Must-see attractions in Hubei

Wudang Shan attracts a diverse array of climbers, from Taoist pilgrims with knapsacks and porters shouldering paving slabs and sacks of rice, to tired…

Shennongjia is a vast wilderness area, and what you visit is largely determined by your driver, fellow passengers and available time; however, there are…

An afternoon at this revered 350-year-old Buddhist temple can fluctuate between serenity and chaos, depending on the tour buses. Pass a large rectangular…

At this small but surprisingly good museum you'll find wonderful artefacts unearthed from Chu tombs around the area. The jade and porcelain halls are…

Forty kilometres north of Jingzhou, the 2300-year-old tombs of Xióngjiā Zhǒng are the source of a large collection of jade – on display at the Jingzhou…

The highlights of Hubei's Provincial Museum are excavations from the Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng (c 433 BC): there are bronze wares, weaponry and musical…

The walled Forbidden City encompasses the very tip-top of Wudang Shan and is accessed from the Taihe Palace near the cable car exit. The Chinese name…

Wuhan’s mythical crane, immortalised in the 8th-century poetry of Cui Hao, has long flown, but the city landmark remains perched atop Snake Hill. The…

The huge, hulking Three Gorges Dam is the world’s largest dam due to its length (2.3km) rather than its height (101m), and while it isn’t the most…

Focusing on modern Chinese art, the first two floors here are dedicated to temporary exhibits, while the 3rd floor features a permanent collection tracing…

Encompassing sheer limestone cliffs and a series of waterfalls cascading down the side of a narrow river gorge, Enshi has some marvellous scenery. It's…

Jingzhou’s original city wall was a tamped mud wall dating from the Eastern Han dynasty, and was later clad in stone during the Five Dynasties and Ten…

This Tujia-focused outdoor mall-like area is Enshi's favourite option for nightlife. Local song-and-dance performances (featuring the usual communist…

This is a great opportunity to get a grip on Wudang Shan history, lore and architecture. There’s a whole pantheon of gods, including the eminent Zhenwu …

This recreated village is definitely tacky and overrun on weekends, but nonetheless a convenient way to take in the stunning views near Xiling Gorge (西陵峡,…

This re-created fortified Tujia town is essentially just a walk in a pleasant park combined with a few examples of recently built Tujia architecture. The…

This restored Taoist temple originally dates back to the Han dynasty. The Hall of Supreme Purity (太清殿; Tàiqīng Diàn), containing a white-bearded statue of…

The Hankou Bund is a roughly 4km stretch of curated park running parallel to the Yangzi where locals gather to amble or gossip. There are some tea houses…

There's not much to see at this tiny temple, but the nuns give you three sticks of incense upon entering – and it is entirely off the tourist trail, which…

This former Taoist temple was closed for renovations during our last visit. It's next to the Jingzhou Museum.