Huaihua Travel Guide

Chinese Name: 怀化 (huái huà)
Population: 5,235,200
Area: 27,600 square kilometers (10,656 square miles)
Location: in the southwest of Hunan Province, south-central China
Administrative Division: 2 districts (Hecheng, Hongjiang); 5 counties (Yuanling, Chenxi, Xupu, Zhongfang, Huitong); 5 autonomous counties (Mayang Miao Autonomous County, Xinhuang Dong Autonomous County, Zhijiang Dong Autonomous County, Jingzhou Miao and Dong Autonomous County, Tongdao Dong Autonomous County); 1 county-level city (Hongjiang)
Area Code: 0745
Zip Code: 418000
GDP (2018): CNY 151.327 billion (USD 28.869 billion)
Nationalites: Han, Dong, Miao, Yao, Tujia

Situated in the southwest region of Hunan Province, Huaihua City is bordered by Guangxi to the south and Guizhou to the west. Within the province, it is near Shaoyang, Loudi, Yiyang, Changde, Zhangjiajie, and Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture. Huaihua is the most-ethnic city in Hunan with 51 enhnic groups where visitors can experience various ethic festivals, customs, buildings and performances. Festivals and events such as Dong’s Temple Fair, Kam Grand Choirs, Kusheng Dance and Dragon Lantern Dance are grand and lively. Its Dong population accounts for about 28% of the Chinses Dong ethnic group, making Huaihua one of the main Dong settlements in China. As the city has 71% forest coverage, many nature reserves, geo parks and forest parks are available for hiking. Huaihua is also the largest Poria cocos production site in China, which is a dual-purpose fungus for medicine and food as well as a kind of traditional Chinese medicine.

 Furong (Lotus) Tower: It is a classical garden architectural group located in the northwest of Qiancheng, an age-old and rustic town of Hongjiang City. The main wooden tower together with pavilions and towers are the famous historical relics on the bank of the Yuanshui River.
 

 
 Ancient Trade city of Hongjiang: It was formed in late Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) built on the riverbank. There are residences scattered along the maze of lanes and streets. More than two thousand old buildings are still extant, through which the bygone days of this prosperous commercial town can be faintly seen. 
 
 Huangdu Dong Cultural Village: It is located in the Huangtu Town of Tongdao Dong Autonomous County. It is said that when the king of the ancient Yelang Kingdom passed by the village, he was infatuated with the full bodied folk customs and ethnic flavor. Therefore he constructed the imperial city there. The whole scenic area consists of four stockaded villages. Visitors can admire folk performances by the local Dong people and appreciate the characteristic Dong architecture set among green mountains and rivers. 
 
 Other Scenic Spots: Longjin Roofed Bridge, Matian Gulou (Drum Tower)

The city is the south gate and an important transport hub for western Hunan. Most of the visitors from Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi and Shanghai to Zhangjiajie will make a transfer here.
 
1. Huaihua Zhijiang Airport is an important regional airport for Hunan. It is situated in Zhijiang Dong Autonomous County, 30 kilometers (19 miles) from city proper. At present, flights to Changsha, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Xi'an and other  10 domestic cities are available in the airport. Compared with Zhangjiajie Lotus (Hehua) Airport, Zhijiang Airport is much handier for getting to the famous water town in western Hunan, Feng Huang Cheng (Phoenix Town).  
 
2. Because of the Xuefeng Mountain Tunnel, the trip time between Changsha and Huaihua has been shortened to four hours by bus. There is no expressway connecting Huaihua and Zhangjiajie right now. Most visitors make the trip by train. It takes about four hours. By bus, the 300 kilometers (186 miles) will take at least five hours.

 Huaihua Main Bus Stations:
Central Bus Station: 2, Renmin Dong Road, Hecheng District
South Bus Station: Benye Daodao (Benye Avenue), Hecheng District
West Bus Station: 82, Huaixi Road

3. There are two railway stations in Huaihua, namely, Huaihua Railway Station and South Railway Station. The former  is located at Hezhou Road, Hecheng Distract and mainly serves Shanghai - Kunming Railway.  The latter is located at the east of Hutian South Avenue in Hecheng District. Both stations mainly operate trains to Shanghai, Nanchang, Changsha, Hangzhou, Guiyang, Kunming, Chengdu...

 See detailed Huaihua Train Schedule

Huaihua has a subtropical, humid, monsoon climate featuring rich rainfall and moderate weather all the year around. The annual average temperature falls round 16.8 C (62.2 F).  
 
 When to Go: Huaihua can be visited at any time during the year and is at its best in spring, summer and autumn.

 History: It was in the late Spring and Autumn Period (770BC-476BC) that the Chu State expanded its domain southward to Hunan and administrative organizations began to be formally established in Huaihua. During the Warring State period (476BC-221BC), Qianzhong Shire was set up here, and the territory of present Huaihua City is essentially the same as in that period.      
 
 Physical Features: Huaihua lies between the Xuefeng Mountains and Wuling Mountains, with mountainous areas making up a large part of this region. Mountains are found mainly in the east and west, and the central region consists of ravines, plains and hills. The Yuanshui River flows through the region from south to north. Huaihua is a veritable green city, with sixty-five percent of its territory covered by forests.                
 
 Local Highlights: festivals
Lusheng Festival: in Dong villages around Chongyang Festival (the ninth day of the ninth lunar month)
Dujuan (Azaleas) Festival: during late April to mid-May in Huangyan Tourist Holiday Resort
Dragon Boat Festival: the twelfth to the fourteenth day of the fifth lunar month in Yuanling
 
 Special Local Products: engraved candied fruit of Jingzhou, brocade of Dong ethnic minority in Tongdao, mint crisp cake of Zhijiang, candy oranges of Qianyang, Jietan Tea of Yuanling