It's not that traveling abroad is unaffordable, but Changsha offers better value.
Here's a refined Changsha travel guide for you, without pictures, covering attractions, food, accommodation, and transportation. I hope it helps you have a great time in Changsha:
Recommended Attractions
1. History and Culture:
◦ Hunan Museum: Rich in collections, including precious artifacts from the Mawangdui Han Tombs and Yuelu Academy. It is recommended to book tickets in advance on the official platform. You can rent an audio guide or join the scheduled free guided tours for a better understanding of the stories behind the exhibits. Open from Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (last entry at 4:00 pm). Closed on Mondays (except national holidays).
◦ Yuelu Mountain and Yuelu Academy: Yuelu Mountain is a landmark attraction in Changsha. You can take the cable car up and walk down, enjoying the beautiful mountain scenery. Yuelu Academy is one of the four famous academies of ancient China, with a profound cultural heritage. The academy is open from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm, and tickets cost around 40 yuan.
◦ Orange Isle: The Chairman Mao Zedong Youth Art Sculpture is a must-see. You can take the scenic train to tour the island. The scenic area is open all day, and the train ticket costs 20 yuan (round trip).
◦ Du Fu Jiang Ge: Built in memory of Du Fu, you can climb up and enjoy a panoramic view of the Xiang River. The scenery is beautiful at night when the lights are on. It's also an excellent spot to watch the fireworks show over Orange Isle. Open from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm, and tickets cost around 30 yuan.
2. Urban Leisure:
◦ Huangxing Road Walking Street: The number one commercial street in Sanxiang, with numerous shops and snack stalls. It's a great place to experience the bustling commercial atmosphere of Changsha.
◦ IFS Tower: A fashionable landmark with the popular "KAWS: SEEING/WATCHING" sculpture on the rooftop, attracting many people to take photos. The mall has a wide range of brands, covering fashion, dining, and entertainment.
◦ Taiping Old Street and Pozi Street: Old streets full of Changsha characteristics, preserving many ancient buildings and gathering various snacks and specialty shops. Jia Yi's former residence is also located on Taiping Old Street.
3. Family Fun:
◦ Window of the World (Changsha): Features miniature landscapes of world-famous landmarks, as well as various amusement facilities and performances, suitable for family outings. Generally open from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm (subject to the scenic area's announcement), and tickets cost around 200 yuan.
◦ Huayi Brothers (Changsha) Movie Town: A movie-themed cultural tourism resort with a European-style town. You can watch performances, experience movie-related projects, and take great photos. Open from 9:30 am to 9:00 pm (subject to seasonal adjustments), and tickets cost around 150 yuan.
◦ Changsha Underwater World: You can see various marine creatures and enjoy performances at the Ocean Theatre. There's also a water park area for cooling off in the summer. Open from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, and tickets cost around 150 yuan.
Food Recommendations
1. Hunan Cuisine:
◦ Steamed Fish Head with Chopped Chili: Made with bighead carp fish head, chopped chili, soy sauce, ginger, onion, garlic, and other ingredients. Recommended restaurants: Yizhandeng, Yuloudong, and Chuiyan Xiaochao Huangniurou.
◦ Stir-fried Pork with Chili: Made with fresh pork and chili, spicy and delicious.
◦ Spicy Zi Ran Chicken: Golden in color, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a strong spicy flavor.
2. Local Snacks:
◦ Stinky Tofu: The stinky tofu at Huogongdian Snack Kingdom is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, served with a unique soup and seasonings.
◦ Sugar Oil Baba: The sugar oil baba at Nanmenkou Jinji Tang You Tuotuo Dian is reddish-brown, sweet, and soft.
◦ Fried Snacks: Wenmiaoping Zhazhazha and Huji Zhazhazha offer a wide variety of fried snacks with unique flavors.
◦ Rice Noodles with Lard: The rice noodles with lard at Xiao Pangzi Zhu You Ban Fen are fragrant and smooth.
3. Trendy Food:
◦ Cha Yan Yue Se: A local milk tea brand in Changsha with many unique flavors, such as Youlan Latte and Shengsheng Oolong. Many branches are available.
◦ Wen He You: A retro-style restaurant famous for its spicy crayfish and other specialties, recreating the old Changsha style.
◦ Tianbao Brothers: Specializing in spicy crayfish, the crayfish are of high quality and the flavor is spicy and satisfying.
Accommodation Suggestions
1. Wuyi Business District: Convenient transportation, surrounded by various restaurants, and close to major attractions, making it the first choice for most tourists. There are high-end hotels like Niccolo Changsha, as well as many cost-effective chain hotels and homestays.
2. Near Yuelu Mountain: Beautiful environment, suitable for those who prefer a quiet stay and want to visit Yuelu Mountain and Yuelu Academy nearby. There are some characteristic inns and homestays where you can experience the local culture.
3. Along the Xiang River: You can enjoy the river view and the beautiful night scenery and fireworks show in the evening. Some hotels have excellent locations and convenient transportation.
Transportation Guide
1. Airport: Changsha Huanghua International Airport is far from the city center. You can take the Maglev Express, airport bus, or taxi to the city. The Maglev Express goes directly to Changsha South Railway Station, which is convenient for transferring to the subway.
2. Railway Stations: Changsha has Changsha Railway Station and Changsha South Railway Station. Changsha Railway Station is located in the city center, while Changsha South Railway Station is a high-speed rail station. From the railway stations, you can take the subway, bus, or taxi to your destination.
3. City Transportation: Changsha Metro has opened multiple lines, covering most attractions and business districts, making it convenient to travel around. The bus network is also well-developed, and some attractions may require taking a bus. In addition, you can also choose to take a taxi or use shared bikes.
When traveling in Changsha, remember to plan your itinerary reasonably, check the opening hours and ticket information of each attraction in advance, and choose reputable restaurants when trying local cuisine to ensure a pleasant trip.
Ms. Wang Mengdan's explanation of the Mawangdui exhibits was professional and engaging, detailing historical events in a vivid and detailed manner. She also interacted with us, making the experience highly participatory. Her service was patient and meticulous. Even though the museum was quite crowded, Ms. Wang Mengdan adjusted the order of the exhibits according to the actual situation and shared additional photos. Overall, the experience was quite relaxed, and the hour and a half passed quickly.
The explanation was superb! The two and a half hours were perfect, and the guide's explanation ranked among the top three I've ever seen at provincial museums. Not only was the explanation detailed and interesting, but it also took into account the physical condition of elderly people. I have already recommended Wang Runan, the guide, to my friends!
I visited the Hunan Museum the day before running the Changsha Marathon. The Changsha County of the Han Dynasty was located in the south of the Chu State. The cultural relics there felt more profound and the colors were also strong. The Mawangdui Han Tomb buried the family of three of Li Cang, the first Chu Marquis of the Western Han Dynasty. Li Xi, the son of Li Xi, died first in Tomb No. 1. The female corpse Xin Zhui, who has not decayed for a thousand years, was the wife of Li Xi's mother Li Cang. Experts said that "the discovery of the Mawangdui Han Tomb has changed people's understanding of many historical events in the early Western Han Dynasty, and it is of great significance." For example, the unearthed silk version of the Tao Te Ching is very different from the previous version. When I saw the bamboo baskets in Figure 5, which were two thousand years old, and the comments of Huainanzi, I suddenly felt that it was also very appropriate to describe us, "Now horse racers are flocking to it, running all over the country, exchanging salt and sweat, and breathing thin throats."
Hunan Museum is one of the must-see classic projects in Changsha. It is very convenient to get there by subway. There are many cultural relics in Hunan, such as the gemstone coffin and silk clothes. There are also many cultural and creative products related to the museum, and you can choose the products you like. Remember to make an appointment in advance to avoid missing out.
Hunan Provincial Museum is an important museum in China. It is one of the first national first-class museums, with more than 180,000 collections covering history, art, folklore and other fields. The unearthed cultural relics from the Mawangdui Han Tomb in the museum are particularly famous, such as the Susha Zenyi, which shows the superb textile skills of ancient times. The bronzes of the Shang and Zhou dynasties, Chu cultural relics, ceramics of various dynasties, calligraphy and paintings, and modern and contemporary cultural relics are also of great value. Hunan Provincial Museum is not only a place for the collection of cultural relics, but also an important place for inheriting and promoting Hunan culture, attracting many tourists and scholars to visit and study. Are you interested in the collections, exhibitions or other aspects of Hunan Provincial Museum? There are many treasures in Hunan Provincial Museum, among which the more famous ones include: 1. Susha Danyi: This is the earliest, thinnest and lightest clothing treasure ever seen, reflecting the superb textile technology of the Western Han Dynasty. 2. Figure Dragon and Phoenix Silk Painting: It is one of the earliest existing silk paintings in China, with extremely high artistic and historical value. 3. Shan Fang Lei: Its shape is majestic, and it combines standing sculpture, relief sculpture, and line sculpture, showing exquisite craftsmanship. These cultural relics are important witnesses of Hunan's history and culture, and have inestimable value.
Hunan Museum is a popular museum, and it is popular because of the unearthed Xin Zhui and her husband's grandmother from the Han Dynasty. However, it is not easy to book tickets for it, and you have to book it about a week in advance. Sometimes there are some great special exhibitions here, which are also worth your stop, such as the recent special exhibition "Only Chu Fengliu - The Calligraphy and Painting of Hunan Scholars and Officials in the Ming and Qing Dynasties", which exhibits the original calligraphy and painting of Hunan predecessors and scholars and officials who served in Hunan, such as Wang Fuzhi, Wang Xianqian, He Shaoji, Wang Kaiyun, Zeng Guofan, Zeng Guoquan, Zuo Zongtang, Peng Yulin, Guo Songtao, Zhao Shenqiao, Peng Jun, Qian Feng, etc. It is worth seeing.
When you come to Hunan, you must punch in the Hunan Provincial Museum! It is the pearl of Hunan culture, the first national-level museum. There are more than 180,000 cultural relics in the museum. The cultural relics unearthed at Ma Wangdui Han Tomb are amazing. The plain yarn single clothes are as thin as wings, and the T-shaped painting is mysterious and fantastic. The bronze bronzes of Shangzhou and Zhouzhou are beautifully shaped and show the superb skills of the ancients. There are also Chu cultural relics, ceramics, calligraphy and paintings of all generations, and the pieces are all artistic treasures. "Changsha Ma Wangdui Han Tomb" and "Hunan People - Sanxiang History and Culture Exhibition" are two basic displays, which will take you through time and space and appreciate the process of Huxiang civilization. This is not only the temple of cultural relics, but also the bridge of cultural heritage. Whether it is history lovers or ordinary tourists, they can harvest knowledge and touch here. Come to Hunan Provincial Museum and start a cultural journey that shock the soul!