Gaoyiling
Red cliffs and green water, with striking natural lines. Hike along the dragon-back ridge and look down over emerald water encircling crimson rock.
49% recommend
Chenzhou
25.9°7-day forecastChenzhou
Today9/10
25.9°
17.4°
Fri9/11
25.9°
17.4°
Sat9/12
25.8°
17.1°
Sun9/13
27.1°
18.0°
Mon9/14
27.8°
20.7°
Tue9/15
26.4°
22.1°
Wed9/16
27.7°
22.1°
Today
High
25.9°
Low
17.4°
Wind
3.3
Humidity
82%
Chenzhou travel guide
Chenzhou is a seriously underrated city of landscapes and great food, with dreamlike natural scenery and authentic southern Hunan flavors that are rich, oily, and spicy. Here is a classic 3-day, 2-night route with no backtracking. Just follow it and enjoy!
Classic Three-Day Itinerary
- Day 1: Arrive at Chenzhou West Railway Station ➡️ Eat pork offal rice noodles/fish rice noodles in the city ➡️ Climb Suxian Ridge in the afternoon for panoramic views ➡️ Stroll along Yuhou Street in the evening for late-night snacks.
- Day 2: Watch the mist over Xiaodongjiang in the early morning ➡️ Longjing Canyon ➡️ Head to Gaoyiling in the afternoon to see the Danxia landform ➡️ Stay overnight in Dongjiang Town or the city.
- Day 3: Set off for Yangtian Lake Grassland in the morning ➡️ Check in at the Hobbit huts and windmills ➡️ Return in the afternoon.
(If you have more time, add Day 4 for Mangshan Wuzhifeng to see the sea of clouds.)
Must-Visit Attractions
Yangtian Lake Grassland
A fairy-tale grassland in the south, where windmills and little huts come together. You can ride horses and feed alpacas; soothing and very photogenic.
31% recommend
Dongjiang Lake
The morning mist is dreamlike, with fishermen casting nets, creating a real-life ink-wash wonderland.
24% recommend
Yuhou Street
Gray brick and dark tiles, red lanterns reflected along the river, and night views like a river of stars, full of old-world charm.
24% recommend
Feitian Mountain
Easy and relaxed: take a vehicle straight to the mountaintop, drift by bamboo raft through clear green water, and explore mysterious thousand-year-old hanging coffins.
22% recommend
Must-Try Local Food Checklist
Pangpo Bundled Duck
The duck is tender enough to fall off the bone, with a rich sauce aroma and a sweet-spicy kick. The duck intestines are crisp, and the sauce is excellent mixed with rice.
24% recommend
Zhenzheng Rice Dumplings
The rice wrapper is springy and chewy, the meat filling is generous, and with fragrant spicy sauce poured over it, it tastes like a memory from childhood.
22% recommend
Jinguo Fish Rice Noodles
A milky-white, fresh, fragrant fish soup with smooth rice noodles that soak up the flavor. The scallions and egg absorb the broth beautifully, making every bite deeply satisfying.
19% recommend
Gaozi Spicy Braised Chicken
The chicken is firm, flavorful, fragrant, and satisfyingly spicy. Choose between young chicken and older chicken, with several spice levels available.
18% recommend
Riyisen Spicy Braised Chicken
The chicken is tender, smooth, and well seasoned, with a rich sauce aroma. Even the bones are infused with broth, making it fragrant, spicy, and addictive.
16% recommend
Practical Tips for Avoiding Pitfalls and Getting Around
- Transportation: Chenzhou’s attractions are far apart, so self-driving or hiring a car is recommended. If you arrive by high-speed rail at Chenzhou West Railway Station, you can take a taxi or shuttle bus to the scenic areas.
- Sun Protection and Weather: Gaoyiling and Yangtian Lake have strong UV exposure and little shade, so be sure to protect yourself from the sun. The scenery at these spots depends heavily on the weather; on foggy days, the views are much less impressive, so check the forecast in advance.
- Spice Warning: Chenzhou cuisine is rich, oily, and spicy. If your stomach is sensitive or you cannot handle spicy food, be sure to stress “very mildly spicy” when ordering, and keep stomach medicine on hand.
- Best Time to See the Mist: The best time to view the morning mist at Xiaodongjiang is 6:30-8:00 a.m. The fishermen’s net-casting performance ends after 9:30, so do not sleep in.
Other cities in province14
1
Zhuzhou
Sunny
27.3°
2
Changsha
Cloudy
26.8°
3
Changshashi
Cloudy
26.3°
4
Hengyang
Sunny
26.1°
5
Xiangxi
Overcast
25.9°
6
Xiangtan
Sunny
25.4°
7
Huaihua
Cloudy
25.3°
8
Yongzhou
Cloudy
25.3°
9
Shaoyang
Sunny
24.7°
10
Loudi
Sunny
24.3°
11
Yueyang
Sunny
24.2°
12
Yiyang
Cloudy
23.5°
13
Changde
Cloudy
23.2°
14
Zhangjiajie
Cloudy
22.0°
Chenzhou (Hunan) temperature on 2026-09-10: high about 25.9°, low about 17.4°, light rain. Today's detail plus a seven-day trend and a comparison with other cities in the province. Updated daily; not an official warning.