Things to do in Yanling

No. 1 of Fall Viewing Attractions in Zhuzhou

Shennong Valley National Forest Park

5.5

4.4/5

592 reviews

Asia's Number One Oxygen Bar — Zhulián Waterfall The waterfall falls from a height of 48.2 meters, resembling a curtain made of water droplets. Hence, it is named Zhulián Waterfall in Shennong Valley National Forest Park, Yanling County, Hunan Province. During the fall, water molecules collide with rocks creating a large number of negative oxygen ions. According to expert measurements, the concentration of negative oxygen ions in the air around Zhulián Waterfall in Shennong Valley National Forest Park, Yanling County, Hunan Province, reaches as high as 136,426 per cubic centimeter, with an instantaneous peak of up to 228,000 per cubic centimeter. It is one of the places in Asia with very high negative oxygen ion levels and is thus praised as "Asia's Number One Oxygen Bar." Reef Forest The Reef Forest is a famous concentrated area of dawn redwoods in Shennong Valley National Forest Park and a new popular check-in spot. Here, you can find lush expanses of bamboo groves, water redwoods that turn colorful in autumn, and ancient yew trees. The forest is rarely visited by people and is the core forest resource of the scenic area. Tree Embracing Stone A giant Albizia tree (also known as young chestnut) has been determined by experts to be over 1,500 years old, with a height of 19 meters and a trunk diameter of 2.01 meters. It is named Tree Embracing Stone because its main roots tightly wrap around a huge rock. At the base of this ancient tree, two equally-sized offspring trees grow side by side, soaring straight to the sky, which is why locals also call it "Dragon Mother Giving Birth to Twins." Tianxinli Scenic Area Hunan's tallest waterfall — Shennong Flying Waterfall — is one of the most spectacular and inspiring waterfalls among several in Shennong Valley National Forest Park. The waterfall has a height difference of 235.2 meters, cascading down in three tiers. Amid blue skies, green mountains, and trees, it looks like a white silk ribbon floating in the air or a cloud dragon diving into the pool. It is the waterfall with the largest drop in Hunan Province.

Yanling · 25.3km from downtown

No. 3 of Best Things to Do in Hunan Jiangxi Fujian Region

Orange Isle Scenic Area

9

13.7k reviews

Orange Isle Scenic Area is a narrow sandbar lying across the heart of the Xiang River in Changsha, stretching approx. five km. It faces Yuelu Mountain to the west and borders Changsha's old city to the east, surrounded by water on all sides. Named after the abundant orange trees planted on the isle, it was historically called Shuiluzhou. Formed by river alluvium, this sandbar has existed for over a millennium, where the "River and sky in evening snow" scenery was once among the Eight Views of Xiaoxiang. In 1925, the poem "Spring in a pleasure garden - Changsha" was composed here, with its iconic line "Alone I stand in the biting fall, watching the Xiang River flow north past Orange Isle's head," which made this riverine landmark widely renowned. The highlights of the visit are concentrated at the islet's head: A granite art sculpture over 30 m tall, modeled after the 1925 youth image, stands facing the river as Changsha's highly recognizable landmark. Nearby, the Questioning Heaven Platform extends toward the river center, where leaning on the railing reveals the mighty Xiang River flowing northward, with Yuelu Mountain and the city skylines on both banks facing each other across the water. The Songju Pavilion, white marble poetry stele, and the 200-year-old ancient phoenix tree at the islet head are all in this area. Heading north from the islet head, a hundred-acre orange orchard bears golden fruits in fall, while bamboo groves, peach orchards, plum gardens, and osmanthus groves take turns showcasing seasonal flora. The historic Zhuzhang Ferry (where Zhu Xi and Zhang Shi once crossed the Xiang River for lectures) and the Huxiang Culture Exhibition Hall are scattered along the way. At the islet's tail, the reconstructed Jiangshen Temple and Gongji Tower area was precisely where ancients admired the "River and sky in evening snow" scenery. The island is long and narrow, making round-trip walks quite tiring. A sightseeing train is available for transportation, with multiple stops along the way for hopping on and off. Travelers with limited time are advised to head straight to the island's tip to see the sculpture and river views, then stroll leisurely along the riverside path. At dusk, watching the sunset over the Xiang River and seeing the lights gradually illuminate both shores from the island's tip is especially worth setting aside time for.

2026 Asia 100 - Best Things to Do

Hunan Museum

8.8

4.8/5

16.3k reviews

Hunan Museum is a relatively large history and culture museum in Hunan Province, and among its collections, the artifacts unearthed from the Mawangdui Han Tombs are particularly representative. "The Changsha Mawangdui Han Tombs Exhibition" is the museum's permanent exhibition, presenting in a concentrated way the precious artifacts unearthed from three Western Han tombs. One of the most striking exhibits in the exhibition is the plain silk unlined robe with straight-cut front, as thin as cicada wings and weighing less than 50 grams, whose weaving technique is astonishing. In addition, visitors can see well-preserved printed silk padded robes, fine and elegant embroidery, brightly glossy painted lacquerware, and an exquisite T-shaped painted silk painting. More than 100,000 characters of silk manuscripts were unearthed from Tomb No. 3, among which are many lost texts long since gone from circulation, covering fields such as philosophy, history, astronomy, and medicine. The "Topographic Map of the Southern Part of the Changsha Kingdom," also from Tomb No. 3, was drawn using techniques broadly similar to those of modern maps and holds important value in the study of ancient maps. The well-preserved body of Lady Xin Zhui unearthed from Tomb No. 1 has survived intact for more than two thousand years and is another major highlight of the exhibition. The museum also features permanent exhibitions such as "Hunan People: A Historical and Cultural Exhibition of the Three Xiang Regions," displaying collections including Shang and Zhou bronzes, ceramics from famous Hunan kilns, and Ming and Qing calligraphy and paintings, presenting the historical and cultural threads of Hunan from different dimensions. The Mawangdui Han Tomb Exhibition and the Three Xiang Historical and Cultural Exhibition together form the museum's two core exhibitions, and are well worth setting aside ample time to view in detail.

No. 1 of Best Things to Do in Ji'an

Jinggang Mountain

6.2

Jinggangshan City · 41.4km from Yanling

3k reviews

Jinggang Mountain, with its glorious revolutionary history, splendid natural scenery, and distinctive "red and green" characteristics, is a national 5A-level tourist attraction, a national nature reserve, a national red tourism attraction, and a world biosphere reserve. Jinggang Mountain is located in the southwest of Jiangxi Province, in the middle section of the Luoxiao Mountains at the border of Hunan and Jiangxi provinces. In ancient times, it was known as “the intersection of Chen, Heng, Hunan and Jiangxi, and the heart of the thousand-li Luoxiao Mountains.” The Jinggangshan Scenic Area covers an area of333 square kilometers, with 11 major scenic areas, 76 scenic spots, and more than 460 landscapes. It features thousands of competing peaks, numerous valleys and streams, vast forests, waterfalls and springs, combining majesty, steepness, seclusion, uniqueness and beauty. The area includes peaks, rocks, waterfalls, caves, hot springs, rare animals and plants, and alpine pastoral scenery. It boasts not only a magnificent sea of clouds, wonderful and unique waterfalls, magnificent and brilliant sunrises, and the world-famous Ten‑mile Azalea Corridor, but also the renowned Huangyangjie, Maoping Octagonal Building, and the Main Peak of Jinggangshan—the background pattern of the 100-yuan note from the fourth series of RMB. It also preserves 7,000 hectares of near‑primitive forest, intact at this latitude worldwide, as well as a stretch of evergreen broad‑leaved forest praised by the United Nations Environment Programme as “one of the only ones of its kind in the world.” Jinggangshan has a beautiful environment, gorgeous scenery, and fresh air. The negative oxygen ion concentration exceeds 80,000 per cubic centimeter, earning it the reputation of a “natural oxygen bar.” The forest coverage rate is 86%, with an excellent ecological environment, making it an ideal tourist destination and summer resort.

Yanling · 24.1km from downtown

Hunan Yunshang Dayuan Sceneic Area

2.5

4.4/5

12 reviews

Hunan Yunshang Courtyard Attraction is located in the southeastern border of Yanling County, Zhuzhou City, Hunan Province, on the west side of Wanyang Mountain in the middle section of Luoxiao Mountains. It is the intersection of two provinces and three counties. It is adjacent to Suichuan, Jiangxi Province in the east, Ceyuan Township in the south, Shidu Town and Jinggangshan City, Jiangxi Province in the west and north. The Attraction is between 560 meters and 1,880 meters above sea level, with a total area of 88.93 square kilometers. The annual average temperature is 12.6℃, and the highest temperature does not exceed 29℃. It is known as the "Little Lushan Mountain". Yunshang Courtyard is also a piece of red fertile land. It is an important part of the Jinggangshan base and has a unique red culture. The Attraction has formed ten major landscapes, including Tiewaxian, Guilongwo, Dongkeng Waterfall, Baiyu Valley, Hero Pavilion, Tietou Prince Tomb, Salt and Tea Ancient Road, Zhaogong Pavilion, and Educated Youth Imprint. The beautiful courtyard has flowers in spring and leaves in autumn, cool summer and snow in winter, steep and elegant scenery, magnificent sea of clouds, waterfalls and springs, exotic flowers and trees. The environment is elegant and unique, and the scenery is pleasant and amazing. It integrates red, ancient and green into one. It is a comprehensive tourist Attraction for scientific research, sightseeing, leisure and vacation, and red education.

No. 16 of Best Things to Do in Hunan and Hubei

Gaoyiling Tourist Area

8

4.5/5

5.3k reviews

Gaoyiling Tourist Area is a natural attraction centered on Danxia landforms. Unlike many Danxia views that feature only mountains without water, this area's red cliffs and crimson rock faces are dotted with emerald pools, and the lake at the foot of the hills is as clear as jade. Viewed from above, dark green pools encircle the crimson ridges, often vividly likened to a "heavenly lake" embracing an "octopus," with the contrast between red and green creating a highly distinctive scene. The attraction's trail runs along the mountain ridge, with the core highlights concentrated at several spots: Dragon's Back Ridge, Monitor Lizard Lake, and the cliffside plank walkway. Dragon's Back Ridge is a narrow ridge at the top of the mountain, with sheer cliffs on both sides; walking along it offers a panoramic view of the Danxia landscape, and it is also a popular photo spot. Monitor Lizard Lake takes its name from a Danxia rock formation in the lake that resembles a monitor lizard lying in wait; during the dry season the rock's full outline is revealed, vivid and lifelike. The cliffside plank walkway is built against the cliff face, with a deep canyon below, leading to a sliver of sky — stone walls press in on both sides, and at the narrowest point only two people can squeeze through sideways. The Hundred-Step Sky Ladder is a steep flight of stone steps, and after reaching the top the view opens up wide. The tour route follows the ridge trail as its main line, with little shade along the way and strong sun exposure. Danxia elements such as mountains, waters, springs, caves, villages, cliffs, and flatlands are all present here; among them, "flatland" is the local term for flat areas atop Danxia peaks, and the Meili Flat area is planted with bamboo groves, serving as a rest stop along the hike.

Chenzhou · 85.1km from Yanling

No. 1 of Fall Viewing Attractions in Hunan

Mount Yuelu

8.3

5.5k reviews

Mount Yuelu stands on the west bank of the Xiang River and is a landmark mountain in Changsha. At its foot lies the Yuelu Academy, founded during the Northern Song Dynasty, a millennium-old institution sharing the mountain's name. Ascending from here leads to Qingfeng Gorge, where the Aiwan Pavilion, named after Du Mu's poetic line "I stop my carriage to admire the maple woods at dusk," is surrounded by maple trees. Midway up the mountain, the ancient Lushan Temple, established in the Western Jin Dynasty over 1,700 years ago, features a lush six-dynasty-era podocarpus tree in front of its sutra repository. At the summit stands the Yunlu Palace, a Taoist temple built during the Ming Dynasty, offering panoramic views of the Xiang River and Changsha's urban area. The mountain's historical sites extend further, with the Yu King Stele, Python Cave, and Changsha Battle Memorial Stele scattered along its trails. Modern figures such as Huang Xing, Cai E, and Chen Tianhua are also buried here, making the mountain a condensed repository of profound modern history. Most cultural attractions are concentrated near the south gate, where you can visit major historic sites in sequence from Yuelu Academy to Aiwan Pavilion. For those preferring not to hike, a cableway station near the east gate allows easy ascent, eliminating most uphill climbing. With an elevation of about 300 m and well-developed trails, reaching the summit on foot is manageable. Ancient trees like Jin dynasty podocarps, Tang dynasty ginkgos, Song-Yuan era camphor trees, and Ming-Qing maple-chestnuts line the paths, making the entire mountain resemble a natural botanical museum. In late fall when maple leaves turn red across the slopes, it becomes an ideal time for hiking. Allocate half a day to leisurely photograph Aiwan Pavilion and the mountaintop viewpoints.

Yanling · 219m from downtown

Hongjunbiaoyu Museum

2.5

4.7/5

7 reviews

The Red Army Slogan Museum is a special museum with the theme of Red Army slogans, integrating display, protection and research.

2026 Global 100 - Night Attractions

Du Fu Pavilion

8.2

10.9k reviews

Du Fu Pavilion is a Tang-style garden architecture built to commemorate the great Tang dynasty poet Du Fu. It stands on the Xiang River scenic belt in Changsha, gazing across the river at Orange Isle and Yuelu Mountain. In his later years, Du Fu lived in Changsha twice, renting a simple building by the Xiang River; because the house faced the river, he named it "River Pavilion," where he spent the final years of his life and wrote a large number of poems. The present pavilion was completed and opened to the public in 2005. Its main structure has four stories and stands approx. 18 m tall, with vermilion columns paired with antique lattice windows and a roof covered in dark blue-green glazed tiles, making it a highly recognizable landmark on the east bank of the Xiang River. The pavilion houses a Du Fu memorial hall, with a statue of Du Fu standing in the center. The poet's life is depicted on the walls in the form of paintings, and works by renowned calligraphers and painters such as Zhang Daqian and Lin Sanzhi are also displayed in the hall. The exhibitions on each floor follow Du Fu's travels and poetic works in Hunan as the main thread, presenting the wandering trajectory of the Poet Sage in his later years and the poems he composed during his time in Hunan through steles, calligraphy and paintings, and multimedia means. The pavilion also features a tea room where visitors can sip tea while gazing at the scenery on both banks of the Xiang River in the distance. After nightfall, the pavilion lights up, and the warm yellow glow reflects on the surface of the Xiang River, making it a popular night-view photo spot along the river. The pavilion also offers an immersive night tour experience, based on Du Fu's life experiences wandering in Xiaoxiang in his later years. With the help of digital light-and-shadow technology, the artistic conception of Du Fu's poems is transformed into real-life scenes. As visitors stroll through the corridors, they may unexpectedly encounter "people in the poems" dressed in ancient-style costumes, experiencing a thousand years of poetic charm among the corridors and pillars of the pavilion.