Huangshan

[johnsonheng]

no, when i went there,
11 pm, during qingming jie at hangzhou.
i fail to get a hotel.
i sleep in the street (temp 3 degree), eventually i land myself in a cyber cafe around 4 am
next day i went straight to huangshan - went to the hotel at guangmingding- i pay 400 rmb (promise by tourguide that will get a decent room) -end up got a room share 12 person sharing - no soap hence unable to bath)

so that next day, i went back to hangzhou
end up 3 days never bath...
just think, paid to get torture

 

[touchme]

Lol, sounds like my agony first time there in 2003 during CNY (winter) too.

Campaigned onto huangshan trip by shanghai hosts, without any research/map. Ridded us with 2 overnight train tickets from shanghai. Reached HS township rail station 8am, kena conned by villagers, keep telling us not worth stay up there, 1 day can finish.. persuaded to daystay and tour foothills: crouching tiger thingy, crap waterfall, ex lunch and crap shopping ..like u, the city-foothills community all conning tourists.

Next morning long q for cable car, hike to central nice spots already 2-3 pm, cable car close 4pm, wtf...with no accdm booked or extra change..caught kwanming sunset, still thinking of walking downhill back to foothill hotel via south mountainback at night.(no torch)..After sunset, dark very fast, walking towards chiguage realised place much bigger than we thot, asking the residents, smelly smelly 6-8 hours walk back. Though too dark to see, can feel we walking thru very scenic/panoramic sites....decdied for accdm (4 stars to bunkbed fully booked, food also sold out), continue downhill

Tired, hungry, dark and walking on precarious steps, knowing we are missing a lot, until 10-11 pm, many lost tourists too, asking for directions, We stopover at a closed provision shop, knock on door, and luckily hv a cave room with single bed left.. Literally a super cold stone cave with lights and pathetic ventilating heater. While sleeping, cold water from cave roof keeps dripping onto us, heater also hopeless, bed chained to wall (can't move). So both hug hug, sleep single wet bed..bad sleep, no food, no change...but luckily got communal bath.

Next day, woke up and walked back uphill, realised we lucky to hv stayed the night over, soaking in those gorgeous and majestic views we walked pass in the night before ..spent the whole wonderful day hiking and enjoying, ended up still night time walk down to cablecar stn 9pm, where we hitched private cab back to our wasted hotel room midhill...Wonderful, exhilarating experience.

**** to the HS village (now city) community. Cfm chop, Huangshan needs at least 2 nights stay uphill...which we did this time round (no foothill stay), with the same girl i went up with last time. What was great and romantic was reminiscing the past pains, joys, beauty and adreline rush we shared together, but this time with our 5yo kid and 80yo mum.

 

[johnsonheng]

old people not suit for huangshan.

too tough for them.
at night u still dare to move..
sibei daring.
if i am u , i just bunk in the hotel lobby

 

[androidified]

2nd time there,...this time balls shrink twice...

Advice: From/Back to shanghai, take the overnight 12-hr sleeper train, Not coach.
Coach 6-7 hours non-stop, no eat, only 2 x 5 mins pee stops...skip lunch, hop on and suffer. Drivers and chinese passengers not human.

Hi touchme, need some advice here. I am thinking of travelling from Shanghai to Huangshan, so the best option is to take the overnight 12 sleeper train which will reach the Hillfoot, then best is not to stay overnight on the hillfoot but book 2 nights hotel at the hilltop? Is 1 night too short whereas 2 night on the hilltop is just nice? I saw the 2D map of Huangshan, let say I spend 2 night there, which are the routes I can explore or hike? Thanks and nice pics btw

 

[touchme]

Hi touchme, need some advice here. I am thinking of travelling from Shanghai to Huangshan, so the best option is to take the overnight 12 sleeper train which will reach the Hillfoot, then best is not to stay overnight on the hillfoot but book 2 nights hotel at the hilltop? Is 1 night too short whereas 2 night on the hilltop is just nice? I saw the 2D map of Huangshan, let say I spend 2 night there, which are the routes I can explore or hike? Thanks and nice pics btw

when you gg?.cos some hike routes closed during winter, some new routes still under construction, and the crowd and queues, thus time depends.

Def. via train, unless you can tahan 7 hrs non-stop, no meal break, 2 5-mins pee stops, no-smoke coach. Fare is same as 12-hr hard-sleeper train, $30. (double deck open, no cabin, cushioned w/o linen).

Go for soft-sleeper, 4in1 closed cabin, with linen, $50, for good sleep, afterall you save 1 nite of shanghai hotel, pee and smoke (in train designated spots) as you like, getting to destination early. Train takes you to Tunxi (huangshan city), not foothill yet, which is a 45-mins minibus ride (RMB20) away, then transit to Park 'eco-bus' rmb19, 20-30 mins to mid-mountain cable car stations. (chiguage or yungu)

Dump all your fashion stuff at the shanghai hotel storage you last stay (pick up or stay again when you return), go huangshan as light as possible, no need scare cold, as long as you keep walking.

For casual tourist, def.2 nites uphill, skip tunxi and whole foothill township. For sightseeing/hiking 3 nights. For serious hiking, 4-5 nights. I stayed 2, since it's 2nd time there and have kid and elderly with us. Go up from Chiguage cable car (shortest hike, 2-4 hrs to hotel), and stay at Bright Hill or Baiyun hotel (most central of park).

This is just the start....will illustrate using maps, and drawings for your 2 or 3-day hike itinerary, or better still buy me a kopi, i talk and point you thru. (will save my pcw & your reading time).

btw, these are only the 2 ball-shrink photos, you will easily get very solid pics any way you shoot there.

 

[johnsonheng]

still i think jiuzhaigao is way better. for view.

 

[touchme]

still i think jiuzhaigao is way better. for view.

in a way, yes, but JZG offers different views:- waterfalls, streams and ponds, not much hiking, bus fetches you to scenic spots.even walk from pt-to-pt is on metalled roads. Pure beauty without the thrills, like walking in a museuem.
HS views are special in mountain-size rocks, vegetation and cliffs, mix of good walks, rugged climbs and precarious hikes.

in my POV,.HS better than Grand Canyon, as you can walk within the canyon and ridges and back same day,offering different views every few hundred metres. GC has to pay for 1/3/5 days' guided walk/camp tours, driving on perimeter, more or less same view, not dangerous-looking/feeling enough.

Actualy, HS central loop nothing much, it's the west, east and south seas/views that's amazing. You were lost inside last time, and not enough time/energy to explore or judge the rest of the park.

 

[johnsonheng]

in a way, yes, but JZG offers different views:- waterfalls, streams and ponds, not much hiking, bus fetches you to scenic spots.even walk from pt-to-pt is on metalled roads. Pure beauty without the thrills, like walking in a museuem.
HS views are special in mountain-size rocks, vegetation and cliffs, mix of good walks, rugged climbs and precarious hikes.

in my POV,.HS better than Grand Canyon, as you can walk within the canyon and ridges and back same day,offering different views every few hundred metres. GC has to pay for 1/3/5 days' guided walk/camp tours, driving on perimeter, more or less same view, not dangerous-looking/feeling enough.

Actualy, HS central loop nothing much, it's the west, east and south seas/views that's amazing. You were lost inside last time, and not enough time/energy to explore or judge the rest of the park.

as i went to juizhaigao first and it laid the standard for me
when i went huangshan, i was like, wah, so lousy.

heard so much about huangshan, but it only so so..

 

[touchme]

post first, talk later.

there are many itinerary online, most maps/descriptions are not updated, with the east cable car and the west hike....

 

[touchme]

post first, talk later.

There are many suggested itinerary online. Most maps/suggestions are not updated, esp. with the new east cable car and the west hike....

For androidfield and those interested, suggested itinerary (assumed Not on shoestring budget)-

Huangshan district is about 4x sg size. Tunxi (also called Huangshan city), where the train stops, is 45 mins minibus ride to foothills township, Tangkou (park entrance), The whole park itself about sg size. The scenic park/hike site, itself about Bukit Timah-Mandai-Macratchie_Pierce size, small thou, but with undulating up/down stairs.

Most maps are not sure showing horizontal or actual stairs distance, (latter easily quadruple). Walk timings illustrated also do not take into consideration, rests, photography, mini detours. (may end up 4x time too). Map above is about half sg size. Most maps, inc. official, do not show west route, and new east cable car (illlustrasted in red, x is demolished).

The basic plan here is 3D/2N..1 day to cover each sea (S,W, E sector- circled yellow).
+2 nights on train: 9 pm-9am train from shanghai, and 8pm-8am vice versa. If you pig type or morning sex type, 3 nights up rcmd. Else wake up 7am, set out hike 8 am.

Touters, already on trains, sell rmb20 coach/minibus tickets to foothill township (cfm it's tangkou), drops u 500m from ecobus stn, grab breakfast at any township restaurant, rmb100 eats 4 with dishes and rice. (will provide a restaurant guy's #, u may need his help later for emergency cab service, and honest abt the community's lies about touring downhill and disadv of staying up there)..


....tbc...

 

[touchme]

<DRAFT>

Walk 500m or hitch a rmb10 cabride to rmb19 ecobus, which takes you to midhill choices of cablecars stns (circled blue). Buy RMB80 (cable car) + RMB230 (park entrance) at cablecar(telpher) station .

With Bright Hill, being most central and highest point of park, and half 1st day, I suggest take Chiguange (south) cablecar (terminal cable car stn is also highest) and stay at Bright Hill or Baiyun hotel (both higher pts), than WhiteGoose, Peihai/Sihai & Jadescreen hotels (all traingled blue) are at lower points and not central, not an encouraging start for 2 mornings.




tbc....

 

[androidified]

<DRAFT>

Walk 500m or hitch a rmb10 cabride to rmb19 ecobus, which takes you to midhill choices of cablecars stns (circled blue). Buy RMB80 (cable car) + RMB230 (park entrance) at cablecar(telpher) station .

With Bright Hill, being most central and highest point of park, and half 1st day, I suggest take Chiguange (south) cablecar (terminal cable car stn is also highest) and stay at Bright Hill or Baiyun hotel (both higher pts), than WhiteGoose, Peihai/Sihai & Jadescreen hotels (all traingled blue) are at lower points and not central, not an encouraging start for 2 mornings.




tbc....

Hmm, I can find Baiyun Hotel, but I cant seem to find this bright hill hotel

 

[touchme]

Hmm, I can find Baiyun Hotel, but I cant seem to find this bright hill hotel

forgotten about itinerary...lol

Bright Summit hotel just next to Baiyun, (under one of the blue triangles), but by a 400-500 steps stairways upwards..

Suggest Itinerary (timings are at leisure, photo-ing pace)

DAY 1: SOUTH SECTOR - THE Majestic Views
9am Train stn,
10-11 am Foothill, for brunch
12:00 ecobus
12:30 cable car via Chiguange (prvded no q)
1:00 reach park top
1-4:30 pm Explore south sector (the most awesome of the 3), heading to Baiyun hotel..That;s why carry light (can engage labor porters to carry luggage to hotel 1-hour straight hike, dunno ???$)
5 pm check in (sure q),
5:30pm catch bright summit sunset (a must do, but not that awesome), and vincinity
6:30 Catch budget eco-rice+veg (before closure)
7:30 Beer, Internet/tv and sleep early

DAY 2: WEST SEA _ The Thrilling Views and Walks
8 am up and breakfast
8:30 - 6:30 pm Hike the West Sea Loop (loop likely closes midwayin winter), choose btwn clockwise or anticlockwise half loop (to&fro-5 hours)
Anti-clockwise(edited): more stalls/amenities along the way (west/north sea hotel)
Pack apples, orange, bread and water, burner and noodles..catch dinner b4 7 pm
8 pm: Sure konged out

DAY 3: EAST SEA _ THE Romantic Views
9 am- 4 pm Check out and explore the 3 branches of the far east sectors
4 pm Catch last Yungu cable car (east side) down
5 pm Ecobus down Foothills for Dinner
6 pm Minibus/Cab to 8 pm Train station
8 am reach SH (Central Station)

Shd you be distracted and miss 4pm cable car, walk 1 hour downhill from the old/demolished Yungu telpher stn..,.Scenic and still bright, with streams and falls, (only chance you catch some natural water features at HS). Call restaurant owner or any cab driver you pre-arrange (price with) before your ascent, to fetch you at the mid-hill (ecobus closes) and shoot straight to train stn if very late (RM200-300).

Else relax over foothill's abundant cheap hotels/dinners. First coach departs 1:30pm next day to SH (south bus station), hv a filling lunch beforehand (non-stop 6 hours, if little SH jams). But this way, you lose 1 day on SH.

 

[touchme]

Hi, I was thinking of staying in huangshan hotel, may if you have stayed int hat hotel b4 and how much u pay for which type of room?

We stayed at Baiyun, 500 downsteps before Bright Summit hotel
They have a range of 0-4 stars (RMB120 bunkbeds to rmb1680 double bed rooms), still got 5 stars (rmb2-3K) rooms, din bother to see.

We had special arrangement from SH frds for half price 4-star room (locals price) at Baiyun, since with kid and elderly. (latter stayed in hotel, walking ard vincinity, spending zen-time on day2 alone, while we hiked west).
If you young, bunkbeds (hostel style) do just fine..many 20-30s Asian youngsters hiking on their own too. Not many angmohs this time round.

I shd think Birhgt Summit hotel is 10-20% higher in height and price.

 

[Deathskull88]

Thanks for sharing ur experience, really appreciate it

A couple of quick questions:

1) I understand the importance of travelling very light on such hiking/trekking trips. So where do u store ur main luggage? Is there a charge for it and is it safe?

2) Do u know of any Chinese language tourist guidebooks on Huangshan and Anhui?

3) Are the soft sleeper train tickets from Shanghai hard to obtain? Is it necessary to book days in advance?

Thank you!

Btw, ever tried to climb Hua Shan in Shaanxi? Hehe.

 

[johnsonheng]

1) I understand the importance of travelling very light on such hiking/trekking trips. So where do u store ur main luggage? Is there a charge for it and is it safe?
check in at hotel, they charge you.
i think 20 rmb.what i recall, called only what u need.
shampoo, soap, toothpaste, - very important
2) Do u know of any Chinese language tourist guidebooks on Huangshan and Anhui?
no that i know how, pay the tour guide for the tour
3) Are the soft sleeper train tickets from Shanghai hard to obtain? Is it necessary to book days in advance?not sure,
i book from the hotel in hangzhou..all by bus.

 

[touchme]

Thanks for sharing ur experience, really appreciate it

A couple of quick questions:

1) I understand the importance of travelling very light on such hiking/trekking trips. So where do u store ur main luggage? Is there a charge for it and is it safe?

2) Do u know of any Chinese language tourist guidebooks on Huangshan and Anhui?

3) Are the soft sleeper train tickets from Shanghai hard to obtain? Is it necessary to book days in advance?

Thank you!

Btw, ever tried to climb Hua Shan in Shaanxi? Hehe.

1. excess luggage store in shanghai's last hotel 3 days (complimentary, no charge). Safe, SH people are not so cheapo anymore.
Bring minimal change of disposable value items for huangshan only..
if follow itinerary,
Day 1: climb from south, go central hotels
Day 2: hike west sea
Day 3: pack up, head east sea, and down east cable

This is the only (eastside) time you may need to deposit is here, at the interjunction of 3 branches-route walks (not smart to backpack and hike in-then-out), before your cablecar ride down.
Can only leave with park's small stalls owners, (based on tips and trust, think they prefer rmb than steal your unvaluables).

2, Online a lot of chinese guidebooks/forums....
Popular and the other chinese bookstore at brasbasah has more neutral guidebooks with pictures. Again i say, west hike, not much mention/illustrastion on official maps.

3. Best to go central station buy 2-3 days cod beforehand, or ask any street tour agent book for you (with some rmb100+ commission),for rmb250 soft sleeper..

 

[touchme]

btw, when i say 4-5 stars hotels, dun expect city-styled, ritz carlton or mbs hotels..these are decades-old temple-like buildings, (stars by level of cleanliness and service only), but at supercharged prices, due to limited supply and man-carried food/linens/consummables/raw materials. etc. Even used linens & garbage are carried downhill. (somehow I dun see the cable cars tpting food/commodities)

These hotels, food and services are controlled/sapu-ed by the state, as only limited buildings and construction allowed in recently declared world heritage park. but, ecobus are not really eco..still running on diesel, depriving the community of cab services to midhill, on the pretext of preventing congestion and toutings.

The construction of stairways/rest stops and cleanliness maintenance of the park quite mind bloggling and impressive.

 

[alexljy]

I am not sure how accurate this information is, but deathskull, if you are intending to visit Huangshan in the year end, i.e. December period as I am, just note that some people say the West Sea (Xi Hai Da Xia Gu) is closed due to weather conditions. I cant actually find an official website to verify, so just have to play by ear on that.

I will be going there in mid december, come back can help review my trip for people going in future.

As of now, I booked 2 seperate hotels (figured dont need to walk backwards)

Paiyunlou - 135 SGD for 2person room
Baiyun Hotel - 78 SGD for 2 person room (offer from agoda)

Haven actually decided if I want to visit Hongcun, looks like a nice place for photography, so I guess I ll decide when I do reach huangshan, depends on how much time I have.

 

[touchme]

go huangshan at this time not scared cold ah?

still enjoyable meh?

it's the cold that pushes the walk.
usually the legs tired, rather than the body.