Lonely Planet China

by Lonely Planet

  Bus

  Yúlín has two bus stations. If you get off the bus inside the town walls (near the South Gate), you are at the main (south) bus station (汽车站; qìchē zhàn); the regional (north) bus station (客运站; kèyùn zhàn) is located 3.5km northwest on Yingbin Dadao, near the intersection with Changcheng Beilu.

  The main bus station has regular buses to Xī’ān (¥166 to ¥181, eight hours) from 7.25am to 7.30pm. You can also get frequent buses to Yán’ān (¥87, five hours, half-hourly) from 7.25am to 5pm, to Yínchuān (¥142, five to six hours, eight daily), and two daily buses to Tàiyuán (¥135, eight hours, 6.50am and 12.50pm).

  The regional bus station has buses to Bāotóu (¥88, four hours, hourly from 7am to 5.30pm) in Inner Mongolia and to Dōngshèng (¥66, regular from 7.10am to 6.40pm). The buses to Dōngshèng pass by Genghis Khan’s Mausoleum. Five buses a day also leave from here to Xī'ān (¥170, eight hours).

  Train

  The train station is 4km west of the main bus station. There are trains to Xī’ān (hard seat/hard sleeper ¥81/154, six to seven hours, regular) via Yán’ān. There are also regular trains north to Bāotóu (hard seat ¥47, four to five hours).

  Ānhuī

  Tunxi

  Xidi

  Hongcun

  Pingshan

  Shexian

  Huangshan

  Jihua Shan

  Hefei

  Ānhuī

  Pop 66 million

  Why Go?

  Fantastical mountainscapes and well preserved villages make Ānhuī (安徽) the perfect antidote to the brashness of China’s larger cities. The main attraction is unquestionably Huángshān, a jumble of sheer granite cliffs wrapped in cottony clouds that inspired an entire school of ink painting during the 17th and 18th centuries. But the often overlooked peaks of nearby Jiǔhuá Shān, where Buddhists bless the souls of the recently departed, have a hallowed aura that offers a strong contrast to Huángshān’s stunning natural scenery.

  At the foot of these ranges are strewn the ancient villages of the province formerly known as Huīzhōu. With distinctive whitewashed walls and black-tiled roofs augmented by lush surroundings of buckling earth, bamboo and pine forest, they are among the most picturesque in the country.

  Ānhuī's top sights are clustered in its southeast corner. Easy to navigate and within striking distance of Shànghǎi, this is rural China at its accessible best.

  When to Go

  AMar & Apr Pack a camera to catch the flowering yellow rapeseed in the villages around Shèxiàn.

  AOct Autumn days are best for climbing Huángshān.

  ADec The snowcapped rooftops of Xīdì’s Huīzhōu houses look a picture.

  Best Places to Eat

  A Lao Jie Yīlóu Shíyè

  A Pig's Heaven Inn

  A Qíyuán Vegetarian

  A Gāotāng Húndūn

  Best Places to Sleep

  A Pig's Inn Bìshān

  A Long Lane Inn

  A Ancient Town Youth Hostel

  A Imperial Guard Boutique Hotel

  Ānhuī Highlights

  1 Huángshān Catching the sunrise from China's iconic mountain.

  2 Hóngcūn Marvelling at the sophisticated and oh-so-photogenic waterways of an ancient village.

  3 Jiǔhuá Shān Joining the Buddhist pilgrims in scaling a sacred, fog-shrouded peak.

  4 Bìshān Living the grand life of a Qing dynasty merchant at the Pig's Inn Bìshān.

  5 Xīdì Wandering the lanes of a white-walled village, a living museum of traditional architecture.

  6 Tángyuè Memorial Archways Standing in awe of this procession of stone archways.

  7 Túnxī Old Street Sampling local snacks and Huángshān's famous tea along a lane of restored Qing shopfronts.

  8 Qíyún Shān Exploring the grottoes and dilapidated temples of this lofty Taoist haven.

  History

  The provincial borders of Ānhuī were defined by the Qing government, bringing together two disparate geographic regions and cultures: the arid, densely populated North China Plain and the mountainous terrain south of the Yangzi River (Cháng Jiāng). The region has a long, long history, with excavation sites in the Yangzi River basin turning up some of the oldest evidence of human settlement in Eurasia. During the Three Kingdoms Period many battles were fought here (and warlord Cao Cao was a native son).

  Impoverished for much of history and today a primary source of China’s hard-working army of āyí (nannies), rural Ānhuī’s fortunes have begun to reverse. Some say the massive infrastructure improvements in the hitherto remote areas are partly due to former president Hu Jintao, whose ancestral clan hails from Jìxī County. Hu comes from a long line of Huīzhōu merchants, who for centuries left home to do business or fill official posts elsewhere, but would never fail to complete their filial duty and send their profits back home (much of it by way of large homes and ceremonial structures).

  8Getting There & Around

  The historic and tourist sights of Ānhuī gather in the south around the town of Túnxī (also known as Huángshān Shì), which has an airport and high-speed train station. When the rail line to Hángzhōu is completed (in 2017 or 2018), the region will be more accessible from Shànghǎi and Nánjīng, or any other part of China. In the meantime, there are buses to major cities.

  Within mountainous Ānhuī, buses are the way to get around. However, as the main sights are clustered in one region, hired taxis are also an option for groups.

  Túnxī 屯溪

  %0559 / Pop 156,000

  Ringed by low-lying hills, the old trading town of Túnxī (屯溪; also called Huángshān Shì; 黄山市) is the main springboard for trips to Huángshān and the surrounding Huīzhōu villages. Compared with the region’s capital, Héféi, Túnxī makes for a far, far better base.

  Túnxī

  1Sights

  1Túnxī Old StreetC2

  2Wàncuìlóu MuseumB2

  4Sleeping

  3Ancient Town Youth HostelC2

  4Hui Boutique HotelB2

  5Old Street HostelC2

  5Eating

  6Gāotāng HúndūnB2

  7Lao Jie Yīlóu ShíyèC2

  8Měishí RénjiāC2

  9Tóngjùlóu HuīcaìC2

  7Shopping

  10Xiè Yù Dà TeaB2

  1Sights

  Túnxī's historic heart is the restored Old St (老街; Lao Jie). Unless you're travelling outwards, to nearby villages or the atmospheric Taoist centre Qíyún Shān, there's little else to see.

  Túnxī Old StreetSTREET

  (屯溪老街, Túnxī Lǎojiē MAP GOOGLE MAP )

  Running a block in from the river, Old St is lined with restored Ming-style Huīzhōu buildings. It's definitely touristy – every block is a repetitive loop of tea shops and snack vendors – but it's pretty nonetheless, and nice for an evening stroll.

  Wàncuìlóu MuseumMUSEUM

  (万粹楼博物馆, Wàncuìlóu Bówùguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 143 Lao Jie, 老街143号 ¥50; h8.30am-9.30pm)

  This is a fascinating private collection of ceramics, painted scrolls and religious carvings displayed as they were meant to be – in the halls of a wealthy merchant's house. The house itself, three storeys high, with an open-air atrium over a fishpond, is something to behold as well.

  TTours

  Youth hostels offer day trips to the villages of Xīdì and Hóngcūn (expect to pay around ¥250 including transport, admission fees and lunch) and to Huángshān (around ¥350). They can also arrange tickets for a shuttle bus from Old St to Huángshān (¥22, one hour, 6.15am) and pack you a lunch.

  The Huángshān Tourist Distribution Center, located inside the long-distance bus station, runs day trips and tourist shuttles to surrounding villages, and sells discounted tickets.

  4Sleeping

  Túnxī's Old St is an established traveller base, with excellent hostels and boutique hotels in restored wooden homes.

  oAncient Town Youth HostelHOSTEL$

&nb
sp; (小镇国际青年旅舍, Xiǎozhèn Guójì Qīngnián Lǚshè MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0559 252 2088; www.yhahs.com; 11 Sanma Lu, 三马路11号 dm ¥40-50, d & tw ¥148-198; aiW)

  Started by some former tour guides, this hostel ticks all the right boxes, with a well stocked bar, movie room, friendly and informative English-speaking staff, bike rental and organised tours. Dorms are spacious and comfy, but the cheapest of the (clean) twin rooms lack natural light and quality varies, so check them out first.

  Old Street HostelHOSTEL$

  (老街国际青年旅舍, Lǎojiē Guójì Qīngnián Lǚshè MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0559 254 0386; www.hiourhostel.com; 266 Lao Jie, 老街266号 dm/d/f ¥50/159/220; aiW)

  With a convenient location and decent rooms, this place clearly has an appeal that extends beyond the backpacking crowd. The four-person dorms come with proper mattresses and private bathrooms; private rooms are spartan but spacious and comfortable. There’s a cafe/bar on the 2nd floor, overlooking Lao Jie. Helpful staff speak English and are happy to help make travel arrangements.

  Hui Boutique HotelBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$

  (黄山徽舍品酒店, Huángshān Huīshèpǐn Jiǔdiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0559 235 2003; 3 Lihong Xiang, 老街李洪巷3号 d ¥580-880; aW)

  In a Qing dynasty building with a landscaped courtyard, down a quiet lane off Old St, this is a cloistered and atmospheric place to stay. The 1st-floor rooms (the cheaper ones) have been shoddily modernised, but the 2nd-floor ones have antique rosewood beds and more natural light. Look for online discounts to soften the tariff.

  PRICE RANGES

  SLEEPING

  The following price ranges refer to a double room with bathroom.

  Category Cost

  $ less than ¥250

  $$ ¥250–¥750

  $$$ more than ¥750

  EATING

  The following price ranges refer to a main course.

  Category Cost

  $ less than ¥25

  $$ ¥25–¥70

  $$$ more than ¥70

  5Eating

  Old St is full of restaurants and stalls selling classic local snacks like xièké huáng (蟹壳黄), 'yellow crab shells' – actually baked buns stuffed with meat or vegetables that just look like crab shells.

  There are cheaper street eats and fast-food restaurants just east of the eastern entrance and also along the river on Binjiang Xinlu.

  oGāotāng HúndūnDUMPLINGS$

  (高汤馄饨 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 1 Haidi Xiang, 海底巷1号 wontons ¥10; h7am-10pm; v)

  Duck down a little alley opposite 120 Lao Jie for what is essentially an ancient food cart inside an even more ancient Qing dynasty home – run by a 12th-generation húndūn (wonton) seller and his family. The speciality is obviously the wontons, made to order and with super-thin skin, though there are other dishes, like fried jiǎozi (stuffed dumplings), on the menu too.

  Měishí RénjiāHUIZHOU$

  (美食人家 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 245 Lao Jie, 老街245号 dishes ¥5-108; h10.30am-2pm & 5-10.30pm)

  Měishí Rénjiā is designed to please everyone: if you want to dig in deep on local specialities, you can find chòu guìyú (臭鳜鱼; fermented mandarin fish; ¥108) here. If you just want something light and cheap, you can snack on various bāozi (steamed buns stuffed with meat or vegetables; from ¥5). Belly-warming claypots cost ¥25 to ¥40.

  Tóngjùlóu HuīcaìHUIZHOU$$

  (同聚楼徽菜 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0559 257 2777; 216 Lao Jie, 老街216号 mains ¥22-68; h11am-9pm)

  With a corner positioning at the heart of Lao Jie, this 90-year-old restaurant is a fun place to sample Huīzhōu cuisine. Various stews and dishes of braised meat are arranged in claypots, so take a look and see what you fancy, order up, grab some beers and claim an outside table.

  oLao Jie Yīlóu ShíyèHUIZHOU$$$

  (老街一楼食业 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0559 235 9999; 247 Lao Jie, 老街247号 mains ¥28-88; h11am-1.30pm & 5-8.30pm)

  Considered the best restaurant on Old St, this is the place to splash out on Huīzhōu delicacies, like tiánluó (田螺; pond snails), here braised in a plate-licking concoction of soy sauce and spices. Also excellent is the Huīzhōu wēisānbǎo (徽州煨三宝), a stew of 'three treasures' – salt-cured pork, thin skins of tofu tied in decorative knots, and puffs of fried tofu stuffed with meat.

  There's a picture menu.

  6Drinking & Nightlife

  Zhongma Lu off Old St has a string of cute coffee shops and bars, all with free wi-fi; coffee and beer starts at about ¥20. Most open around 10am and close up around 10pm.

  7Shopping

  oXiè Yù Dà TeaFOOD & DRINKS

  (谢裕大茶行, Xiè Yù Dàchāháng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 149 Lao Jie, 老街149号 )

  Old St is lined with tea shops but Xiè Yù Dà Tea is the real deal, founded by Xie Zhengan (1838–1910) – the man who first marketed Huángshān's now famous máofēng (毛峰) tea. Literally 'fur peak', the subtle, slightly floral green tea gets its name from an almost indiscernible peach fuzz.

  8Information

  Hostels have wi-fi and computers for internet access (usually ¥4 per hour).

  Bank of ChinaBANK

  (中国银行; Zhōngguó Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Xin’an Beilu & Huangshan Xilu, 新安北路黄山西路的路口 h8am-5.30pm)

  Changes travellers cheques and major currencies; 24-hour ATM.

  China PostPOST

  (中国邮局, Zhōngguó Yóuqū GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Xin'an Beilu & Yan'an Lu, 新安北路延安路的路口 h8am-5pm)

  Public Security BureauPOLICE

  (PSB, 公安局; Gōng’ānjú GOOGLE MAP ; %0559 251 2929; 108 Changgan Donglu, 长干东路108号 h8am-noon & 2.30-5pm)

  For visa extensions and police assistance.

  8Getting There & Away

  Air

  Daily flights from Huángshān City Airport (黄山市飞机场; Huángshānshì Fēijīchǎng), located 5km west of town:

  ABěijīng ¥1140, 2½ hours, one daily

  AGuǎngzhōu ¥1010, 1½ hours, one daily

  AShànghǎi ¥630, one hour, one daily

  Flights usually depart late in the evening.

  Bus

  The long-distance bus station (客运总站; Kèyùn Zǒngzhàn %0559 256 6666; 31 Qiyun Dadao; 齐云大道31号 h5.45am-5.50pm) is roughly 2km west of the train station on the outskirts of town. Destinations include the following:

  AHángzhōu ¥85, three hours, hourly (7.10am to 5.50pm)

  AJǐngdézhèn ¥61, 3½ hours, three daily (9.15am, noon and 2.10pm)

  ANánjīng ¥122, 5½ hours, four daily (7.40am, 9.30am, 12.10pm and 4.20pm)

  AShànghǎi ¥135, five hours, 10 daily (last bus 4.20pm)

  ASūzhōu ¥132, six hours, three daily (6.50am, 11am and 1.30pm)

  AWùyuán ¥45, two hours, one daily (8.30am)

  Within Ānhuī, buses go to these destinations:

  AHéféi ¥114, four hours, hourly (7.30am to 4pm)

  AJiǔhuá Shān ¥63, 3½ hours, one daily (1.30pm)

  AShèxiàn ¥7, 45 minutes, frequent services (6am to 5pm)

  AYīxiàn ¥13, one hour, frequent services (6am to 5pm)

  Buses to Huángshān go to the main base at Tāngkǒu (¥20, one hour, every 20 minutes, 6am to 5pm) and on to the north entrance, Tàipíng (¥20, two hours). There are also minibuses to Tāngkǒu (¥20) from in front of the train station (6.30am to 5pm) that leave when full.

  Inside the bus station (to the right as you enter) is the separate Huángshān Tourist Distribution Center (黄山市旅游集散中心; Huángshān Lǚyóu Jísàn Zhōngxīn %0559 255 8358; 31 Qiyun Lu; 齐云路31号 h8.30am-5.30pm) with tourist buses following three routes to popular destinations.

  ABus 1 Qíyún Shān (¥10, 45 minutes), Xīdì (¥14, one hour) and Hóngcūn (¥18, 1½ hours); hourly 8am to 4pm, last return bus 5pm

  ABus 2 Tángmó (¥5.50, 45 minutes), Tángyuè (¥6, one hour), Huīzhōu Old Town (¥8, 75 minutes) and Yúliáng (¥9, 90 minutes); 8am, 10am, 2pm and 4pm, last return bus 4pm
<
br />   ABus 3 Chéngkǎn (¥10, 40 minutes); hourly 8am to 11am and 1pm to 4pm, last return bus 4pm

  Train

  At the time of research, there was one direct high-speed train departing at 2.33pm from Huángshān North station (黄山北站; Huángshān Běizhàn) for Hángzhōu East (¥304, 3½ hours) and Shànghǎi (¥549, 6½ hours). Otherwise, it's necessary to first take one of the frequent trains to Shàngráo (上饶; ¥74, one hour) and transfer. When the Huángshān–Hángzhōu rail line is completed, the trip between the two will take just 1½ hours.

  Regular-service trains depart from the older Huángshān station in central Túnxī:

  ABěijīng Hard/soft sleeper from ¥262/489, 20 hours, 9am and 4.30pm

  ANánjīng Hard/soft sleeper ¥100/153, six to seven hours, six daily

  AShànghǎi Hard/soft sleeper ¥163/251, 12 hours, 8.45pm and 10.17pm

  8Getting Around

  The 5km taxi from the airport to Old St should cost ¥30.

  Bus 2 (¥2) runs between the bus station and Old St; bus 12 (¥2) runs between Huángshān train station and Old St.

  Taxi flag fall is ¥7, but most drivers who hang out around Old St refuse to use the meter. Grab one from Binjiang Xilu instead, or pay the accepted fares from Old St: long-distance bus station or main train station ¥10; high-speed train station (Huángshān Běizhàn) ¥50.