Must-see attractions in Hubei

  • Wudang Shan

    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…

  • Guiyuan Temple

    Wuhan

    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…

  • Jingzhou Museum

    Hubei

    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…

  • Xióngjiā Zhǒng

    Hubei

    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…

  • Hubei Provincial Museum

    Wuhan

    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…

  • Forbidden City

    Hubei

    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…

  • Yellow Crane Tower

    Wuhan

    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…

  • Three Gorges Dam

    Hubei

    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…

  • Hubei Museum of Art

    Wuhan

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

  • Jingzhou City Wall

    Hubei

    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…

  • Wǔdāng Museum of China

    Hubei

    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 …

  • Three Gorges Village

    Hubei

    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,…

  • Changchun Temple

    Wuhan

    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…

  • Hankou Bund

    Wuhan

    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…

  • Tienü Temple

    Hubei

    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…

  • Kaiyuan Temple

    Hubei

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

  • Zixiao Palace

    Hubei

    From this beautiful, turquoise-tiled temple, a small stone path leads up to South Cliff (45 minutes).

  • Guandi Temple

    Hubei

    Up the road from the South Gate, this historic Taoist temple originally dates to 1396.

  • Xuanmiao Temple

    Hubei

    This Taoist temple was entirely bare on our last visit, without a single statue, altar, mural or stick of incense. The adjoining gardens, set around a…

  • Revolution of 1911 Museum

    Wuhan

    Housed in a dramatic, eye-catching red rock–like building, the Chinese Communist Party propaganda machine is in full tilt, but there are some interesting…

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