Yichang is known today as the final stop for most tourists on the Three Gorges tour that originates in Chongqing. The third and final gorge, Xiling Gorge, lies within Yichang Prefecture. Yichang is an ancient settlement, like most cities along this stretch of the Yangtze River and is mentioned in the Annals of the Three Kingdoms as a strategic buffer zone between two of those regions, the Shu-Han Kingdom which extended into Chongqing (then known as the Ba Kingdom) and the Chu Kingdom which controlled most of present-day Hubei Province. The docks at Yichang are busy with cargo, passenger and tourist traffic; if you arrive here from Chongqing you can take a train or even hydrofoil back or you can continue on down the river all the way through Wuhan to Shanghai. Hubei Guide | Yichang Flights | Chongqing Flights | Yichang Hotels | Yichang Activities Related Blogposts more >>

Situated at the crossroads of central China on the Yangtze River (Chang Jiang), Wuhan is far more than just a place to switch trains, buses or boats. Known as the "Gateway to Nine Provinces" and one of China's "Furnaces," Wuhan is sprawling, industrialized, crowded, and dynamic as any city you'll find in China. A three-in-one urban mashup, the modern metropolis is made up of the once-independent cities of Hankou, Hanyang and Wuchang. Linked by bridges spanning the Yangzi and Han rivers, the three are now districts that maintain distinct feels despite the rampant demolition & construction giving much of Wuhan a makeover. Hankou, in particular, is home to a finely preserved colonial quarter and old Chinese neighborhoods sit side by side with shiny new high rises throughout the three districts. Wuchang's iconic five-tiered Yellow Crane To... more >>

Wudang Shan's legendary martial arts have inspired numerous kung-fu filmmakers and hip-hop mastermind RZA of the Wutang Clan—not to mention many centuries of Chinese poets, artists and wushu practitioners. And though the Wudang legend is better known today than is the actual mountain range, that's slowly changing. A former retreat of emperors, training ground for monks and refuge of rebels and bandits, Wudang Shan's 72 pinnacles, studded with Taoist temples just as they have been since the the Tang Dynasty, are becoming increasingly popular with hikers, cultural tourists and, of course, martial arts enthusiasts.   Best known for its martial arts, which command at least as much respect as those of Henan’s Shaolin Si, Wudang Shan's monks teach martial arts to students from around the world interested in Wudang boxing, from which th... more >>

Mostly off limits to foreigners, Shennongjia is Hubei's foremost natural attraction. Forests of metasequoias and Chinese tulip trees here play host to a remarkable 1300 species of medicinal plants, not to mention 500 species of wild animals, including rare golden monkeys and giant salamanders. Capricious evolution has also contrived to produce an unusual concentration of "white" species, such as white bears, monkeys, snakes and deer. The most elusive of Shennongjia's denizens is the Yeren, central China's own Yeti, whose legend is corroborated by the occasional finding of Gigantopithecus-sized footprints and at least 200 sightings. Of the park's four sections, foreigners are allowed into just one, south of the Yazikou junction (admission RMB 140), but it comprises the UNESCO-listed Shennongjia National Nature Reserve. The area is large and there is plentiful trekking, cyc... more >>

Located in the remote, mountainous southeastern corner of Hubei, the Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (ēnshī Tǔjiāzú Miáozú Zìzhìzhōu, 恩施土家族苗族自治州) is a far cry from Chongqing to its southwest. Home to the Enshi Grand Canyon, a green gorge lined with sheer cliff faces and jagged spires topped with foliage and often blanketed in swirling mist, the rugged, forested prefecture is largely made up of scattered Tujia and Miao villages. The Miao make up nearly half of the prefecture's 3.5 million people, while the Tujia make up about one third. The seat of the prefecture is Enshi City (ēnshī Shì, 恩施市), a small town located along the Qing River in a gradually sloping valley with a population of around 780,000. Though the city is now connected with the rest of the country through its airport, train station and a highway network, much of... more >>