Anhui

Anhui is an inland province located in East China. Its provincial capital and largest city is Hefei. The province is located across the basins of the Yangtze and Huai rivers, bordering Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the east, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei and Henan to the west, and Shandong to the north. With a population of 61 million, Anhui is the 9th most populous province in China. It is the 22nd largest Chinese province based on area, and the 12th most densely-populated region of all 34 Chinese provincial regions. Anhui's population is mostly composed of Han Chinese. Languages spoken within the province include Lower Yangtze Mandarin, Wu, Hui, Gan and small portion of Central Plains Mandarin. The name "Anhui" derives from the names of two cities: Anqing and Huizhou (now Huangshan City). The abbreviation for Anhui is Wǎn (皖), corresponding to the historical state of Wan [zh], and is also used to refer to the Wan River and Mount Tianzhu. The provincial government of Anhui includes a Governor, Provincial Congress, the People's Political Consultative Conference, and the Provincial Higher People's Court. Aside from managing local government departments, the Anhui provincial government manages 16 cities, 62 counties, 43 county-level districts and 1,522 townships. Anhui's total GDP ranked 14th among China's 31 province-level regions as of 2022.

One-Day Anhui Tour Itinerary Recommendations

Theme:

Ancient Huizhou Culture + Majestic Landscapes + Authentic Flavors

Suitable for:

Short trips to Huangshan/Hongcun/She County, ideal with self-driving/high-speed rail + shuttle bus

Practical Tips

Seasonal Highlights:

Huangshan cloud seas (winter-spring), Hongcun rapeseed flowers (Mar-Apr), Xin'an River redwoods (Dec)

Ticket Prices:

Huangshan ¥190 + cable car ¥80, Hongcun ¥104, She County combo ticket ¥80

Must-Try Foods:

Huangshan: Clay pot stew, fern with bacon

Huizhou: Lingshan fermented rice, Shendian dumplings

She County: Stone griddle cakes, hairy tofu

Optimization Tips:

For Huangshan, stay overnight for sunrise (requires 2 days)

Short on time? Skip Xidi to focus on Hongcun + Lucun

Pair She County with "Huizhou Rhyme" night show (8pm)

(Note: Attractions are spread out—focus on 2-3 nearby spots for depth!)

Option 1:

Huangshan Mountain Challenge

Best for:

Hikers, photography enthusiasts

Transport:

Shuttle bus from Tangkou Town

06:30-08:00 Yungu Temple Cable Car ascent

08:30-12:00 Beihai Scenic Area → Xihai Grand Canyon

Must-see: Flower Blooming on Brush Tip, Monkey Gazing at Sea, Cloud Sea at Paiyun Pavilion (weather permitting)

12:30-13:30 Mountain-top lunch

Baiyun Hotel buffet (try hairy tofu)

14:00-16:30 Bright Summit → Guest-Greeting Pine → Yuping Cable Car descent

Photo op at Aoyu Peak's "One-Line Sky"

17:30 Tangkou Town dinner

Recommended: Huizhou Flavors (stinky mandarin fish, bamboo shoot stew)

Option 2:

Hongcun + Xidi Huizhou Culture

Best for:

Cultural photography, art students

Transport:

Tourist shuttle from Huangshan North Station

08:00-10:00 Hongcun

Moon Pond reflections → Chengzhi Hall carvings → Huizhou inkstick workshop

10:30-12:30 Tachuan Autumn Views (Nov) / Lucun Woodcarving Village (other seasons)

Top 3 autumn foliage sites in China OR pinnacle of Huizhou woodcarving

13:00-14:30 Yixian countryside lunch

Must-order: Wucheng dried tofu, stone fungus chicken soup

15:00-17:00 Xidi

Hu Clan Ancestral Hall → Horse-Riding Tower → "Three Huizhou Carvings" at Taoli Garden

18:00 Hongcun nightscape

Red lanterns on horse-head walls, try dried vegetable pancakes

Option 3:

She County Ancient Town + Xin'an River

Best for:

History lovers, leisure travelers

Transport:

10-minute taxi from She County North Station

08:30-10:30 Huizhou Ancient City

Xu Guo Stone Arch → Doushan Street → Huizhou Prefecture Office

11:00-12:30 Yuliang Dam

"Yangtze Delta's Dujiangyan", bamboo rafting on Lian River

13:00-14:30 She County specialty lunch

Longfeng Huizhou Cuisine (Wenzheng bamboo shoots, gauze noodles)

15:00-17:30 Xin'an River Gallery

May: Loquat harvest views | October: Jiusha autumn drying scenery

18:30 Yangcun Earth Tower sunset

Last earthen building complex in East China, high chance of sea of clouds