Huangshan travel guide for foreign visitors

Best time to visit

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

From the airport or station to the city

Where you land, the ways into the city centre, how long each takes and what it costs.

From Huangshan North Railway Station

黄山北站

BusTime45–55 minCost¥30
The main high-speed station (trains from Hangzhou, Shanghai, Nanjing), but it is in Tunxi, about 50 km from the mountain. Direct coaches leave from the station’s bus terminal to Tangkou (the South Gate transfer centre), roughly every 20–30 minutes, about 07:00–18:40. Buy on Trip.com, the 黄山旅游官方平台 mini-program or at the counter. Fewer coaches go to the North Gate and East Gate.
TaxiTime15–25 minCost¥30–40
Taxi to Tunxi Old Street and the city hotels. A taxi or DiDi to Tangkou takes about an hour.

From Huangshan West Railway Station

黄山西站

TaxiTime20–30 minCost¥30–50
On the Chizhou–Huangshan high-speed line opened in 2024, north of the mountain: about 15 km from the West Gate and 14 km from the North Gate. Fewer trains than Huangshan North; check whether yours stops here. Taxi or local bus to the gates.

From Huangshan Tunxi International Airport

黄山屯溪国际机场

TaxiTime15–20 minCost¥20–40
A small airport on the edge of Tunxi. Taxi into town; to Tangkou allow 1–1.5 hours by taxi.

Getting around

“Huangshan” is both a city (Tunxi, with the railway station and airport) and the mountain, about 60 km apart. The mountain’s South Gate is at Tangkou town; from the Tangkou transfer centre, scenic-area buses (¥19 each way) climb to the Yungu and Yuping (Ciguang Pavilion) cable cars. Hongcun and Xidi are in Yi County, about an hour by bus or taxi from Tangkou or Tunxi. Hire a car with driver or use DiDi for the villages; buses run but are infrequent.

Book these before you fly

These sights need a reservation with your passport. Walk-ups are usually turned away.

Mount Huangshan (Yellow Mountain)Real-name booking 1–7 days ahead on the 黄山旅游官方平台 WeChat mini-program or the 中国黄山 account; there are no regular walk-up sales. If the mini-program won’t take your passport, book on Trip.com, or go with your passport to the service windows at the South or North Gate, which handle foreign visitors. Book early for weekends, summer and the October holiday.

Top sights

Granite peaks and pine-covered ridges of Mount Huangshan

黄山风景区Mount Huangshan (Yellow Mountain)Granite peaks, twisted pines and seas of cloud: a UNESCO site walked on stone stairways, with hotels on the summit for sunrise.Booking required1 full day; 2 days with a night on the summit

Pines and peaks seen from Beginning-to-Believe Peak

云谷索道·始信峰Yungu Cable Car and Beginning-to-Believe PeakThe eastern cable car lifts you to the Beihai (North Sea) area, where short trails lead to Beginning-to-Believe Peak and the best sunrise points.Booking recommendedHalf a day for the Beihai loop

The Welcoming Guest Pine beside the granite cliffs of Yuping Peak

迎客松·玉屏楼Welcoming Guest Pine and Yuping areaHuangshan’s most famous tree, over 1,000 years old, on a ledge below Yuping Tower, between Lotus Peak and Heavenly Capital Peak.Booking recommended1–2 hours from the Yuping upper station

Bright Summit with its weather station dome above the ridges

光明顶Bright Summit (Guangmingding)A broad 1,860 m summit, the second-highest point, with views over the east and west “seas” of cloud; a favourite for sunrise and sunset.1 hour

Mist rolling through the jagged peaks of the West Sea Grand Canyon

西海大峡谷West Sea Grand CanyonA deep gorge of sheer pinnacles, walked on stairways bolted to the cliffs; a monorail cable car climbs back out of the bottom.3–4 hours for the full loop

Hongcun's white-walled houses reflected in South Lake

宏村Hongcun villageA UNESCO-listed Huizhou village of white walls and black tiles, built around a half-moon pond and canals that run past every house.Booking recommendedHalf a day; staying overnight is best

Grey-tiled rooftops of Xidi village against green hills

西递Xidi villageHongcun’s quieter twin: lanes of Ming and Qing merchant houses with carved wood and stone, and a stone memorial arch at the entrance.Booking recommended2–3 hours

Shops with carved wooden fronts along Tunxi Old Street

屯溪老街Tunxi Old StreetA 1 km stone-paved street of Song-to-Qing shopfronts in Huangshan city, selling tea, ink sticks, inkstones and snacks.1–2 hours

Chengxuan Archway and the South Qiao Tower of the old Huizhou prefecture office

徽州古城Huizhou Ancient City (Shexian)The walled old prefectural seat of Huizhou in Shexian county: the Ming-dynasty Xu Guo stone archway, the rebuilt prefecture office, the lanes of Doushan Street and the old Yuliang dam and wharf.Half a day

Carved stone memorial archways standing in a row at Tangyue, Shexian

棠樾牌坊群·鲍家花园Tangyue Memorial Archways and Bao Family GardenA row of seven Ming and Qing stone memorial archways across a field path, built by the Bao merchant clan, plus their ancestral halls and a large bonsai garden.1.5–2 hours

Baolun Pavilion of the Luo Dongshu Ancestral Hall in Chengkan village

呈坎Chengkan villageA large Huizhou village laid out by feng shui principles between two rivers and hills, with Ming-dynasty houses and the carved Luo Dongshu ancestral hall.Booking recommended2–3 hours

Taoist temple hall at the foot of forested cliffs on Mount Qiyun

齐云山Mount QiyunOne of China’s four sacred Taoist mountains: red sandstone cliffs, cliff inscriptions and a small village of Taoist temples near the top, much quieter than Huangshan.Half a day 安徽中国徽州文化博物馆China Huizhou Culture MuseumThe city museum of Huangshan, devoted to Huizhou merchants, ink, inkstones, painting and wood, stone and brick carving; a good introduction before visiting the villages.Booking recommended1.5–2 hours 木坑竹海Mukeng bamboo forestA hillside sea of bamboo with a small village and walking trails near Hongcun, where scenes of the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon were shot.1.5–2 hours

Autumn leaves framing Tachuan village and its hills

塔川Tachuan villageA small Huizhou-style village on a hillside near Hongcun, famous for its autumn colours, when the trees around the white houses turn red and gold.1–1.5 hours

Carved Huizhou-style ancestral hall facing a square in Nanping village

南屏Nanping villageA large Ming and Qing village of the Ye clan near Yixian, with more than 300 old buildings, eight ancestral halls and narrow lanes that served as a film set.1.5–2 hours

Stone memorial archway at the entrance to Tangmo village

唐模Tangmo villageA canal village near Tangyue where a creek runs past old houses under covered bridges, with the Tangan Garden modelled on West Lake in Hangzhou.1.5–2 hours

Taiping Lake’s calm water and wooded hills seen through trees

太平湖Taiping LakeAnhui’s largest reservoir, a long, island-dotted lake of clear green water north of Mount Huangshan, explored by boat.Half a day

Village of white Huizhou houses on a green hillside along the Xin’an River

新安江山水画廊Xin’an River boat trip (Shendu)A boat trip from Shendu down the green Xin’an River past terraced hills, loquat orchards and riverside Huizhou villages, often called a landscape-painting gallery.Booking recommendedHalf a day

Map

What to eat here

臭鳜鱼Stinky mandarin fishMandarin fish lightly fermented for several days, then braised in soy: pungent smell, firm, savoury flesh. The signature Huizhou dish.

毛豆腐Hairy tofuTofu fermented until covered in soft white mould, pan-fried golden and eaten with chilli sauce.

黄山烧饼Huangshan sesame pastrySmall, crisp baked pastries filled with preserved greens and pork fat, also called “crab-shell” pastries.

徽州一品锅Huizhou layered hotpotA pot layered with bamboo shoots, tofu, pork, meatballs and egg dumplings, slowly simmered; a festive family dish.

刀板香Cured pork on a boardHome-cured pork belly steamed and served in slices on the wooden chopping board it was cut on.

Places added by travelers

Add a place

From other travelers

Write a review

Coming to this page

Hotels, tickets and experiences you can bookComing soon