Huangshan Travel Guide – Attractions, Things to Do, Hotels, Tours
The city of Huangshan, short for Hui or Huang and called Xin’an or Huizhou in ancient times, is a popular tourist city in Anhui province. It is located at the junction of Anhui, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi provinces, with only a 2-hour high-speed train ride from Shanghai.
Most visitors travel to Huangshan City to witness its breathtaking Mout Huangshan (Yellow Mountain), and many charming ancient villages.
As a UNESCO-listed heritage site, Yellow Mountain China will offer visitors a breathtaking hiking experience with stunning sunrise and sunset, the sea of clouds, iconic twisted pine trees, and jagged granite peaks. And the many picture-perfect ancient villages, like Hongcun and Xidi, are all nearly 1,000 years old. They are packed with white-walled houses with black tile roofs, cobblestone streets, and lotus ponds, like stepping into a traditional Chinese ink painting.
Tunxi Old Street is also highly recommended, allowing visitors to sip local Huangshan Maofeng tea, sample hairy tofu and more Hui cuisine, and buy some inkstones and handmade snacks as souvenirs.
Follow our ultimate Huangshan Travel Guide to discover its top attractions, best things to do, and helpful travel tips on hotels, food, days to stay, transportation, and time to visit.
- Chinese: 黄山 huáng shān
- Location: at the southernmost tip of Anhui Province in eastern China, at the junction of Anhui, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi provinces.
- Population: 1.5M
- Area: 3,787 sq miles
- Nearby Airport: Huangshan Tunxi International Airport (TXN)
- Nearby Railway Stations: Huangshan Station, Huangshanbei Railway Station, Shexianbei Railway Station
- Zip Code: 245000
Why Visit Huangshan City
- Yellow Mountain (Huangshan Mountain): As the most spectacular mountain ranges in China, Mt. Huangshan is known for its four wonders, which are peculiar pines, grotesque rocks, sea of clouds, and hot springs. The hiking trails will lead you to awe-inspiring vistas at every turn.
- Ancient Hui-style Villages: These ancient villages are living museums of distinctive Hui-style architecture. The stone-paved alleys and graceful waterways along with white-walled black-tiled houses make you feel like stepping into a traditional Chinese ink painting.
- Experience Hui culture: Huangshan City is recognized as the birthplace of Hui culture, offering a deep dive into ancient architecture, cuisine and traditional crafts.
- Being charming for all seasons: The city is great to visit year-round, offering stunning and unique sights and experiences in all seasons.
- Convenient access: Frequent high-speed trains will connect you swiftly to nearby cities like Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, etc. Domestic flights to or from Huangshan are also readily available.
Among the many Huangshan tourist attractions, the Yellow Mountain is the most outstanding one, featuring breathtaking landscapes, scenic hiking trails and natural hot springs. Complementing this natural splendor are the charming ancient Huizhou villages like Hongcun and Xidi, where white-walled houses with black-tiled roofs blend seamlessly into idyllic rural landscapes. These attractions together make Huangshan a popular destination for both natural lovers and history and culture fans.
West Sea Grand Canyon
On the western side of Yellow Mountain, the West Sea Grand Canyon stands out for its steep cliffs and deep valleys. Precipitous steps and trails here will lead you through awe-inspiring scenery.
Hu Kaiwen Ink Factory (Tunxi)
Huangshan is also famous for its Hui ink making, which is an important component of Chinese calligraphy and painting. At this century-old ink factory, visitors can learn about the meticulous process of producing high-quality ink sticks.
Tangyue Memorial Archways
The Tangyue Memorial Archways include seven well-preserved arches from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. They are erected to honor virtues in ancient China, making them an important spot to study Confucian thought, and ancient Chinese moral values.
Tangmo Ancient Village
The flowing streams, stone bridges, ancient trees, and traditional architecture in Tangmo Ancient Village offer visitors a peaceful retreat. It is especially known for its water streets and pastoral scenery.
Top Things to Do in Huangshan
As a famous tourist city, Huangshan not only possesses charming natural landscapes, but also a magnificent cultural landscape. Here are some top things to do in Huangshan for tourists, which may help tourists get to know the culture of Huangshan, selected the most delicious food and have a great travel experience.
Climbing the magnificent Yellow Mountain
Climbing the magnificent Yellow Mountain to appreciate the breathtaking scenery is attractive for visitors. As one of the world cultural and natural heritage, renowned world geological park and famous national scenic area, Yellow Mountain is honored as the “Worldly Paradise”. Especially, don’t miss the four wonders – strange pine, absurd rocks, sea of clouds and hot springs.
Visit Some Ancient Villages
There are also many ancient villages around Huangshan city such as Chengkan village, Hongcun Ancient Village, Xidi Ancient Village and so on, where visitors can not only enjoy the beautiful idyllic landscape, but also the traditional and exquisite hui-style architecture, carvings of Huizhou. With the development of tourism, the tourism infrastructure in each ancient town is being completed. Having the local snack foods and living in the ancient town is full of delights.
Watch a Hui-yun Show
Seeing the Hui-yun Show in Xiangming theatre is also a good way for visitors to know more about Huangshan and the culture of Huizhou. Hui-yun show consists of five parts, containing the beautiful love legend of Dong Yong and the fairy, story about how Peking Opera evolved from the Anhui Opera, and the historical process of Huizhou merchants who have dominated the Chinese business for nearly 400 years after experiencing ups and downs.
Relax Your Body in Hot Springs
Located near the south gate of the Yellow Mountain, Huangshan Hot Springs are rejuvenating escapes amidst nature, offering you ultimate relaxation. Aka “Flying Snow Hot Springs”, they are among the four most famous hot springs in China, with the water maintaining a year-round temperature of around 42°C.
It is especially recommended to soak in these hot springs in winter when you can relax your body and mind in the warm waters while admiring the unparalleled snow-covered mountains. You can choose either indoor or outdoor pools based on your preferences.
Savor Huizhou Cuisine
As one of China’s Eight Major Cuisines, Huizhou Cuisine is famous for its precise cooking techniques and rich local flavors. It is known for using mountain delicacies and wild game. Some of the classic Huangshan dishes you can miss are Stinky Mandarin Fish (Chou Guiyu), Molded Tofu (Mao Doufu), Stone Baked Bun (Shitoubing), etc. Farmhouses near Hongcun and Xiddi ancient villages, and Tunxi Ancient Street are all popular places to seek delicious local specialties.
Good to know: Huizhou cuisine is usually rich and savory. Please feel free to inform the chef in advance if you prefer lighter flavors.
What to Eat in Huangshan
Mao tofu
Mao tofu is artificially fermented to grow a layer of white fuzz on the surface of the tofu. Due to the fermentation, the plant protein turns into a variety of amino acids, so it tastes very delicious after cooking.
Smelly Mandarin Fish
Smelly mandarin fish is a famous Huizhou dish with a history of more than 200 years. The most traditional way to make mandarin fish is to braise it in brown sauce. After cooking, the fish is bright red in color. Though it smells stinky, it tastes really delicious.
Yellow Crab Shell Cake
Yellow Crab Shell Cake is a traditional snack of Huangshan City. In fact, it has nothing to do with crab, it’s just a kind of Chinese pancake. It usually takes flour, fatty meat, dried plum, preserved vegetable, salt, and vegetable oil as ingredients, and is baked in the oven with the wood charcoal for several hours. Freshly baked pancakes are golden yellow in color and taste crisp and delicious.
Various Dishes in One Pot
The various dishes in one pot is a kind of hot pot that local people often eat in winter. It is very convenient to cook, just put dried bamboo shoots slices, meat pieces, toufu, meatballs, vermicelli and vegetables in one pot.
Huangshan Weather & Best Time to Visit
Huangshan is in a subtropical monsoon humid climate zone, featuring mild and moist conditions all year round. Due to the Yellow Mountain’s unique terrain, it usually experiences significant vertical climate variations. As you ascend or descend the majestic peaks, you’ll encounter diverse weather experiences. The base and the summit typically have 8°C to 10°C temperature differences.
The overall annual average temperature in Huangshan City is around 15.4°C (59.7°F), and the annual precipitation averages around 1,800 millimeters. May to August is the period that sees the majority of rainfall. July and January are the warmest and coldest months in Huangshan, separately, seeing the averages hovering around 27.4°C (81.3°F) and 2.8°C (37°F).
The frequent clouds and mist are another enchanting feature of Huangshan. The mountain area encounters a misty embrace for over 200 days each year, giving rise to the legendary Sea of Clouds.
Related Reading:
Weather and What to Wear Each Month
Month | Average Temperature | What to Wear |
|---|---|---|
| January | 2℃~11℃ | down jacket, thick coat, cotton-padded clothes, sweater, thick pullover hoodie and zip-up hoodie ,thick pant |
| February | 3℃~13℃ | down jacket, thick coat, cotton-padded clothes, sweater, thick pullover hoodie and zip-up hoodie ,thick pant |
| March | 8℃~18℃ | Leather jacket, Dust coat, thick coat, thin sweater |
| April | 13℃~22℃ | Dust coat, knitwear, hoodie, T-shirt with long sleeves, jeans |
| May | 18℃~28℃ | T-shirt with long sleeves, knitwear, skirts, thin jeans, cloth in cotton or linen fabrics that are comfortable and breathable |
| June | 23℃~30℃ | T-shirt with short sleeves, skirts, thin jeans, short trousers, polo shirt, cloth in cotton or linen fabrics that are comfortable and breathable, hat, sunglasses |
| July | 26℃~35℃ | T-shirt with short sleeves, skirts, short trousers, cloth in cotton or linen fabrics that are comfortable and breathable, hat, sunglasses |
| August | 25℃~35℃ | T-shirt with short sleeves, skirts, short trousers, cloth in cotton or linen fabrics that are comfortable and breathable, hat, sunglasses |
| September | 21℃~30℃ | T-shirt with short sleeves, skirts, thin jeans, short trousers, polo shirt, cloth in cotton or linen fabrics that are comfortable and breathable, hat, sunglasses |
| October | 15℃~25℃ | T-shirt with long sleeves, knitwear, topcoat, jeans |
| November | 9℃~18℃ | Leather jacket, Dust coat, thin sweater |
| December | 3℃~12℃ | down jacket, thick coat, cotton-padded clothes, sweater, thick pullover hoodie and zip-up hoodie ,thick pant |
Notes: The Summer (June, July and August) in Huangshan is hot and rainy, so it is necessary for tourists to travel with an umbrella and sunshade, and wear a cap and sunglasses or use some sun cream to protect your skin against ultraviolet ray.
When is the best time to visit?
The best time to visit is from March to November. During these months, the weather is pleasant and the scenery is charming.
Tips: Visitors had better avoid the official holiday in China, because many Chinese citizens choose to travel on official holidays to ease the pressure of their work. As a result, many Chinese tourist attractions are overcrowded and traffic jams are common. Therefore, visiting China at this time will bring tourists a less pleasant travel experience.
Official Holidays in China
| Chinese New Year | Around January or February |
| Winter vacation | January-February |
| Labor Day | May1st -3rd |
| Summer vacation(for students) | July-August31st |
| Mid-Autumn Festival | Around mid-September |
| National Day | October 1st-7th |
Huangshan Transportation: How to Get to & Travel around
Get to Huangshan
Huangshan Tunxi International Airport (TXN) is the main airport serving Huangshan. It is about 5 km from the city center, offering flights to most major domestic cities, like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xian, Chengdu, and Shenzhen, and several international flights to South Korea and Japan. A taxi ride from the airport to the city center takes about 15 minutes and costs CNY 20-30. Airport shuttle buses are also frequent, offering direct services to Huangshan City and the Yellow Mountain Scenic Area.
High-speed trains are a particularly popular option to reach Huangshan swiftly from nearby cities, like Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, and Nanjing. The travel times from these cities to Huangshan generally range from 1.5 to 3 hours. Huangshan North Railway Station is about a 20-minute drive from the city center and a 50-minute drive from the Yellow Mountain Scenic Area.
Travel Around Huangshan
There are tourist shuttle buses from Tunxi Bus Station and Huangshan North Railway Station to Mt. Huangshan, with a travel time of about 1 hour and a fare of about CNY 20-30. Tourist shuttle buses from Hongcun to Xidi to Huangshan Scenic Area take about 30-40 minutes for a single trip, with a fare of CNY 10-20.
Taxis offer a more flexible experience to travel within the city. From the city center to Huangshan Scenic Area, a taxi ride takes about 1 hour and costs CNY 100-150.
During the day time (06:00-22:00), the taxi fare in Huangshan is CNY 8 for the first 2.5 (1.55 miles), and when the mileage exceeds it, the fee is CNY 2.1 per kilometer.
Travel Within Yellow Mountain Scenic Area
After entering the Yellow Mountain Scenic Area, visitors need to take a shuttle bus from the South Gate or North Gate to the cable car stations or the starting points of hiking trails. For visitors who want to save time and energy, there are three main cable cars to different spots in the mountain.
Where to Stay in Huangshan – Hotels in Huangshan
In the Yellow Mountain Scenic Area:
Five–star Hotels
Although the accommodation fee of each five-star hotel is higher, the convenient location and transportation, advanced facilities, great accommodation environment and professional services are its advantages.
- Xihai Hotel
Huangshan Xihai Hotel, located at the essence section of Yellow Mountain top, is about 500 meters away from the north entrance of the Xihai Grand Canyon. It is a good place to enjoy the beautiful scenery and have a relax.
Four-star hotels
- Huangshan Bai Yun Hotel
Huangshan Bai Yun Hotel, located at the foot of the Bright Summit Peak and in front of the Lotus Peak, is very close to the top of Bright Summit Peak. The hotel is also surrounded by other scenic spots such as Lotus Peak, Haixin Pavilion, Baiyun River, Xihai Grand Canyon and so on.
In Huangshan City:
Five–star hotel
- Huangshan International Hotel
Huangshan international hotel is located in the center of Huangshan city and close to Tunxi’s ancient street. Within 6 kilometers, people can reach many scenic spots such as Tunxi ancient street, Xin’an landscape belt, Huizhou Zhaobi sculpture group, Huizhou cultural museum, Yang yegong memorial hall, Dai Zhen park, etc. Due to the advantageous location, the hotel is 15 minutes away from the airport, and 5 minutes away from the railway station.
Four-star hotel
- Xiang Ming Holiday Hotel
Xiang Ming Holiday Hotel is located in Xihai road. It takes about 3-10 minutes’ walk to Liyang in lane and Huangshan Pacific shopping center, and 15-20 minutes’ walk to Tunxi ancient street. The hotel is also near to the “Huangshan gate” with Hui cultural characteristics.
Three-star hotel
- Tiandu International Hotel
Tiandu international hotel, located at the bank of Xin’an River, is a theme hotel of Huizhou culture. It is a 5-minute walk away from the hotel to the most beautiful landscape corridor–Xinanjiang. And it takes 10 minutes to Tunxi ancient street by car. The hotel is only 25 minutes’ drive away from Hefu high-speed railway station and Tunxi airport, and 5-minute drive away from Huangshan railway station.
Hostel
- Palace Huangshan Xidi Hotel
Located at the foot of the Huizhou mountain, Palace Huangshan Xidi Hotel is about 500 steps away from the world cultural heritage Xidi ancient village, and it is about an hour’s drive away from the Huangshan airport. The hotel has a bicycle rental, so guests can have a bicycle tour on the rural streets, and there is a car rental for visitors who want to enjoy the unique self-driving tour.
How to Plan Your Huangshan Tour
How Many Days to Stay in Huangshan
One day in Huangshan
Generally speaking, planning one day in Huangshan, you may not have a very good travel experience with a short time, because the tourist destinations in Huangshan takes at least two days to travel. But you can choose to go to Yellow mountain and visit some famous scenic spots in the scenic area in one day or just visit renowned ancient villages such as Xidi, Hongcun, Chengkan ancient village and so on.
Recommended Huangshan Day Tours:
- Huangshan Day Tour With Round Way Cable Car
- Huangshan Day Tour to Hongcun Village & Mukeng Bamboo Forest
- One Day Hongcun and Xidi Villages Tour in Huangshan
- One-Day Huangshan Village Tour with Cultural Experience
Two days tour
If you plan to spend two days in Huangshan, you can choose to have a deep tour in Yellow Moutain. It is available for you to live in the hotel on the mountain summit after the first day touring and see the sunrise the next day, and you can arrange time appropriately for two days and decide where to visit at first or how long you spend on it.
Recommended Two-day Tours in Huangshan:
- 2 Days Huangshan Private Tour: Yellow Mountain, Hongcun Village
- 2 Days Classic Mount Huangshan Bus Tour
Three days Huangshan tour – Suggested
Three days tour is popular among visitors. During the three days, visitors can not only appreciate the magnificent landscape of Yellow Mountain, but also experience the profound ancient Hui culture and taste special local food in some famous ancient villages.
Recommended Three-day Huangshan Tours:
Four and more days tour
With four or more days, you can customize a Huangshan tour with more in-depth experiences. Alternatively, you can also extend your Huangshan tour to Shanghai, Hangzhou, or Suzhou. These cities are about 2-3 hours high-speed traind ride from Huangshan, offering totally different sceneries and experiences from Huangshan.
Recommende 4+ Days Huangshan Tours:
Huangshan Tours of Different Themes
Family Trip
If you want to have a family trip, we highly recommended that you can go to some attractions that are equipped with convenient public transportation and advanced tourist facilities, which are available for all ages tourists to visit, such as the Yellow Mountain, Xidi Ancient Village, Honcun Ancient Village. In addition, it is necessary for you to slow your travel pace and choosing to live in a five-star hotel that may provide you with the most comfortable accommodation environment and professional service, which is conducive for you to have a good rest.
Gourmet Food Trip
Food lovers can satisfy their taste buds at farmhouses near Hongcun and Xidi ancient villages, and Tunxi Ancient Street. Numerous Huizhou snack stalls there offer delicious food in beautiful settings, allowing visitor to taste local delicacies while enjoy idyllic rural scenery.
Historical Trip
Visiting a popular ancient village is the best way to help visitors know more about the classical and exquisite architectural style and ancient culture of Huizhou. >>Huangshan Tours with Ancient Villages: Best Cultural Experiences
Adventure Trip
If you have enough time and energy, you can choose to climb the lofty yellow mountain by yourself, which is a physically demanding activity. In addition, you can try to walk on the glass bridge of Mukeng Bamboo Forest, which is equipped with 5D visual and sound effect to make the bridge break when you walk on them. What’s more, you can experience the zipline, which is also a fun experience to overlook the charming natural scenery of the bamboo forest.
Photographer Trip
If you are crazy about photography, Yellow Mountain and Mukeng Bamboo Forest cannot be missed, where there are famous for breath-taking natural view. When touring in Yellow Mountain, it is necessary for you to take pictures of the “four wonders”, sunset or sunrise. And you also can take some pictures of the unique architectural style of ancient Huizhou in ancient villages.
