Huangshan while smaller than many nearby vacation destinations is amply supplied with tourist sites approved as two UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites. Located at the foot of Huangshan Mountain, the municipality of Huangshan is the southernmost city of Anhui province. The downtown area of Huangshan city, Tunxi, is the traditional old quarter of Huangshan. For most travelers, Huangshan city functions as a transfer point where they come from other cities enroute to Huangshan Mountain. As for the history of this city, it has existed over 2,000 years. Formerly called Huizhou, it has a prominent regional culture, which is widely known as Huizhou culture. It is mainly embodied by woodcarvings, brick-carvings, regional medicine, local operas, and paintings.

The highlight of Huangshan for tourists is Huangshan Mountain, or alternatively Yellow Mountain. Huangshan Mountain is a dual UNESCO site as both a Natural and Cultural Heritage. Myth holds that, from this mountain, Emperor Huang (Yellow) rose to become an immortal. The legend lives on in the name, Huangshan (Yellow Mountain). The area is well known for its scenery, sunsets, peculiarly shaped granite peaks, Huangshan Pine trees, and views of the clouds from above. Huangshan is a frequent subject of traditional Chinese paintings and literature, as well as modern photography.

Apart from Huangshan Mountain, the main attractions in and around Huangshan City you can enjoy are the Hongcun and Xidi Villages (additional sites of world cultural heritage), Tunxi Old Street, Ink Slab Factory, Qiyun Mountain and Xinan River.

How to get there

At present, the bus is the most popular means of transportation from Hangzhou to Huangshan, arriving at Tunxi Bus Station. It is 250 kilometers between the two cities along Hangzhou-Huizhou Expressway. Starting from Hangzhou West Bus Station, the time taken is approximately 2 hours and forty minutes.