Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) travel guide
黄山
Visitors who come to Huangshan for its famous reputation are bound to be struck by the mountain porters. The first time you see them, you can't help recalling “The Mountain Porters,” the essay about Mount Tai in your sc…
1 places · In the guidebook: pages 1266–1281
Huangshan (Yellow Mountain), Anhui Province · AI illustration for China Trip
Quick itinerary
Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) in 2 days
- Day 1
- Huangshan South Gate→
- Yuping Scenic Area→
- Tianhai→
- Guangming Peak→
- Paiyun Pavilion (a great spot to watch the sunrise; you can stay at the hotel on the summit)
- Day 2
- Xihai Grand Canyon→
- Beihai Scenic Area→
- Shixin Peak→
- Yungu Temple→
- Hot Spring Scenic Area
The feel of the place
- Huishang Merchants and the Mountain Porters
- Visitors who come to Huangshan for its famous reputation are bound to be struck by the mountain porters. The first time you see them, you can't help recalling “The Mountain Porters,” the essay about Mount Tai in your school textbook. The porters of Huangshan are an indispensable part of its magnificent scenery. Every stone step and bridge in the scenic area, and every brick, tile, and square metre of the shops and hotels on the mountain, was carried up on their shoulders. Generation after generation, they wear down their own bodies to haul the goods that visitors need, earning meagre wages to support their families. These people who carry the mountain on their shoulders can truly be called the soul of Huangshan. As descendants of the Huishang merchants, they also show us the true spirit of those who made their living from the mountains.
- The Four Wonders of Huangshan
- Huangshan combines the majesty of Mount Tai, the steepness of Mount Hua, the clouds of Mount Heng, the waterfalls of Mount Lu, the peculiar rocks of Yandang Mountain and the beauty of Mount Emei. It is especially famous for its “Four Wonders”: strange pines, odd rocks, sea of clouds and hot springs. Thanks to these Four Wonders, it is known as the foremost mountain under heaven, and it has earned praise such as “Having seen the Five Great Mountains, you need not look at other peaks; having seen Huangshan, you need not look at the Five Great Mountains,” “Having climbed Huangshan, there is no other mountain under heaven,” and “The most marvellous mountain in the Middle Kingdom.” Visitors who come for its fame should experience for themselves “rocks everywhere, pines among every rock, and marvels in every pine,” enjoy the dreamlike scene of the clouds, and soak in the hot springs. Only then will the trip be worthwhile.
Xihai Grand Canyon
The Xihai Grand Canyon is a newly developed area in recent years and has become a hot spot for tourists. As the Huangshan Gazetteer puts it, “Huangshan has long been described as grand in the south, graceful in the north, marvellous in the east and mystical in the west.” Within the canyon, famous peaks and ancient trees stand among towering rocks, where you can spot oddly shaped formations such as “Immortal Drying Boots,” “King Wen Pulling a Cart” and “Wu Song Fighting the Tiger.” The Double Dragon Pine hangs at the edge of a cliff. Peaks such as Danxia, Jiulong, Shichuang, Shizhu and Bodao rise together, making this the most beautiful and profound part of the Huangshan scenic area.
Huizhou Culture Museum
Located on the west side of Yingbin Avenue in Tunxi, Huangshan City, the museum opened in December 2006. Its exhibits cover a general history of Huizhou through its basic stages of ancient prehistoric culture, Shanyue culture and Huizhou culture, along with several themed displays on Huizhou documents and archives, folk customs and more. Historical remains related to Huizhou opera, Huizhou crafts and Huizhou cuisine are also on show, making it a good place to get a deeper sense of Huizhou culture.
Preparation and Information
Language
Huangshan's residents are all in business, so language will never be a barrier to communication with visitors.
Weather and Travel Season
Huangshan often has overcast, rainy and misty days, and the air is fairly humid. The higher you climb, the stronger the wind, and this kind of weather is especially common from April to June. Although the scenery changes with each season, April to November is the best time to visit.
July and August are the busiest months on Huangshan. Many people believe winter is the most beautiful season, since the sea of clouds appears most often then. However, in winter Tiandu Peak and Baiyun Creek are closed, and Feicui Valley has no jade-green scenery to offer.
Things to see
China has many famous hot springs, but none is as unrivalled as the Huangshan Hot Spring. It is counted among the “Five Wonders of Huangshan” alongside the strange pines, odd rocks, sea of clouds and winter snow. This is not only because a thousand years of history and culture have lent it a sense of mystery, but also because it is the only cinnabar spring in Asia, and its health benefits are unmatched by any other spring.
Getting there & around
Getting There
Huangshan City administers three districts, Tunxi, Huangshan and Huizhou, and four counties, Shexian, Xiuning, Yi and Qimen. The city government is located in Tunxi District. As a mature and well-developed tourist destination, Huangshan is very easy to reach.
By Air
Huangshan Tunxi Airport is about 7 km from the city centre, with airport shuttle buses and various taxis running to and from it. The airport shuttle costs ¥5, and a taxi costs about ¥15. From Huangshan Tunxi Airport to the Huangshan scenic area takes about 1.5 hours by taxi, with a fare of around ¥150.
By Rail
Huangshan is a major hub on the Wan-Gan Line, with two railway stations. Huangshan Station (Huangshan Zhan) is closer to the city centre and mainly serves regular express trains. Huangshan North Station is the junction of the Beijing-Fuzhou Railway, the Huangshan (Huizhou)-Hangzhou Railway and the double-track Wan-Gan Railway, and it mainly serves high-speed trains. Next to Huangshan North Station is the Huangshan Tourism Passenger Transport Hub, with buses to Tangkou Town and other destinations.
By Road
Tunxi Bus Station is Huangshan City's main long-distance bus terminal. It runs buses to the city's counties and districts and to neighboring provinces and cities. Travelers can take buses from here to Tangkou Town (汤口镇), Taiping (Huangshan District), Xidi and Hongcun.
Waterway
The famous Xin'an River rises within Huangshan's territory, flows through Qiandao Lake into the Fuchun River, and is renamed the Qiantang River upon reaching Hangzhou. From Shendu Wharf (深渡码头) in Huangshan City, you can take a boat to Qiandao Lake, and from there continue to Yaolin and Hangzhou.
City Transport
When people say “Huangshan,” they usually mean the Huangshan Scenic Area. Geographically, the scenic area belongs to Huangshan City, but it is still 64 km from the city center. Huangshan District lies to the north of Huangshan City. Although it is closer to the scenic area, its transport links are not as convenient as those of Tunxi.
Local transport here mainly refers to transport within the Huangshan Scenic Area, as visitors spend most of their time there. In Tunxi, the main form of transport is the pedicab (human-powered tricycle), which costs ¥2–5 for a ride within the urban area.
Transport within the Huangshan Scenic Area mainly includes scenic area buses, walking trails and cable cars. There are 4 scenic roads, more than 30 walking trails and 3 cable car lines.
Huangshan Scenic Area Cable Cars
Yungu Cable Car: Yungu Temple → Baie Ridge (off-season ¥65; peak season ¥80)
Taiping Cable Car: Songgu Hermitage → Songlin Peak (off-season ¥65; peak season ¥80)
Yuping Cable Car: Ciguang Pavilion → Sutuan Pine (off-season ¥75; peak season ¥90)
Xihai Grand Canyon Sightseeing Cable Car
Off-season ¥80; peak season ¥100
Taxi
Taxis in Huangshan City start at ¥7 for the first 2.5 km, then charge ¥2 per km after that. Taxis in the Huangshan Scenic Area start at ¥10 for the first 2.5 km, then charge ¥2 per km, with a 20% surcharge at night. A one-way trip from Tangkou to the Huangshan Scenic Area costs around ¥40.
Transport Within the Scenic Area
1. Walking visitors have two trail options. Below Lotus Peak in Yuping Area, those going up or down can choose between the Hundred-Step Ladder and Lotus Cave. From Lianrui Peak toward Yuping Tower, there is a 60-metre loop trail near the Phone Stone on Xingfu Avenue.
2. At Tangkou (Huangshan Main Gate), you need to change to a scenic area shuttle bus. Shuttle fares are ¥13 per person from Huangshan Main Gate to Yungu Temple or Ciguang Pavilion. When it is crowded, you can take a travel agency vehicle or share a minivan taxi (¥50) directly to the Yungu Temple cable car station.
3. Self-driving visitors can park in the newly built multi-level North Gate car park, one of the largest, most automated and most fully equipped car parks of its kind among China's scenic areas. You can also park at the Yungu Temple car park and at Taoyuan Hotel in the Hot Spring Area.
Three Routes into Huangshan
There are three routes into Huangshan. Visitors coming from Huangshan City (Tunxi) or Hangzhou can head to the South Gate and then climb via Ciguang Pavilion (front mountain) or Yungu Temple (back mountain). Visitors coming from Wuhan or Taiping can climb from the North Gate at Songgu Hermitage. Each climbing entrance has a cable car.
tip: Operating hours for the Yungu, Yuping and Taiping cable cars:
March 2–October 31: Monday to Friday 7:00–17:10; Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 6:30–17:40
November 1–March 1 (including Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays): 8:00–16:40
phone: Yungu Cable Car 0559-5586014; Yuping Cable Car 0559-5585146; Taiping Cable Car 0559-8551818
Airport Flight Enquiries
Air- Phone:
- 0559-2934144
Ticket Office
Air- Address:
- 23 Huashan Road
- Phone:
- 0559-2934111
Huangshan Railway Station
Rail- Address:
- No. 33 Qianyuan North Road, Tunxi District, Huangshan City
- Phone:
- 0559-2116222
Huangshan North Railway Station
Rail- Address:
- Meilin Avenue, Huizhou District, Huangshan City
Huangshan Tourist Passenger Transport Hub
Rail- Phone:
- 0559-2356355
Tunxi Bus Station
Road(Huangshan Municipal Bus Passenger Terminal)
- Address:
- No. 31 Yun Avenue, Tunxi District
- Phone:
- 0559-2566666
Bus Station
RoadShuttle to Tangkou: one every 10 minutes
- Opening hours:
- 6：00—17：00
Eat & drink
Huangshan cuisine belongs to Hui cuisine, one of China's Eight Great Culinary Traditions. It places great emphasis on ingredients and cooking heat, and especially stresses the harmony of color, aroma and taste.
Local Snacks
Du's Shrimp Dried Tofu
Local SnacksA famous Hui specialty, Du family shrimp dried tofu is made from fresh yellow soybeans and high-quality small dried shrimp, seasoned with star anise, fennel, cassia bark, Sichuan pepper and other spices. The process is meticulous and complex.
Baolusong
Local SnacksMade mainly from a mountain corn called shanbaolu, grown in the hills of the region. It has a fragrant, crisp texture and is ideal as a snack.
Doufu Laoshu
Local SnacksMade with top-quality lean pork and white tofu, seasoned with ginger, egg and fine salt, this is a nutritious and delicately flavored soup that is a delight on the dinner table.
Huizhou Stinky Mandarin Fish
Local SnacksDespite its name, this dish is actually fragrant rather than stinky. The mandarin fish is first salted, then steamed with diced minced pork and topped with pickled chili. It is fiery red yet not overly spicy, with a rich, deep flavor. This is probably Huangshan's most distinctive delicacy.
Butterfly Noodles
Local SnacksDiamond-shaped noodle sheets are deep-fried, then stir-fried with sliced meat, winter bamboo shoots, dried shrimp, ham, shiitake mushrooms, greens and broth until well flavored. They look like butterflies fluttering among red flowers and green grass, which is how the dish got its name.
Where to stay
Huangshan Paiyun Travel Hotel
Huangshan Paiyun Travel Hotel- Address:
- Xihai Scenic Area, at the foot of Danxia Peak, Huangshan Scenic Area
- Phone:
- 0559-2590999
Old Street Youth Hostel
Old Street Youth Hostel- Address:
- No. 266-2 Old Street, Tunxi District
- Phone:
- 0559-2540386
Shopping
1. Tea: Always taste before you buy, and only purchase once you have tasted it. If you bargain well, you can knock off up to two-thirds of the price. Visitors who are not tea experts may prefer to buy from supermarkets.
2. She inkstones: When buying an inkstone, first check the material, then the craftsmanship and carving technique. Inkstones by renowned masters cost at least ¥150. Before bargaining, chat with the shopkeeper in a humble, seeking-advice tone; the price may soften.
3. Hui ink: Hui ink is fairly inexpensive, with an ordinary stick costing around ¥10. Buying a few sticks here makes a fine souvenir.
Dining Costs in the Scenic Area
All food in the scenic area is carried up the mountain from below, so prices are naturally much higher. Hotel buffet lunches and dinners cost ¥100–160 per person; boxed meals at the food court cost ¥50–70 per portion; mineral water is about ¥8 a bottle; and soft drinks such as cola or Sprite are about ¥15 a bottle. All of this food and drink has been carried up by the porters with great effort, so please do not waste a thing.
Facilities in the Hot Spring Area
The hot spring area has a range of facilities, including a bus station, post office, shops, hot spring bathhouses and cinemas. There are also many guesthouses and hotels here, so you have plenty of choice.
Don't Shop in the Scenic Area
We recommend not buying local specialties such as tea, shi'er mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms inside the scenic area. These goods are carried up by porters at great labor and cost, so prices are high. Buyers are better off shopping in the city at Tunxi Old Street.
Recommended Souvenirs
Hui Ink
Recommended SouvenirsOne of the Four Treasures of the Study, Hui ink has been made in Huizhou for over 1,000 years. Since the Qianlong era of the Qing dynasty, Hu Kaiwen ink has been the most famous and is the emblem of Hui ink.
She Inkstone
Recommended SouvenirsOne of China's Four Great Inkstones, first made in the Tang dynasty and flourishing in the High Tang period. She inkstones are prized for the 'eight virtues' of firmness, moistness, softness, vigor, fineness, smoothness, cleanliness and beauty. The finest examples feature luowen (silk-like grain) and meizi (eyebrow) patterns.
Wan'an Compass
Recommended SouvenirsA renowned traditional instrument for geography, including navigation compasses, geomantic compasses and sundials. Produced in Wan'an Town, Xiuning County, these compasses come in many sizes and over a hundred designs, with high precision. They won a gold medal at the 1915 Paris World Exhibition.
Tea
Recommended SouvenirsThe three districts and four counties under Huangshan City are renowned as China's tea homeland. Green teas are represented by Huangshan Maofeng and Taiping Houkui, black tea by Qimen black tea, and scented teas such as zhulan and jasmine are newer varieties. Huangshan Gongju chrysanthemum tea has been an imperial tribute throughout history.
Kiwi Fruit
Recommended SouvenirsKnown locally as 'yangtao', kiwi fruit grows everywhere within Huangshan Scenic Area and is easy to find. There are over 20 varieties of Huangshan kiwi. Growing in mountain forests and absorbing moisture from the air, they are not only nutritious but also juicy, sweet and intensely fragrant.
Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 1266–1281. Translated from the Chinese edition; names and prices follow the guidebook. · Plain text version