City guide · Hubei

Wudang Mountain travel guide: Golden Peak, the cable car and how to walk it down

The Taoist first mountain of China — a gilded bronze hall on a 1,612 m summit, temples hung off cliff faces, and the birthplace of tai chi.

  • Known forTaoist temples & tai chi
  • Typical spend¥500–1,000 / day
  • Ideal length1–2 days
  • PaceSteep, unhurried
Plan this trip Wudang Mountain tours

Reviewed by our Beijing team Updated 2026-10-10

The short version

Wudang Mountain rewards 1 to 2 days: ride the cable car from Qiongtai up to the Golden Peak, then work your way down on foot or by shuttle past Nanyan, Zixiao and Taizipo palaces. A combined ticket runs about ¥243 and covers entry and the shuttle, with the Golden Peak, Zixiao Palace and cable car costing extra. Base yourself in Wudangshan town by the gate for cheap hotels, or on the mountain at Wuling if you want the summit at dawn.

  • Cable car up, walk down — the descent past Chaotian Palace and Nanyan is the best part.
  • The ¥243 combined ticket covers entry and shuttle; the Golden Peak (¥27), Zixiao (¥15) and cable car are extra.
  • Free tai chi and sword demos at Xiaoyao Valley, daily at 9am and 3pm.
  • Sleep at Wuling for the Golden Peak at dawn, or in Wudangshan town to save money.
  • Bring a jacket year-round — the mountain runs several degrees colder than the plain.

City guide

First impressions

Photographs from the coast, and what other travellers wrote afterwards.

The gilded bronze hall on the Golden Peak, 1,612 m up.
The gilded bronze hall on the Golden Peak, 1,612 m up.
Nanyan Palace, hung straight off the cliff face.
Nanyan Palace, hung straight off the cliff face.
Students practising tai chi in the temple courtyards.
Students practising tai chi in the temple courtyards.
Zixiao Palace, the grandest of the surviving royal halls.
Zixiao Palace, the grandest of the surviving royal halls.

The morning climb, the long corridors, the courtyards opening one after another — it all has real feeling. At noon we rested, then went on to the best part of the whole day: Zixiao Palace. Worn by time, maybe, but every bit the grand hall it once was.

Traveller's note, Wudang & Shennongjia

North reveres Shaolin, south reveres Wudang. In the early morning you pass through the mountain gate and the Golden Street, a retro lane of souvenir shops and local produce, before the temples begin.

Traveller's note, Asking the Way at Wudang

Wudang is the first mountain of Taoism, and the approach tells you why. The road climbs out of the Danjiangkou basin through thickening forest, and then the ridge appears — Tianzhu Peak with its golden hall catching the light, 72 lesser peaks arrayed around it. This is the landscape the old texts called the 'grotto-heaven and blessed land', sacred ground for more than two thousand years.

The architecture is what elevates it beyond scenery. When the Ming emperor Yongle rebuilt Beijing, he rebuilt Wudang at the same time, spending twelve years and fortunes on nine palaces, eight temples and dozens of cliff shrines. The result follows the story of the Taoist immortal Zhenwu, and it clings to ridgelines and rock faces rather than sitting politely on flat ground — hence the name 'the Forbidden City hung on a cliff'. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage list in 1994.

And then there is the living part: the monks chanting at dawn, the young students practising slow tai chi in the courtyards, the smoky vegetarian feast served in the temples. Wudang is not a museum. Come with a little patience for its rhythms and it is the most atmospheric mountain in central China.

Wudang Mountain

Don't leave without

Seven things that are worth rearranging a day for.

  1. Ride the cable car up and walk the ancient path down to Nanyan.
  2. Stand on the Golden Peak and look out over the 'seventy-two peaks paying homage'.
  3. Catch the 6am or 5pm chanting at Zixiao Palace.
  4. Watch the free tai chi demonstration at Xiaoyao Valley.
  5. Eat a Taoist 'vegetables-as-meat' banquet at Zixiao or Taihe.
  6. Cross the nine-bend Yellow River Wall at Taizipo.

Highlights

What not to miss at Wudang

The Golden Peak

The summit of Tianzhu Peak at 1,612 m, crowned by China's largest bronze hall, gilded and cast in the Yuan and Ming dynasties. The climb is the point of the whole trip.

The Qiongtai cable car

The shortcut that saves the hardest climb, lifting you from Qiongtai almost to the summit with the ridges unrolling below. Runs about ¥90 up and ¥80 down in peak season.

Zixiao Palace

The best-preserved royal Taoist palace, built into the foot of Zhanqi Peak. Stay for the dawn or dusk chanting, the most alive temple experience on the mountain.

Nanyan Palace & the Dragon-Head Incense Burner

The loveliest of Wudang's 36 cliffs, its halls hung off sheer rock. At the gate, a carved stone dragon juts over the void — once a fatal test of faith.

Taizipo

A linear temple group famous for its nine-bend Yellow River Wall and the Pillar-of-Twelve-Beams hall, laid out to follow Zhenwu's youth. The quietest of the big sights.

The Taoist vegetarian feast

'Vegetables cooked as meat' — dishes shaped and named like fish and beef but made from tofu and wild greens. Served at Zixiao and Taihe and not to be missed.

Routes

Suggested itineraries

One day: the essence by cable car

1 day days

The efficient version — summit first, then the temples on the way down.

  1. Day 1

    Qiongtai · Golden Peak · Nanyan · Zixiao

    Take the shuttle to Qiongtai and ride the cable car up to the Golden Peak, passing the Transfer Hall and Taihe Palace into the purple-walled enclosure at the top.

    Come down on foot and by shuttle for Nanyan Palace, then finish at Zixiao Palace, the most complete of the surviving royal halls. About 5 to 6 hours on the mountain.

    Stops: QiongtaiGolden PeakChaotian PalaceHuanglong CaveNanyan PalaceZixiao Palace

Two days: temples and a slow descent

2 days days

Sleep on the mountain and take the long, rewarding walk down.

  1. Day 1

    Up to the summit, down to Wuling

    Cable car from Qiongtai to the Golden Peak in the morning, then walk down the ancient path via Chaotian Palace, Huanglong Cave and Langmei Shrine to Nanyan Palace.

    Sleep at Wuling (Wuyaling), just above the Nanyan car park, ready for sunrise on the ridge.

    Stops: QiongtaiGolden PeakChaotian PalaceHuanglong CaveLangmei ShrineNanyan PalaceWuling

  2. Day 2

    Zixiao · Xiaoyao Valley · Taizipo · back down

    Start early at Zixiao Palace for the chanting, then Xiaoyao Valley for the macaques and the 9am martial-arts demo.

    After lunch, Taizipo with its nine-bend wall, then down past Mozhen Well and Xuanyue Gate to the Taiji Lake, the Wudang Museum and an evening show.

    Stops: Zixiao PalaceXiaoyao ValleyTaizipoMozhen WellXuanyue GateTaiji Lake

Sights

The temples and sights worth your time

The Golden Peak (Jinding)

Must-see

The Golden Peak (Jinding)

The summit shrine of Tianzhu Peak at 1,612 m. Its gilded bronze hall — cast in the Yuan and Ming dynasties and carrying a tablet in the Kangxi emperor's hand — is the largest of its kind in China, and the approach crosses the 1,2,3 Heavenly Gates of the old pilgrim road.

Extra ticket
¥27
Summit
1,612 m
Best time
Before 9am for clear light

Tip The temperature drops fast up here and the summit is often in cloud — carry a layer even in summer.

Zixiao Palace (Purple Cloud Palace)

Royal hall

Zixiao Palace (Purple Cloud Palace)

Built into the foot of Zhanqi Peak as a royal place of worship, five terraces rising up its axis. It is the best-preserved and most imposing of Wudang's palaces, and the daily Taoist rituals at 6am and 5pm are open to quiet visitors.

Extra ticket
¥15
Ritual times
6am & 5pm daily
Built
Ming dynasty, royal patronage

Tip Come for the dawn service if you are staying nearby — it is the memory people take home.

Nanyan Palace

Cliff-side

Nanyan Palace

The most beautiful of Wudang's 36 rock faces, its halls hung directly off the cliff and oriented toward the Golden Peak. In front of Two-Rites Hall, a carved dragon juts over the void with an incense burner on its head — the notorious Dragon-Head Incense, now fenced off.

Setting
36-rock cliff face
Landmark
Dragon-Head Incense Burner
Walk time
30–45 min from the car park

Tip The narrow gallery above the Two-Rites Hall is where the portrait of Zhenwu is kept — easy to walk past and worth the detour.

Taizipo (Prince Slope)

Architecture

Taizipo (Prince Slope)

A long, linear temple group threaded down the road above Mozhen Well. It is famous for the nine-bend 'Yellow River Wall' and the one-pillar-twelve-beams hall, all built to follow the story of Zhenwu's youthful training here.

Famous for
Nine-bend wall, 12-beam pillar
Shrine
Prince's Reading Hall
Access
On the shuttle road

Tip The Prince's Reading Hall is the one place students come to pray for exam success — the only such shrine at Wudang.

With children

Xiaoyao Valley

A green valley below Nanyan where Wudang students give free tai chi and sword demonstrations at 9am and 3pm, and a troop of macaques lives in the neighbouring gully. The easiest stop to enjoy with children between the big palaces.

Shows
9am & 3pm, free
Also here
Macaque valley
Pace
Gentle, 1 hour

Tip Keep food out of sight — the macaques are bold and quick and used to tourists.

Xuanyue Gate & Yuxu Palace

At the foot

Xuanyue Gate & Yuxu Palace

Down in Laoying, the old gateway zone, a finely carved stone arch — the Xuanyue Gate — stands before Yuxu Palace, the largest of Wudang's ancient halls. It is the natural first or last stop if you have a spare hour near the gate.

Location
Laoying, near the gate
Yuxu Palace
Largest hall of the complex
Also nearby
Mozhen Well, Yuzhen Palace

Tip Yuzhen Palace was built by an emperor for Zhang Sanfeng, the founder of tai chi — a small detour with big history.

Food

What to eat on Wudang Mountain

Taoist vegetarian feast

The signature meal: meat-free dishes shaped and named like fish and beef, built from tofu, bracken and mountain greens. Served at Zixiao and Taihe palaces, ¥200 and up a banquet, ¥10 a head for the buffet-style version.

Wudang mountain banquet

A spread of the area's wild produce — monkey-head mushroom, wood ear, bamboo shoots — cooked simply to keep the mountain flavours.

Yunyang three-in-one soup

A hearty local soup of noodles, dumplings and meat in broth, served from a huge pot at the door of nearly every restaurant in town.

Guangshui braised pork & Huangpi trio

Classic Hubei dishes that show up on most menus here — slow-braised pork, and the Huangpi combination of fish, pork and meatballs.

Wudang guotie buns & Taiji Lake fish

Griddle-fried buns and fresh fish from the reservoir below the mountain, a favourite for an evening meal near the lake.

Xiangfan pepper soup

A peppery, warming soup of noodles, gluten and beef — the local breakfast, and best at a plain, busy hole-in-the-wall.

Where to eat

Restaurants and temple tables

Temple food

Zixiao Palace vegetarian hall

The most famous place to eat the Taoist feast, right inside the palace. Banquets from about ¥200 a table, or the economical buffet at roughly ¥10 a person.

Signature
Vegetables-as-meat banquet
Location
Inside Zixiao Palace
Price
¥10 buffet · ¥200+ banquet

Temple food

Taihe Palace vegetarian hall

The other temple kitchen, up near the summit complex. A set banquet runs about ¥200–300 a table and is the reward after the climb to the Golden Peak.

Signature
Mountain vegetarian set
Location
Taihe Palace, near the peak
Price
¥200–300 a table

Local favourite

Wuzhou Restaurant

A well-rounded local kitchen in town, known for its Xiangfan pepper soup — noodles, gluten, yam and beef in a peppery broth that locals rate as the real thing.

Known for
Xiangfan pepper soup
Address
Taihe Road, Zhangwan, by the radio station
Phone
0719-5666584

Street food

Yongle Shengshi snack street

A cluster of snack stalls near Yuxu Palace, the easy place to graze through Wudang's local bites without committing to a restaurant.

Best for
Snacks and small eats
Location
Near Yuxu Palace
Atmosphere
Lively in the evening

Where to stay

Hotels, hostels and temple stays

Budget

Wudangshan Youth Hostel

A family-run Western-style house with a courtyard, 500 m from the scenic-area gate and minutes from the station — the only place in the area with a self-catering kitchen, and the owner knows the mountain well.

Price
From ¥78 a bed
Address
Taihe West Road 14A101, near the gate
Phone
18372665659

On the mountain

Wudang Taiji Hotel (Wuling)

Rooms at the Wuling car park above Nanyan, where you can open the curtains on cloud-wrapped ridges and occasionally a full sea of cloud. The pick if you want the Golden Peak at dawn without a pre-dark climb.

Price
From ¥348
Location
Wuling, 100 m past the Nanyan car park
Phone
0719-5689888

Taoist retreat

Xuanyuan Jingshe

A quiet guesthouse inside the scenic area, backed by tea terraces and facing the summit, decorated in Taoist style. Runs tea service, vegetarian meals, guide hire and even Taoist robes.

Price
From ¥168
Location
Baxian Guan village, inside the park
Phone
0719-5689567

Comfort

Wudang Jianguo Hotel

A full-service hotel built into the slope at the mountain gate, beside the visitor centre and the Golden Street. The comfortable option if you want to start the shuttle early without staying up the mountain.

Price
From ¥419
Location
Yin Street, at the main gate
Phone
0719-5908888

Upscale

Taiji Lake International Hotel

A resort-style hotel by the Taiji Lake eco-zone below the mountain, with five detached presidential villas and several restaurants. Best for travellers with a car or those finishing on the lake side.

Price
From ¥498
Location
Taiji Lake new district, Ring Road 6
Phone
0719-8877777

Getting there

How to reach Wudang and get around

By train

The easiest way in. Wudangshan Station (Liuliping) is 1 km from the gate; Shiyan Station is about 30 minutes by bus or 10 by taxi, and more than 40 pairs of trains stop at the two daily.

Stations
Wudangshan (Liuliping) & Shiyan
From Wuhan
About 2 hours by high-speed rail
Last leg
Bus ¥5 · shared car about ¥10

By plane

Wudang has no airport of its own. Fly into Wuhan Tianhe (WUH) for the densest flights and connect by high-speed rail, or into Xiangyang (XFN), the closest regional airport, 1.5 hours away by road.

Main gateway
Wuhan Tianhe (WUH)
Closest airport
Xiangyang (XFN), about 1.5 hrs by road
Then
Rail to Shiyan or a direct coach

By bus

Coaches reach Wudangshan town from Wuhan (about 6 hours, ¥150), Shiyan (every 10 minutes, 1 hour, ¥8) and Xiangyang (about 2 hours, ¥50). From town, buses and shared cars run the last few kilometres to the gate.

From Wuhan
About 6 hrs · ¥150
From Shiyan
Every 10 min · 1 hr · ¥8
From Xiangyang
About 2 hrs · ¥50

Scenic shuttle

Private cars are not allowed inside. The green sightseeing buses link every stop — Qiongtai, the Nanyan car park and the trailheads — and are covered by the combined ticket.

Covered by
The ¥243 combined ticket
Runs to
Qiongtai, Nanyan, Taizipo
Cost
Included; single ride ¥5 if bought alone

Cable car

The Qiongtai–Golden Peak cable car runs in both directions and saves the hardest ascent. Peak season is roughly ¥90 up and ¥80 down; from 1 November to 31 January it drops to ¥70 and ¥60.

Peak season
¥90 up · ¥80 down
Low season
¥70 up · ¥60 down (Nov 1–Jan 31)
Route
Qiongtai ↔ Golden Peak

Shopping

What to take home from Wudang

Wudang Taoist tea

One of China's two great religious teas, picked on the slopes around Baxian Guan. Light, clean and sold as loose leaf or gift boxes along the walking street.

Wanshouteng walking sticks

Supple, well-grained canes carved into dragon, crane and longevity designs — the practical souvenir if you have been doing the steps.

Wudang kiwi and mandarins

The mountain's own fruit, sold at stalls inside the park — the smooth, long kiwi are the sweetest and the mandarin varieties turn up in tins.

Wudang daqu liquor

A cellared baijiu made with water from the Jian River, clear and mellow, easy to carry and a solid gift for anyone who drinks.

Practical

Tickets, hours and good to know

Tickets are per-person and the mountain is steep — build in rest stops, and never walk and look at the scenery at the same time.

Combined ticketAbout ¥243 — ¥140 entry + ¥100 shuttle + ¥3 insurance
Half-price ticketAbout ¥120 (¥70 entry + ¥50 shuttle)
Extra ticketsGolden Peak ¥27 · Zixiao Palace ¥15
Cable carPeak ¥90 up / ¥80 down · low season ¥70 / ¥60
Opening hours6:00–17:00
Official websitewudangshan.gov.cn
Temple etiquetteQuiet voices, no photos in halls, no pointing at statues, no meat or alcohol
What to wearTrainers or flat shoes; a jacket year-round

Tips

Things that make Wudang easier

Start early

The shuttle and cable car queues build fast after 9am, especially on holidays. Be at Qiongtai by 8am if you can — clear summit light is in the morning.

Walk down, not up

Cable car up, feet down. The descent on the ancient path past Chaotian Palace and Nanyan is the scenic half, and it saves your legs for the temples.

Dress for the mountain

Wudang runs several degrees colder than the town below and the weather turns quickly — carry a layer and a light rain jacket whatever the season.

Respect the temples

Keep your voice down, do not step on thresholds or point at statues, and never photograph inside the halls. Greet priests with a cupped-hands bow, not a handshake.

Watch the day

The park closes at 17:00 and the last shuttle is early — check times when you arrive so the walk down does not become a race.

Carry cash

Temple kitchens, small stalls and shared cars are easiest with cash; big hotels and the gate take cards and phones.

Background

The sacred mountain and its story

A mountain made sacred

Wudang stands in the far north-west of Hubei, in Shiyan's Danjiangkou district, with the Danjiangkou reservoir at its feet and the Shennongjia forest to the south. Tianzhu Peak rises to 1,612 m, and the mountain is famous for its 72 peaks, 36 rock faces, 24 streams and the old pilgrim path with its upper and lower eighteen bends.

It has been a place of retreat since at least the Spring and Autumn period. Tang Taizong built the first imperial shrine here after a successful rain prayer, and by the Tang dynasty Wudang was already listed as one of Taoism's 72 blessed lands. Its medical and herbal tradition — the 'natural pharmacy' of some 400 medicinal plants — grew alongside its religious reputation.

The Ming building boom and Zhang Sanfeng

Wudang's great age came in the Ming dynasty. The emperor Yongle, having rebuilt Beijing, turned the same ambition on Wudang: over twelve years his workmen built nine palaces, eight temples, 36 halls and 72 cliff shrines, a complex in royal style said to have more rooms than the Forbidden City itself. The buildings were laid out to follow the story of the immortal Zhenwu, giving the mountain its 'immortal palace on earth' character.

The other name bound to Wudang is Zhang Sanfeng, the wandering Taoist credited with founding tai chi and the internal martial arts. Whether legend or history, he turned Wudang into the southern pole of Chinese martial culture — 'north reveres Shaolin, south reveres Wudang' — and the mountain remains a place where you can watch that lineage being practised in the courtyards today.

Travel with them

Watch and read before you go

Film

The Four (大武当之天地密码)

Dir. Leung Pak-wing

A wuxia adventure set on Wudang as rival martial families converge for a tournament and a hidden treasure — glossy, silly and a good warm-up for the temples.

Book

The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber (倚天屠龙记)

Jin Yong

Jin Yong's classic wuxia novel, in which Wudang and its founder Zhang Sanfeng loom large. The stories of honour and rivalry that shaped the mountain's fame.

Documentary

Exploring Wudang (问道武当)

CCTV

A nine-part series that follows the mountain through the seasons, from the temples and relics to the legends of its sacred geography on the 30th parallel.

Film

Wudang Boy (武当少年)

Dir. —

A gentle Taiwan-set drama about a sickly boy who goes to Wudang to learn martial arts, a portrait of the schools and students that still fill the mountain.

The questions visitors ask us most about Wudang Mountain, answered plainly.

Frequently asked questions

Prices and practical details are reviewed every month by our Beijing team and updated the day a rule changes.

How many days do I need for Wudang Mountain?

One day covers the highlights — Golden Peak, Nanyan, Zixiao and Taizipo — using the cable car and shuttle, about 5 to 6 hours on the mountain. Two days is better: walk down from the peak, sleep at Wuling and catch the dawn chanting at Zixiao.

Is the Wudang cable car worth it?

Yes — take it up and walk down. The climb from Qiongtai to the Golden Peak is long and steep, while the descent on foot past Chaotian Palace, Huanglong Cave and Langmei Shrine to Nanyan is the scenic reward. The cable car costs about ¥90 up and ¥80 down in peak season.

How do I get to Wudang Mountain?

By high-speed rail to Wudangshan Station (1 km from the gate) or Shiyan East, both about 2 hours from Wuhan, then a bus or taxi. There is no airport on the mountain; fly into Wuhan (WUH) and connect by rail, or into Xiangyang (XFN) and drive about 1.5 hours.

Where should I stay on Wudang Mountain?

In Wudangshan town by the gate there are hotels and hostels from about ¥78 a bed. On the mountain, Wuling near the Nanyan car park is where to sleep for the Golden Peak at dawn; rooms cost more but save you the early climb. A few temples also take guests.

What should I know about Taoist etiquette at Wudang?

Keep your voice down, do not point at or touch the statues, do not step on the thresholds, and do not take photos inside the halls. Greet a priest with a cupped-hands bow rather than a handshake, and avoid asking a Taoist their age — longevity is a private matter. Bring no meat, alcohol or strong-smelling food into the temples.

When is the best time to visit Wudang Mountain?

April to June and September to November. Spring brings the Third-Month Fair on the third day of the third lunar month; autumn brings the Ninth-Month rite marking Zhenwu's ascent. Summer is hot and busy, winter cold and quiet, and the mountain is always cooler than the plain.

Do I need to book a Wudang Mountain tour in advance?

For the mountain itself you can go independently, but tickets to the Golden Peak sell in limited numbers on busy dates, and temple stays are booked up around the fairs. If you want a guide, a temple night or the Tai Chi Wudang show, arrange it a few days ahead.

Can I visit Wudang as a day trip from Wuhan?

It is possible by high-speed rail — about 2 hours each way — but it makes for a very long day and you miss the dawn on the summit. An overnight, either in Wudangshan town or at Wuling, is far better and lets you catch Zixiao's early chanting.

Plan this trip

Prefer it arranged for you?

The same places, with a driver, an English-speaking guide and the tickets already bought.

Wudang Mountain Wudang Mountain Hubei · 0 tours Wudang Mountain is the Taoist holy mountain of Hubei and a UNESCO World Heritage site, famous as the birthplace of tai chi and for the largest bronze
See Wudang Mountain tours & prices Wudang Mountain tours

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Mount Heng (Hengshan, Hunan) Mount Heng (Hengshan, Hunan) City guide · 12 tours The South Great Peak: a pilgrimage mountain of 72 summits where the temples run all the way to the top, and the sunrise over the cloud sea is the whole point. Huangshan Huangshan City guide · 12 tours Yellow Mountain: 82 granite peaks of twisted pines and grotesque rock, a sea of cloud that changes by the hour, and hot springs at the foot. Luoyang Luoyang City guide · 12 tours Thirteen dynasties, 100,000 Buddhas carved into a river cliff, China's first Buddhist temple — and a whole city that turns peony-pink every April. Yuntai Mountain Yuntai Mountain City guide · 12 tours A UNESCO geopark in Henan where red-stone gorges squeeze a river to a slot, a 314 m waterfall drops in one plunge, and every path leads to another pool. Rizhao Rizhao City guide · 12 tours A low-key Shandong beach town where the sun rises straight out of the Yellow Sea, the sand runs 60 km and a seafood dinner costs less than a coffee in Shanghai. Yantai Yantai City guide · 12 tours A northern Shandong port of fairy-tale cliffs, wine cellars and long golden beaches — where emperors once hunted the elixir of life and China's wine industry still begins. Lianyungang Lianyungang City guide · 12 tours A working Jiangsu port with a myth in the middle of it — the Flower-Fruit Mountain of Journey to the West, a sea causeway to a big island beach, and some of the cheapest seafood on the coast. Sanqing Mountain Sanqing Mountain City guide · 12 tours A vertical forest of granite pillars in Jiangxi — the Python Out of the Mountain, the Goddess of the East Sea, two cable cars and a cliff-hugging walkway at 1,660 metres. Tianjin Tianjin City guide · 12 tours Beijing's port city next door — a river of 24 bridges, 2,000 colonial villas, and the best street breakfast in northern China. Datong Datong City guide · 12 tours A frontier capital of carved Buddhas — the Yungang Grottoes, a temple pinned to a cliff, and the oldest wooden tower in China. Taiyuan Taiyuan City guide · 12 tours Shanxi's provincial capital and noodle heartland — the spring of Jinci, two Ming pagodas, and a museum that explains the whole province. Pingyao Pingyao City guide · 12 tours China's best-preserved ancient walled town — a Ming wall, the first Chinese bank, and two temples of painted clay just outside the gates. Wutai Mountain Wutai Mountain City guide · 12 tours China's foremost Buddhist mountain — fifty-plus temples in one valley, crowned by five flat-topped peaks up to 3,058 m. Hulunbuir Hulunbuir City guide · 12 tours China's finest grassland — a 263,000 km² sweep of steppe, birch forest and border river, best driven with the windows down. The Forbidden City The Forbidden City City guide · 12 tours Beijing's 600-year imperial palace — 8,700 rooms behind a 72-hectare wall, and the largest surviving wooden palace complex on earth. Sanya Sanya City guide · 12 tours China's only true winter-sun coast — four very different bays, a coral island and a 108 m sea Buddha, all at 18° north. Haikou Haikou City guide · 12 tours Hainan's capital is the island's living city — 600-year-old arcade streets, a volcanic village, and a morning-tea-to-midnight food culture. Beihai Beihai City guide · 12 tours 24 km of fine white sand on one side, a volcanic island of coral and lava on the other — plus a 19th-century arcade old street in between. Nanning Nanning City guide · 12 tours Guangxi's green capital is a gateway to Detian Falls, Beihai and Vietnam — and a genuinely excellent food city if you let it slow you down. Guangxi Guangxi City guide · 12 tours One autonomous region, a dozen landscapes — limestone peaks and rice terraces in the north, a Vietnam border and a warm gulf coast in the south. Huizhou Huizhou City guide · 12 tours A free West Lake, a Taoist mountain and 200 km of white-sand coast — the Pearl River Delta's most underrated weekend. Beidaihe Beidaihe City guide · 12 tours Northern China's classic beach escape — one sunrise headland, 10 km of calm swimming water, and a bird flyway overhead twice a year. Shanhaiguan Shanhaiguan City guide · 12 tours The town where the Great Wall stops being a rumour of mountains and walks into the Bohai Sea. Baiyangdian Baiyangdian City guide · 12 tours The biggest freshwater lake on the North China Plain — and almost none of it can be reached except by boat. Qinhuangdao Qinhuangdao City guide · 12 tours 126 km of Bohai coast in one municipality — a working port, two famous resorts, and the only desert dunes that meet this sea. Yesanpo Yesanpo City guide · 12 tours Gorge country where the Taihang and Yan ranges collide — 52.5 km of canyon walls, a cave that spits fish, and a river to fall off. Zhuhai Zhuhai City guide · 12 tours The delta's slow city: a 28 km promenade, 146 islands, oysters fattened where the river meets the sea. Wuyi Mountain Wuyi Mountain City guide · 12 tours Nine bends of clear water, red sandstone cliffs, and the tea that made a mountain's name. Jiuzhaigou Jiuzhaigou City guide · 12 tours 108 mineral-blue lakes in one 55 km valley — the place that ruins water everywhere else for you. Mount Siguniang Mount Siguniang City guide · 12 tours Four snow peaks, three valleys, and the friendliest 5,000 m mountain in China to stand on top of. Hailuogou Hailuogou City guide · 12 tours A glacier that comes down to 2,850 m, hot springs in the forest, and Gongga Shan filling the sky above both. Daocheng Yading Daocheng Yading City guide · 12 tours Three 6,000 m sacred peaks, glacial lakes at 4,600 m and twenty hours of road — the hardest, highest payoff in Sichuan. Shunan Bamboo Sea Shunan Bamboo Sea City guide · 12 tours Seventy thousand mu of bamboo over twenty-eight hills, a red sandstone corridor under a closed green roof, and a banquet made entirely of bamboo. Dujiangyan Dujiangyan City guide · 12 tours Not a monument but a machine: three pieces of engineering with no dam, still doing their job after 2,270 years. Qingcheng Mountain Qingcheng Mountain City guide · 12 tours The mountain where Daoism was organised, and the one Chengdu escapes to when the basin turns into an oven. Qingdao Qingdao City guide · 12 tours Red-tiled roofs, cold beer and a granite mountain that walks straight into the sea — the easiest good time on the Yellow Sea. Mount Tai Mount Tai City guide · 12 tours 1,545 metres, 6,290 stone steps and three thousand years of emperors — the one mountain in China that is also a document. Jinan Jinan City guide · 12 tours A provincial capital with 700 springs under the pavement — people still queue at the spouts to fill their kettles. Weihai Weihai City guide · 12 tours 1,000 km of clean coast, a free bathing beach, the island where the Beiyang Fleet died — and thousands of wild swans every winter. Qufu Qufu City guide · 12 tours One family, two thousand years of steles, and a ¥150 pass that covers the lot — the easiest serious day trip in Shandong. Penglai Penglai City guide · 12 tours China's immortals' coast — a Song-dynasty naval harbour you can walk for free, a mythology nobody ever found, and the ferry to 32 islands. Changdao Changdao City guide · 12 tours 32 islands, one causeway, a ¥150 land pass, tens of thousands of gulls and nowhere you can drive — the place where everything happens by boat. Nanjing Nanjing City guide · 12 tours Capital of six dynasties, capital of the Republic, and the city that eats more duck than anywhere else on earth. Suzhou Suzhou City guide · 12 tours Two thousand five hundred years of canals, sixty surviving gardens, and a city that shuts its gates at half past five. Zhouzhuang Zhouzhuang City guide · 12 tours Nine hundred years, fourteen bridges, one ticket — and a town that only makes sense before eight in the morning. Tongli Tongli City guide · 12 tours Fifteen canals, seven islets, forty-nine bridges — and a town that still gets up at dawn because it lives here. Wuxi Wuxi City guide · 12 tours Taihu on one side, a Grand Buddha on the next hill, and ribs sweet enough to argue about — the most underrated city on the Yangtze delta. Yangzhou Yangzhou City guide · 12 tours A city built by salt merchants who had more money than restraint — gardens, a narrow lake, and the best breakfast in China. Zhenjiang Zhenjiang City guide · 12 tours Three hills, one ferry landing, and an unreasonable share of Chinese literature — the Yangtze city people drive past. Changzhou Changzhou City guide · 12 tours A 2,500-year-old canal city that built a dinosaur park and refuses to apologise for it. Wuzhen Wuzhen City guide · 12 tours A town that is two towns: the older, quieter East Zone and the lit-up West Zone you sleep inside. Xitang Xitang City guide · 12 tours Nine canals, 122 lanes, one long roofed corridor — and a town that still works for a living. Hangzhou Hangzhou City guide · 12 tours A lake in the middle of a city, a tea village in the hills, and two thousand years of getting the mood right. Xixi Wetland Xixi Wetland City guide · 12 tours Ten square kilometres of marsh inside Hangzhou, and the only way into half of it is a boat. Ningbo Ningbo City guide · 12 tours A 7,000-year-old port with Asia's oldest private library, a free waterfront 20 years older than Shanghai's, and the best seafood before the islands. Mount Putuo Mount Putuo City guide · 12 tours A Buddhist island with no cars, three great temples and a ¥10 lunch that is the point of the place. Qiandao Lake Qiandao Lake City guide · 12 tours A thousand islands that did not exist sixty years ago, and the cleanest big-lake water in China. Shaoxing Shaoxing City guide · 12 tours Two and a half thousand years of water-town China, and Lu Xun's house is free. Zhoushan Zhoushan City guide · 12 tours 1,390 islands, one road bridge in, and a harbour that lands more fish than almost anywhere on earth. Hengdian Hengdian City guide · 12 tours A backlot the size of a town, where the palaces are copies and the film crews are real. Yandang Mountain Yandang Mountain City guide · 12 tours A volcano that weathering turned into scenery — 500-odd sights of peak, cave and waterfall across eight scenic areas. Zhejiang Zhejiang City guide · 12 tours One small, mountainous, absurdly rich province that holds a lake, two canal towns, a Buddhist island and a dead volcano. Hong Kong Outlying Islands Hong Kong Outlying Islands City guide · 12 tours Two hundred-odd islands, half an hour of ferry from the financial district, and not a car on three of them. Hong Kong Shopping Hong Kong Shopping City guide · 12 tours A duty-free port where the tag starts lower, two citywide sale seasons knock a third off, and every mall sits on an MTR exit. Macao Macao City guide · 12 tours Four hundred years of Portuguese streets, a fake Venice under a painted sky, and the best egg tart in Asia. Urumqi Urumqi City guide · 12 tours The city furthest from the sea, with a snow range on its doorstep and dinner starting at nine. Hong Kong SAR, China Hong Kong SAR, China City guide · 11 tours A harbour skyline you already know by heart, dim sum trolleys at dawn, and 260 islands an hour from the neon. Taiwan, China Taiwan, China City guide · 11 tours Night-market alleys, high-mountain railways, and a coastline that changes character every hundred kilometres. Qinghai Lake Qinghai Lake City guide · 12 tours A 4,400 sq km inland sea at 3,200 m, ringed by rapeseed gold, prayer flags and the best cycling road in China. Mount Emei Mount Emei City guide · 11 tours A 3,099-metre Buddhist summit you can reach by cable car before lunch — and a mountain full of monkeys that will absolutely rob you. Beijing Beijing City guide · 11 tours Six centuries of imperial red walls, a Great Wall you can climb before lunch, and the best roast duck on earth. Taipei Taipei City guide · 11 tours A 24-hour bookstore, a night market that never stops sizzling, and a city that apologises when you bump into it. North Xinjiang North Xinjiang City guide · 11 tours Alpine lakes the colour of poured enamel, a village of log cabins under birch trees, and the last tear the Atlantic ever sheds. Lanzhou Lanzhou City guide · 11 tours A city split in half by the Yellow River, where beef noodles are a breakfast ritual and the Silk Road still runs through the streets. Mount Hua Mount Hua City guide · 11 tours Five granite peaks, one plank road bolted to a cliff face, and a sunrise that justifies the 2am start. Dunhuang Dunhuang City guide · 11 tours A desert oasis where Buddhist cave art survived a thousand years and a crescent lake refused to dry up. Gannan Gannan City guide · 11 tours 433 kilometres of the Yellow River's first bend, a 3.5 km prayer-wheel circuit, and Tibetan grasslands almost nobody has commercialised yet. Sichuan–Tibet Highway Sichuan–Tibet Highway City guide · 11 tours 2,142 kilometres of cliff-edge switchbacks, four of China's most beautiful mountains, and a road the Tibetans walk on their knees. Kangding Kangding City guide · 11 tours The town that gave Asia its most famous love song, a 7,556m sacred peak on its doorstep, and the last real Tibetan town before the road climbs to Lhasa. Lhasa Lhasa City guide · 12 tours A city of prayer wheels and butter lamps at 3,700 metres, where the sun shines 3,000 hours a year and the world's highest palace watches over it all. Nyingchi Nyingchi City guide · 11 tours Tibet's greenest corner — peach blossom valleys, a 7,782 m peak that hides from almost everyone, and the world's deepest canyon. Namtso Namtso City guide · 11 tours A 1,920-square-kilometre sheet of impossible blue at 4,718 metres, ringed by snow peaks and prayer flags. Chongqing Chongqing City guide · 12 tours A vertical city of fog, cable cars and cliff-side stilt houses, where the火锅 never stops boiling and the night skyline outshines Hong Kong. Qiandongnan Qiandongnan City guide · 11 tours A thousand Miao households stacked up a mountainside, drum towers and wind-rain bridges in Dong villages, and a 600-year-old Ming garrison town on the road to Guiyang. Libo Libo City guide · 11 tours Emerald rivers threading through karst peaks, a 600-metre forest growing out of a riverbed, and China's largest wild plum grove. Guiyang Guiyang City guide · 11 tours China's summer capital at 1,100 metres, where the nights run on sour fish soup, street-side barbecue and mahjong that never quite stops. Zhenyuan Zhenyuan City guide · 11 tours A 2,000-year-old river town where the Wuyang River carves an S through the mountains and every lane hides a story. Huangguoshu Huangguoshu City guide · 11 tours Asia's biggest waterfall, and the only one on earth you can walk behind, above and around — plus 600-year-old Ming dynasty villages a short drive away. Harbin Harbin City guide · 11 tours Minus 30 degrees, a frozen river you can walk across, and a cathedral built by Russians who never went home. Yunnan Yunnan City guide · 11 tours Snow mountains, tropical rainforest, twenty-five minorities and a plate of rice noodles — all in one province. Shanghai Shanghai City guide · 11 tours A 1920s waterfront of colonial banks facing a science-fiction skyline, soup dumplings you eat with a straw, and 20 million people moving like clockwork. Zhangjiajie Zhangjiajie City guide · 11 tours Three thousand sandstone pillars straight out of Avatar, a glass skywalk bolted to a cliff, and a cable car that leaves from downtown. Guangzhou Guangzhou City guide · 11 tours A 2,200-year-old trading port where dim sum is a religion, colonial islands sit beside 600-metre towers, and the food never stops. Guilin Guilin City guide · 11 tours Karst peaks rising straight out of a green river, rice terraces carved into mountainsides, and the best bowl of noodles you'll eat in China. Shenzhen Shenzhen City guide · 11 tours A fishing village that became a megacity in forty years — and it still has 500-year-old banyans, empty beaches and dim sum worth the border crossing. Chengdu Chengdu City guide · 11 tours A 3,000-year-old city where the schedule is tea, mahjong and hotpot — and the pandas are just the opening act. Xinjiang Xinjiang City guide · 11 tours Snow peaks, grassland, desert and oasis — one-sixth of China, and the longest road you will ever ride. Xi'an Xi'an City guide · 14 tours Thirteen dynasties of emperors, a terracotta army buried for 2,200 years, and a walled city you can cycle in 100 minutes. Qinghai Qinghai City guide · 11 tours China's high-altitude blue heart: a salt lake you can walk on, a 3,200-metre sea, and yak butter tea at the roof of the world. Tibet Tibet City guide · 11 tours A plateau the size of Western Europe where the sky starts at your feet, prayer flags carry the wind, and the roads run past 8,000-metre peaks.

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  • Cable car up, walk down — the descent past Chaotian Palace and Nanyan is the best part.
  • The ¥243 combined ticket covers entry and shuttle; the Golden Peak (¥27), Zixiao (¥15) and cable car are extra.
  • Free tai chi and sword demos at Xiaoyao Valley, daily at 9am and 3pm.

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