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Huang Shan (Yellow Mountian) Travel Options

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2shanghai

Barker

Joined: June 08, 2009
Posts: 134

Status: Offline

Posted: Aug 28, 2009 - 12:04 AM
Post subject: Huang Shan (Yellow Mountian) Travel Options

My wife and I want to go to Huang Shan and I've pulled together some information below. Train and bus information online in English seems to be hard to come by - any opinions on the below and on the option of getting a package and guided tour or not would also be useful. I'll mull a bit and then contact some of the tour operators to see what they can offer (if it's cheaper to get a package I certainly will):

Transportation Options:

1) Plane – departs Friday at 8:50 (arr 9:50) return Sunday at 10:50 (arr 11:50). RMB 580 (one way)
2) Train – overnight, looks like it is a very, very slow train – RMB 241 (one-way) – I might be wrong about this though (need to look into this and the buses more – the tour packages have trains so I’m thinking they aren’t that slow but when I check it seems to be 14 hours…).
3) Train + Bus – Train to Hangzhou then a ~3 hour bus ride to Huang Shan – RMB ??? (I’m guessing it’s going to be pretty reasonable for the bus part)
4) Bus – About 5 hours – RMB 100? (we have to make sure to get a direct bus though: http://gunsella.interproit.com/yellow.htm)
5) Car – Someone suggested a car trip on ShanghaiExpat – I asked about cost but I think it’ll be a fair bit (see http://www.carrenting.cn/)

To do options:

- Yellow Mountian (RMB 200 + cable car, etc. 80+ RMB)
o Various scenic spots and hot springs: http://www.chinavista.com/travel/huangshang/intro.html
o Morning sunrise (can get up quite early and maybe make it up in time – but likely not – or can stay in the somewhat crappy hotels on the mountain)
- Honcun, Xidi, TunXi old street, monkey reserve (I think), bamboo forrest, etc. http://www.chinaodysseytours.com/huangshan/huangshan-attractions.html or http://www.huangshantour.com/english/ or http://www.hstrip.com/english/Scenic-Spots-more.asp?s_type=huangshan
- Golf, in the golf resort http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g303685-d1141675-r31515437- Huangshan_Golf_Resort-Huangshan_Anhui.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT

To stay options:

- At the top of the mountain: http://www.sinohotel.com/english/hotels/peak_area-huangshan_mountain/i ndex.html
o Expensive and basic (well over 800 RMB unless you sleep in a dorm)
- Nearby, especially the golf resort (not in the town but has good reviews): http://www.chinatravel.net/china-hotels/huangshan-golf-hotel/introduct ion-231.html / http://hotels.english.ctrip.com/Domestic/ShowHotelInfo.aspx?hotel=1956 2&StartDate=2009-09-04&DepDate=2009-09-06 RMB 357

Package trip options (may or may not include an English speaking guide though I think most do):

- China Odyssey Tours: http://www.chinaodysseytours.com/huangshan-tour/3-days-amazing-huangsh an-culture-tour.html
- China Holidays: http://www.chinaholidays.com/tours/shanghai-trip-huangshan-sh10.html RMB 3800
- China Trip Advisor: http://www.chinatripadvisor.com/english/index.php?option=com_content&t ask=view&id=12&Itemid=28
- Huangshan Travel Service by Huangshan CTS: http://www.shanghai-huangshan.net/hs_004.htm
- Huangshan Tour by Huangshan CTS: http://www.huangshantour.com/eitinerary/productShow.asp?id=62 USD $480 (RMB ~3300)
- HSTrip: http://www.hstrip.com/english/
- China Tour: http://chinatour.net/3-day-unique-huangshan-tour.html RMB 2526-2790 (excludes transport from Shanghai)
- Shanghai Highlights: http://www.shanghaihighlights.com/shanghai-china-travel/sh-7/ USD $670-703 (RMB ~4556-4780)
- CITS (this is the 300 pound gorilla and the one we went with before and had a good time): http://www.cits.net/

val24601

Newbie

Joined: Apr 13, 2008
Posts: 6
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: Oct 30, 2009 - 12:20 PM

I am planning to visit Huang Shan soon by taking Transporation Option No. 1 (flying both ways). I would like very much to have travel partners, though I'll keep my own room. Write to me in case anyone out there is also planning on going to Huang Shan.

trousers

Ranter

Joined: Apr 28, 2009
Posts: 581
Location: sofa
Status: Offline

Posted: Oct 30, 2009 - 12:44 PM

I'm a nutter. I went there once on my trusty 50cc Honda. Five days for return journey. One of my favourite trips in this country. The actual destination was a bit disappointing after such a great trip.

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Zak101

FooJay

Joined: Jan 20, 2003
Posts: 1603
Location: 苏州 Suzhou
Status: Offline

Posted: Oct 30, 2009 - 12:55 PM

No, not a nutter - a brave type, a legendary story worth re-telling to associates.

50 cc ? Gees, I miss my Suzi, 750 cc & 4 pots : I'd get there in 3.5 hours, and be home for dinner.

On thread :

@2shanghai - you have done considerable research, but when are you going ?

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aLeGna

Raver

Joined: June 12, 2008
Posts: 451
Location: under the SUN
Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 01, 2009 - 11:49 AM

For transportation, I think by bus is the most practical and economical way. If you go by plane, or train, you would still need to take a bus or cab ride to get to Huang Shan.

For stay, there are some small inns at the foot of the mountain - no Internet, but serves meals - you might want to consider, but I guess you'd need a Chinese to translate for you.

I went with some friends together with a Chinese tour group (only 4 foreigners, and no English tour guide, but we didn't really find the need for one, though it helped that we had some Chinese friends who speak English). It was dead cheap!

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sizzling_fajita

Barker

Joined: Apr 30, 2009
Posts: 126
Location: Hongkou
Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 04, 2009 - 03:20 PM

Is it way too cold to go now?

pepelee

Squeeker

Joined: Sep 18, 2009
Posts: 12

Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 05, 2009 - 08:08 AM

huangshan mountain shows differently special view for each season. you would make a great enjoy whenever you get there. a few days ago(from 31th october to 1st november) the local government launched a 50% discount of the gate charge, but now the deadline is past.

JustLuckyIGuess

Seeker

Joined: May 13, 2009
Posts: 57
Location: Jinqiao
Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 05, 2009 - 12:30 PM

Anyone ever stay at the guesthouse in Hongcun when going to Huangshan? Taking the family and kids, so slightly worried about the accomodations.

mjk

Barker

Joined: Mar 02, 2008
Posts: 131

Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 05, 2009 - 01:14 PM

We stayed in Hongcun, and it was absolutely worth it. There are several places you can
stay, we chose the Huqinlou guesthouse right at the lake and paid RMB 100 per night per room with balcony facing the lake (RMB 80 for other rooms), RMB 5 for breakfast. If you let them know in advance, they also cook a decent dinner for you.

Check this website for some useful contact information:
http://olegnovikov.com/cptg/anhui/huizhou.shtml
By the way, the first driver recommended on that page is great, he picked us up in Tunxi and drove us around for 2 days, very helpful and informative guy. I think we paid like 320 RMB in total for a van (4 person), including drop off at Huangshan. The second guy is no longer a driver.

evawinexpress

Lurker

Joined: Dec 30, 2008
Posts: 25
Location: shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 07, 2009 - 10:58 AM

You can stay 1 night on Mt huang. And 1 night in Huangshan city. then 1 day morning , enjoy the sunrising view. and can visit Hongcun or Huixian, which are all the Anhui typical custom house and loca inhabitants village.

wim

Lurker

Joined: Nov 03, 2009
Posts: 20
Location: Shanghai, Fudan University
Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 30, 2009 - 01:21 PM
Post subject: Huangshan the cheap and even somewhat enjoyable way

Hi,

I'll throw in my two cents, given that I just returned from a 3-day trip to Huangshan. At first I got a bit discouraged when reading about the cost and the crowds, but managed to find a cheap way to do it, and was even able to avoid the crowds once in a while.

I took a bus from Shanghai South Station to Huangshan city (RMB 135) which took about 6hrs, and stayed at the lovely Huangshan Old Street International Youth Hostel (RMB 35 for a dorm bed, 40 for non-members). These guys will also arrange a minivan to the mountain for the next morning (pick-up at 6:30am, RMB 18 ), and book a dorm bed on the mountain (at the Baiyun hotel; RMB 210 during the weekend, RMB 100 otherwise).

After arriving at the park the next morning, and paying the outrageous entrance fee (RMB 230, will be 120 Dec-Mar), I walked up along the western steps (they say it's 15km, but I think it's actually only 12), and had the trail mostly to myself the first half of the way up until I got to the top terminal of the cable car. From there on it was walking in line with the rest of the crowd, and similar on top of the mountain. But going a little bit away from the main area (such as towards Cloud Dispelling Pavilion) it was already much quieter, with great views too. The best part was the walk to the Fairy Walking Bridge, which I started just after 3pm, when most of the crowds had already made their way down the mountain or at least back to the cable car. Along the 3km walk down to the bridge, and then back up again, I only met a handful of other people, and the views are just stunning!

Spent the night in the small and crowded dorm room (nice shower though!!), and started walking again at 7am the next morning to go down the eastern steps. Got down the mountain at 9am, took the shuttle bus back to the park exit (RMB 13), then a minivan back to Huangshan City (RMB 15), and the 1:40pm bus back to Shanghai (RMB 135), arriving at the South Station at 7pm.

Altogether I spent RMB 1000 for the entire three day trip, which includes all transportation, 2 nights accommodation (including one night on the mountain), and food (I brought some hiking food along from Shanghai, and had cheap dinners at the hostel the first night and at a cafetaria-style restaurant on the mountain the second night). And I even enjoyed the trip (well, most of it at least)! Wink