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Travel Hunan Province Zhangjiajie
http://www.hotsia.com > Travel Hunan Province > Zhangjiajie Travel information about Zhangjiajie city, Hongjiang, Jishou, Huaihua, Saoshan in Hunan Province. Ancient city Hongjiang, Huaihua city, Jishou city, hometown of Chairman Mao Zedong, Zhangjiajie city, Tianmenshan mountain, Changsha city, ancient city Fenghuang.
Zhangjiajie is a city in Hunan Province, the same province as the ancient city Fenghuang, ancient city Hongjiang, and Miaodihang village. Zhangjiajie became famous because of the movie Avatar, featuring limestone pillars that look otherworldly. Zhangjiajie is a national park of China and a World Heritage site. Besides the beautiful scenery, there is also Tianmenshan peak, famous worldwide for Red Bull's skydiving event (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6KmxvEnkuU).
Zhangjiajie is divided into two tourist zones: the first is Zhangjiajie city, and the other is Zhangjiajie village park. The city zone is where buses from Jishou city stop. In Zhangjiajie city, there is a cable car to ascend Tianmenshan peak.
This peak features a natural stone arch formed by natural explosions, known as the 'Heaven's Gate.' It has been developed as a tourist attraction with cable cars for visitors. In winter, Tianmenshan is covered with snow, and visitors often enjoy playing in the snow, although the Heaven's Gate is inaccessible. The Zhangjiajie village park area is also popular.
Mr. Hotsia did not visit this area but provides basic information for self-travelers. Tourists often take the cable car to see the mountain pillars like in the Avatar movie at the Wulingyuan scenic area. Cable car services are available; more information can be found at http://www.zhangjiajie.com (mostly in Chinese; the English version has errors but gives an idea). Entrance fee is 1,300 baht.
This is why I did not enter; it was too expensive for me. The Zhangjiajie village is 30 kilometers from the city and requires a long bus ride. Hotels in Zhangjiajie city include many chain hotels to choose from. The city is not large, with many small hotels that may not be comfortable. I recommend staying in a better hotel. When I visited, I stayed at Jinjiang Inn Hotel Zhangjiajie.
Watch the hotel video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53CZAJyXpgU. This hotel is standard and comfortable, offering triple rooms for tourists. The price for a triple room is just over 1,000 baht. In the Zhangjiajie park area, there are guesthouses and hotels recommended by guidebooks such as Zhongtian International Hostel (about 500 baht per night), Xiangdien International Hotel (over 3,000 baht), and several others.
Regarding food in Zhangjiajie, I stayed only two nights and had breakfast included at Jinjiang Inn Hotel Zhangjiajie. For lunch, I ate instant noodles near the cable car station to Tianmenshan. For dinner, after booking a bus ticket to Changsha, I ate fried chicken at a nearby mall. The next day, I traveled to Changsha. There are few street food vendors in the area I stayed; food seems scarce in this city.
Getting to Zhangjiajie: Zhangjiajie has an airport located 4 kilometers southeast of the city or 40 kilometers from the Avatar park. Taxi fare to the park is about 500 baht. Flights connect to Beijing, Changsha, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Xi'an. I traveled by car from Jishou city, taking about 2 hours. Buses from other cities arrive at the Long-distance bus station.
From Changsha, the bus costs 500 baht and takes 3.5 hours; from Fenghuang and Jishou, about 300 baht and 3 hours; from Jishou (my route), about 200 baht and 2 hours by minibus; from Shanghai, 1,500 baht and 20 hours; from Wuhan, 12 hours and about 1,000 baht; from Xi'an, 20 hours. The Zhangjiajie bus station is in the city with taxis available at higher prices.
It's easier to walk outside and hail a taxi. Zhangjiajie has a train from Changsha taking 6 hours, departing in the morning. The train station is southeast of the city, near the bus station and close to the Tianmenshan cable car station. Regular train fare from Changsha to Zhangjiajie is 200 baht. Train times: Zhangjiajie to Beijing 27 hours (~2,000 baht), Guangzhou 12 hours, Zhangjiajie to Huaihua 5-6 hours.
The easiest way for tourists to book train tickets in China is to have an English-speaking staff write the destination in Chinese and present it at the ticket counter. This method works for bus and train tickets. mr.hotsia January 2013 Bus from Jishou to Zhangjiajie. Breakfast at Jinjiang Inn Zhangjiajie, the hotel I stayed at in Zhangjiajie city.
Walking around Zhangjiajie city, Tianmenshan cable car station, Zhangjiajie show recorded from TV at the ticket counter, Zhangjiajie food, Tianmenshan mountain, Zhangjiajie souvenir shop. GPS coordinates: 29°6'33.629"N, 110°28'33.401"E.
Arriving in Zhangjiajie city near dusk. Breakfast at Jinjiang Inn Zhangjiajie. Zhangjiajie travel map. Tianmenshan cable car ticket station GPS: 29°6'53.831"N, 110°28'42.306"E. Zhangjiajie show sign GPS: 29°3'47.124"N, 110°28'38.184"E. Cable car atmosphere ascending Tianmenshan GPS: 29°3'28.17"N, 110°28'34.416"E and 29°3'4.553"N, 110°28'34.716"E. Snow on Tianmenshan. Mr. Hotsia's first day in Zhangjiajie.
