Things to do in Chenzhou
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Chenzhou
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Mist season opens in April and is reliable by May, Yangtianhu greens up, and May rain can cancel mist mornings and rafting.
Peak summer with the full product on, best mist, rafting and cool grassland, but school holiday crowds and city heat.
The best all round window, with mist to the end of October and superb danxia light, except National Day week crowds.
No Xiaodongjiang mist, but hot springs at their best, Mangshan rime in cold snaps, empty trails and lower prices.
What's on
- Rucheng Hot Spring Tourism Season mid to late February
Held with the Hunan Rural Cultural Tourism Festival in Rucheng, with hot spring events and the incense dragon dance.
- Yangtianhu Grassland Camping and Bonfire Music Nights July to August
Summer camping season at Yangtianhu Grassland, with bonfire music nights listed in Trip.com seasonal highlights.
- Chenzhou Tourism Development Conference late September
Held at Mangshan in its documented edition, reflecting late September as the flagship season for the prefecture.
Best things to do in Chenzhou
Dongjiang Lake Tourist Area
The misty Xiaodongjiang at dawn, with fishermen casting nets into the fog, is the most photographed river scene in southern Hunan.
Gaoyi Mountain Tourism Resort
Smooth red danxia ridges rise from emerald lakes at Gaoyiling, and the ridge walk is at its best in late afternoon light.
Feitian Mountain National Geological Park
The gentle danxia park, with red cliffs around the Cuijiang River and an easy route that works for children and grandparents.
Su Xian Ling Scenic Area
The city home mountain in Suxianling, a free 40 minute climb to a panorama over Chenzhou, also climbed at night for the lights.
Yuhou Street
Chenzhou oldest street, a restored riverside strip of lanterns, an arch bridge and snack frontage that is best after dark.
Bailang Scenic Area
A free, slow lakeside strip on Dongjiang Lake nicknamed Little Erhai, made for an electric bike ride, coffee and open water views.
Longjing Canyon
A shaded waterfall gorge inside the Dongjiang ticket, the cool green second act after the mist and the lake boat.
Wanhua Rock
A big karst cave with an underground river on the station side of the city, the rainy day and spare hour option in Chenzhou.
Where to stay in Chenzhou
Zixing and the Dongjiang Lake shore
the mist morning and photographers
Homestays and resorts by the scenic area entrance and Bailang shore, with water facing balconies and hosts who help with tickets.
Downtown Chenzhou, Beihu and Suxian
trains, food choice and flexible departures
Wuling Square and Yuhou Street dining, Suxianling on the doorstep, and a short taxi to Chenzhou West high speed station.
Mangshan foot, Yizhang
the forest, Wuzhifeng clouds and the hot spring
Staying at the park turns Wuzhifeng into an early walk and the forest hot spring into an evening routine, not a day trip.
Rucheng, Reshui Town and Yangtianhu
specialist overnights only
Sleep at the Reshui spring resorts for a Rucheng trip, or at the Yangtianhu camp for stargazing, not as general bases.
Think twice about
- Chenzhou West station fringe, Wanhuayan
Isolated and dead at night, a taxi ride from any dinner worth eating. Fine for a transit night, miserable as a holiday base.
- Yizhang county town as a Dongjiang base
It strands you 60 to 90 minutes from the lake sights to save little money. Yizhang works only for Mangshan, staying at the park.
Best restaurants in Chenzhou
Qifengdu Fish Noodles
The signature Chenzhou breakfast, round rice noodles in a bright red spicy broth made from fresh river fish.
Pig Slaughter Noodles
The heartier breakfast bowl, rice noodles in rich pork broth loaded with pork, liver and pig blood at the counter.
Dongjiang Salmon Five Ways
One Dongjiang Lake rainbow trout served five ways at Zixing lakeside restaurants, sashimi, cold skin, fried cuts and bone soup.
Shao Ji Gong
Chenzhou signature spicy roast chicken pot, arriving bubbling and eaten communally with rice to manage the heat.
Linwu Duck
The famous Linwu County duck, tender meat and thin skin, eaten braised in restaurants and bought vacuum packed to take home.
Dongjiang Suspension Bridge Night Market
Grilled lake fish, skewers and cold drinks by the lit suspension bridge in Zixing, the social end of a Dongjiang day.
Matian Tofu
The gentle plate on a fiery Chenzhou table, a soft fresh tofu from Matian town served in soups, braises and stir fries.
Yao Mountain Farmhouse Cooking
Yao mountain farmhouse cooking at Mangshan, smoked cured pork stir fried with eggs and bitter bamboo shoots after the forest.
Outdoor things to do in Chenzhou
Wuzhifeng Scenic Area In Mangshan
A barrier free cliff walkway at Five Finger Peak in Mangshan, reached by cable car and cliff elevators, walking at cloud level.
Yangtianhu Grassland
The southernmost alpine grassland in China, a cool crater lake meadow with windmills, alpacas, horse riding and a rated campsite.
Mangshan Tourist Area (West Gate)
The primeval forest itself at Mangshan west gate, deep valleys and waterfalls for a fraction of the Wuzhifeng combo price.
Dongjiang White-Water Rafting
A serious summer rafting run above Dongjiang Lake, about 15 km of rapids and drops through gorge and jungle.
Cuijiang Bamboo Raft
A gentle 30 minute bamboo raft drift on the Cuijiang River, red danxia cliffs reflected in green water, with no paddling.
Rucheng Reshui Hot Springs
The largest natural hot spring in Hunan, with source water up to 98 degrees at Reshui Town, bathed in cooled resort pools.
Mangshan Forest Hot Spring
Forest pools terraced up the Mangshan mountainside, with a cliff edge pool and a sky infinity pool at cloud level.
Hunan Chenzhou Nanling Golf Club
An 18 hole par 72 hill course at Xiaobu south of the city, through forest, lakes and bamboo with severe elevation changes.
Best hotels in Chenzhou
Argyle Resort Dongjianghu
The polished lakeside resort on Dongjiang Lake, the top rated scenic stay in Zixing for a couples lake night.
Ramada by Wyndham Chenzhou Dongjiang Lake
The international brand safety net on Dongjiang Lake near Bailang, with big lake view balconies and consistent rooms.
Dongjiang Lake Lantingxu Chengyuan Homestay
A design homestay right by the river at Dongjiang Lake, praised for its lobby views, clean rooms and photo ready location.
Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale Chenzhou
The city flagship five star, with spacious rooms, an indoor pool and plentiful breakfast in quiet grounds south of the centre.
Hampton by Hilton Chenzhou Beihu
The mid range sweet spot downtown near Wuling Square, with family rooms and breakfasts that review exceptionally well.
Holiday Inn Express Chenzhou Suxian by IHG
A new budget brand hotel in Suxian with included breakfast, well placed for Suxianling and Gaoyiling departures.
Mangshan Forest Hot Spring Hotel
A forest resort five minutes from the Mangshan park gate, built around the hot spring pools, so the soak is an elevator ride.
Is Chenzhou expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | CN¥300 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | CN¥650 a person |
| Splurge | CN¥1,500 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Dongjiang Lake Tourist Area: a few days ahead
- Gaoyi Mountain Tourism Resort: a few days ahead
- Wuzhifeng Scenic Area In Mangshan: a few days ahead
- Yangtianhu Grassland: a few days ahead
- Dongjiang White-Water Rafting: a few days ahead
- Rucheng Reshui Hot Springs: a few days ahead
- Mangshan Forest Hot Spring: a few days ahead
- Hunan Chenzhou Nanling Golf Club: a few days ahead
- Book Dongjiang area stays and the Dongjiang ticket ahead in peak season, and arrive before opening for the mist.
- Book Wuzhifeng combo tickets and Mangshan Forest Hot Spring Hotel rooms ahead on autumn weekends and rime snaps.
- Buy Yangtianhu tickets online ahead in green season to avoid gate queues.
- Book high speed trains the moment the 12306 window opens on holiday eves.
Is Chenzhou safe?
- Heat and sun are the main hazards, with summer highs of 33 to 34 degrees and hotter exposed rock at Gaoyiling.
- Dongjiang rafting has a real capsize record, so wear the life jacket, obey guides and keep it adults and strong swimmers only.
- Carry a rain layer and non slip shoes for the damp Xiaodongjiang boardwalk and Gaoyiling polished rock.
- Stay in marked bathing pools at the hot springs, because Reshui source water reaches 98 degrees at the vents.
- Emergency numbers in China are 110 for police, 120 for ambulance and 119 for fire.
Chenzhou travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Gaoyiling at midday in summer is shadeless punishment, so go after 3.30pm and swap midday for Feitianshan shade.
- Xiaodongjiang mist is an April to October phenomenon, so winter photos in marketing are all from summer.
- Use official Dongjiang boats and ticket channels, not private operators outside the scenic area.
- Platform 2 is the most crowded mist viewpoint with the casting far away, so use Platforms 1, 3 and 4.
- Roadside wild honey can be sugar adulterated, so buy Linwu duck and cured meat from proper shops.
Getting around Chenzhou: public transport and more
- Arrive by high speed train at Chenzhou West, about 1.5 hours from Guangzhou and 1.5 to 2 hours from Changsha.
- Charter a car with driver or self drive from Chenzhou West, because the sights sit 30 to 90 km apart on mountain roads.
- The Dongjiang ticket includes its scenic bus between the entrance, platforms, dam and Longjing Canyon, so use it.
- At Bailang rent an electric bike, not a pedal bike, for the lakeside loop.
- Mobile payment is the default everywhere, so keep your phone charged and connected.
Who Chenzhou suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | OK |
Make Chenzhou your trip
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