Tucked away in the far south of Anhui Province, Huangshan City takes its name from the celebrated Huangshan Mountain, yet the city’s appeal isn’t limited to the mountain that made it famous. Here you'll find stunning mountains and rivers, centuries-old villages, traditional handicrafts, and deep-rooted history. If you are planning a Huangshan tour, this first-time guide to Huangshan with practical travel tips has you covered.

Must-Visit Huangshan Attractions

Our first Huangshan travel tips for you -- Huangshan City has more than just the Yellow Mountain, one of the most beautiful mountains in China. From UNESCO ancient villages to historic streets, museums, and scenic countryside, here are the must-visit attractions during your Huangshan travel. 

Top Things to Do in Huangshan

A trip to Huangshan isn’t complete without climbing Yellow Mountain. However, Huangshan City is not only about sightseeing; it is also about experiencing the soul of Huizhou culture. 

Spend your days wandering through centuries-old villages like Hongcun Village and Xidi Village, admiring the elegant Hui-style mansions, sampling the flavors of Hui cuisine, or sitting down with local artisans to learn the ancient crafts that shaped this region. Making Xuan paper by hand or adding gold paint onto a traditional Huizhou inkstick gives you a rare glimpse into the meticulous artistry.

Huangshan Weather and Best Time to Visit

Huangshan City has a humid sub-tropical monsoon climate with four distinctive seasons. Spring and autumn are short, while summer and winter last four months each. The temperature in Huangshan changes vertically, and the climate of the mountain areas varies with different elevations, subtropical mountain base, temperate mountainside, and frigid mountaintop.

All year round is an optimum time to visit Huangshan. Spring is blooming with colorful flowers and fresh air; summer is also the peak season to enjoy the fabulous seas of clouds on mountains with more rain and less sunshine. Autumn is the best season to enjoy the comfortable weather and stunning scenery of Yellow Mountain and ancient villages, but try to avoid the China Golden Week of October. When winter comes, the mountains are all covered in snow and ice, with fewer tourists and cheaper accommodations and tickets.

How Many Days to Stay in Huangshan City

A classic tour to Huangshan takes 3–4 days, allowing you to explore the famous mountain and ancient villages. If you only have 1–2 days, focus on a single highlight such as Yellow Mountain or Hongcun. With 5 days or more, you can step deeper into the world of Hui culture.

Suggested Huangshan Itineraries

Huangshan Mountain Safety Tips

1. Visiting Mountain Huangshan involves lots of steps of climbing. Be careful when you walk along the edge of the cliff and stairs since the ground will be slippery.
2. Avoid the crowds, just let they go, or you’ll be at risk of being pushed over.
3. Be prepared for the unpredictable weather on your Huangshan tours, take a sunscreen lotion as well as disposable raincoats, since the weather may change quickly within a single day. Umbrellas are not recommended since the mountain path is narrow and you may hit or block other tourists, and the sudden gusts of wind would blow them away.
4. Smoking is forbidden except in a few smoking spots.
5. All the materials on the mountain are carried by local men, and the rubbish is carried down every day, so don’t waste anything up or throw rubbish inconsiderately.

Huizhou Culture

Another important tip for your Huangshan travel - dive into its traditional culture. With its core area in Huangshan, Huizhou culture has been developed over many centuries, shaped by merchants who travelled far from home, scholars known for their discipline, and artists whose styles became deeply influential. Alongside Tibetan and Dunhuang traditions, it is regarded as one of China’s major regional cultures. From the bold flavors of Hui cuisine to the elegance of Hui opera, from the Xin’an painting school to the meticulous stone and wood carvings that decorate ancestral halls, Huizhou culture forms a rich tapestry that is still very much alive.  

Huizhou Architecture

Huangshan is a major birthplace of Huizhou architecture, one of China's most iconic building styles. Walking through it feels like stepping into a living museum of ancient Chinese architecture. Such buildings mainly use brick, wood, and stone as primary materials, with roofs covered in dark gray tiles, white-washed walls, and uniquely towering horse-head gables adorned with intricate carvings. Inside the residences, they often contain secluded courtyards and grand ancestral halls, all arranged according to traditional Feng Shui beliefs. 

Huangshan Food | Eating in Yellow Mountain

The Huangshan cuisine in Anhui province, often referred to as Hui cuisine, is one of the eight major cuisines in China. It features an elaborate selection of ingredients and incorporates many different cooking styles. Special attention is paid to the taste, color, and appearance of each dish. But food options are limited on the Yellow Mountain. There are many expensive restaurants in all hotels, but there are several small grocery stores selling snacks and drinks.
Representative Huangshan dishes are Stinky Tofu (Bean Curd), Wenzheng Hill Bamboo Shoots Cooked with Sausage and Dried Mushrooms, Laba Tofu (Bean Curd), Mandarin Perch & Li Hongzhang Hotchpotch. Stinky Mandarin Fish is also a must-eat food in Huangshan.

Huangshan Hotels | Where to Stay in Huangshan City

When deciding where to stay in Huangshan City, it mainly comes down to staying in Tunxi vs. staying near the scenic area. If your Huangshan travel focuses solely on hiking Yellow Mountain, staying in Tangkou Town at the foot of the mountain is the most convenient—you’ll be just minutes from the South Gate and the cable car stations. 

However, if you also plan to explore nearby attractions such as Hongcun, Xidi, Nanping, Chengkan, or Shexian County, then Tunxi Old Street in downtown Huangshan is a better base, providing traditional eateries, local shops, and easy transportation connections. Hyatt Regency Huangshan and Crowne Plaza Huangshan Yucheng are the best hotels in Huangshan City, with a good environment and advanced facilities. If you also want to experience the beautiful night views of these ancient villages, staying inside the villages will also be a good option.

Huangshan Shopping Tips

Tunxi Ancient Street is a great place to find local Huangshan souvenirs and special products like high-quality Huangshan Maofeng tea and the traditional “four treasures of the study”. Anhui is famous for its paintbrushes, Huizhou ink sticks, and paper used by artists to create traditional Chinese paintings. There are also kinds of traditional Chinese curios and handicrafts on the street, many of which make great keepsakes to bring home.

Tips for Huangshan Nightlife and Entertainment

Enjoy fun at night during your Huangshan tours. Most popular choices are the bars, pubs, karaoke, and massages in the hotels. Or you can just stroll along the Tunxi Old Street night market. Drinking tea is an indispensable part of daily life for Huangshan people, and visiting a tea house should be an essential part of your visit.
On the riverbank of Xin’an River, there are many street-side snack booths, where you can enjoy the local food as well as the wonderful night river views.

Huangshan Festivals

Huangshan International Tourism Festival is held in October each year, to celebrate the four wonders of mountain scenery: spectacular peaks, odd-shaped rocks, seas of cloud, and hot springs. During the festival, tourists will appreciate the traditional lantern fair, watch performances of folk customs, take a Mountain Huangshan tour, visit ancient houses in Huizhou, attend tourism business talks, and go to commodities fairs.

Huangshan Transportation Tips

How to Get to Huangshan City

By High-speed Train

Huangshan North Railway Station is the main high-speed rail hub of Huangshan City, with frequent trains from major cities—about 3 hours from Shanghai, 6.5 hours from Beijing, and 5.5 hours from Guangzhou.

By Air

Huangshan Tunxi International Airport serves as the city’s primary aviation gateway, with flights to and from many major cities across China. Most routes take between 1.5 and 2.5 hours.

How to Travel around Huangshan City

Getting around Huangshan is straightforward with taxis, buses, and ride-hailing apps during your Huangshan travel. Most visitors rely on buses to scenic spots from Huangshan City because they’re efficient.

Huangshan City to Huangshan Mountain

From Huangshan North Railway Station, you can take a direct bus from the Tourist Transport Center to the South Gate Transfer Center of Yellow Mountain (about ¥30). Another option is the tourist shuttle from Huangshan Bus Station in Tunxi. 

Huangshan City to Hongcun / Xidi

Direct buses to Hongcun and Xidi leave from the Tourist Transport Center next to Huangshan North Railway Station. The ride takes about 1.5 hours and costs roughly ¥30 per person.‌‌

Huangshan to Chengkan Village / Tangyue Archways

Bus No. 17 from the Tourist Transport Center by Huangshan North goes straight to Chengkan Village, with departures at 08:10, 10:50, 14:30, and 16:20.
To visit Tangyue Archways, take Tourism Bus 1 or 2 from Huangshan North Railway Station; the journey takes around 90 minutes and costs up to ¥10 (distance-based fare).

Plan a Huangshan Tour with Easy Tour China

Huangshan's tourist attractions are distributed across a vast area. If you plan to travel to Huangshan, consider touring with Easy Tour China, a travel expert with over 20 years of experience in tailor-made private China tours. Below are our popular China tour packages with Huangshan.

8-Day Beauties of Central China Tour

11-Day China In-depth Culture Tour

Want a customized tour of Huangshan? Contact us now.