# Huaihua travel guide (怀化) Hunan Province · Central China, China · 7 places Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/destinations/hunan/huaihua ## Quick itinerary - **Day 1:** Anti-Japanese Surrender Memorial Hall → Longjin Wind and Rain Bridge → Qianyang Ancient Town (overnight) - **Day 2:** Qianyang Ancient Town → Hongjiang Ancient Commercial City → Yutou Ancient Village → Huangdu Dong Cultural Village → Huilong Bridge ## The feel of the place Known as the western 'bridgehead', Huaihua is a must-pass hub linking Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Yunnan and other cities, and it is also one of the cities where migrant workers gather. In recent years, thanks to the ancient county towns described by Shen Congwen and the growing popularity of Hongjiang and Tongdao, Huaihua has drawn increasing attention from travel enthusiasts. ### Tianhou Palace, Longjin Bridge The blue-stone relief gateway of Tianhou Palace, on the west bank of the county town, is finely carved with deep openwork. To reach the palace you must cross Longjin Bridge, a wind and rain bridge that set a Guinness World Record. Its scale, refined structure and imposing presence will move any visitor. Both sites can be visited together with the Anti-Japanese Surrender Memorial Hall on a single route. ### Single-Route Tour Yutou Ancient Village, Huangdu and Huilong Bridge can be visited on a single route. Tongdao county town has long-distance buses to destinations across the country. By air: fly to Guilin, then take a bus through Longsheng to Tongdao, a journey of just over 170 km. Alternatively, fly to Zhangjiajie and transfer to a train heading Zhangjiajie → Zhanjiang, Xiangyang → Liuzhou, Guangzhou → Dazhou, getting off at Tongdao Station (Xianxi), then taking a bus into the county town. By train: there are direct trains from Huaihua to Tongdao, four a day. Minibuses into town wait at Tongdao railway station at all times. By bus: there are direct express buses from Huaihua to Tongdao county town. ### Preparations and Information ### Language Unless you are in very remote areas, local dialects are generally understandable, and Mandarin usually works fine. ### Climate and Travel Seasons The climate is broadly similar to western Hunan's, and the area can be visited in all four seasons. ## Getting there & around ### Getting In and Out Huaihua is known as 'the city the railway brought', and it is an important transport hub in western Hunan. ### By Air Zhijiang Airport is located in Zhijiang Dong Autonomous County, 31 km from Huaihua city centre. It mainly operates flights to Changsha, Beijing and Guangzhou. ### By Rail Huaihua is the gateway and transport hub of southwestern Hunan. Most visitors heading to Zhangjiajie from Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Guangxi or Shanghai transfer here. ### By Road Road travel in Huaihua is very convenient. National Highways 209 and 320 cross in the urban area, and National Highway 319 along with ten provincial highways criss-cross the whole region, while county and township roads reach every community. ## Eat & drink Zhijiang duck, Hongjiang blood-cake duck and Tongdao Dong-style cured pork are essential foods to try. In season, you can also enjoy Mudong bayberries from Jingzhou, which are large, juicy and have small pits. ### Recommended Eateries - **Tiebei BBQ** — One of Huaihua's main barbecue hotspots, lively and buzzing after dark. - **Zhongxin Market Food Stalls** — Here you'll find nearly all of Huaihua's street snacks, so this is the best place to sample the city's food. Local favourites include spicy crayfish, Jiuzi crab, spicy crab and small snails, all mouth-numbingly spicy and served with a variety of Hunan-style side dishes. - **Fufeng Restaurant** — Near Hutian Bridge in Huaihua, this home-style Hunan restaurant has an excellent local reputation. Its signature Fufeng goose is especially delicious. ## Nightlife Locals' nightlife is mostly bars and karaoke, but the Zhongxin Market and Hezhou Road areas have plenty of night markets with good, cheap snacks. ## Shopping Anjiang fragrant pomelo, Qianyang rock sugar orange, Xuefeng black-bone chicken from the region, Jingzhou blood orange and Mudong bayberry are all well-known local specialties. ## Where to stay Huaihua city and all county towns have hotels and various guesthouses. In Huaihua city, for safety, it is advisable to stay at licensed hotels near the railway station and along Hezhou Road. Hongjiang Hotel in Hongjiang and Zhiyuan Hotel in Zhijiang both offer reasonable comfort. - **Huairong Hotel** — (No. 148, Yingfeng West Road, Hecheng District, 0745-7853666) ## Things to see - **Zhijiang Surrender Site of the War of Resistance Victory** (★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 8：30—16：30; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/zhijiang-surrender-site-of-the-war-of-resistance-victory - **Qianyang Ancient Town** (★★★): Admission From ¥55 (children under 14 free; free for ages 60 and above; half price for students; disabled people/retired military personnel/active-duty military personnel free, etc.); Opening hours Open all day; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/qianyang-ancient-town - **Hongjiang Ancient Commercial City** (★★★): Admission Adult ¥90; child ¥45; Opening hours 8：00—17：00; Time needed 1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/hongjiang-ancient-commercial-city - **Yutou Ancient Dong Village** (★★★): Admission ¥35; Opening hours Open all day; Time needed 0.5–1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/yutou-ancient-dong-village - **Huangdu Dong Cultural Village** (★★★): Admission ¥45; Opening hours Open all day; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/huangdu-dong-cultural-village ## Day trips & beyond - **Eryou Mountain** (★★★★): Admission From ¥28; Opening hours 08:00-18:00; Time needed 1–5 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/eryou-mountain - **Wanfo Mountain** (★★★★): Admission Wanfo Mountain ¥60; Duyan Rock free admission; rafting ¥138; Opening hours Winter 08:00-18:00 (last ticket sales 16:30); summer 08:30-17:00 (last ticket sales 17:00); Time needed 1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/wanfo-mountain --- Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 1997–2004. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.