Hunan Travel Guide

Overview of Hunan
Geographical location and administrative division

Hunan Province is located in central China, the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, because most of the area is in the south of Dongting Lake, so named “Hunan”, referred to as “Xiang”, the provincial capital is located in Changsha city. Hunan is located in 108°47 ‘114°15′ east longitude and 24°38 ’30°08’ north latitude, with a total area of 21,800 square kilometers, accounting for 2.2% of the national land area, ranking 10th among provinces, autonomous regions and cities in China and first in central China.

Hunan has 13 prefecture-level administrative regions, including 12 prefecture-level cities and 1 autonomous prefecture, namely Changsha City, Zhuzhou City, Xiangtan City, Hengyang City, Shaoyang City, Yueyang City, Changde City, Zhangjiajie City, Yiyang City, Chenzhou City, Yongzhou City, Huaihua City, Loudi City and Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture.

History and culture

Hunan is one of the important birthplaces of Chinese civilization, with a long history and splendid culture. Emperor Shen Nong planted grain here, weaving hemp for cloth, making pottery, Emperor Shun Mingde world, foot through the Dongting.
There are many historical relics in Hunan, such as Yuelu Academy, Yueyang Tower, Liye Qin Jane, etc., which are the concentration and witness of Hunan’s long history.
Since ancient times, Hunan has worshipped literature and education, with a maximum of 280 academies, especially the Yuelu Academy in Changsha and the Shigu Academy in Hengyang.

Natural resources

Hunan has a variety of landforms, mainly mountains and hills, known as “seven mountains, two rivers and one field”.
Hunan is rich in mineral resources and is well-known at home and abroad as the “hometown of non-ferrous metals” and “hometown of non-metallic minerals”.
The biological resources are rich and diverse, and it is one of the precious biological gene banks in the country and even in the world.

climate

Hunan is a subtropical monsoon climate zone with four distinct seasons, abundant precipitation, abundant light and heat, and the same period of rain and heat.
The summer is hot and rainy, the winter is mild and less rain, and the spring and autumn are pleasant.
Weather information may change over time, it is recommended to check the latest weather forecast before traveling.

Scope of tourism
Major cities and attractions

Changsha: As the capital of Hunan Province, Changsha is the political, economic, cultural, science and education, information center of the province.
Zhangjiajie: Zhangjiajie is famous for its unique quartz sand peak forest landform, which is a world natural heritage and global geopark. The main attractions are Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Tianmen Mountain and so on.
Yueyang: Yueyang Tower is one of the three famous buildings in the south of the Yangtze River. It is a perfect place to enjoy the scenery of the lake and the mountains.
Hengyang: The southern mountain is one of the five famous mountains in China, attracting tourists with its magnificent mountain scenery and rich cultural heritage.

Tour route recommendation

Changsha-zhangjiajie Line: From Changsha, take high-speed rail or bus to Zhangjiajie, visit Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Tianmen Mountain and other scenic spots.
Changsha – Yueyang Line: From Changsha, take high-speed rail or bus to Yueyang, visit Yueyang Tower, Dongting Lake and other scenic spots.
Tour around Changsha: including Shiyan Lake Scenic area, Ziqujie Terrace scenic area, Meishan Dragon Palace, etc., suitable for short trips or weekend Tours.

Hunan has convenient transportation, and the integrated transportation system of water, land and air is connected in three dimensions and criss-cross. Tourists can choose planes, high-speed trains, cars and other means of transportation to various parts of Hunan according to their own needs.
In Changsha city, the subway and bus system is developed, tourists can easily go to the major attractions.

Recommend some attractions：

Several must-see attractions in Changsha

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park tourism guide