan Gong

南岩宫, nányán gōng

The Nanyan Gong road ends among a mess of accommodation, restaurants and souvenir stalls, from where it’s a 2km walk on a fairly easy flagstoned path to Nanyan Gong itself, perched fortress-like on a precipice. The halls of this temple are tiny and austere, carved as they are out of the cliff face, but the main sight is Dragon Head Rock, a 2m-long slab sculpted with swirls and scales, which projects straight out over the void. Before it was walled off, countless people lost their lives trying to walk to the end with a stick of incense.

Lang Mei Xian Ci

郎梅仙祠, lángméi xiān cí

A short way from Nanyan’s hotel area along the summit track, Lang Mei Xian Ci is a small shrine dedicated to Zhang Sanfeng and his contribution to Chinese martial arts – there’s a statue of him along with a cast-iron halberd in one hall, and Chinese-only accounts of his development of Wudang boxing in adjoining rooms.

The summit staircase

The path from Nanyan Gong to the summit is only 4km long, but, with much of it being up and down stone steps, it takes two to three hours to complete. One way to keep your mind off the endless steps is to watch out for the colourful variety of birds in the forest, including boisterous red-billed magpies with graceful blue tails, and magnificent golden pheasants.

Halfway up to Tianzhu the path divides at Huanglong Dong (黄龙洞, huánglóng dòng; Yellow Dragon Cave) to form an eventual circuit via the peak. Turn left for the longer but less steep "hundred-step-ladder" (a lie, it’s considerably more), with superb views through the canopy of cloud-swept, apparently unscalable cliffs. Alternatively, bearing right puts you on the even steeper, dangerously uneven staircase to the summit area via Santian Men (三天门, sāntiān mén), the Three Sky Gates – a route perhaps best saved for the descent.

Tianzhu Peak

天主蜂, tiānzhŭ fēng

Whichever route you take, paths converge outside an encircling wall that has turned 1600m-high Tianzhu Peak and its temples into a well-defended citadel. Inside, the Ming-dynasty Taihe Gong (太和宫, tàihé gōng) is impressive for the atmosphere of grand decay enclosed by the thick green tiles and red walls of Huangjing Hall (皇经堂, huángjīng táng), where monks stand around the cramped stone courtyards or pray in the richly decorated, peeling rooms squeezed inside.

Jindian Gong

金殿宫, jīndiàn gōng • ¥20

Above Taihe Gong, and accessed via yet another steep staircase, the mountain is literally crowned by Jindian Gong (Golden Palace Temple), a tiny shrine with a gilded bronze roof embellished with cranes and deer, whose interior is filled by a statue of armour-clad Zhen Wu sitting behind a desk in judgement. It’s a magical place: views from the front terrace (clearest in the morning) look down from the top of the world, with sharp crags dropping away through wispy clouds into the forest below.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: WUDANG SHAN

By train Wudang’s train station on Chezhan Lu is served by trains from around the country, but sleeper tickets can be scarce, so it’s worth booking your ticket out as soon as you arrive.

Destinations Beijing (3 daily; 19–22hr); Hefei (1 daily; 15hr); Shanghai (3 daily; 22–25hr); Wuhan (9 daily; 5hr 30min–7hr 30min).

By bus Wudang Shan’s long-distance bus station is at the junction of Taihe Lu and Chezhan Lu.

Destinations Wuhan (8–10hr); Yichang (6hr).

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation in Wudang Shan town is plentiful along Taihe Lu and tends toward the cheap, no-frills end of the market, though en-suite rooms are the norm. Prices can climb unreasonably at peak times, however.

WUDANG SHAN TOWN

Xuanwu Jiudian 玄武酒店, xuánwŭ jiŭdiàn. 8 Taihe Lu tel_icon 0719 5666013. A large, ageing property, but the renovated rooms are clean, comfortable and have a/c and hot water, although those facing the front are a little nosiy. ¥150

NANYAN

Places to stay line the road at Nanyan for the few hundred metres between the bus drop-off and the start of the hiking trails up the mountain. Advertised rates are outrageous, but only apply when demand outstrips supply – come on a Sunday or at the beginning of the week when it’s quieter and you can pretty much name your price. Quality of rooms is similar across the board – modern, prematurely aged and basically clean – but check when hot water is available.

Xianghe Shanzhuang 祥和山庄, xiánghé shānzhuāng. The first hotel after the bus stop tel_icon 0719 5689018. Plain rooms at eminently bargainable prices, this place is absolutely typical of Nanyan’s offerings. Rooms with cabled internet cost ¥20 more. ¥100

Nanyan Binguan 南岩宾馆, nányán bīnguăn. tel_icon 0719 5689182. Slightly better-than-average choice of large doubles and twins with decent amenities, or smaller budget rooms with basic bathrooms. There’s also a reasonable on-site restaurant. ¥120

THE SUMMIT

Tianzhu hostel Next to the upper cable-car terminus, just outside the Tianzhu Feng temple complex. A good place to stay overnight, with a chance to catch the sunrise and experience the mountain without attendant tourist hordes. ¥150

QU YUAN AND THE DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL

The former state of Chu, which encompassed northern Hunan, was under siege in 278 BC from the first stirrings of the ambitious Qin armies, who later brought all of China under their control. At the time, the lakeside town of Yueyang was the haunt of the exiled poet-governor Qu Yuan, a victim of palace politics but nonetheless a great patriot of Chu. Hearing of the imminent invasion, Qu picked up a heavy stone and drowned himself in the nearby Miluo River rather than see his beloved state conquered. Distraught locals raced to save him in their boats, but were too late. They returned later to scatter zongzi (packets of meat and sticky rice wrapped up in reeds and lotus leaves) into the river as an offering to Qu Yuan’s spirit.

The Dragon Boat Festival, held throughout China on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month (June or July), commemorates the rowers’ hopeless rush – though many historians trace the tradition of food offerings and annual boat races to long before Qu’s time. At any rate, it’s a festive rather than mournful occasion, with the consumption of huge quantities of steamed zongzi and keen competition between local dragon-boat teams, who can be seen practising in their narrow, powerful crafts months before the event to the steady boom of a pacing drum. It’s a lively spectator sport, with crowds cheering the rowers along, but you need to be up early to get the most from the ceremonies (for example, the dedication of the dragon-headed prows) as the race itself lasts only a few minutes.

Changsha

长沙, chángshā

CHANGSHA, Hunan’s high-rise-filled capital, had been an important river town for millennia before its demarcation as a treaty port in 1903. Europeans had hoped to exploit the city’s trading position, upstream from Dongtine Lake astride the Xiang river, but found that the Hunanese had a very short fuse (something other Chinese already knew): after the British raised the market price of rice during a famine in 1910, the foreign quarter was totally destroyed by rioting. Guomindang forces torched much of the rest of the city in 1938 as they fled the Japanese advance, and recent modernizations have finished the job of demolishing the past. Today, away from the bustling shopping district and vibrant nightlife, sights linked to Chairman Mao account for the majority of Changsha’s formal attractions, though there are also some parks to wander around and a fascinating Provincial Museum.

CHANGSHA AND THE CHAIRMAN

Primarily, Changsha is known for its links with Mao Zedong, who arrived here in 1911 at the age of eighteen as nationwide power struggles erupted following the collapse of the Manchu dynasty. By 1918 there was a real movement for Hunan to become an independent state and, for a time, this found favour with local warlord Zhao Hendi, though he soon turned violently on his own supporters. Mao, back in his hometown of Shaoshan heading a Communist Party branch, was singled out for persecution and in 1925 fled to Guangzhou, taking up a teaching post at the Peasant Movement Training Institute. Within three years he returned to Hunan, organizing the abortive Autumn Harvest Uprising and establishing guerrilla bases in rural Jiangxi.

Mao was by no means the only young Hunanese caught up in these events, and a number of his contemporaries surfaced in the Communist government, including Liu Shaoqi, Mao’s deputy until he became a victim of the Cultural Revolution; and Hua Guofeng, Mao’s lookalike and briefly empowered successor.

Qingshui Tan

清水潭, qīngshuĭ tán • Bayi Lu • Daily 8am–4.30pm • Free • bus #113 stops outside

Qingshui Tan is Mao’s former Changsha home and the site of the first local Communist Party offices. Outside, on Qingshuitan Lu, are a number of antiques stores, and at weekends an informal and jolly antiques market lines the pavement. A white marble statue of Mao greets you at the gate, and the garden walls are covered with stone tablets carved with his epigrams. Near the pool is a scruffy vegetable patch and the reconstructed room in which Mao and his second wife, Yang Kaihui (daughter of Mao’s influential teacher, Yang Changji), lived after moving here from Beijing in 1921. Also within the grounds, a brightly tiled museum contains a low-key but interesting collection of historical artefacts, including a clay tomb figurine of a bearded horseman and a cannon that was used to defend the city against Taiping incursions in 1852.

Hunan Provincial Museum

湖南省博物馆, húnán shěng bówùguăn • Daily 8.45am–4pm • Free • bus #113 or #126 from the train station stops outside

Inside Martyrs’ Park (烈士公园, lièshì gōngyuán), the Hunan Provincial Museum is one of Changsha’s highlights, dominated by relics from the Han-era tomb of Xin Zui, the Marquess of Dai. Xin Zui died around 160 BC, and her subterranean tomb was one of three discovered in 1972 during construction work at Mawangdui, about 4km northeast (the others contained her husband and son). Thanks to damp-proof walls of clay and charcoal, a triple wooden sarcophagus, and wrappings of linen and silk, the marquess’ body was so well preserved that modern pathologists were able to determine that she suffered from tuberculosis, gallstones, arteriosclerosis and bilharzia when she died at age 50.

The tomb relics

The sarcophagi are in a side hall, while access to the mummy is through a basement display of embroideries, lacquered bowls and coffins, musical instruments, wooden tomb figures and other funerary offerings. Taoist texts written on silk were also found in the tomb, and one piece illustrating qi gong postures is on display. Xin Zui herself lies in a fluid-filled tank below several centimetres of perspex, a gruesome white doll, with her internal organs displayed in jars.

Tangerine Island

桔子岛, júzi dăo

Changsha’s name – literally "Long Sand" – derives from a narrow midstream bar now called Tangerine Island. The lengthy Xiangjiang Bridge spans the river above, affording a good opportunity to gaze down on the island, which was settled by Europeans following the riots of 1910. Several of their former homes are still standing, though they’ve suffered overenthusiastic renovation, while the northern two-thirds of the island holds a new pavilion and hotel complex. The southern tip is a neatly laid-out park, centring on an enormous bust of a young and wild-haired Mao Zedong, gazing out over the river which he famously swam across on his 65th birthday.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: CHANGSHA

Changsha is well connected to the rest of the country by planes, high-speed and regular trains and buses, and moving on is generally straightforward. The majority of destinations are most easily reached by train, although Fenghuang is best served by bus.

BY PLANE

Huanghua airport (黄花飞机场, húanghūa fēijīchăng), 15km east of town, is connected to the city by taxi (¥100) or shuttle bus (¥16) to the airline office (daily 6.30am–8pm; tel_icon 0731 84112222), which is in the same buiding as the Civil Aviation hotel on Wuyi Dadao.

Destinations Beijing (15 daily; 2hr–2hr 30min); Chongqing (11 daily; 1hr–1hr 15min); Guangzhou (4 daily; 1hr 15min); Hefei (3 daily; 1hr–1hr 30min); Hong Kong (1 daily; 1hr 40min); Shanghai (15 daily; 1hr 30min–2hr); Shenzhen (3 daily; 1hr 15min); Tianjin (5 weekly; 2hr); Zhangjiajie (1 daily; 50min).

BY TRAIN

Changsha is served by an impressive choice of trains, but ticket offices at both stations are always crowded so it’s better to use one of the in-town kiosks, which also sell bus tickets. There’s a ticket office ( tel_icon 0731 854614180) just around the corner from Nutshell Coffee on Jiefang Lu.

Changsha Train Station (长沙火车站, chángshā huŏchēzhàn). Regualar trains depart from this conveniently central station at the eastern end of Wuyi Dadao. Trains head north from Changsha to Zhangjiajie, Yueyang and Hubei province; west to Guizhou, Jishou and Zhangjiajie; east to Nanchang in Jiangxi; and south via Hengyang to Guangdong and Guangxi. There’s also a special tourist train daily to Shaoshan.

Changsha South High Speed Rail Station (长沙南高铁站, chángshānán gāotiě zhàn). Changsha sits on the new high-speed rail line running between Wuhan and Guangzhou, and the higher ticket prices can prove money well spent by slashing journey times. The huge, airport-like station is several kilometres south of the city centre – around ¥30 in a taxi.

Destinations Beijing (23 daily; 5–20hr); Guangzhou (many daily; 2hr 40min–9hr); Guilin (10 daily; 7–11hr); Guiyang (6 daily; 12–13hr); Hengyang (many daily; 30min–2hr); Jishou (6 daily; 7–9hr); Nanchang (4 daily; 3hr 30min–5hr 30min); Shaoshan (daily; 2hr 30min); Shenzhen (32 daily; 2hr 50min–12hr); Wuhan (many daily; 1hr 30min–5hr); Yueyang (many daily; 30min–2hr); Zhangjiajie (8 daily; 5–11hr).

BY BUS

Changsha’s three main long-distance bus stations are all way out of town in the suburbs.

East bus station (汽车东站, qìchē dōngzhàn) lies 4km from the centre on Shiyuan Dayi Lu, reached by city bus #126. Hefei, Nanchang and easterly destinations.

West bus station (汽车西站, qìchē xīzhàn), 8km out on Xiaoxiang Bei Lu; catch city bus #302. Mostly provincial destinations within Hunan.

South bus station (汽车南站, qìchē nánzhàn), Shizhongyi Lu, 10km from the centre on the city bus #7 route. Southern Hunan, and down into Guangxi.

Destinations Fenghuang (6hr); Heng Shan (3hr); Jiujiang (12hr); Nanchang (6hr); Nanyue (3hr); Wuhan (4hr); Yichang (6hr); Yueyang (3hr); Zhangjiajie (6hr).

INFORMATION

Travel agents CITS are at 160 Wuyi Dadao ( tel_icon 0731 84468904), and can organize Chinese-guided day-trips to Shaoshan (from ¥120) and Hengshan (¥390).

GETTING AROUND

By bus Changsha’s city buses run about 6am–9pm and almost all travel via the train-station square. Regular buses cost ¥1 and a/c services are ¥2.

By metro A metro system is currently under construction, due to open in 2015.

By taxi Flag fall is ¥6 for the first 2km, and each additional kilometre costs ¥1.8.

ACCOMMODATION

Changsha has a good selection of hotels, most of which are to be found on near central Wuyi Dadao.

Changsha International Youth Hostel 长沙国际青年旅舍, chángshā gúojì qīngníán lǚshè. 61 Gongshang Lane, off Dongfeng Lu, north of the Provincial Museum tel_icon 0731 82990202, web_icon www.yhachina.com. A friendly hostel with English-speaking staff set in an attractive old building close to the Provincial Museum. A little out of the way, but the only place in town you’re likely to bump into backpackers – give reception a call and they will guide you in. Dorm beds ¥40, doubles ¥108

Civil Aviation Hotel 民航大酒店, mínháng dàjiŭdiàn. 47 Wuyi Dadao tel_icon 0731 829125888. A well-run, tidy and slightly worn airlines-owned operation inside an ugly block of a building, featuring the standard mid-range amenities. It can get busy with tour groups. ¥288

Days Hotel & Suites 小天鹅戴斯酒店, xiǎotiāné dàisī jiǔdiàn. 648 Wuyi Dadao tel_icon 0731 89899999, web_icon daysinn.com. Changsha’s newest five-star enjoys a great location and offers plush modern styling and attentive service, although the rooms are on the small side for the price. ¥658

Dolton 通程国际大酒店, tōngchéng guójì dàjiŭdiàn. 159 Shaoshan Lu tel_icon 0731 84168888, web_icon www.dolton-hotel.com. Once the best hotel in Changsha, the Dolton is an opulent sprawl of marble and chandeliers, with five-star service, although rooms are starting to look dated. There’s also a swimming pool and an ATM in the lobby. ¥689

Green Tree Inn 格林豪泰酒店, gélín háotài jiŭdiàn. 98 Shaoshan Lu tel_icon 0731 88186998, web_icon 998.com. Chain hotel offering decent, good-value rooms with a/c, showers and moderately soft beds, though some are better kept than others – don’t be shy about asking to see several options. ¥169

Home Inn 如家酒店, rújiājiŭdiàn. 34 Wuyi Dadao tel_icon 0731 82918666. Very close to the train station, with the usual stripped-down but comfortable en-suite rooms with internet access. Rooms facing the main road are noisy though. ¥209

author_pick Milkyway 银河大酒店, yínhé dàjiŭdiàn. 59 Wuyi Dadao tel_icon 0731 84111818. Don’t be fooled by the tacky glass-and-chrome exterior, as most of the interior has had an overhaul, and attentive staff make for a pleasant stay. Standard rooms are comfortable enough, but higher up the building the bright and airy deluxe rooms are worth the extra money. Standard ¥198, deluxe ¥358

Wanyi 万怡商里务酒店, wànyí shānglĭwù jiŭdiàn. Train Station Square tel_icon 0731 82279988. The smarter of two hotels in the station square – as usual you’re paying for location rather than comfort, but it’s a fair-ish deal for the standard rooms with internet connection. ¥168

EATING, DRINKING AND ENTERTAINMENT

Strong flavours and copious chillies are the signatures of Hunanese food – Mao himself claimed that it was the fiery food that made locals so (politically) red. Pungent regional specialities include air-cured and chilli-smoked meat; dong’an ji, chicken seasoned with a vinegar-soy dressing; gualiang fen, a gelatinous mass of cold rice noodles covered in spicy sauce; and chou doufu (literally "stinky tofu"), deep-fried fermented bean curd. Western-style cafés and bars are concentrated around Taiping Jie – a sympathetically reconstructed old street – and the western end of Jiefang Lu. For something a little more club-like head around the corner to Jiefang Xi Lu, Changsha’s nightlife hub where DJs and live shows at a few mega-clubs, including Soho, contend for your twilight hours.

Fifth Tone Café 第五调咖啡店, dìwŭdiào kāfeīdiàn. Just off Xinmin Lu, west over the river and close to Hunan University tel_icon 0731 8805303. Relaxed and über-friendly American-run coffee shop with decent espresso, a selection of freshly baked cakes and free wi-fi. Call if you need directions. Mon–Sat 2–10pm.

author_pick Fire Palace 火宫殿, huŏgōng diàn. 507 Shaoshan Bei Lu, also at Wuyi Dadao and the western end of Jiefang Lu tel_icon 0731 84114808. The original of this riotously good restaurant is on Shaoshan Lu – a busier, noisier and more enjoyable place to wolf down Hunanese food would be hard to imagine. Get an order card from the waitress, request some Baiwei beer, and stop trolleys loaded with small plates of goodies as they pass. Expect to pay ¥50–¥100 per person. Daily 11am–2pm & 5pm–2am.

Nutshell Coffee 果壳森林咖啡店, guǒké sēnlín kāfēi diàn. 2F 18, Jiefang Lu tel_icon 0731 84592100. This cute mall coffee shop serves decent coffee, sandwiches and Western-style snacks (¥20–40), though the "spaghetti" looks suspiciously like lamian. Daily 10am–9pm.

Songhuajiang Jiaozi Guan 松花江饺子馆, sōnghuāiāng jiǎozī guǎn. Eastern end of Wuyi Dadao tel_icon 0731 8805303. Big open dumpling house with delicious jiaozi (¥5–7 for 6, depending on the filling), plus plenty of other dishes to choose from. Daily 10am–2am.

author_pick Xiangdangnian Canting 湘当年餐厅, xiāngdāngnián cāntīng. Off Taiping Jie tel_icon 0731 84863798. A filmreel banner of old Changsha photographs leads the way from Taiping Jie to this atmospheric Hunan restaurant. Specialities include Hunan taro (¥49) and Mao Zedong braised pork (¥31). Daily 9am–2pm & 4.30–9.30pm.

author_pick Ying Xiong Tie 英雄帖, yīngxióng tiē. Hidden away in a courtyard just off Jiefang Lu. Lively and traditional, this Hunanese restaurant dispenses with the hassle of a menu. Instead just tell the staff what you want – chicken, beef, pork, fish, tofu, vegetables, etc – and a few minutes later they’ll bring you a steaming plate of spicy deliciousness. 10am–9pm.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: SHAOSHAN

By train The best way to get here is on the special train from Changsha, which departs daily at 6.30am for the two-and-a-half-hour journey (¥101 return; returns from Shaoshan at 4.30pm).

By tour bus Tour buses leave from the square outside Changsha train station ticket office at 7am (guided day-tour in Chinese from ¥120).

Heng Shan

蘅山, héngshān

Some 120km south of Changsha, the Heng Shan region is one of China’s holiest sites. Spread over 80km or so, the ranges form scores of low peaks dressed in woodland with a smattering of Buddhist and Taoist temples, some of which were established more than 1300 years ago. It’s somewhere to relax and admire the scenery (frosted in winter, golden in autumn and misty year-round), either tackling the easy walks between shrines on foot, or resorting to local transport and cable cars to ascend the heights.

Nanyue

南岳, nányuè

Banners strung across the highway welcome visitors to the village of NANYUE, home to the two largest and most architecturally impressive temple complexes in the area, Nanyue and Zhusheng. The Changsha–Hengyang highway runs along the eastern side of the village; midway along, an ornamental stone archway forms the "entrance" to the village proper and leads through to the main street, Dongshan Lu.

Nanyue Temple

南岳大庙, nányuè dàmiào • ¥50

Off Dongshan Lu, streets lead through the old village centre to Nanyue Damiao. The site has served as a place of worship since at least 725 AD, but the older buildings succumbed to fire long ago and were replaced in the nineteenth century by a smaller version of Beijing’s Forbidden City. It’s a lively place, echoing with bells and thick with smoke from incense and detonating firecrackers – there are furnaces in the courtyards to accommodate the huge quantities offered up by the crowds. Seventy-two pillars, representing Heng Shan’s peaks, support the massive wooden crossbeams of the main hall’s double-staged roof, and gilt phoenixes loom above the scores of kneeling worshippers paying homage to Taoist and Buddhist deities. Other halls in the surrounding gardens are far more humble but boast detailed carvings along their eaves and exterior alcoves.

Zhusheng Temple

祝圣寺, zhùshèng sì • ¥10

Far quieter than Nanyue Damiao, with fewer tourists and more monks in evidence, is Zhusheng Temple. A purely Buddhist site, the entire monastery – whose name translates as "Imperial Blessings" – was reconstructed for the anticipated visit of Emperor Kangxi in 1705, but he never showed up. The smaller scale and lack of pretence here contrast with Nanyue’s extravagances, though there’s a series of five hundred engravings of Buddhist arhats set into the wall of the rear hall, and a fine multifaced and many-handed likeness of Guanyin to seek out among the charming courtyards.

In the hills

¥100 • includes entry to all temples and a bilingual map of the mountain

There’s a good day’s walking to be had between Nanyue and Zhurong Gong, a hall perched on Heng Shan’s 1290m apex, 15km from town. The main road through Nanyue leads to the park gates behind Nanyue Damiao; from here there’s the choice of hiking, catching a minibus or taking the cable car (¥80) to the halfway point. Even major temples along the way are small and unassuming, requiring little time to explore, and tracks are easy, so around eight hours should be sufficient for a return hike along the most direct route.

Nanyue to Banshan Ting

On foot the first two hours are spent passing occasional groups of descending tourists and black-clad Taoists, as the road weaves past rivers and patches of farmland before reaching the temple-like Martyrs’ Memorial Hall, built to commemorate those killed during the 1911 revolution. Entering pine forests shortly thereafter, you’ll arrive at the cable car terminus at Banshan Ting, (literally "halfway pavilion"; 半山亭, bànshān tíng), where accommodation is available at the Duxiu Binguan.

Xuandu Temple

玄都寺, xuándū sì

Not far from Banshan Ting, Xuandu Temple is Hunan’s Taoist centre, founded around 700 AD. Even so, an occasional Buddhist saint graces side shrines, but the best feature is the unusually domed ceiling in the second hall, watched over by a statue of Lao Zi holding a pill of immortality.

To the summit

From the cable-car station the rest of the ascent passes a handful of functioning, day-to-day temples with monks and nuns wandering around the gardens – Danxia Temple (丹霞寺, dānxiá sì) and Zushi Gong (祖师宫, zŭshī gōng) are larger than most – before arriving outside Shangfeng Temple’s red timber halls, which mark the minibus terminus. Overpriced hotels here cater to those hoping to catch the dawn from the sunrise-watching terrace, a short walk away below a radio tower. On a cloudy day, it’s better to push on for a further twenty minutes to the summit, where Zhurong Gong (祝融宫, zhùróng gōng), a tiny temple built almost entirely of heavy stone blocks and blackened inside from incense smoke, looks very atmospheric as it emerges from the mist.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: HENG SHAN

Nanyue village, the trailhead for getting up into the hills, has its own bus station but the regional train stations are all some distance away.

BY TRAIN

There are three train stations on two separate train lines serving Nanyue village, all connected by direct buses.

Hengshan station (蘅山火车站, héngshān huŏchēzhàn). 20km east of Nanyue at Xintang town, with minibuses making the run in 30min.

Hengshan West (蘅山西, héngshān xi). The closest station to the mountain is just 5km west of Nanyue, a 15min minibus transfer.

Hengyang East (衡阳东, héngyáng dōng). Located 25km south of Nanyue at Hengyang town, this station is on the Changsha South-Guangzhou high-speed line. Buses to Nanyue can take over an hour.

Destinations Changsha (10 daily; 1hr 30min–2hr); Changsha South (many daily; 40min); Guangzhou (2hr–6hr 30min); Shenzhen (10 daily; 2hr 30min–10hr).

BY BUS

Nanyue bus station At the southern end of the village, just off the highway; map sellers, rickshaw drivers and hotel touts descend on new arrivals. If you can’t find direct buses to your destination here, head first for Hengyang (衡阳, héngyáng), whose bus and train stations offer a wider range of options.

Destinations Changsha (3hr); Guilin (6hr); Hengyang (1hr–1hr 30min).

BY TOUR

Tour agents Changsha CITS runs daily Chinese-only tours to Nanyue from ¥120.

GETTING AROUND

Minibuses (¥10) run between Nanyue town and Shangfeng Temple, below the summit, in under an hour.

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

There’s accommodation both in Nanyue village and up on the mountain itself, although Heng Shan is also fairly easily visited as a day-trip from Changsha. In Nanyue you’ll find a mass of restaurants on Dongshan Lu; up on the mountain, food stalls lurk at strategic points, so there’s no need to carry much.

Duxiu Binguan 独秀宾馆, dúxiù bīnguǎn. Banshan Ting, halfway up the mountain tel_icon 0734 5661541. Attractive doubles, twins and triples, some with mountain views, surrounded by greenery and very handy for the cable car. There’s also a reasonably priced restaurant. ¥168

Guofeng Hotel 国峰宾馆, guófēng bīnguǎn. Opposite the bus station in Nanyue tel_icon 0734 5678526. Clean, modern rooms, if a little plain, with LCD TVs and internet connection. More expensive rooms have computers. ¥128

Zhangjiajie

张家界, zhāngjiājiè • also known as Wulingyuan Scenic Reserve 武陵源风景区, wŭlíngyuán fēngjĭngqū • ticket ¥248 valid for three days, or ¥301 for a week • tickets scanned with your fingerprint to prevent re-selling

Hidden away in the northwestern extremities of Hunan, Zhangjiajie protects a mystical landscape of sandstone shelves and fragmented limestone towers splintering away from a high plateau, often misted in low clouds and scored by countless streams, with practically every horizontal surface hidden under a primeval, subtropical green mantle. Among the 550-odd tree species (twice Europe’s total) within its 370 square kilometres are rare dove trees, ginkgos and dawn redwoods – the last identified by their stringy bark and feathery leaves; now popular as an ornamental tree, until 1948 they were believed extinct. The region is also home to several million ethnic Tujia, said by some to be the last descendants of western China’s mysterious prehistoric Ba kingdom.

On the downside, Zhangjiajie is beginning to suffer from its popularity, with more accessible parts of the reserve often almost invisible under hordes of litter-hurling tour groups. Fortunately the reserve is big enough that even on the main circuit it’s easy to lose the crowds, and the majesty of the scenery comfortably overrides manmade intrusions. The reserve is best explored over two or three days, and you’ll need comfortable walking shoes and the right seasonal dress – it’s humid in summer, cold from late autumn, and the area is often covered in light snow early in the year.

ZHANGJIAJIE DAY-TRIPS

It’s worth spending several days in the region, but if your time is limited you can still get to grips with Zhangjiajie’s astounding natural beauty in as little as half a day: walk (or take the very short bus ride) to the cable car station (索道站, suŏdào zhàn; ¥118 return or ¥65 one-way) then ride up to Huangshi village (黄石寨, huángshí zhài), where the cable car terminates. From here hike the 2-hour circuit anticlockwise (most tour groups go the other way) around this minor, island-like plateau, surrounded by breathtaking views of the sea of pinnacles. Towards the end of the circuit, bearing left at the police post before Star Picking Tower will put you on the 45-minute trail back down to the park entrance.

For more of a hike, the left path from the park entrance follows a valley up to Huangshi, a trail which takes around two or three hours. Once at the top you can pick up the plateau circuit and walk or take the cable car back down. Alternatively, bearing right at the park entrance offers several more hiking loops, the shortest of which (around 4hr) runs along Golden Whip Stream, branching off to the right and returning to base through a particularly dense stand of crags below two facing outcrops known as the Yearning Couple (engraved tablets along the path identify many other formations). Alternatively, bearing left after a couple of kilometres – consult a map – takes you up past Bewitching Terrace (迷魂台, míhún tái) into the Shadao Valley. From here, basic trails continue through magnificent scenery around the western edge of the plateau to Black Dragon village (黑龙寨, hēilóng zhài), then circuit back to the park gates. This is a lengthy day’s walk, and you won’t see many other tourists along the way.

Zhangjiajie village

森林公园, sēnlín gōngyuán

Having exited the train or long-distance bus stations at Zhangjiajie city, 33km from the reserve entrance, most visitors catch transport directly to the southern boundaries of the reserve at ZHANGJIAJIE VILLAGE. Despite comprising little more than a couple of streets in the valley, the village makes a good base and there’s certainly enough nearby to keep you occupied for a few days. The road through the village leads downhill to the park entrance, past accommodation, restaurants and a throng of Tujia selling medicinal flora and cheap plastic ponchos.

Suoxi Village

索溪峪镇, suŏxīyù zhèn

With many of the same facilities as Zhangjiajie Village, SUOXI makes a good base for exploring the east and north of the reserve. Set in the Suoxi Valley, it’s 10km as the crow flies from Zhangjiajie but the better part of a day away on foot (you can also get between the two by local bus). Attractions here include groups of rhesus monkeys and relatively open river gorges where it’s possible to cruise – or even go white-water rafting – between the peaks.

The Suoxi Valley

Around the 2km-long Baofeng Hu (宝峰湖, băofēng hú), a lake accessed by a ladder-like staircase from the valley floor, there’s a chance of encountering golden pheasants, the grouse-like tragopans and, if you’re very lucky, giant salamanders – secretive, red-blotched monsters which reach 2m in length; once considered a great delicacy, these endangered creatures are now protected, and wild populations are being supplemented by captive bred animals. There’s also Huanglong Dong (黄龙洞, huánglóng dòng; Yellow Dragon Cave), a few kilometres east of Suoxi, a mass of garishly lit limestone caverns linked by a subterranean river, and Hundred Battle Valley, where the Song-dynasty Tujia king, Xiang, fought imperial forces.

Tianmen Shan

天门山, tiānmén shān

The Tianmen Shan region basically covers the north of the park, and is named after an isolated 1250m-high peak which is now readily accessible from Zhangjiajie City by a 7km-long mountain cableway (天门山索道, tiānménshān suŏdào; ¥258 return including park entrance). The 11km road which covers the route incorporates 99 hairpin bends and is an equally impressive feat of engineering. At the top, steps lead to a giant natural rock arch, which has attracted high-wire walkers, jet-fly-throughs and even French free climber "Spiderman" Alain Robert. You can also access the area from Suoxi village, where there’s a possible circuit of 30km setting off along the Ten-li Corridor (十里画廊, shílĭ huàláng). High points include the mass of lookouts surrounding Shentangwan (神堂湾, shéntáng wān), a valley thick with needle-like rocks; Immortals’ Bridge (仙人桥, xiānrén qiáo), a narrow strip of rock bridging a deep valley; and the astounding, 330m-high Bailong Elevator (袁家界百龙电梯, yuánjiājiè baĭlóng diàntī; ¥56 each way) at Yuanjiajie.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: ZHANGJIAJIE

Zhangjiajie city (张家界市, zhāngjiājiè shī) is the regional hub, 33km south of the reserve gates, and accessible by planes, trains and buses from all over China.

By plane Zhangjiajie airport is 10km west of Zhangjiajie city. An airport bus connects with the city for ¥5, or taxis cost ¥15.

Destinations Beijing (2 daily; 2hr–2hr 30min); Changsha (1 daily; 50min); Chengdu (1 daily; 1hr 30min); Guangzhou (1 daily; 1hr 45min); Nanjing (1 daily; 1hr 45min); Shanghai (2 daily; 1hr 45min).

By train The train station is in the south of Zhangjiajie city. Outside the station there are minibuses to the reserve, taxis and local buses. Train tickets are in short supply, especially at weekends, so book your outbound ticket on arrival. Direct services head east to Changsha, north to Yichang in Hubei, and south to Jishou and Liuzhou in Guangxi. For Guizhou and points west you’ll have to change trains at the junction town of Huaihua, four hours to the southwest – sleeper tickets out of Huaihua are hard to come by at the station, but you may be able to upgrade on board.

Destinations Changsha (8 daily; 5–11hr); Huaihua (for connections to Guiyang or Changsha; 13 daily; 3hr 20min–7hr 15min); Jishou (for Fenghuang; 12 daily; 2–4hr); Yichang (2 daily; 5hr).

By bus The bus station is just across from the train station and shares the same park transport links. Leaving, there are regular buses covering the journey to Changsha and down to Fenghuang (or Jishou if you don’t want to wait for a direct bus).

Destinations Changsha (6hr); Fenghuang (4hr); Jishou (for Fenghuang; 2hr); Wuhan (12hr).

GETTING AROUND

By minibus Minibuses prowl the train station square for the hour-long journey to the reserve at either Zhangjiajie village (¥12) or Suoxi (¥19). Minibuses also run from Zhangjiajie village to Suoxi (¥10).

By taxi Taxis from transit points charge around ¥70 for the journey to Zhangjiajie village, or ¥100 for Suoxi.

By tour If you’re on a Chinese package tour to Zhangjiajie, they may try to sting you for ¥50–100 based on a supposedly higher foreigners’ entrance fee to the reserve; this is rubbish, and if the tour staff won’t back down, tell them you’ll pay the surcharge yourself at the gates.

INFORMATION

Guides and tour agents English-speaking freelance guides congregate inside the entrance at Zhangjiajie Village and charge ¥100 per day; and the travel service at the Xiangdian International Hotel offers general hiking advice and arranges white-water rafting day-tours in the Suoxi Valley (¥250 per person).

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

There’s food and accommodation available at Zhangjiajie’s villages, but take water and snacks on long journeys. Note that accommodation prices double at weekends and holidays, when crowds are at their worst. If you have a few days you should ask around about basic hotels within the reserve, which are recommended for getting away from it all – local guides can also take you.

ZHANGJIAJIE CITY

It’s only worth staying here if you arrive too late to get the last bus to the park (around 7pm).

Home Inn 如家酒店, rújiājiŭdiàn. Jiefang Lu tel_icon 0744 8209222. Zhangjiajie’s Home Inn is set just off central Renmin Square and offers the usual comfortable, sterile rooms with internet connection. ¥209

ZHANGJIAJIE VILLAGE

Farm Features Business Restaurant 农家特色商务酒楼, nóngjiā tèsè shāngwù jiǔlóu. Towards the top of the main road on the left tel_icon 0744 5713999. A big, bright restaurant with an English menu featuring classic dishes (¥25–50) from around the country. Upstairs there are clean and cosy rooms with mountain views, although they can be noisy. Restaurant daily 8am–10pm. ¥150

Hollyear Inn 和一宾馆, héyī bīnguǎn. Halfway down the main street on the right tel_icon 0744 5718989. Shabby rooms set around nice quiet gardens, although the silence is broken by an incredible frog chorus on summer evenings. ¥168

Minsu Shanzhuang 民俗山庄, mínsú shānzhuāng. Halfway along the village on the left tel_icon 0744 5719188. Ths Tujia-run wooden building is definitely past its best, with fairly basic facilities, but it’s cheap and the owners are friendly. ¥120

author_pick Xiangdian International Hotel 香殿山庄, xiāngdiàn shānzhuāng. Top of the village towards the park gate tel_icon 0744 5712999, web_icon xiangdianhotel.com.cn. Easily the best accommodation in the village, with comfortable, if small, traditionally styled rooms with all mod cons, set around a series of attractive courtyard gardens, complete with koi carp ponds, and the mighty peaks looming high on the skyline. There’s also billiards, a bowling alley, and a helpful travel service. ¥468

Fenghuang

凤凰, fènghuáng • ¥148 all-inclusive ticket, including boat ride on river

Tucked away close to the border with Guizhou, 160km south of Zhangjiajie, Jishou is the traditional jumping-off point for the charming town of FENGHUANG, with its stilted houses, flagstoned streets and communities of Miao and Tujia peoples. Fenghuang is a great place to unwind for a couple of days, although its popularity with domestic tourists means it is no longer a peaceful retreat. Almost every house has been converted into some sort of commercial enterprise, and in the evenings bars and clubs blare out music over the water until the early hours. On the plus side Fenghuang’s development gives great accommodation and dining choices, while the myriad narrow backstreets still offer plenty of genuine local life and a sense of the town’s twelve-hundred-year history. Fenghuang is also a good base to explore smaller outlying settlements and the renovated Southern Great Wall.

FENGHUANG ORIENTATION

Fenghuang is a small, easily navigable place largely south of the Tuo River, which runs roughly west to east. The old town is bounded on its north side by the river, with a restored section of the city’s Ming walls running along the river bank, punctuated from west to east by the splendid Nanhua, North and East gates. The principal thoroughfare, Dongzheng Jie, is a pedestrianized alley squeezing its way through from Wenhua Square, in the centre, to the East gate and Hong Qiao, a 300-year-old covered bridge. To the west and south, Nanhua Lu and Hong Qiao Lu define the old town, the latter curling north from the southeast corner of town to end up at Hong Qiao.

Xiong Xiling’s former home

熊希龄故居, xióngxīlíng gùjū • Daily 8am–5.30pm

Fenghuang is the hometown of several important Chinese, including Xiong Xiling, an ethnic Miao who became premier of China’s first republican government. Near the North Gate, you can visit his former home, a simple affair preserved as it was and holding a few photos, including those of his three wives, with some English captions.

Sheng Congwen’s former residence

沈从文故居, shěncóngwén gùjū • just off Dongzheng Jie • Daily 8am–5.30pm

Shen Congwen (1902–88), one of China’s greatest writers and also Miao, was from Fenghuang, and many of his stories centre on the Miao people and the local landscapes (Recollections of West Hunan is available in English). In 1949, Shen’s writing was banned in both mainland China and Taiwan after he failed to align with either, effectively ending his career, but his works have enjoyed a recent revival. His former residence, a pleasantly proportioned traditional grey-brick courtyard building, evokes a soulful ambience, though there’s little to see beyond some period wooden furniture.

Shen Congwen’s tomb

沈从文墓地, shěncóngwén mùdì

Shen Congwen’s tomb is 1km east of his former home, in a wooded spot along the river’s south bank at Tingtao Shan. The epitaph on the jagged gravestone translates as "Thinking in my way you can understand me. And thinking in my way you can understand others".

The Southern Great Wall

南方长城, nánfāng chángchéng • ¥45 • bus from a roundabout at the western end of Jianshe Lu (30min)

The pretty countryside near Fenghuang has some worthwhile and easily accessible sights, the nearest being the Southern Great Wall, which, astonishingly, wasn’t recognized for what it was until 2000. Originally constructed in 1554 as a defence against the Miao, the wall ran from Xiqueying in western Hunan to Zhenyuan Guizhou. There are several hundred metres of intact, newly renovated wall at a site 13km west from Fenghuang which, while not as rugged as its northern counterpart, is nevertheless impressive and significantly less visited; if you come in winter you’ll probably have the place to yourself.

Alaying

阿拉营, ālāyíng • buses from the western end of Jianshe Lu in Fenghuang (¥7; 1hr)

Alaying, a Miao village 7km west of the Southern Great Wall, makes a useful transit point for visiting Huangsi Qiao, though it’s also worth a visit in itself on market days (on dates ending with a 2 or 7, as is the local practice), when you can buy Miao handicrafts and mingle with villagers from the outlying hills.

Huangsi Qiao

黄丝桥, huángsīqiáo • bus from Alaying (¥2; 15min)

Just a few kilometres from Alaying, Huangsi Qiao (Huang’s Silk Bridge) is another ancient settlement, which prospered after Huang, a silk merchant, decided to build a bridge to attract people to the town. A smaller version of Fenghuang, with attractive stilted houses, the town is only half a kilometre across and has gate towers to the north, east and west.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: FENGHUANG

By plane The nearest airport to Fenghuang is at Tongren (铜仁市, tóngrénshì) in Guizhou province, 40km away. To catch a bus to Fenghuang, walk 1.5km from the airport to the main road and flag down one of the regular Tongren–Fenghuang services (1hr); heading to the airport from Fenghuang, ask the driver to set you down at the intersection. Alternatively, a taxi between the two costs ¥120–150 (40min). In Fenghuang plane tickets can be purchased through the CTS by the southern entrance to Hong Qiao.

Destinations Beijing (1 daily; 3hr); Guangzhou (1 daily; 1hr 30min).

By train Fenghuang’s nearest train station is 45km away at Jishou (吉首, jíshǒu), on the line to Guiyang, Zhangjiajie and Changsha. From Jishou train station a bus or a taxi (¥5) over the bridge takes you to the bus station on Wuling Lu. From here, hop one of the regular shuttle buses to Fenghuang (¥12; 1hr 10min). If you arrive too late to travel on to Fenghuang, try the 7 Days Inn opposite Jishou’s station. In Fenghuang, onwards bus tickets can be purchased from the CTS by the southern entrance to Hong Qiao.

Destinations Changsha (6 daily; 7–9hr); Guiyang (3 daily; 8–12hr); Zhangjiajie (12 daily; 2–4hr).

By bus Fenghuang’s North Station (北站, běizhàn) is a kilometre or so out of town up Fenghuang Lu, though on arrival buses will either drop you at Nanhua Lu bridge or halfway down Fenghuang Lu.

Destinations Changsha (5hr); Jishou (1hr); Tongren (1hr); Zhangjiajie (4hr).

GETTING AROUND

By taxi Old Fenghuang is small enough to walk around, but outside of the maze of narrow lanes it’s easy to find taxis which should cost ¥5 for anywhere in town. A taxi to the outlying sights can be negotiated for ¥250–300 per day.

By tour Chinese-language day-trips covering Alaying, Huangsi Qiao and Daxiagu (a nearby gorge and waterfall) can be arranged through CTS for ¥100 per person, including lunch.

INFORMATION

Travel agent There’s a friendly and helpful English-speaking CTS (7am–11pm; tel_icon 0743 3221360) on the south side of the Hong Qiao bridge. They can arrange local tours; bus, train and plane tickets; plus car and driver hire for ¥250–300 per day.

ACCOMMODATION

Fenghuang is overloaded with hotels and hostels, and outside summer weekends or Chinese national holidays it’s easy to find a room. Unless you really need your home comforts there’s little point in staying in the new town; the character, charm and history of the old town is best enjoyed from the riverside balcony of your room. Fenghuang has developed a raucous nightlife scene centred on the north bank of the river near Nanhua Bridge; avoid the area if you like peace and quiet.

A Good Year 一年好时光, yìnián hǎoshíguāng. Lao Cai Jie tel_icon 0743 3222026. Cosy little rooms with balconies overlooking the prettiest stretch of river, or cheaper rooms at the back. Rooms have bathroom and a/c but are chilly in winter. Doubles ¥80, with riverside views ¥120

Fenghuang International Youth Hostel 凤凰中天青年旅馆, fènghuáng zhōngtiān qīngnián lǚguǎn. 11 Shawan, near Hong Qiao tel_icon 0743 3260546, web_icon www.yhachina.com. Usually staffed by students, whose lack of experience is tempered by their eagerness to help; beautiful old facade, low prices, wi-fi and an excellent location aid the cause. Dorm beds ¥35, doubles ¥108

Fengtian Hotel 凤天宾馆, fèngtiān bīnguăn. 8 Nanhua Lu tel_icon 0743 3501000. Recently built four-star affair, tastefully furnished, with 24hr hot water and heating to boot. A nice way to treat yourself if you have been enduring unheated guesthouses, although it feels very removed from the old city. ¥400

Jiangyue Lou 江月楼, jiāngyuè lóu. North side of the river, north of Nanhua Bridge tel_icon 0743 3228588. Riverside hotel with pleasant, simple rooms and great balconies, near enough to see the twinkling lights of the bar zone, but not so close as to be affected by their noise. Bathrooms have good showers but squat loos. ¥160

Jinyuan Jiangbian Binguan 金源江边宾馆, jīnyuán jiāngbiān bīnguăn. 94 Lao Gong Shao tel_icon 139 74346711. Ideally situated by the river, just below the Nanhua bridge, this traditional-style, family-run hotel boasts good views, but the rooms can be icy outside of summer. ¥120

Mengyuan Binguan 梦源宾馆, mèngyuán bīnguăn. Ju Yuan Lu, just off Nanhua Lu tel_icon 0743 2150721. A good budget choice outside the old town and close to bus drop-off points. Spotless rooms, hot water and a good on-site restaurant make it a viable option. ¥120

EATING, DRINKING AND NIGHTLIFE

One of the major pleasures in Fenghuang – taken between alley wanderings – is eating, especially if you’re on the adventurous side. At restaurants by the East Gate Tower and along Hong Qiao Lu, cages and tubs of live chickens, ducks, pheasants, rabbits, bamboo rats (looking like a cross between a giant sewer rat and a guinea pig), frogs, snakes, crayfish, crabs, newts and catfish line the doorways – not to mention dead stuff resembling roadkill; they all await their turn in the pot. In the evenings the streets come alive with barbecues, particularly around Hong Qiao and along Nanhua Lu, where you can stuff your face for a few yuan. Fenghuang also has a decent selection of Western cafés and pubs, most of which have English menus.

Bingo Café 边各咖啡, biāngè kāfēi. Hui Long Ge, on the north bank of the river near the pagoda tel_icon 0743 3260411. Light, airy and quiet café serving sandwiches (¥30), pasta (¥28–35) and pizzas (¥48–58). Also a good spot for a quiet evening drink, and there’s an interesting variety of imported beers including Indian Kingfisher and Laotian Beerlao. Daily 8am–11pm.

author_pick Soul Too Café 素咖啡馆, sù kāfēiguăn. Hui Long Ge, on the north bank of the river by the water wheel tel_icon 0743 8882433. Good coffee, home-made yoghurt, Italian-style ice cream, cheesecake, and tasty pizza (¥49–65), pasta (¥35–38) and sandwiches. There are several other branches around the old town, all of which also serve cocktails and hookahs. Daily 8am–midnight.

Wutong Shutu Caiguan 梧桐树土菜馆, wútóng shù tǔcàiguǎn. North bank of the river near Nanhua Bridge tel_icon 133 27255756. Large, noisy open-plan local restaurant where you can enjoy giant river clams (¥38) and Hunan hotpots (¥48–88) looking out to the river. Daily 9am–11pm.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: NANCHANG

BY PLANE

Changbei International Airport (昌北国际机场, chāngběi guójì jīchǎng) is 23km north of the centre; the airport bus (¥15) terminates at the Civil Aviation Hotel (民航大酒店, mínháng dàjiŭdiàn) on Hongcheng Lu. Alternatively, taxis can whisk you into town for ¥70. Zhan Qian Lu is teeming with airline agents, and most hotels can book flights. China Eastern ( tel_icon 0791 8514195) is on Beijing Lu.

Destinations Beijing (9 daily; 2hr); Chengdu (2 daily; 2hr); Guangzhou (5 daily; 1hr 30min); Hefei (1 daily; 1hr 15min); Kunming (5 daily; 2hr 15min); Shanghai (1 daily; 1hr 15min).

BY TRAIN

Nanchang train station (南昌火车站, nánchāng huǒchē zhàn) is 700m east of the Fushan roundabout at the end of Zhan Qian Lu. Nanchang lies on the Kowloon–Beijing train line and just off the Shanghai–Kunming line, with connections through easterly Yingtan down into Fujian province. The city is also now connected to Hangzhou and Shanghai by high-speed D-trains. Sleeper tickets are easy to obtain, but prepare for mighty queues at the station or book through a downtown travel agency or train ticket booking office: there’s one at the Long-distance Bus Station on Bayi Dadao and another on Jianshe Lu, around the corner from the Xufang Bus Station.

Destinations Beijing (10 daily; 11hr 30min–18hr); Changsha (4 daily; 3hr 30min–6hr); Fuzhou (8 daily; 10hr–12hr 30min); Guangzhou (8 daily; 10hr 45min–14hr); Hefei (8 daily; 6–8hr); Jingdezhen (3 daily; 4hr 45min); Jinggang Shan (3 daily; 3–4hr); Jiujiang (50 daily; 1–2hr); Shanghai (10 daily; 6hr 15min–13hr); Shenzhen (14 daily; 10hr–14hr 30min); Tunxi (1 daily; 8hr); Wuhan (76 daily; 2hr 30min–9hr); Xiamen (4 daily; 14–17hr); Yingtan (31 daily; 1hr–2hr 30min).

BY BUS

Nanchang has four principal bus stations, of which the following three are most useful to travellers.

Long-distance Bus Station (长途汽车站, chángtú qìchēzhàn). Nanchang’s biggest station is conveniently located just south of the centre on Bayi Dadao and can be reached by bus #1. The station is huge and often crowded, but ticket offices are user-friendly and there’s usually no problem getting seats. Good for services to all over the country, except for Jingdezhen and Lushan.

Qingshan Passenger Station (青山客运站, qīngshān kèyùnzhàn) well north of the centre on Qingshan Nan Lu and reached by bus #123. This is the only station with direct buses to Lushan (9.30am & 3.40pm; ¥62); alternatively, catch one of the regular services to Jiujiang and change there.

Xufang Passenger Station (徐坊客运站, xúfāng kèyùnzhàn) on Jinggang Shan Dadao in the south of town; reached on bus #1. Services to Jingdezhen, Changsha, Hefei, Jiujiang (for Lushan), Shanghai and Wuhan. Chaotic and crowded, but tickets are readily available outside of peak holidays.

Destinations Changsha (5hr); Ciping (8hr); Hefei (6hr); Jingdezhen (3hr); Jinggang Shan (6hr); Jiujiang (2hr); Lushan (4hr); Shanghai (12hr); Wuhan (5hr); Yingtan (2hr 30min).

GETTING AROUND

By bus City bus #2 runs from the train station along Bayi Dadao and then makes a circuit of the central area, passing or coming close to all the hotels.

By taxi Cabs cruise downtown arrival points, with a ¥6 standing charge.

ACCOMMODATION

There’s plenty of accommodation in town, although good budget choices are a little thin on the ground.

7 Days Inn 7天连锁酒店, qītiān liánsuŏ jiŭdiàn. 142 Bayi Dadao tel_icon 0791 88857688. Excellent location across from the main long-distance bus station, with clean, modern rooms and attentive staff. ¥218

Ganjiang 赣江宾馆, gànjiāng bīnguǎn. 138 Bayi Dadao tel_icon 0791 8856888, web_icon gjhotel.com. Upscale hotel set in pleasant grounds. Rooms are spread out over several buildings and range in price, but even the cheapest are comfortable, spacious and have all modcons. ¥358

Gloria Grand 凯莱大酒店, kǎilái dàjiŭdiàn. 88 Yanjiang Bei Lu tel_icon 0791 86738855, web_icon gloriahotels.com. Modern, international-style joint-venture hotel, the most foreigner-friendly in Nanchang and worth visiting for its Western food. ¥608

Hua Guang 华光宾馆, huáguāng bīnguăn. 58 Xiangshan Bei Lu tel_icon 0791 86777222. Shabby hotel with plain, faded (if clean) rooms, hard beds and brusque staff, but about the cheapest deal you’ll find in the heart of town. ¥148

Jinjiang Inn 锦江之星, jǐnjiāng zhīxīng. 255 Minde Xi Lu tel_icon 0791 86788111, web_icon jinjianginns.com. Hard to fault for the central location with smart, bright rooms and modern amenities – though don’t expect much extra space. There’s a fair-value restaurant here too. ¥170

Ruidu 瑞都大酒店, ruìdū dàjiŭdiàn. 399 Guangchang Lu tel_icon 0791 86201888. An upmarket place, nicely located on the southeast corner of Renmin Square. Rooms are attractive and well kept, but don’t have fridges or bathtubs, which you might expect at this price. ¥340

EATING AND DRINKING

Nanchang’s gastronomy covers everything from dumpling houses and spicy Hunanese restaurants to the regional Gan cooking – lightly sauced fresh fish, crayfish, snails and frogs. Soups are a Jiangxi favourite – egg and pork soup is a typical breakfast – often served in huge pots as communal affairs. Restaurants are spread all over the city, though the streets around Bayi Park have the highest concentration and Yongshu Lu is lined with eateries, from holes in the wall to fancy banquet dining halls.

Fengwei Xiaochi Cheng 凤味小吃城, fēngwèi xiǎochīchéng. 54 Zhongshan Lu. The name translates as Regional Flavour Snack City, and there’s certainly plenty on offer at this no-frills crowded canteen where you can fill up for less than ¥20. Ordering is easy (the food’s on display), and regular dishes include eggs with tomato, sweet-and-sour pork and delicious pickled cucumbers. Daily 10am–9pm.

Hunan Wang Caiguan 湖南王菜馆, húnánwáng càiguăn. Supu Lu tel_icon 0791 86238433. Popular, mid-range Hunanese restaurant where you can sweat over your red-braised pork (¥58), while enjoying the views overlooking Bayi Park. Daily 11am–2pm & 5–9pm.

Ming Dynasty 明朝铜鼎煨汤府, míngcháo tóngdĭng wèitāngfŭ. 144 Bayi Dadao tel_icon 0791 6293683. The big bronze cauldron outside marks this as a Jiangxi-style soup restaurant, traditionally a breakfast favourite with locals, but filling enough to make a good lunch or dinner. A variety of flavours, including black chicken and young pigeon is on offer and individual pots start at ¥18, while three- to four-person pots cost from ¥30. Daily 7am–2pm & 5–9pm.

My Café 湖南王贩卖灵魂深处的品味, húnánwáng fànmài línghúnshēnchùde pǐnwèi. Minde Lu near Supu Lu tel_icon 015377520521. High ceilings, comfy sofas and laid-back staff make this a cosy and relaxing place to spend a couple of hours reading and sipping Earl Grey tea (¥30). Daily 9am–midnight.

New Oriental Restaurant 新东方大酒店, xīndōngfāng dàjiǔdiàn. 18 Yanjiang Zhong Lu tel_icon 0791 86700777. This vast, opulent and gaudy Gan-style restaurant looks straight onto the river and the Tengwang Pavilion, and also serves Cantonese dishes. Expect to pay ¥50–¥100 per person. Daily 11am–2pm & 4.30–10pm.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: LUSHAN

Lushan is most easily reached direct from Nanchang or via Jiujiang (九江, jiŭjiāng) a Yangzi port near the foot of the mountain, where the closest airport, train and long-distance bus stations are located.

BY PLANE

Jiujiang airport lies 40km south of the city. A taxi from the airport to Lushan costs ¥100–150; or you can take one of the regular buses to Jiujiang bus station, and then transfer to a Lushan service.

Destinations Beijing (1 daily; 2hr 15min); Guangzhou (1 daily; 1hr 30min).

BY TRAIN

Jiujiang train station is 3km southeast of the city centre – catch bus #1 to the bus station for services to Lushan.

Destinations Ganzhou (22 daily; 6–9hr); Hefei (7 daily; 4hr 30min–7hr); Nanchang (50 daily; 1–2hr); Shanghai (3 daily; 12–15hr).

BY BUS

Lushan is served by few direct long-distance services, so go first to Jiujiang for Wuhan and points east, and Nanchang for southern or westerly destinations.

Lushan bus station Buses from Nanchang stop on He Dong Lu, while minibuses from Jiujiang (¥15) might drop passengers anywhere.

Jiujiang bus station Jiujiang’s long-distance bus station is on Xunyang Lu, from where there are regular buses to Lushan until 5pm, earlier in winter.

Destinations from Lushan Jiujiang (1hr); Nanchang (2hr).

Destinations from Jiujiang Changsha (8hr); Hefei (5hr); Wuhan (4hr); Yichang (8–10hr).

GETTING AROUND

It’s easy to make short excursions around Lushan on foot, but to reach further-flung destinations it’s worth taking the odd cable car or bus.

By bus A bus network extends throughout the scenic area and week-long bus passes are available for ¥80.

By cable car Numerous cable cars and ropeways offer easy access to some of Lushan’s most scenic spots including: Three Cascades (¥80 return); Hanpo Pass (¥50 return); and Xiufeng Peak (¥80 return).

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

Summers are very busy – arrive early on in the day to ensure a room – and expensive, with hotel-owners raising their rates and refusing to bargain. Rates tumble (from the summer prices listed here) during the winter months, when it gets cold enough to snow, so check the availability of heating and hot water. There are plenty of restaurants in Guling, mostly good value, and some post their menus and prices outside. For local flavours – mountain fungus and fish – try the stalls and open restaurants around the market.

Guling Dajiudian 牯岭大酒店, gŭlĭng dàjiŭdiàn. 7 He Xi Lu tel_icon 0792 8282435. Handy for the buses, this remodelled three-star has comfortable rooms, a swimming pool and a gym, plus friendly staff. ¥360

Lushan Binguan 庐山宾馆, lúshān bīnguăn. 70 He Xi Lu tel_icon 0792 8282060. This is a heavy stone mansion set among parkland on the edge of the woods, with pleasant, comfortable rooms, good-value suites and a fine restaurant. ¥400

Lushan Dasha 庐山大廈, lúshān dàshà. 506 He Xi Lu tel_icon 0792 8282178. A regimental exterior betrays this hotel as the former Guomindang Officers’ Training Centre; rooms are fittingly well furnished and comfortable. ¥320

Lushan International Youth Hostel 庐山国际青年旅舍, lúshān gúojì qīngnián lǚshè. 1 Hubei Lu tel_icon 0792 8288989, web_icon hihostels.com. Set below Five Old Man Peak, Lushan’s affiliated YH offers cheap comfortable accommodation nestled into the pine forest. The hostel has doubles, twins and dorm beds and offers free wi-fi, and friendly travel advice. Dorms ¥35, doubles ¥120

KAOLIN AND SHIPWRECKS

The popularity of Jingdezhen pottery brought revenues and expertise which provided a platform for innovation. Workshops experimented with new glazes and a classic range of decorative styles emerged: qinghua, blue and white; jihong, rainbow; doucai, a blue-and-white overglaze; and fencai, multicoloured famille rose. The first examples reached Europe in the seventeenth century and became so popular that the English word for China clay – kaolin – derives from its source nearby at Gaoling. Factories began to specialize in export ware designed for Europe and Chinese colonies throughout Southeast Asia, which reached the outside world via the booming Canton markets: the famous Nanking Cargo, comprising 150,000 pieces salvaged from the 1752 wreck of the Dutch vessel Geldermalsen and auctioned for US$15 million in 1986, was one such shipment. Foreign sales petered out after European production technologies improved at the end of the eighteenth century, but Jingdezhen survived by sacrificing innovation for cheaper manufacturing processes, and more recently has reinvented itself as a centre of ceramic study and research.

The markets

There are plenty of shops aimed at tourists, but it’s more fun to head to the markets. On Jiefang Lu, south of the central square, the pavements are clogged with stacks of everything that has ever been made in porcelain: metre-high vases, life-sized dogs, Western- and Chinese-style crockery, antique reproductions including yellow- and green-glazed Tang camels, ugly statuettes and simple porcelain pandas. Haggling can be fun, but it’s just as entertaining to watch other people and wonder how they are going to get their new acquisitions home – and where on earth they’ll put them once they do.

Museum of Ceramic History

陶瓷历史博物馆, táocí lìshĭ bówùguăn • out of town on the west side of the river • Daily 8am–5pm • ¥95 • English-speaking guides ¥100 • bus #1, #16 or #17 to Cidu Dadao, then cross the road and head under the ornamental arch

To experience the manufacturing side of things, either join a CITS factory tour or visit the Museum of Ceramic History. From the main road, a fifteen-minute forested walk leads to a surprising collection of antique buildings divided into two sections. A Ming mansion houses the museum itself, and its ornate crossbeams, walled gardens and gilt eave screens are a great backdrop to the ceramics display which covers everything from 1000-year-old kiln fragments through to the Ming’s classic simplicity and overwrought, multicoloured extravagances of the late nineteenth century. The museum also puts on hourly musical performances in its Waterside Pavilion, with all of the performers playing ceramic instruments.

Ancient Porcelain Workshop

Next door to the museum building, another walled garden conceals the Ancient Porcelain Workshop, complete with a Confucian temple and working pottery, where the entire process of throwing, moulding and glazing takes place. Out back is a rickety two-storey kiln, packed with all sizes of unglazed yellow saggar, pottery sleeves commonly seen outside local field kilns – these shield each piece of porcelain from damage in case one explodes during the firing process.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: JINGDEZHEN

By train Jingdezhen’s train station is 1.5km southeast of the town centre on Tongzhan Lu and the #28 bus route. Buying tickets is simple enough at the station, or there’s a booking office (8am–6pm; tel_icon 0798 8522756) next to the Jinjiang Inn on Zhushan Lu.

Destinations Hefei (2 daily; 11hr); Nanchang (3 daily; 5hr); Shanghai (1 daily; 17hr); Tunxi (10 daily; 2hr 30min–4hr 30min).

By bus The long-distance bus station is 3km west across the river – take bus #28 into town.

Destinations Changsha (8hr); Ganzhou (9hr); Hangzhou (6hr); Jiujiang (2hr); Nanchang (3hr); Shanghai (9hr); Tunxi (3hr 30min); Wuhan (5hr); Yingtan (3hr).

GETTING AROUND

By bus Jingdezhen has a basic bus network with regular and a/c services costing ¥1–2.

By taxi Many taxi drivers refuse to use their meters, and are eager to show you the long way round, but you should be able to negotiate a fare of ¥10 for anywhere in town.

By motorbike taxi At ¥5 for anywhere in town, motorbike taxis are the quickest and cheapest – if not the safest – way to get around for solo travellers.

INFORMATION

Travel agents For factory tours or ticket booking there’s a CITS at 1 Zhushan Xi Lu (Mon–Sat 9am–5.30pm; tel_icon 0798 8515111).

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

It’s just as well that many visitors treat Jingdezhen as a day-trip, as accommodation prospects are mediocre. Food stalls offering hotpots and stir-fries can be found east of Guangchang along Tongzhan Lu, while Western fast-food choices can be found near the bridge on Zhushan Lu. If you’re looking to pass the time before a train journey there are also a few Western-style coffee shops on Zhejiang Lu.

Bandao International Hotel 半岛国际酒店, bàndǎo guójì jiŭdiàn. 121 Tongzhan Lu tel_icon 0798 8533333. By far the smartest option near the train station is clean and modern, although rooms are bare and a little small for the price. Generous Chinese breakfast included. ¥238

Jinsheng Dajiudian 金盛大酒店, jīnshèng dàjiŭdiàn. North side of Zhushan Zhong Lu, west of the square tel_icon 0798 8207818. Welcoming, good-value hotel in the heart of town with surprisingly chirpy en-suite rooms and free wi-fi. Try to get one of the quieter rooms at the back. ¥138

THE LONG MARCH

In 1927, Chiang Kai-shek, leader of the Nationalist Guomindang (GMD) government, began an obsessive war against the Chinese Communist Party. Driven underground, the Communists set up remote rural bases, or soviets, across central China. The main Jiangxi soviet in the Jinggang Mountains was led by Mao Zedong and Zhu De, the Communist Commander-in-Chief. Ignoring Japanese incursions into Manchuria, Chiang blockaded the mountains with a steadily tightening ring of bunkers and barbed wire, systematically clearing areas of guerrillas with artillery bombardments. Hemmed in and facing eventual defeat, the First Front army, comprising some eighty thousand Red soldiers, broke through the blockade in October 1934 and retreated west to team up with the Hunan soviet – marking the beginning of the Long March.

Covering a punishing 30km a day, the Communists moved after dark whenever possible, but still faced daily skirmishes. After incurring severe losses during a battle at the Xiang River near Guilin in Guangxi, the marchers found their progress north impeded by massive GMD forces, and were obliged to continue west to Guizhou, where they took the town of Zunyi in January 1935, and an emergency meeting of the Communist Party hierarchy was called – the Zunyi Conference. Mao emerged as the undisputed leader of the Party, with a mandate to "go north to fight the Japanese" by linking up with Zhang Guotao in Sichuan. In one of the most celebrated and heroic episodes of the march, they took the Luding Bridge across the Dadu River, only to negotiate the Great Snowy Mountains, where hundreds died from exposure before the survivors met up on the far side with the Fourth Front army.

The meeting between these two branches of the Red Army was tense. Mao wanted to start resistance against the Japanese, but Zhang Guotao favoured founding a Communist state in Sichuan’s far west. Zhang eventually capitulated, and he and Mao took control of separate columns to cross the last natural barrier they faced, the Aba grasslands in northern Sichuan. Here, while Mao was bogged down by swamps, hostile nomads and dwindling food reserves, Zhang’s column suddenly retreated to Ganzi, where Zhang set up an independent government. Mao struggled through southern Gansu, finally arriving in Communist-held Yan’an, Shaanxi province, in October 1935. While the mountains here were to become a Communist stronghold, only a quarter of those who started from Jiangxi twelve months before had completed the 9500km journey.

Immediately after the Long March, Mao admitted that in terms of losses and the Red Army’s failure to hold their original positions, the Nationalists had won. Yet in a more lasting sense, the march was an incredible success, uniting the Party under Mao and defining the Communists’ aims, while cementing their popular image as a determined and patriotic movement. After Zunyi, Mao turned the march into a deliberate propaganda mission to spread the Communist faith among the peasantry and minority groups. As Mao said, "Without the Long March, how could the broad masses have learned so quickly about the existence of the great truth which the Red Army embodies?"

In the hills

Having waded through the terribly serious displays in town, it’s nice to escape into Jinggang Shan’s surprisingly wild countryside. Some of the peaks provide glorious views of the sunrise – or frequent mists – and there are colourful plants, natural groves of pine and bamboo, deep green temperate cloudforests, and hosts of butterflies and birds.

Wulong Tan

五龙潭, wŭlóng tán

One of the nicest areas to explore is Wulong Tan (Five Dragon Pools), about 8km north along the road from the Martyrs’ Tomb. A footpath from the roadhead leads past some poetically pretty waterfalls dropping into the pools (of which there are actually eight) between a score of pine-covered peaks.

Wuzhi Peak

五指峰, wŭzhĭ fēng

Less than 10km south of town is Jinggang Shan itself, also known as Wuzhi Feng, apex of the mountains at 1586m. The more well-trodden trails are obvious and well signposted in English, though they can become slippery in the wet. As the trees and waterfalls below slide in and out of the clouds, the peace and beauty make it hard to imagine it as the cradle of guerrilla warfare for the Communists back in the 1920s and 30s.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: JINGGANG SHAN

There’s a bus station at Ciping, but the nearest airport and train station are at newly built Jinggang Shan town (井岗山市, jĭnggāng shān shī), which lies a good forty minutes by bus (¥10) or taxi (¥60–70) from Ciping.

By plane Jinggang Shan airport (井岗山机场, jĭnggāng shān jīchǎng) is served by an expensive daily flight from Beijing and another from Guangzhou. There is no direct transport to Ciping so you’ll need to transfer to Jinggang Shan city bus station and then change to a Ciping service.

Destinations Beijing (1 daily; 2hr 30min); Guangzhou (1 daily; 1hr).

By train Jinggang Shan’s train station is on the Nanchang–Shenzhen line. In Ciping there’s a booking office on Hongjun Lu, just north of the Green Lake Hotel.

Destinations Ganzhou (1 daily; 4hr); Nanchang (3 daily; 4hr); Shenzhen (1 daily; 11hr).

By bus Ciping’s bus station is on the northeastern side of the village’s circuit, served by buses from Nanchang and elsewhere across the region. Heading south you’ll need to change at Ganzhou (赣州, gànzhōu), down towards the Guangdong border.

Destinations Ganzhou (5hr); Hengyang (8hr); Nanchang (8hr).

ACCOMMODATION

As well as the following there is a host of budget and mid-range places to stay near the bus station.

Cuihu Hotel 翠湖宾馆, cuìhú bīnguǎn. 2 Hongjun Nan Lu tel_icon 0796 6557666. One of Ciping’s more affordable hotels, though with a rather institutional atmosphere, the Cuihu has standard-issue Chinese rooms complete with hard beds and dated furnishings. ¥200

Jinggang Shan Binguan 井岗山宾馆, jĭnggāngshān bīnguăn. 16 Hongjun Bei Lu tel_icon 0796 6552272. Housed in a clearly Soviet-inspired building, this was a former favourite with party cadres. Despite a recent makeover, the rooms are plain and the prices a little too high. ¥328

Nanhu Binguan 南湖宾馆, nánhú bīnguăn. 19 Hongjun Nan Lu tel_icon 0796 6556666. Palatial, marble-clad lobby and surprisingly spacious rooms in this conference-sized effort. There’s a wood-decked terrace too, with splendid mountain views, and – of all things – a pool table. ¥400

The Yangzi basin

Highlights

THE DEMISE OF THE YANGZI RIVER DOLPHIN

Anhui

Hefei

Mingjiao Temple

SANGUO: THE THREE KINGDOMS

Li Hongzhang’s Former Home

Lord Bao Memorial Hall

The Provincial Museum

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: HEFEI

BY PLANE

BY TRAIN

BY BUS AND MINIBUS

GETTING AROUND

ACCOMMODATION

EATING AND DRINKING

DIRECTORY

Jiuhua Shan

JIUHUA SHAN PRACTICALITIES

Jiuhua Shan Village

Zhiyuan Temple

Huacheng Temple

Roushen Temple

Baisui Gong

The upper peaks

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: JIUHUA SHAN

GETTING AROUND

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

Tunxi, Shexian and Yixian

Tunxi

Lao Jie

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: TUNXI

INFORMATION

GETTING AROUND

ACCOMMODATION

EATING AND DRINKING

DIRECTORY

Shexian

PAIFANG

The old town

HUIZHOU HOUSES

The Tangyue arches

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: SHEXIAN

Yixian

Xidi

Hongcun and Nanping Villages

Mukeng

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: YIXIAN

ACCOMMODATION

Huang Shan

Tangkou

Wenquan

The Eastern Route

The Western Route

Ciguang Pavilion to Kingfish Ridge

Yuping Pavilion to the top

The Peak Circuit

White Goose Ridge and Beginning to Believe Peak

Beihai and Xihai

Three Ways down the mountain

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: HUANG SHAN

GETTING AROUND

ASCENDING HUANG SHAN

ACCOMMODATION

TANGKOU

WENQUAN

PEAKS

EATING

DIRECTORY

Hubei

Wuhan

Brief history

Hankou

The colonial quarter

Wuchang

Yellow Crane Tower

Hong Ge and the 1911 Revolution Museum

Changchun Guan

Hubei Provincial Museum