Reflections on a Trip to Mount Huangshan
I won't dwell on the highlights of the trip. Let me share some lessons for independent travelers!
1. It's quite a walk from the exit of Huangshan North High-Speed Railway Station to the transfer center, and taking a long-distance bus will waste time. Instead, go directly to the departure floor on the second level, where it's easy to hail a ride-hailing car. We went to Chengkan for 50 yuan.
2. Chengkan is less famous than Hongcun, but it has a longer history, dating back to the Three Kingdoms period, while Hongcun began in the Qing Dynasty. Chengkan has a national treasure-level attraction, the Luo Family Ancestral Hall. Unfortunately, it's currently under renovation and not open, making the 107-yuan ticket not worthwhile. So wait until the ancestral hall reopens to visit without regret.
3. Check the weather forecast before visiting Mount Huangshan. If there is fog on the mountain, you won't see anything and the trip is wasted. On our first day, we went up from the back mountain and encountered heavy fog—a vast whiteness, like walking in a celestial palace, seeing nothing around. The next morning it was partly cloudy, so we hurried to the West Sea Grand Canyon and saw a sea of clouds—a stunning view. It's best to stay overnight on the mountain. Under normal conditions, go up the back mountain to visit Beihai Scenic Area and the Flying-Over Stone, then head to Paiyun Pavilion and descend into the West Sea Grand Canyon. Pass through the first and second rings to reach the valley floor, take the ground cable car up, walk ten minutes to Baiyun Hotel. The next day, don't go to Bright Summit for sunrise—it's hard to see and not worth it. After breakfast, whether you go to Bright Summit or not doesn't matter; go directly to the front mountain, and finally reach the Welcoming Pine—Yuping Cable Car to descend.
4. Book tickets for the mountain, buses, and cable cars on the Mount Huangshan official WeChat account. The buffet at Baiyun Hotel costs 98 yuan for lunch and 160 yuan for dinner—not expensive. When hiking, eat well and enough.
5. After descending the mountain, we went to Huangshan City—the biggest mistake. This fifth-tier city, which has nothing to do with Mount Huangshan except sharing the same name, has prices higher than Shanghai. The key is there's really nothing fun to do—only two old streets: one is Tunxi Old Street with a strong commercial vibe, and the other is Liyang Water Street with a bit of cultural atmosphere. On the last day, we took a train home. The ride-hailing app Sunny Trip showed a fare of 47 yuan from the Old Street Garden Hotel near Tunxi Old Street to Huangshan North Railway Station, but the driver took a detour and charged 91 yuan. What a dramatic end to the trip! I felt very upset. Last night I called Sunny Trip to complain about this predatory practice. Today they refunded 44 yuan, but I'm not satisfied with this result. I demand a refund of three times the fare according to the Consumer Protection Law. I'll update here once there's a result.
