What to do
Yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site in China since 1990, hiking Mount Huashan is not for the faint-hearted. At one point, the path was made up of narrow wooden planks, and the only thing keeping you from plummeting to your death is a little safety harness. There are three different routes to hike up the mountain—the western steps (around seven hours to hike), the eastern steps (around three hours to hike) and the west side canyon. There are cable cars to get around the mountain but you’ll still be subject to some hiking. There are also hot springs at Purple Rock Peak, standing 650 metres above sea level.
Xidi and Hongcun villages in Huangshan have about 300 ancient houses (124 well-preserved ones) from the Ming and Qing dynasties, over 900 years of history combined! The houses were built from wood, stones, and bricks with motifs like birds, flowers, and grass. There are two streams flowing across the village, ensuring a tranquil getaway. Tickets cost 104 yuan per person for entrance to the villages.
Huangshan is not only famous for its ancient villages and surreal sceneries, but also for its tea. There are many variations of green tea grown here, one of it being the Maofeng tea, which translates to “Yellow Mountain Fur Peak” as it resembles the peak of the Yellow Mountains. Some of its health benefits include improving blood circulation, lowering blood sugar, and having anti-ageing properties. Did someone say tea time?