Live Your Best Lives
With the arrival of winter, everyone is starting to plan their Spring Festival travels. While most southerners turn their attention to the stunning snowscapes of Northeast China, there are also many lesser-known winter destinations worth exploring. For example, the little-known snowscapes of Zhangjiajie, the restored tranquility of Fenghuang Ancient Town, and the mysterious Miao villages – a trip to Xiangxi is sure to delight you.
Zhangjiajie used to be known for its majestic stone forests, where unusual peaks and rocks create a wondrous world. However, this quartz sandstone peak forest, formed millions of years ago, has captivated the world. While the scenery is pleasant, the diverse tourists, guided by guides wielding small flags, wander through the scenic areas, making it easy to accidentally capture countless "human heads" while taking in the scenery. However, Zhangjiajie generally attracts tourists in the summer and autumn, while winter is sparse, with only a small number of Guangdong residents choosing this time of year to visit.
Little do people know that Zhangjiajie in winter is truly breathtakingly beautiful. Without the hustle and bustle of the crowds and the hustle and bustle of everyday life, the mountains return to a tranquility that truly reflects Zhangjiajie's true beauty. As temperatures drop, the peaks and forests are adorned with icy splendor, creating a breathtaking spectacle. Any photo you take will be a masterpiece.
Tips:
The off-season ticket price for Wulingyuan is 115 yuan per adult, and the discounted ticket price is 58 yuan per person.
If it snows in Wulingyuan Scenic Area in winter, the temperature may be between 0 degrees and -5 degrees Celsius. Please keep warm and it is recommended to bring a thermos cup, a heat pack, etc.
The plank roads in the scenic area are icy, so be careful not to slip; Wulingyuan Scenic Area is the core scenic area of Zhangjiajie. If you are visiting for the first time, it is recommended to buy a colored map of the scenic area. It is sold in major local shops and can be picked up at the visitor center.
Fenghuang, a city often featured on lists of China's most famous ancient cities, is a thorny issue: it offers everything one could desire after escaping the city: quaint stilt houses, rainbow-like covered bridges, and leisurely wooden boats sailing along the gurgling Tuojiang River. At night, the vibrant cityscape, quaint cafes and bars, fashionable women, street singers, and locals dressed in Tujia and Miao costumes imbue this small town with a distinctly modern feel, transforming it into a city that never sleeps, a place of revelry and music.
It seems like any angle can create a Instagram-worthy background photo. If you haven't been to Xiangxi, you haven't been to Hunan, and if you haven't been to Fenghuang, you haven't fully experienced Xiangxi. However, after years of development, the area is usually too busy, which discourages many foodies who come here for its fame.
Winter not only brings chilly weather to Xiangxi, but also dampens the enthusiasm of most traditional tourists to Fenghuang. Unlike Zhangjiajie, there's no blanket of snow here. But without the crowds, the ancient city has regained its original charm. After the "main force" retreated, the locals calmly returned to their own pace of life. Simple Xiangxi life continues, just as in the stories of Mr. Shen. Fenghuang has truly regained its original tranquility: no crowds of tourists, no shouting tour guides, no clamoring tourists, only the whispered calls of vendors and the hustle and bustle of local life.
Stroll the streets of Fenghuang Ancient Town in winter and experience the local atmosphere. Visit around the Lunar New Year, and the atmosphere will be even more intense, with residents decked out in lanterns and bustling about preparing for the new year. Explore the alleyways of the ancient city, savor Xiangxi specialties, and cautiously explore the rock-hopping trails. Or find a small bar and listen to the gentle voices of a wandering singer. Fenghuang is a perfect blend of ancient and modern—this is it.
Tips:
Regarding tickets: Currently, there is no entrance fee to the Phoenix Ancient Town. However, admission to the attractions within the ancient town is charged separately. These include Shen Congwen's former residence, the Ancient Town Museum, the Wanshou Palace, and nine other small attractions. (Reference ticket price: 148 yuan per adult)
Regarding accommodation: Winter is the off-season for tourism. Except for the Chinese New Year period (from New Year's Eve to the sixth day of the first lunar month), the room rates are very cheap. We recommend choosing a B&B by the Tuojiang River, where you can enjoy the night view of Phoenix. The average price is 150 yuan per room, which is negotiable.
If you want a quieter stay, you can consider accommodation in the upper reaches of the Tuojiang River. If you want a more lively stay, choose accommodation in the lower reaches. The accommodation in the upper reaches is slightly cheaper than that in the lower reaches.
If you have enough time in Fenghuang, you might as well attend a Xiangxi-style market.
At a fixed time and place, everyone brought their own "treasures" to exchange for equal value. This was the prototype of the earliest market. Today, with the prevalence of online shopping, Xiangxi is one of the few regions that still maintains this traditional trading method; the market, also known as the "bianbianchang", has become a direct manifestation of our exposure to Xiangxi culture.
Fenghuang is surrounded by numerous border markets: Shanjiang, Alaying, Laershan, Heku, and Jixin. Shanjiang and Alaying are the closest, but the goods sold there are more "Chinese-style." For a more authentic Miao experience, head to Laershan or Heku, the heartland of the Miao ethnic group. Laershan is at the highest elevation, and Laer means "high mountain" in Miao. The market draws not only nearby Miao villages, but also merchants from Fenghuang, Jishou, Mayang, and Songtao, Guizhou, creating a truly "three-province market."
While the market primarily sells cheap general merchandise and daily necessities, you can also find some interesting local finds. There are even interesting people like barbers, traveling doctors pulling teeth, and fortune tellers. Enjoy a bowl of red chili rice noodles at a fragrant street stall! Watch the diverse locals come and go—hey, this is authentic Xiangxi, isn't it?
Phoenix surrounding market schedule
Tips:
1. The busiest time for the market is usually from 10 am to 1 pm. If you go in the afternoon, you will only be able to watch the stalls closing.
2. Don't expect to find an all-Miao staff and traditional clothing at Bianbianchang. Even people from the mountains want to experience modern life.
3. It is recommended to bring your own cash when visiting the market. Local transactions are relatively traditional, and some vendors may not support transactions with communication devices.
Xiangxi is a multi-ethnic region, primarily composed of the Tujia and Miao ethnic groups. Numerous pristine Miao and Tujia villages still exist. However, with the increasing assimilation of ethnic minorities into Han culture and improved living standards, more and more villages are building modern houses and abandoning many traditional customs. Many traditions and artifacts may disappear in the long run. For a deeper exploration of a region, visiting the locals is a good option.
Find a local Miao village, sample the local delicacies, wear traditional Miao clothing, and learn local dances from beautiful women and men. Or simply wander around and meet an elder to learn about Miao culture and the soon-to-be-vanished legends of western Hunan...
In Xiangxi, the Miao villages are relatively well-preserved. Apart from some villages hidden deep in the mountains that are inconvenient to visit, the well-developed and accessible ones include Dehang Miao Village and Shanjiang Miao Village. Dehang Miao Village is the most convenient and beautifully built village.
Tips:
Miao customs:
Only one chopstick is used for eating, and the next one is used for singing! No drinking, no serving!
To show love is to step on someone’s heels hard, the harder you step, the deeper your love!
If there is a mandarin duck embroidered on the collar, it means you are single; if there is a pair of mandarin ducks, it means you are married!
Miao taboos:
Don't enter someone else's house with an open umbrella, as locals consider it unlucky.
Don't step on other people's thresholds casually.
Don't get close to married women in Miao villages.
Don't whistle casually in Miao and Tujia villages
As the capital of Hunan Province, Changsha offers convenient transportation, with excellent public transportation options. Trains and long-distance buses run to Zhangjiajie. Buses to Fenghuang depart from both Changsha West and Changsha South Railway Stations, making travel to the city relatively convenient.
Tips:
1. From Changsha to Zhangjiajie, you can take a train. Alternatively, there are direct buses to Zhangjiajie from Changsha Railway Station, Changsha West Bus Station, or Changsha South Railway Station, with a journey time of approximately 4 hours. 2. Direct buses to Fenghuang are available from Changsha Railway Station, Changsha West Bus Station, or Changsha South Railway Station, with buses departing approximately every hour and a half, for a journey time of approximately 6 hours.
As a city with a rapidly developing tourism industry, Zhangjiajie's high-speed rail construction is urgently needed. Officially, it's expected to open around 2020, but until then, we'll still need to travel to Zhangjiajie by train or bus. Fortunately, Zhangjiajie has an airport (Hehua Airport), making flying a convenient option. Traveling from downtown Zhangjiajie to Wulingyuan District takes about an hour and a half, while driving to Fenghuang Ancient Town takes about five hours.
Tips:
1. Take a bus from the Central Bus Station next to Zhangjiajie Railway Station to Wulingyuan District, Wulingyuan Forest Park Ticket Station, and Tianzi Mountain Scenic Area. The fare is 20 yuan per person and the journey takes 1.5 hours.
2. If you choose to go from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang, you can consider taking a train from Zhangjiajie Station to Jishou. The journey takes about two hours and the ticket price is around 20.
Geographically, Huaihua is the closest hub to Fenghuang, with a train station, high-speed rail station, and airport nearby. If Fenghuang is your first destination, Huaihua is a good choice. However, due to its limited size, Huaihua's capacity may be insufficient during major holidays. In these cases, Changsha is a good hub.
Tips:
There are buses from Huaihua West Bus Station to Fenghuang, which takes about an hour (7:00-19:00, every 1.5 hours).
Jishou, the capital of Xiangxi Tujia Autonomous Prefecture, is close to Fenghuang and the surrounding Miao villages, but it's only a county-level city. With only a few direct trains (most of which take over ten hours), it's not ideal for a transit point. However, the local area offers good accommodations. Therefore, regardless of your destination, Jishou is a good transit point.
Tips:
Jishou has direct K-series trains to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Changsha, Guiyang and other places, and the journey takes about 20 hours.
There are many buses from Jishou to Huaihua, which usually take from one hour to three hours and cost about 15 yuan.
There is a regular bus service to Fenghuang Ancient Town from Jishou North Bus Station near Jishou Railway Station, which runs every half an hour or so and costs around 20 yuan.
If flights are available, consider flying to Tongren Phoenix Airport in Guizhou Province, the closest airport to Fenghuang Ancient Town, with a drive time of only an hour and a half. However, generally, traveling to Tongren Airport requires a layover in Guiyang, so it's not highly recommended. However, if you're departing from Chengdu or Chongqing, you can take a train to Tongren.
The weather is gradually getting cooler, but with winter vacation and the New Year just around the corner, we're all eager to get out and have fun. Choosing a getaway to celebrate the New Year away from the crowds is something everyone dreams of. Xiangxi's natural beauty and rich history attract countless travelers every year, and a trip to Xiangxi this winter promises an extraordinary experience.
For those who don't want to plan their own trips, you can follow China-TravelNote and spend the New Year's holiday in Xiangxi during the winter.
