Attractions Near Zhangjiajie - Fenghuang Ancient Town, Furong Town and Morong Miao Village

This is the 3rd article of 3 posts exploring Zhangjiajie and the itinerary we recommend. Furong Town, Fenghuang Ancient Town, and Morong Miao Village are local favourites to experience ethnic Tujia and Miao cultures.

Here we share useful resources for you to plan and discover these iconic old towns of Hunan, China. And answer if it is well-worth for you to add these attractions to your Zhangjiajie itinerary.

What to See at Furong Town 芙蓉镇景区 4A

Formerly know as Wang Cun 王村, this ancient town of over 2,000 years old was renamed to Furong Town in 2007 after the movie of the same name was filmed there. Many visit Furong Town for the largest waterfall in Xiang Xi. Spanning 60m high and 40m wide, the sounds of this waterfall can be heard 10 miles away during peak season. It is cool being about to walk under and behind this massive waterfall.

As the main gathering place and cultural birthplace of the Tujia people, this small and chill scenic town area can be explored in half a day. Make sure to check out the performances at Xizhou Tusi Square 溪州土司广场.

Also check out Xizhou Bronze Pillar Garden 溪州铜柱园. The Xizhou Bronze Pillar is an important item for studying the ancient history of the Tujia people, and they regard the copper pillar as a sacred object.

How to get to Furong Town and Ticket Prices

High speed train from Zhangjiajiexi 张家界西 Station to Furong Town Station 芙蓉镇站 takes about 25 mins. You can take the Furong Town Scenic Area shuttle bus 蓉镇景区接驳中巴车 that is near the exit of the high speed train station or Didi to the scenic area.

Furong Town tickets costs ¥95 for adults and you can buy online. Do note that a separate ticket is required to take the boat ride across Youshui River 酉水, and we don’t recommend it. This is simply a boat crossing, and the views are similar to what you could see from the river bank.

For lunch, have some unique Tujia dishes at Furong Town - Tujia Spicy Pork 土家辣肉, Tujia Beef Hotpot 土家牛肉火锅, and Furong Town Osmanthus Fish 芙蓉镇桂花鱼.

After lunch, make your way to Fenghuang Ancient Town. We want to reach there before sunset.

Must See - Fenghuang Ancient Town 凤凰古城 5A

Fenghuang Ancient Town’s beginnings started from a dark place. In the effort to integrate and assimilate ethnic groups, imperial rulers across many dynasties implemented policies of suppressing local ethnic groups. This has forced Tujia and Miao people into remote mountainous areas with extremely harsh living conditions. One way they adapted to these conditions was the construction of stilt houses on cliff slopes which you will see at Fenghuang Ancient Town.

Fenghuang Ancient Town (or Phoenix Ancient Town) is a 5A-level tourist attraction and is named after the green mountains behind it that resemble a phoenix spreading its wings and about to fly. This ancient town was expanded in 1704, and the ancient city towers at the east and north gates are still there.

How to Get to Fenghuang Ancient Town (Phoenix Ancient Town) from Zhangjiajie

High speed train from Zhangjiajiexi 张家界西 to Fenghuang Ancient Town Station 凤凰古城站 takes about 70 mins. The high speed train from Furong Town Station 芙蓉镇站 to Fenghuang Ancient Town Station 凤凰古城站 takes about 40 mins.

How to Get Around Fenghuang Ancient Town

From Fenghuang Ancient Town Station, we recommend taking the tourist shuttle bus (¥28 for 3 days unlimited rides). This tourist shuttle bus operates over the main street in Ancient Town. Check out the official online map of Fenghuang Ancient Town for the different stops.

Alternatively, you can Didi to the ancient town, or arrange for complimentary shuttle service from your hotel (if they offer one). There is also a Sightseeing Maglev Train from Fenghuang Ancient Town Station and this allows a view of the whole Ancient Town from a higher vantage point. However, we don’t feel it is worth the price.

We highly recommend staying at least one night at Fenghuang. Visit scenic spots in the day and watch the ancient town come alive at night with bright lights and bustling crowds.

Which Hotels to Stay in Fenghuang Ancient Town

For a unique hotel experience at Fenghuang, check out Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale Hot Springs for their hot springs. The hotel has a complimentary shuttle service from Fenghuang Ancient Town Station. You need to contact them in advance to make arrangements. It is located just outside Fenghuang and a 10-mins walk to the ancient town.

If you prefer a hotel inside the ancient town, Phoenix City Boutique Hotel is highly recommended. Make sure to select a room with the river view! You can also contact them in advance to arrange for a complimentary shuttle service from the train station.

What to See and Do at Fenghuang Ancient Town

Their official website has all the attractions and tickets can be bought at the counter. This is a walkable ancient town albeit with some slopes. Use the tourist shuttle to reduce walking. You can easily cover all the spots listed in a day.

We enjoyed the Night Time Tuojiang River Cruise, and highly recommend getting the fast-track ticket. The night cruise is a popular thing to do, expect crowds and join the right queue. This article’s thumbnail is the night time scene near the river cruise.

We saw many people dressed in traditional costumes for photo-taking around the ancient city and it looks fun. There are different packages available (eg. 2-hour package at ¥200 for 1 pax includes 1 costume, makeup, 20 digital photos and 3 prints). There are many shops offering such services, check them out at Dianping or enquire when you are there.

After spending a night at Fenghuang Ancient Town, head to ChangSha 长沙 to finish up your Hunan itinerary with some city shopping and food. The high speed train from Fenghuang Ancient Town Station 凤凰古城站 to ChangshaNan Station 长沙南站 takes about 2.5 hours.

Morong Miao Village 墨戎鼓镇 3A

Morong Miao Village is a Longbizui (Dragon Nose Mouth) Village, which consists of 13 Miao villages, 17 villager groups, 1,018 households, and 5,568 people. Located less than an hour drive from Furong Town, we visited this attraction as part of our tour. If you are not on a tour, the best way is to get there is to take a bus from Jishou East Bus Station 吉首汽车东站.

When you arrive at Morong Miao Village you can arrange for a guided tour in Chinese or roam around by yourself. It is cheaper to buy the tickets online than over the counter.

Morong Miao Village is a small place that is packed with Miao cultural experience. From their drum sets to drinking their rice wine to buying their handcrafted silverware. There are also many stone steps there, making it difficult for older people to climb/walk.

Despite the cultural experience there, we cannot help but feel that it is over-commercialised for tourists. One could easily finish exploring the village in an hour or so. But the “guided tour” included a long introduction to their silverware.

Which Attraction Should You Skip? Our Honest Take

We explored Furong Town, Fenghuang Ancient Town and Morong Miao Village when we visited Zhangjiajie. We highly recommend adding Furong Town and Fenghuang Ancient Town in your Zhangjiajie itinerary. We especially liked Fenghuang Ancient Town and wished we had more time there.

If it wasn’t already obvious - we would skip Morong Miao Village, and allocate more time exploring Fenghuang Ancient Town.

Hope you find these 3 articles about our Zhangjiajie experience useful. There is so much to explore at and around Zhangjiajie. We will sharing our Changsha itinerary next for the must do and must eat there. Subscribe if you haven’t done so.

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