CN · Hunan · 27.95°N 109.60°E

fenghuang

Stilt houses lit up along the Tuo River in one of China's prettiest old towns.

Best time
Spring and autumn are the most pleasant. Summer is hot, rainy and busy with Chinese holidaymakers, and winter is damp and cold but quiet.
How long
1–2 days
Getting there
Fly from KL to Changsha, about 4 hours. From Changsha, high-speed trains reach Fenghuang in about 3 hours, sometimes with a change at Huaihua, then it's a short taxi to the old town. Many people combine it with Zhangjiajie.
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CN · Hunanfenghuang27.95°N 109.60°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Stilt houses lit up along the Tuo River in one of China's prettiest old towns.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingFenghuangCN, Hunan
KLfenghuang
≈ 2,884 km from KL, as the crow flies
Fenghuang Ancient Town, Hunan

Photo: Vera & Jean-Christophe · CC BY-SA 2.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

An old riverside town in western Hunan, with wooden stilt houses leaning over the Tuo River and stone bridges and gate towers along its banks. The area is home to Miao and Tujia people, and the town is at its prettiest when the riverfront lights up at night.

Makan

  1. Xiangxi cured porkSmoked, cured pork, sliced and stir-fried with chilli and garlic.Map ↗
  2. Ginger candyChewy ginger sweets, pulled by hand in shopfronts around the old town.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. A Tuo River boat rideA slow trip down the river past the stilt houses and city walls.Map ↗
  2. The riverfront at nightWalk the banks when the stilt houses and bridges are lit up.Map ↗
  3. The stepping stonesCross the river on the old stone stepping stones, a classic photo.Map ↗
  4. Shen Congwen's former residenceThe home of the writer whose stories, like Border Town, made western Hunan famous.Map ↗
  5. Southern Great WallA Ming-era wall in the hills outside town, built along the old Miao frontier.Map ↗

Good to know

  • The riverside bars get loud late at night.
  • Hunan food is fiery. Ask for 'bu yao la' if you want no chilli.
  • Expect cobbles and steep steps, so wear comfortable shoes.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.