Swimming in a painting, addictive noodles, stunningly beautiful! Truly amazed by this hidden gem of a town

Hello everyone, this is Joy, feeling like “wandering in a painting” (ง ˙o˙)ว

The year hasn’t even reached its halfway point, and the city that surprised me the most and I’m most eager to recommend has already appeared.

The landscapes are incredibly rich, with a high density of attractions. Misty mornings feel like ink wash paintings, with fishermen slowly casting their nets in the fog, making you feel like you’ve stepped onto a Chinese textbook cover.

Strolling through a high-altitude grassland, with blue skies, white clouds, and windmills turning, it’s like walking into a fairy tale.

There are also lakes bluer than the sea, Danxia landforms where peaks and waters blend, and cloud-top mountains you can reach painlessly by elevator… Any one of these could be a star attraction.

The food is even more amazing—a paradise for noodle lovers.

I slurped down a bowl of “killing pig” noodles for three days straight, and a bowl of fish noodles left me dreaming of it.

Back in Hangzhou, I ordered delivery of “killing pig” noodles several more times. Though the taste wasn’t quite as good, it was satisfying enough to curb my cravings.

It’s hard to imagine that all of this is packed into a small town in Hunan.

Even more unbelievable is that, with stunning scenery and unbeatable food, it hasn’t become wildly popular yet!

I immediately started recommending it to my friends and family, saying, “Chenzhou is incredible!” “Chenzhou is so beautiful!” “Everyone come visit Chenzhou!”

To my surprise, they all had the same reaction: Where’s Chenzhou? How do you pronounce that character?

Alright, alright! Let me start with a language lesson first.

Chen (chēn) Zhou. The character “郴” is unique to Chenzhou, first seen during the Qin dynasty. In small seal script, “郴” is made up of “林” (forest) and “邑” (town), meaning “a city in the forest”—a town hidden among the trees.

The name fits perfectly, as Chenzhou is lush with vegetation and has plenty of beautiful mountains and waters.

Now, let’s move on to a geography lesson. Chenzhou is located in the southeastern part of Hunan Province, serving as Hunan’s “southern gateway.”

It’s not my friends’ fault for not knowing much about it; compared to Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, Chenzhou draws more tourists from the Greater Bay Area. After all, it’s just a 1-hour high-speed train ride from Guangzhou and 2 hours from Shenzhen, making it easy to pack up and go anytime.

So, when the fishermen on Chenzhou’s Xiao Dongjiang River cast their nets, are they really “catching a bunch of Cantonese people”?

Today, let me first chat with you about what fun things there are to do in Chenzhou and how to explore it.

How to get to Chenzhou?

🚄 High-speed rail: For friends in the Greater Bay Area, it’s an effortless 2-hour ride to this “back garden.” Starting from Hangzhou like I did, I also chose the “iron butt travel” option—a 6-hour high-speed train ride straight there.

✈️ Plane: Chenzhou has an airport, with direct flights currently from Beijing, Xi’an, Chongqing, Xiamen, and Haikou. It’s also about 1 hour by high-speed rail from Changsha, so you could transfer there first.

How to explore Chenzhou?

Chenzhou has so many worthwhile attractions, and each one can take up half a day, so how you explore depends on how many days you’re staying.

I have to be honest, though—while Chenzhou has many attractions, they’re quite spread out and a bit far from the city center. Renting a car or hiring a driver is best; you can also take taxis or join a day tour, as public transport isn’t as convenient.

My trip lasted four days, and I visited what I think are the top spots, but it was still a bit packed. Here’s my itinerary for reference—feel free to adjust based on your time, energy, and pace.

Day 01: Arrive in Chenzhou - Bailang - Stay near Xiao Dongjiang

Day 02: Dongjiang Lake Scenic Area - Gaoyiling/Feitian Mountain (pick one) - Stay at a city hotel

Day 03: Yangtian Lake Grassland - Yuhou Street

Day 04: Mang Mountain - Depart

Dongjiang Lake Scenic Area

🎫 Starting from 80 yuan/person

🕒 06:00-18:00

Dongjiang Lake is a must-visit in Chenzhou.

I was one of the “fish” caught by the fisherman’s net, drawn to this spot in just 0.01 seconds by a single photo. Seeing it in person is breathtaking—the misty clouds, Xiang River waters, green mountains, and light boats create a living paradise that perfectly aligns with Eastern aesthetics.

Its most unique feature is the ethereal river mist. Let me explain how this enchanting fog forms.

The water of Dongjiang Lake flows from the bottom of the 150-meter-deep Dongjiang Dam, maintaining a constant low temperature of 6-10°C. The key to the misty lake surface is cooling, water vapor condensation, and it floating over the water.

When morning sunlight hits, water vapor in the air meets the cold lake surface, creating fog due to the temperature difference (warmer air, cooler water). Combined with a temperature inversion (warmer above, cooler below), the fog lingers, creating the stunning misty Xiao Dongjiang scenery, most common from April to October.

So, you need to arrive early—the scenic area opens at 6 a.m.

I recommend staying overnight near the lake. There are plenty of guesthouses, and the surroundings are lovely and relaxing. On clear summer nights, you can even see the Milky Way.

Because of the large temperature difference between day and night, the local fruits and vegetables are delicious.

The highlight of Dongjiang Lake Scenic Area is “Misty Xiao Dongjiang Viewing.” You can choose the lake cruise route (178 yuan/person by boat) or the lake viewing route (80 yuan/person by bus).

I took the bus route on the lake viewing option, with four stops. At each stop, there’s a fisherman net-casting performance about every half hour.

Sure, the net-casting is staged, but honestly, Dongjiang Lake is still stunning. Beneath the misty, vast surface lies clear water. When the fog rises, it’s hazy and dreamy, with fresh air—a beauty that captivates at first sight.

Remember to get off at Stop 1, where there are the fewest people. After watching the performance, walk to Stop 2—the path is shaded by trees, so don’t worry about the sun.

At Stop 2, take the bus to the final stop, then walk a small loop to see Longjing Canyon and Dongjiang Lake.

I had lunch at the scenic area, trying the local fried fish—5 yuan for a “mouth-opening” fish and 15 yuan for a salmon skewer. It was tasty and affordable.

Bailang

🎫 Free

🕒 All day

Extending from the shores of Dongjiang Lake, Bailang is known as “Chenzhou’s Little Erhai.”

The lakeside road is well-built—smooth and open with great views. You can drive or rent an e-bike to slowly ride along the shore; the scenery is fantastic. Stop at any beautiful spot for photos, and just soaking in the lake breeze and views is healing.

Evening is the most romantic time at Bailang. I went alone, sat by the lake watching the sunset for over half an hour, and almost missed dinner.

Gaoyiling

🎫 Starting from 95 yuan/person

🕒 07:00-19:00 (last entry at 17:20)

If Xiao Dongjiang is an ink wash painting, Gaoyiling is a vivid oil painting.

Why is Gaoyiling worth seeing? Because it’s a geological wonder!

Chenzhou’s Danxia landscape is praised as “having everything the world offers,” and Gaoyiling is the epitome of it.

The hills at Gaoyiling are relatively gentle and winding, with sparse vegetation. While not towering, they rival many famous mountains in ruggedness and uniqueness.

Mostly bare red sandstone, dotted with low shrubs and surrounded by lovely water pools, the red rocks and green waters together create a spiritual charm.

I recommend entering Gaoyiling from the South Gate and taking a short loop route—about two hours—to save a lot of legwork.

Route: South Gate in → Rippling Bridge → Stone Circle → Sky Ladder → Cliffside Walkway, Mountain Top Coffee → Dragon Ridge Back down → Zipline down → South Gate out.

Sunscreen! Sunscreen! Sunscreen! I can’t stress this enough. Gaoyiling has little shade, so if you go in summer, sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses are essential.

Climbing might make your legs shake, but when you stand on the mountain-top viewing platform and see the 360-degree Danxia landscape spread out before you, the awe makes every bit of effort worthwhile.

Feitian Mountain Scenic Area

🎫 Starting from 115 yuan/person

🕒 07:00-19:00 (last entry at 17:20)

Personally, I think you should just pick one between Feitian Mountain and Gaoyiling; going to both isn’t necessary.

Gaoyiling wins on beauty—great for the eyes and photos, but tougher on the legs.

Feitian Mountain is like the “senior version” of Danxia landscape, with deeper rock colors. It’s more easygoing, with sightseeing cars, cable cars, and bamboo rafts to ride, leaving only about 20 minutes of walking.

The 115-yuan ticket includes the bamboo raft, but on weekends and holidays, you might have to wait in line for a bit.

Yangtian Lake Grassland

🎫 Starting from 108 yuan/person

🕒 09:00-17:00 (last entry at 17:00)

Yangtian Lake Grassland is a super photogenic spot on Xiaohongshu, featuring grasslands, a lake, horses and deer, and Hobbit-like houses—very fairy-tale-like.

Called a “lake,” it’s actually a freshwater lake formed from a Quaternary glacial period volcanic crater and surrounding springs, at an altitude of 1,350 meters. It’s the southernmost high-altitude grassland in China and the largest high-altitude grassland closest to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao area, dubbed “Hulunbuir of the South.”

While it doesn’t have the grandeur of Bashang Grassland, it has a charm with its winding hills.

A wind power plant has been built here, and against the grassland, it looks great on camera—add a little filter, and it becomes a Japanese-style serene scene.

The weather at Yangtian Lake is like a Sichuan opera performer, skilled in “face-changing”! With its high altitude, the weather is unpredictable—crying one moment, sunny the next.

When I first arrived, this was the weather. After an hour-long ride, stepping out to this view, my mood was…

But I have to praise the scenic area; when checking my ticket, the staff specifically asked

“The weather isn’t great right now—are you sure you want to keep going? You can get a refund.” That’s really user-friendly.

But sticking to the good old tradition of “since we’re already here,” I went into the scenic area anyway.

Sure enough! The next moment, it cleared up—the clouds parted, the fog lifted, and everything brightened up like a whole new world.

Yangtian Lake has plenty to offer—boating, grass sliding, deer feeding, horse riding, and all sorts of kids’ play facilities.

Most of these activities cost extra, though. My top pick is the little train—30 yuan per person. On a nice day, it’s really pretty.

This is what my real photo looks like. I went when the fog was thick, but traveling through the misty forest had its own charm.

Oh, and Yangtian Lake is pet-friendly, so you can bring your furry buddy along.

Mangshan Wuzhi Peak Scenic Area

🎫 From 208 yuan/person (includes round-trip cable car)

🕒 08:00-18:00

This is a lazy-person-friendly mountain—take the cable car, ride the elevator, no pain climbing, and reach the summit easily. I’d suggest going early in the morning, otherwise you’ll queue for the elevator for ages.

Route: Cable car up → elevator up → cliffside boardwalk (take the best section) → elevator down → cable car down

That said, you still have to walk the boardwalk step by step, but there are almost no stairs or steep climbs, so it’s still way easier.

The boardwalk is built along the cliff edge—one side is a sheer rock face, the other is a deep abyss. Walking on it, every step requires caution, but each step offers a different view.

At the end of the boardwalk is the observation deck at the highest point of Wuzhi Peak. From there, you can see five peaks lined up, shaped like five fingers—that’s where the name “Wuzhi Peak” comes from. Standing on the deck, the 360-degree mountain scenery unfolds before you, and every direction is worth a photo.

Yuhou Street

🎫 Free

🕒 All day

I stayed in the city center of Chenzhou for the next few days, which made finding food easier.

In the evening, you can stroll down Yuhou Street. This was once the starting point of the Qin-Han-era Hunan-Guangdong ancient road, where merchants from north and south rested, traded, ate, and drank, fueling the street’s prosperity. Those days are long gone now, but the lively market vibe has carried on.

To be honest, Yuhou Street isn’t much different from the commercial streets in most cities, but the night view is really beautiful—it’s nice to wander around after a meal.

Chenzhou is full of surprises—easy on the eyes and not too hard on the legs.

Also, I can’t stop thinking about Chenzhou’s food—killing-pig noodles, fish noodles, roasted chicken… I’ll write another post just about that.

If you have any other recommendations for Chenzhou, feel free to share in the comments!

🚗

/Travel Tips/

• Transportation: Chenzhou is a great weekend getaway for friends in the Greater Bay Area—about 2 hours by high-speed rail. Plus, Chenzhou has an airport with flights from many cities.
• After arriving in Chenzhou, since the attractions are a bit spread out, it’s best to hire a local driver. If you’re driving, self-driving the whole way is very convenient.
• Accommodation: Given that you’ll want to see the morning mist on Dongjiang Lake, I recommend staying at a guesthouse near the lake on the first night—no need to wake up early or rush. On the second night, stay in the city center of Chenzhou for more hotel options and easier access to food.

——————————————————————

Want more travel guides on destinations?

Scenic spots/transportation/food/shopping/good finds/art

Keep an eye on this account.