Hunan

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Old town above waterfalls, in Hunan province, China

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Overview

As the birthplace of Mao Zedong, Communist Party cadres might wax lyrical about the sacred standing of Hunan (湖南; Húnán) in the annals of Chinese history, but it's the province's dramatic scenery that is the real draw. A magnificent landscape of isolated mountain ranges and jagged peaks envelops more than 80% of the province. The most astonishing example is found at the phantasmagorical Zhangjiajie, one of China's most surreal national parks. Here, as in other parts of the province, geological marvels thrust up majestically from green vales fed by tributaries in the fertile Yangzi River basin.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Zhangjiajie

Among China’s crop of surreal landscapes, Zhangjiajie has got to be a contender for one of the most impressive. A forest of spectacularly weathered spires…

Qianyang Old Town

Hunan

If you've made it all the way to Hongjiang, don't overlook nearby Qianyang, another historic river town with a completely different architectural style…

Hongjiang Old Town

Hunan

The old town can be visited in half a day, and undulates in a delightful, higgledy-piggledy, often steep, maze of narrow stone-flagged alleys and lanes…

Heng Shan

Hunan

Seventy-two peaks spanning 400km comprise the Heng Shan range, but most visitors focus on Zhurong Peak, rising 1290m above sea level.

Binglang Valley

Zhangjiajie

If you speak some Chinese and want to get well off the beaten track, this staggeringly beautiful mountain valley and its caves, natural arches and…

Former Residence of Mao Zedong

Hunan

Surrounded by lotus ponds and rice paddies, this modest mud-brick house is like millions of other country homes except that Mao was born here in 1893. By…

Golden Whip Stream

Zhangjiajie

On the canyon floor, the Golden Whip Stream area is a peaceful, flat trail meandering 5.7km east from the Forest Park entrance to the Bailong Elevator …

Tiānzǐ Shān

Zhangjiajie

This area is at the top of the plateau near the Wulingyuan entrance, and enjoys many of the park's more spectacular viewpoints. It can be reached directly…

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