Suxianling and Wanhuayan

Overview

About

Suxianling, a Taoist hill at Chenzhou in southern Hunan, and the Wanhuayan cave nearby form a national park.

It is in the seventh batch of national parks of China (national scenic areas) named by the State Council in 2009.

Travel tips

Getting there: Both sites are near the centre of Chenzhou, Hunan. Chenzhou West station is on the Beijing-Guangzhou high-speed line with trains from Guangzhou, Changsha and Wuhan. Suxianling is about 20 minutes from the station by bus or taxi, and Wanhuayan, south of town, about half an hour.

Suxianling: The hill rises northeast of the city. Stone steps lead up past the Three Wonders Stele (a poem by Qin Guan, a note by Su Shi and calligraphy by Mi Fu) and places linked to the immortal Su Dan, and the top looks over the city.

Wanhuayan: Wanhuayan is a limestone cave with an underground river, stalactites and stalagmites. A path leads through it, and it stays cool all year, so bring a light jacket.

Time: Half a day for each, so one day for both. Adding Dongjiang Lake makes it two days.

Season: Spring and autumn are best. Summer is hot but the cave is cool; winter is damp on the hill.

Where to stay: Stay in Chenzhou city, where the station, restaurants and shops are.

Nearby: Dongjiang Lake at Zixing can be reached by road from Chenzhou. Danxiashan in Guangdong lies to the south and Jinggangshan in Jiangxi to the northeast.

Caution: Many steps on Suxianling are slippery after rain, and the cave floor is wet, so shoes with grip are best.

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