Hongcun and Xidi are the picture-postcard Huizhou villages of southern Anhui — white walls, black-tile roofs, ox-cart ponds reflecting the mountains, and the setting for countless paintings and the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
“Home of sacred Mount Jiuhua, one of the four Buddhist mountains.”
2 days in Chizhou
The same sights, spread over 2 days rather than one; Apr–Oct is the friendliest window; room for a day trip and one unplanned afternoon.
Use this planWhat to bring home
All China specialties from this region, shipped with your trip. Browse the shop →
Best time to go
Apr–Oct. Shoulder weeks are quieter and cheaper.
Getting there & around
High-speed rail links most of this from the majors. Rail guide · Privater Wagen & Fahrer
Visa & entry
Transit and visa-free rules change often — check the current list against your passport before booking.
Best time to visit
March–April for spring blossoms and misty rain, and November for the red-maple and harvest-drying (晓秋) colours. Mornings and dusk are quietest and most atmospheric; avoid weekends if you can.
How many days
- 1 Tag — Hongcun alone, or both villages in a long day.
- 2 Tage — stay overnight, add Xidi and Tunxi Old Street.
Getting there & around
High-speed rail to Huangshan North, then a ~1h shuttle or taxi to Hongcun; from Tangkou (Huangshan base) it is about 40 minutes. Tunxi (TXN) airport is the nearest. Inside, the villages are on foot — narrow lanes and a few bridges.
Top things to do
- Hongcun’s Moon Pond (Yuezhao) and South Lake at first light.
- Chengzhi Hall and the water-moon bridge.
- Xidi’s Jiaotai ancestral hall and Rulan Tang study.
- Shuhong drying racks and terraced rapeseed in nearby villages.
- Tunxi Old Street for snacks, tea and lantern-lit lanes.
What to eat
Huizhou classics: stinky mandarin fish, hairy tofu, bamboo shoots and ham, washed down with Taiping Houkui or Huangshan Maofeng tea.
FAQ
- How many days do you need in Hongcun? — One to two days is enough — stay overnight to see the famous moon-shaped pond at dawn and dusk when the day-trippers have gone, and pair it with nearby Xidi.
- Hongcun or Xidi — which is better? — Hongcun is more photogenic with its water-pond layout; Xidi is slightly quieter with grand ancestral halls. Doing both in a day or two is ideal.
- Can you combine Hongcun with Huangshan? — Yes — both sit near Tangkou, the Huangshan base, about an hour away, making old-village mornings and mountain sunrises an easy combined trip.
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