Taste of WǔdāngCHINESE$
(味道武当, Wèidào Wǔdāng mains ¥15-32)
This fast-food-style restaurant, right by the bus station, does basic noodle dishes and has an English menu.
Taìhé Xuánwǔ DàjiǔdiànCHINESE$$
(太和玄武大酒店 8 Taihe Zhonglu, 太和路8号 mains ¥20-50; h6.30am-11.30pm)
Large bustling restaurant with half its menu helpfully translated into English. Various regional cuisines are represented, from Sichuanese to Cantonese; even Běijīng roast duck! No English sign.
3Entertainment
Wǔdāng Grand TheatreTHEATRE
(武当大剧院, Wǔdāng Dàjùyuàn %0719 506 2366; Culture Sq, 文化广场 Wǔdāng Taichi Show tickets ¥200-280; hWǔdāng Taichi Show 8-9pm)
Modern theatre opposite the Wǔdāng Museum of China. It hosts the Wǔdāng Taichi Show every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
8Information
Bank of ChinaBANK
(中国银行, Zhōngguó Yínháng 1 Taihe Zhonglu, 太和中路1号 h8.30am-5.30pm)
Foreign-friendly ATM and money-exchange facility.
8Getting There & Away
Bus
The bus station (客运汽车站; kèyùn qìchēzhàn), 200m downhill from the expressway, is on the right of the road leading into town.
AJīngzhōu ¥125, five hours, one daily (9am)
AWǔhàn ¥150, five hours, two daily (8.30am and 11am)
AXī’ān ¥159, eight hours, one daily (8.30am)
AYíchāng ¥120, five hours, one daily (9.30am)
A fleet of small green buses shuttles between the two nearest train stations – Wǔdāngshān and Shíyàn (十堰; ¥15, one hour, 5.10am to 8pm) – via Liùlǐpíng (六里坪; ¥4, 20 minutes). They leave from outside Taìhé Xuánwǔ Dàjiǔdiàn restaurant.
Train
Wǔdāng Shān no longer has a train station, although the train station at Liùlǐpíng is often referred to as Wǔdāng Shān. You can buy train tickets from the train ticket office (铁路客票代售; Tiělù Piàodàishòu h8.30am-6pm), beside Wǔdāng Shān’s old train station on Chezhan Lu (车站路), the road opposite Taìhé Xuánwǔ Dàjiǔdiàn restaurant.
Liùlǐpíng (Wǔdāng Shān) trains:
ABěijīng West Hard seat/hard sleeper ¥164/300, 19 to 22 hours, two daily
AChángshā Hard seat/hard sleeper ¥112/208, 10½ hours, three daily
AChéngdū Hard seat/hard sleeper ¥128/230, 11 to 14 hours, four daily
AShànghǎi South Hard seat/hard sleeper ¥192/328, 24 to 26 hours, two daily
AWǔhàn (Wǔchāng) Hard seat/hard sleeper ¥69/130, 6½ to 8½ hours, seven daily
AXī’ān Hard seat/hard sleeper ¥69/130, five to six hours, three daily
AXī’ān North Hard seat/hard sleeper ¥69/130, five to six hours, three daily
AXiāngyáng Hard seat/hard sleeper ¥24/78, two hours, regular (6am to 11.30pm)
AYíchāng East Hard seat/hard sleeper ¥55/109, three hours, one daily (4.23pm)
Shénnóngjià 神农架
%0719 / Pop 80,000
Húběi's natural beauty is on show in the northeast of the province, especially around the Yāzikǒu National Park in the region known as Shénnóngjià (神农架). Reached via a dramatic climbing road best left to the bus driver, here the ape-like yěrén (wild-man; 野人) roams wild among the hikers, in between a 3000-step trail, brooks, ravines and thickly forested peaks. Below winds the Yangzi River, wearing away the sheer rock faces and rejuvenating the snub-nosed monkeys and salamanders which scamper about the forest floor.
The village of Mùyú (木鱼) is the main jumping-off point, where you can find a few hotels, restaurants and basic provisions.
1Sights
YāzikǒuNATIONAL PARK
(鸭子口 ¥140)
Foreigners are only allowed into one of the four sections of this national park, at Yāzikǒu, but the area is big enough for good walking and you can also camp here. Xiǎolóngtán (小龙潭), about 10km from the entrance, is a good place to spot monkeys (Shénnóngjià is home to the rare golden snub-nosed monkey; 川金丝猴; chuān jīnsīhóu), while Shénnóngdǐng (神农顶), 20km from the entrance, is the highest peak in the park (3105m).
Once inside the park, you can board shuttle buses (¥90) to various points of interest. There’s a camping area (¥30) at the base of Shénnóngdǐng, called Shénnóngyíng (神农营).
Winter is bitterly cold and snow often blocks roads.
Yāzikǒu is accessed from Mùyú (木鱼), a small but well developed tourist village about 14km down the mountain. All buses drop you in Mùyú.
4Sleeping
There are some basic hotels and a few flashier numbers spread out in the surrounding area, with the highest concentration around Mùyú. You can normally rent tents (帐篷; zhàngpéng; ¥100 to ¥200) once inside the park, or buy them (¥700 to ¥800) from a couple of camping shops in Mùyú.
Wǔyuè Scenic Area HotelHOTEL$
(五悦景区连锁酒店, Wǔyuè Jǐngqū Liánsuǒ Jiǔdiàn %400 650 5151; www.5yue.com; Yuányì Chǎngshí Shidàn Cáohé Xiǎoqū, 木鱼园艺场石槽河小区 d ¥135)
Just outside Mùyú Village (木鱼镇; Mùyú Zhèn) is this well maintained hotel with tasteful rooms and a lovely location. It's a good base for exploring the region, and staff are friendly and will throw in a solid breakfast for your troubles.
Shuānglín HotelHOTEL$
(双林酒店, Shuānglín Jiǔdiàn %0719 345 2803; 25 Muyu Lu, 木鱼路25号 r from ¥88, with computer ¥128; ai)
The modest Shuānglín Hotel, where buses drop you off, has tidy rooms and welcoming management.
5Eating
Mùyú has some basic restaurants; otherwise, the hotels will feed you.
Piān Qiáo WānCHINESE$
(偏桥湾 53 Muyu Lu, 木鱼路53号 mains ¥20-40; h10am-9pm)
This is the coolest place to eat in Mùyú. It's accessed via a wobbly bridge and backs onto a small tea plantation (you can buy tea here). The menu is in Chinese only. Try the huíguō niúròu (回锅牛肉; spicy fried beef), the cháshùgū chǎolàròu (茶树菇炒腊肉; wild mushrooms and cured pork) or the xiānggū ròusī (香菇肉丝; shiitake mushrooms with pork shreds).
8Information
The ICBC Bank at the top of Mùyú village has an ATM that accepts foreign cards.
8Getting There & Away
Buses leave from outside Shuānglín Hotel, where you can also buy tickets. Foreigners aren’t allowed to continue north to Wǔdāng Shān from Mùyú.
ABādōng ¥55, three hours, one daily (9.30am)
AYíchāng ¥60, 2½ hours, five daily (7am to 3.30pm)
Shared minibuses to Yāzikǒu (per person ¥10) leave from the top end of Mùyú.
Yíchāng 宜昌
%0717 / Pop 1.5 million
Yíchāng (宜昌) is a small, compact city known as the culmination point for many a Three Gorges cruise. It's a remarkable feeling to glide through this iconic geological formation and quickly becomes the highlight for many travellers to China. There is not a lot to see for the waylaid traveller in Yíchāng – other than get psyched for, or decompress from, the boat trip – but the Yangzi offers an attractive backdrop to the unpretentious urban hum and a vibrant street-food scene.
1Sights
Three Gorges DamARCHITECTURE
(三峡大坝, Sānxiá Dàbà ¥105)
The huge, hulking Three Gorges Dam is the world’s largest dam due to its length (2.3km) rather than its height (101m), and while it isn’t the most spectacular dam, it is worth a peek. You can’t walk on it, but there’s a tourist viewing area to the north. The view from the south is much the same, and free.
Take a bus from the long-distance station to Máopíng (茅坪; ¥15, 8.30am to 3pm), but get off at Bālù Chēzhàn (八路车战). Alternatively, bus 8 (¥20, one hour, 8am to 4pm) leaves from Yíchāng’s east train station.
Day trips can also be taken by boat (¥280 including entrance fee and lunch) from th
e old ferry port (老码头; lǎo mǎtóu). Boats leave at 7.30am and return around 5pm. Buy tickets from Yangtze River International Travel at the port.
Three Gorges VillageVILLAGE
(三峡村, Sānxiácūn ¥120)
It's a little tacky and overrun on weekends, but nonetheless a neat, convenient way to take in the stunning views over Xīlíng Gorge (西陵峡; Xīlíngxiá) and an interesting guided cave ramble. Catch bus 10 (¥2, 30 minutes) from the city centre.
4Sleeping
Yíchāng has a few good business hotels, especially near the river.
Xīndǎo International HotelHOTEL$$
(馨岛国际酒店, Xīndǎo Guójì Jiǔdiàn %0717 609 9999; www.xindaohotel.com; 51 Dongshan Dajie, 东山大道51号 d ¥390; paW)
'Hope Island' Hotel offers excellent value for travellers who want to put their feet up before or after the Three Gorges cruise, or are in town on business and need some leisure. It's four-star on the old scale, with friendly service and huge, plush-carpeted rooms.
Yíchāng HotelHOTEL$$
(宜昌饭店, Yíchāng Fàndiàn %0717 644 1616; 113 Dongshan Dadao, 东山大道113号 r from ¥288; aiW)
This jolly place has an elegant foyer plus large and pleasant rooms. English is limited but it’s all smiles. It's diagonally opposite the long-distance bus station. Discounts may apply.
5Eating
There's a modest restaurant scene, or get bus 2 or 6 (¥1) or a taxi (¥7) to Běimén (北门), for xiāo yè (宵夜; ‘midnight snacks’) at stalls which spill onto the streets nightly (5pm to 2am). Try skewers (串; chuàn), dumplings (饺子; jiǎozi), noodles (面; miàn) and barbecued fish (烤鱼; kǎoyú). A pancake stall makes fēi bǐng (飞饼; ‘flying pancakes’; ¥12 to ¥15); the banana ones (香蕉; xiāngjiāo) are delicious.
Xiǎo Hú NiúHUBEI$
(小胡牛 73 Shangshu Xiang, Běimén, 北门尚书巷73号 ingredients ¥8-26; h4pm-2am)
Our favourite restaurant in Běimén specialises in a local beef hotplate called xiǎo hú niú. Order that first, stipulating how spicy you want your beef (¥25 for 250g) or lamb (¥26 for 250g) – mild (微辣; wēi là), medium (中辣; zhōng là) or hot (麻辣; mǎ là) – before ordering other raw ingredients to fry with it on your hotplate.
Choices include qīngjiāo (青椒; green peppers), xiānggū (香菇; shiitake mushrooms), tǔdòu piàn (土豆片; potato slices) and ǒu piàn (藕片; lotus root slices).
Hánlìgōng LiàolǐKOREAN$
(韩丽宫料理 h11am-9pm; a)
Opposite Yílíng Hotel (夷陵饭店; Yílíng Fàndiàn %0717 886 7199; 41 Yunji Lu; 云集路41号 r from ¥528; ai), and next door to a Western-style cafe, is this smart Korean restaurant with good-value dishes, claypots and barbecues.
oFàngwēng RestaurantHUBEI$$
(放翁酒家, Fàngwēng Jiǔjiā %0717 886 2179; Nanjin Guan Sanyoudong Bridge, 南津关三游洞桥头 dishes ¥60-160; h9am-9.30pm)
At Xīlíng Gorge (西陵峡; Xīlíngxiá), 12km north of Yíchāng, is a peculiar restaurant perched precariously against a cliff. Claimed to be the ninth 'cave restaurant' in the world, the cuisine is distinctly Húběi, the service brisk and the view quite amazing. Taxis know it well (for about ¥80 one way).
8Information
There are plentiful 24-hour internet cafes (网吧; wǎngbā; per hour ¥3).
China International Travel ServiceTRAVEL AGENCY
(CITS, 中国国际旅行社, Zhōngguó Guójì Lǚxíngshè %0717 625 3088; www.cits.net; Yunji Lu, 云集路 h8am-6pm)
Sells luxury cruises (from ¥2800) and tourist boat tickets (¥880 to ¥900) to Chóngqìng, but not hydrofoil tickets. Some English is spoken.
Three Gorges Tourist CentreTOURIST INFORMATION
(三峡游客中心, Sānxiá Yóukè Zhōngxīn %0717 696 6116; Yanjiang Dadao, 沿江大道 h7am-8pm)
Commission-free, so cheaper than CITS. Sells hydrofoil tickets to Fèngjié (¥245) plus passenger ferry tickets to various destinations between Yíchāng and Chóngqìng. Minimal English is spoken, but staff members are helpful. Enter the modern tourist centre (no English sign) and head to the ticket counters at the far right of the building.
Yangtze River International TravelTOURIST INFORMATION
(宜昌长江国际旅行社, Yíchāng Chángjiāng Guójì Lǚxíngshè %0717 692 1808; Yanjiang Dadao, 沿江大道 h7am-8pm)
Marginally cheaper than CITS for ordinary tourist-boat tickets to Chóngqìng (from ¥890). Also sells luxury cruises. Housed inside the Three Gorges Tourist Centre, but has a separate desk beside the passenger-boat ticket counters.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Daily flights from Three Gorges Airport (三峡机场; Sānxiá Jīchǎng) include Běijīng (¥1100), Guǎngzhōu (¥860), Shànghǎi (¥1080) and Xī’ān (¥640).
Bus
There are three main long-distance bus stations: Yíchāng long-distance bus station (长途汽车站; chángtú qìchēzhàn), plus one at the east train station and at the old ferry port. All are modern and well run, and offer very similar bus services. Services from the Yíchāng long-distance bus station include:
AJīngzhōu ¥40 to ¥65, two hours and 10 minutes, half-hourly (6.40am to 6.30pm)
ALǎoyíng (for Wǔdāng Shān) ¥130, six hours, regular (8am to 1pm)
AMùyú (for Shénnóngjià) ¥70, five hours, seven daily (7.45am to 3.30pm)
AWǔdāng Shān ¥120, six hours, two daily (8am and 12.20pm)
AWǔhàn (Wǔchāng) ¥78 to ¥110, 4½ hours, every hour (7am to 8pm)
Train
Yíchāng’s east train station (火车东站; huǒchē dōngzhàn) is the station that almost all trains use. Train tickets (¥5 service charge) can also be bought at window 1 of Yíchāng long-distance bus station. Trains include:
ABěijīng West G train 2nd/1st class ¥606/931, eight hours, four daily (8.35am, 10.41am, 12.40pm, 1.52pm)
AChéngdū D train 2nd/1st class ¥259/311, seven hours, 11 per day (some to Chéngdū East)
AChóngqìng North D train 2nd/1st class ¥162/195, four hours, regular
AShànghǎi Hóngqiáo D train 2nd/1st class ¥348/416, eight hours, six daily
AWǔdāng Shān Hard seat/hard sleeper ¥5 to ¥109, five hours, one daily (7.30pm)
AWǔhàn D train 2nd/1st class ¥96/116, 2½ hours, regular
AXī’ān Hard sleeper ¥200, 11 hours, 7.45pm
8Getting Around
Airport shuttle buses (¥20, 50 minutes) run to and from the Qīngjiāng building (清江大厦; Qīngjiāng dàshà), leaving two hours before outgoing flights and meeting all incoming flights.
Local buses cost ¥1. Useful routes for frequently running buses include:
ABus 4 Old ferry port (老码头; lǎo mǎtóu) via Yílíng Hotel (夷陵饭店, Yílíng Fàndiàn) and the old train station (火车站, huǒchē zhàn) or long-distance bus station.
ABus 6 Long-distance bus station (长途汽车站; chángtú qìchēzhàn) to Běimén (北门).
ABus 9 East train station (火车东站; huǒchē dōngzhàn) to the long-distance bus station (长途汽车站; chángtú qìchēzhàn).
Jiāngxī
Nanchang
Around Nanchang
Lushan
Jngdezhen
Wuyuan
Around Wuyuan
Sanqing Shan
Longhu Shan
Longnan
Jiāngxī
Pop 45.2 million
Why Go?
The underrated province of Jiāngxī (江西) offers a bucolic entrée into semirural Chinese life. It's a succulent, green place, connected by waterways of natural and human design, rice paddies teeming with bird life and fields draped in wildflowers. Tea seemingly grows out of every patch of land until dramatic mountain ranges, swirling with mist, rise up at its edges.
Jiāngxī has joined the high-speed rail circuit and now there's a new breed of local, prosperous traveller. They come here for the story-book villages around Wùyuán, the remote mountain parks of great s
piritual significance and matching hiking trails in the northeast, and the surprisingly pleasant provincial capital, Nánchāng.
The altogether slower pace of life is the real highlight of a visit to this charming pocket of southeast China.
When to Go
AMar Rapeseed fields burst into yellow around Wùyuán's intact Song and Qing villages.
ALate May–early Jun Pink rhododendrons bloom across the Sānqīng Shān and Lúshān canopies.
ASep–Nov The ideal climate for visiting Jiāngxī; dry and relatively mild.
Best Places to Eat
A Kǎlúnbì Kāfēi
A Sānbǎo Shíguāng Jiǔbā
A Helen's
Best Places to Sleep
A Go Home Hotel
A Jǐngdézhèn International Youth Hostel
A Sānqīngshān International Resort
Jiāngxī Highlights
1 Wùyuán Hiking the ancient postal trail between the villages of Guānkēng and Lǐngjiǎo before cycling from Qing to Song dynasties, sipping rice wine and chrysanthemum tea.
2 Sānqīng Shān Looking out over a forest of granite spires in one of eastern China’s most underrated national parks.
3 Jǐngdézhèn Shopping for incredible porcelain pieces in this world-renowned and revitalised arts district.
Lonely Planet China Page 91