Wuhan (武汉; Wǔhàn) is the capital of Hubei Province in China and a major port on the Yangtse River.
Memorial Hall of 1911 Wuchang Uprising, Where Sun Yat-Sen Issued his Edict to Overthrow the Qing.
Wuhan once consisted of three separate cities; Hanyang, Hankou, and Wuchang. Hanyang was a busy port as long as 3,000 years ago in the Han Dynasty. Yellow Crane Tower was first built in 223BCE and gained fame throughout China through the poetry of Cui Hao during the Tang Dynasty. Wuchang has been a center of learning for centuries, especially in the field of the arts. It became a provincial capital in the Yuan Dynasty.
Hankou was considered to be one of China's top four cities during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It was the busiest inland port, first opened as a treaty port in 1661. During the 19th century, as a result of concessions granted in the aftermath of the Opium Wars, large areas of Hankou's riverfront were carved up into foreign mercantile divisions with port and rail facilities and the area's economy expanded rapidly. There remain many grand buildings along Hankou's riverfront clearly European in design as a result.
The city is perhaps most famous for its pivotal role in the formation of modern China. On October 10, 1911 the Wuchang Uprising, led by Sun Yat-Sen, took place sparking the Xinhai Revolution throughout the nation which resulted in the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty (China's last) and the formation of the Republic of China. The event is commemorated in many place names beginning with "Shouyi", literally "First Revolution", including a public square with an attached museum. In the ensuing chaos of the Republic of China, Wuchang was the capital of a leftist Guomindang government ruled over by Wang Jingwei in direct opposition to Chiang Kai-shek.
In 1927, Hanyang, Hankou, and Wuchang were united to form the city of Wuhan. The city fell under siege by the Japanese during WWII and was liberated in 1949. With the opening of China, Wuhan was reopened in 1992 for the first time since the revolution. Today, Wuhan is one of China's largest cities and remains an important center of commerce. While many visitors overlook Wuhan as just another city, beneath its industrial exterior a rewarding tapestry of history and cultural arts awaits.
Wuhan is an amalgamation of three smaller cities, Hankou, Hanyang and Wuchang, each separated from the other by a river. Hankou is the business center and it sits to the northwest with the Yangtze River separating it from Wuchang and the Han River separating it from Hanyang. Wuchang is the education center hosting a bewildering variety of universities, institutes and colleges. It is separated from both Hankou and Hanyang by the Yangtze River. Hanyang is the industrial center, separated from Hankou by the Han River and from Wuchang by the Yangtze River.
The Number One Yangtze River Bridge, an old, Soviet-era colossus of engineering incorporating both rail and automobile traffic in a dual-layer setup, connects Wuchang with Hanyang. The more graceful Number Two Yangtze River Bridge, currently only open to automobile traffic, connects Wuchang with Hankou to the north. There are two major bridges across the Han River shuttling automobile traffic between Hanyang and Hankou. These two bridges are within sight of each other on the few smog-free days that exist. The Number Three Yangtze River Bridge, connects the outskirts of Wuchang with the outskirts of Hanyang to the distant south.
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Wuhan is humid year-round and has chilly winters and oppressive summers
Travellers not accustomed to high heat and humidity should avoid visiting Wuhan in the summer months. As the hottest of the "Three Furnaces" of China (along with Chongqing and Nanjing), temperatures in the height of summer (namely July and August) can easily reach 35 °C. Combine the heat with humidity, a lack of wind, and heavy urban pollution typical to most of the rapidly industrialized cities in China, and one encounters a recipe for a cloudy yet simmering day.
Wuhan is a major city in a central position. It has all the bus, rail, road and air connections you
Wuhan can be accessed easily from Wuhan Tianhe International Airport (WUH)  about an hour outside of the city center. Flights from all major domestic airports are available, including Xian, Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Hong Kong and Taipei. International flights operate from Seoul, Paris, Tokyo, Singapore and Bangkok. Thai AirAsia  recently launched  its daily Bangkok-Wuhan service. The airport can be reached by bus from Hongji Long distance bus station (¥32, 1.5 hrs); buses depart every two hours, bus station opens 6:30am and is next to Wuchang railway station.
Wuhan is a major railway hub, connected by direct trains with most of China's major cities. Overnight express trains (Z series trains) take one from Beijing (¥263), Shanghai, Hangzhou or Ningbo in 9-12 hours. There are also frequent train connections from Guangzhou taking about 12 hours and a bit less frequent trains from Shenzhen.
Besides over night trains, there are also day-time high-speed trains (D and G series) which connect Wuhan with Beijing (via Zhengzhou and Shijiazhuang), Xi'an, Shanghai (via Hefei and Nanjing), Guangzhou (via Changsha), Nanchang and Yichang. It takes 4.25–6.15 hours to Shanghai (¥280), 4.5 hours to Beijing (¥520.50), 4.6–5.2 hours to Xi'an (¥454.50) and 3.7–4.5 hours to Guangzhou (¥463.50).
The biggest hassle for most train travellers in Wuhan is that there are 3 wide spread train stations serving the three older cities that make up modern Wuhan and until 2009, none of them used Wuhan in their name. Wuhan Railway Station is the newest of the three stations to the east of the city, it is the main north-south high speed train station and only a few conventional trains stop here. Hankou Railway Station is in the north of the city and handles most east-west high speed trains but also many conventional trains. Wuchang Station in the south of the city handles mostly conventional trains. Both Wuchang and Hankou stations handle trains headed to many destinations all across China, making it confusing for travellers as to which station to use or fail to recognise that these stations are even in Wuhan when booking tickets.
There are two major long distance bus stations, again in Hankou and Wuchang respectively, which tend to have buses visiting both.
You can also reach Wuhan via boats on the Yangtze River, either from downstream centers such as Shanghai and Nanjing or from Chongqing further upstream, via the famous Three Gorges route.
Wuhan has a cheap (usually 2rmb per journey), efficient, but horribly bewildering bus system in place. The service has vastly improved compared to the past. It is the cheapest way to get around the city. If you have a local to guide you, it can be used to get from place to place with impressive speed (if not comfort or safety). Without a local to guide you, you should better have a very good map and a good grasp of Chinese.
Metro network now consists of three lines, Line 3 having opened in December of 2013. Line 1 serves Hankou district mostly adjacent to the river, while line 2 extends from popular shopping hub Optics Valley Square across the Yangtse river, crossing line 1 and also serving Hankou Railway Station. Line 4, currently in phase 1 of 2, connects the Wuhan Railway Station and Wuchang Railway Station and crosses line 2. Phase 2 of line 4 is due to connect Wuchang district and Hanyang district, crossing the Yangtse. A full network consisting of 8 lines is planned to be ready by 2018. A single journey can cost anywhere from 1元 to 5元. Announcements are in both Chinese and English.
Taxis are sometimes hard to find, especially in commercial areas. Taxis are supposed to switch drivers at 5:30pm however often they will appear to do so much earlier. After 4pm, expect half of all taxis to display a sign indicating they are not for hire. In congested areas, especially 1-way streets with no convenient exit, taxi drivers displaying the for hire sign (空车） will often wave you away when you try to flag them down or stop the car to ask where you are going and dismiss you if it's not to an area they wish to go to. Be aware and plan accordingly if you have to be somewhere on-time. Please also be aware that the lack of adequate taxis in congested areas (WuHan Plaza, for example), people in WuHan are much more aggressive when trying to get a taxi. Expect to race to any car that stops and to hold your ground at the door (for example if you're waiting at the front door, someone will jump in the back). Rates are relatively cheap at ¥6 on the flag and with around ¥70 getting you between almost any two spots you are likely to want to travel between. It is possible to get higher taxi fares, but usually only because the taxi driver has deliberately taken you on a longer trip (which is, thankfully, not a common occurrence).
Airport taxis are the exception. Foreigners in particular are likely to get ripped off by taxi drivers at the airport. They will demand prices starting at ¥150 to go anywhere in the city. For reference, going from the airport to the middle of Hanyang costs about ¥50 typically. It is advisable to insist on the metre before the taxi starts moving and if the driver refuses, step out, collect your luggage and go back to the taxi stand. Note that this is not a serious problem in the daytime when there is a supervisor at the taxi stand who is an airport employee, rather than a taxi driver himself.
One oddity of the taxi system is crossing the bridges. Because of the traffic problems and snarls at the bridges, the city has instituted a system in which half the taxis are not permitted to cross the bridge on half the days. Basically, if the day of the month is odd, odd-numbered taxis are allowed to use the Number One Bridge. If the day of the month is even, even-numbered taxis are allowed to use the Number One Bridge. This system may extend to the Number Two Bridge (this is not yet confirmed) but it does not extend to the Number Three Bridge. In most circumstances, however, it is not advisable to use the Number Three Bridge as it tends to increase the taxi fares dramatically (although it is an interesting ride).
The Yangtze River can be crossed by ferry for a very reasonable fee of ¥1.5. The ferry runs frequently starting at 7AM and ending at 9PM. It offers by virtue of its unique location some nice views of the city, the Number One Yangtze River Bridge, Yellow Crane Tower, etc. during the day and an interesting nightscape view after dark.
Snake Hill Park from the Yellow Crane Tower.
- Yellow Crane Tower (黄鹤楼 Huanghelou), . The single largest tourist attraction in Wuhan, the tower is a modern construction built on the site of twelve previous incarnations. It is considered one of the four great towers in China. The tower sits atop Snake Hill near the Number One Yangtze River Bridge and affords a commanding view of the Yangtze River as well as the mouth of the Han River where it connects. The view of the city is very impressive, although at times made slightly hazy by smog. On the clearest days, one can see practically the entire city of Wuhan and far up and down the Yangtze River.
Entering the park costs ¥80 (as of 12/2010) which gives access to Snake Hill Park, Yellow Crane Tower and the Mao Pavilion (in which many of the poems of Chairman Mao are etched into stone for viewing pleasure). The park as a whole is nicely landscaped with many charming buildings. Of particular interest is the enormous bronze bell located behind Yellow Crane Tower itself as well as a teahouse on the premises which features regular performances of traditional Chu-era music. The performance itself is free, but it is expected that patrons enjoying it order at least a beverage or a small snack.
The current tower was completed in the 1980s using modern materials, most notably, concrete is used instead of wood for all supporting members so as to prevent yet another disaster, since the twelve previous towers were all destroyed by fires and war. The ground floor of the tower contains a large entrance hall, two stories tall, with enormous decorative lamps and a giant ceramic fresco displaying the quasi-mythical story of the tower's initial construction. The second story, essentially a balcony around the entrance hall, contains a souvenir shop as well as displays of traditional Chinese paintings and calligraphy. The third story has a residence done up in the very ancient, Chu style modelled after the kinds of sitting rooms used by nobility greeting guests in the ancient period. The fourth story contains another souvenir shop and a set of models displaying the tower in five of its previous incarnations. This latter display shows the fascinating development of an essentially military watchtower into an increasingly residence/tourist-oriented showpiece. The top accessible story has pay telescopes and some nice art displays.
Yellow Crane Tower (and, in fact, Snake Hill Park in general) is wheelchair-accessible in most areas of interest. The tower even has two elevators suited to the elderly and the handicapped who would otherwise not be able to climb the stairs to the top. Ramps abound in most of the areas of interest. edit
- Tanhualin (昙华林), Tanhualin, Wuchang (Closest metro station is Pangxiejia on line 2. Tanhualin （昙华林) can be found on the area maps inside the metro station). Once an area heavily colonised mostly by Christian missionaries from around Europe, Tanhualin has evolved into a very trendy street with great little cafes and pointless-but-charming, 'gifty' shops. There is also a small art gallery worth visiting. It is one of the only places in Wuhan with a youthful atmosphere, aided by its close proximity to Hubei Art College. The heritage architecture makes it worth a visit alone. edit
- Guiyuan Temple (归元寺), ☎ 84-842-298, . Open from 9 AM to 5 PM. Built in 1658, Guiyuan Temple is known as the first zen temple to be built in Hubei Province. The most famous and impressive building in the complex is the Arhats Hall, which contains 500 arhat (Buddhist saints) statues. When you enter, from whichever part you choose to begin exploring, you are supposed to count the arhats. When you have counted to your current age, you are then supposed to write down the number above the statue that you stopped on and you can then present it to the small shop outside to purchase a golden card with your fortune, as well as a depiction of that statue. The statues inside are all quite different and intricately designed, so it's well worth the time to thoroughly explore the temple. Entrance is ¥10. edit
- Baotong Temple. A very well-kept and attractive temple, now easily accessible as a named stop on Wuhan's Metro Line 2. It is definitely worth planning a visit for a Sunday, as you are more likely to catch a large prayer/chanting session with monks from other Wuhan Buddhist temples. Also, a short climb from the highest room is the amazing 7-floor octagonal "Hongshan Tower" pagoda built over 11 years in the late 1200s that you can climb for an additional 2元. Well worth the effort necessary to squeeze your way through its hobbit-esque dimensions, as it gives a great city view. ¥10. edit
- Changchun Taoist Temple. A good temple to visit in Wuhan to try to spot the differences between Taoism and Buddhism. Nice grounds, worth a good wander. Always seems to be some building going on, which can occasionally ruin the tranquility that such places try to promote so aggressively. ¥10. edit
- Hubei Provincial Museum (湖北省博物馆), ☎ +86 27 86794127, . Exhibit of ancient Chinese artifacts excavated from throughout Hubei Province. Displays range from pottery, jewelry, clothing, and even ancient human skulls. One of the highlights are the well-preserved musical instruments, and a brief concert is played daily on reproduction instruments. edit
- Memorial Hall of Wuchang Uprising in 1911 Revolution, (Just below Snake Hill on the south side), . On October 10, 1911 the infamous Wuchang Uprising that started the Xinhai Revolution that led to the fall of the Qing Dynasty and the election of Sun Yat-Sen as the provisional president. This was one of the biggest events that shaped modern China, making it a must-see for anyone interested in historical travel. The Revolutionary Army was officially here, and inside the Red Chamber (the main building) they issued the edict to bring down the Qing Dynasty. In the outside Uprising Plaza, stands a statue of Sun Yat-Sen. edit
- Hubei Art Museum (湖北美术馆). Great art museum situated across the street from the Hubei Provincial Museum with a number of exhibition halls exhibiting at least two temporary exhibitions at a time. Exhibitions vary greatly from the traditional to the avante-garde, but the quality of the curation is always exemplary, often with explanatory notes in both Chinese and English. Also houses an overpriced coffee shop with average coffee and bad food, but a clean, relaxing atmosphere nonetheless. edit
- Wuhan Art Museum (武汉美术馆), Nanjing Road, Hankou. Beautiful 1920s heritage building with plenty of cultural history, the Wuhan Art Museum is a great place for art lovers casual or serious to visit. Exhibitions are more hit and miss than the Hubei Art Museum, but the space itself has a lot of potential that has been well used in previous exhibitions that range from the traditional to the contemporary. The area surrounding the museum is also something of an antiques district which is also great for exploring. Only a short walk from the Jianghan Road or Xunlimen metro stations. edit
- Wuhan Sex Museum (武汉性学博物馆), 小天鹅宾馆, Qingnian Road, Hankou district (Metro Line 2- Fanhu station). 10-12/2-4. A gem of a museum generally unknown to many Wuhan natives, and one of only two sexology museums in China, the other being in Shanghai. A small museum with a great collection of sex paraphernalia from sculptures and ancient Chinese pornography to sex furniture and a display of fetuses in jars. Take metro Line 2 to Fanhu station and locate 小天鹅宾馆 on map in station. The museum is well sign-posted once you locate the museum. A google map search for "wuhan sexology museum" also helps... 30元/10远 for students. edit
- Wuhan Zoo, . There is more to this zoo than just animals. The zoo contains a small area of amusement park rides, and a beautiful bonsai garden. Of course, those who are interested in seeing the animals will not be disappointed, as the zoo features a Giant Panda (be aware that they occasionally take the panda out to travel to other parts of the country), red pandas, hippos, wolves, zebras, and many other popular zoo animals. No visit to this zoo would be complete without seeing one of the daily shows! Well-trained animals performing unbelievable stunts, from puppies doing tricks to bicycling bears. This said, animals are not always treated with respect by a lot of (Chinese) visitors who seem to enjoy throwing their garbage at them, such as plastic bottles etc. edit
- Wuhan Botanical Garden, ☎ +86 27 87510290, . Wuhan Botanical Garden was established in 1956 and is known today as one of China's top research botanical gardens. There is an impressive variety of gardens and greenhouses within the grounds of the botanical garden. Gardens themed at various plants, the tropical plants garden, greenhouses, science museum. edit
- Moshan Hill. A large park area filled with monuments, temples, and various shops. While most of the monuments in the area were built in the 1990s, Moshan Hill is still a great place to go hiking and enjoy the natural scenery. ¥40. edit
- Mao Zedong's Summer Villa (Maozedong Donghu Jiuju). Wuhan is home to one of the villas of the famous Chairman Mao. He returned here annually and typically stayed a few months. The decor was designed in the 1950s fashion, which strikes many visitors as odd, yet there are plenty of indicators that it is no ordinary person's home. One of the most interesting sites is Mao's large indoor swimming pool. NOTE: Mao's pool seems to no longer be accessible. Also, the villa is not where Google Maps says it is, and it is difficult to find since there are no signs (not even in Chinese). To get there, get to Hubei Museum first. As you face the museum main entrance, turn left and walk along the main street. Immediately a street will branch off to your right - take it (the museum will be on your right). The street will lead to a roundabout, on which you should turn right, into a narrow shaded alleyway with some dilapidated houses and chicken coops. Eventually you will come to a gate (may look closed but will have an opening). Continue through the gate and straight along a causeway with water on both sides. You will get to an intersection - turn left. You will come to a parking lot in front of a large building complex - you want to get behind that complex, i.e. pass it so that it's on your left (there's a road with a blue forward-pointing arrow going there - take that road, then turn left). You will see an unremarkable-looking building with Mao's old car in a glass enclosure - this is Mao's villa. Open from 8am to 5pm. GPS coordinates and Google Map link to the correct location: 30.554593,114.368749  50 RMB. edit
- East Lake (Donghu), Donghu Rd, Wuchang District (take bus no 401 or 402). Largest lake in Wuhan. With numerous parks around it, all summer long it is a popular swimming area for the youths and families alike. The most popular legal swimming area is in Liyuan Park, on the northwestern side of the lake. Entry through ting-tao gate is free. Elsewhere on the lake, there are fancier beaches where admission is charged. Free - 60元. edit
- Jiqing Street (吉庆街). An ordinary-seeming street by day, becomes transformed by night into a bewildering maze of streetside restaurants and buskers performing music, dance, opera and stand-up comedy. It is a strongly-recommended experience. Food is plentiful and cheap, and it features a lot of unique local cuisine. The performances can be enjoyed by proxy as performers work other tables or they can be purchased. One can expect to pay about ¥10 per song performed. Other performances are more based on contributions—the more you contribute, the longer the performers will do their routines and the more daring/interesting/funny the routines will be. edit
- Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu Festival). fifth day of the fifth lunar month (June 23rd in 2012) at the East Lake. The famous Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated throughout China however, it's origins lie with the ancient Chu Kingdom that resided in Hubei Province and surrounding provinces during the Warring States Period. The festival was brought about from the story of Qu Yuan, advisor of King Huai, who had made many predictions about the dangers of the surrounding kingdoms to their own. Qu Yuan had advised the king on ways to protect the Chu Kingdom, but the king refused to listen and instead banished his advisor from the court. Years later, when word reached Qu Yuan that all of his predictions had come true, he committed suicide in the river out of despair over the fall of his kingdom. It is said that the people of the town loved him so much that they paddled down the river in dragon boats making music and throwing rice into the river so that the fish would not eat his body. This event is believed to have occurred on May 5, and the festival is celebrated in much the same way today as the event had occurred with the dragon boats and music in the river. People eat zongi, special rice wrapped in bamboo leaves, on this holiday. Although Qu Yuan is said to have drown himself in the Miluo River, just outside of Hubei Province, the festival is believed to have originated in Wuhan. edit
- Jianghan Road (江汉路), (In Hankou). Of potential interest to a visitor, a pedestrian mall almost as long as Shanghai's famed East Nanjing Road. During the day it is an interesting look at rampant consumerism in China's rapidly-growing middle class. At night, starting at 7PM, it is the same but is expanded on each side a few blocks deep by a night market with literally thousands of little stalls hawking every variety of goods imaginable: makeup, souvenirs, clothing, housewares, food, music, movies, etc. edit
- Han Street Outdoor Walking Plaza & the New Wanda Mall Complex (汉街), (Most easily accessible via metro line 4, Chuhe Hanjie station). A must see destination of newly developed shopping street of up-market shops, dance and show clubs, cafés, KTV, restaurants (Chinese, Asian, Western, Etc.), including numerous coffee shops and at least three Starbucks. Includes a new Madame Tussauds Wax museum (third in China). Lights up beautifully at night. Many interesting sculptures and architectural details, blending modern designs with old world European and Chinese styles. Includes an architecturally impressive newly finished Wanda Mall and several Wanda Hotels. The grocery store in the basement level of the Wanda Mall has a wide variety of imported foods and drinks in a modern, Whole Food's style configuration; it's worth a visit to pick up breads, cheeses, or a vanilla Coke. Marks and Spencer's located on this street has a small food court that will be much appreciated by any English expats who miss the simple pleasures like mayonnaise not designed to top a fruit salad, tinned cream of mushroom soup or English sweets and chocolates. Also has a good wine section, with cider (hard to find in Wuhan). edit
Books and maps
- Chongwen Book City (崇文书城) (Chongwen Shu Cheng), Xiongchu Avenu (Xiongchu Dajie) (Near Loushi South Road (Loushinanlu), about 3km east of Wuchang Train Station). Wuhan's best (or at least biggest) book and map store. It occupies the 3rd floor of a huge building. The place is huge. Most books are categorized by topics, but there are also sections dedicated to specific publishers. Most books are of course in Chinese, but a foreign traveller may be interested in their well stocked map department. Among other products, they carry a series of road atlases for most of China's provinces and autonomous regions, suitable for both drivers and bicyclists. There is also an Internet cafe on the 4th floor. edit
- Guanggu Book City (光谷书城) (Guanggu Shucheng), Guanggu Plaza (J). Another major book store, next to the numerous shopping malls of Guanggu Circle (Guanggu Guangchang). Has a small section with books China in foreign languages (mostly English), and books for foreigner studying Chinese. This is the part of the city where all the universities are, so if you look like a Westerner, you'd occasionally encounter a student who'd like to practice his/her English. edit
- Hubei Province Foreign Languages Book Shop (外文书店) (Waiwen shudian), Zhongnan Road (Just north of Wulou Road, no English sign). Another big book shop. The "foreign languages" in its name seems to refer mostly to the textbooks and dictionaries of foreign languages for the Chinese audience and the books translated into Chinese from foreign languages, but they carry some literature in English as well. edit
- Xinhua Bookstores (新华书店). There are also a few large Xinhua Bookstores throughout the city. edit
Wuhan is famous for its morning xiaochi - a variety of breakfast foods. Hubuxiang （户部巷） in Wuchang is Wuhan's famous breakfast alley where you will find all of Wuhan's famous breakfast dishes. Reganmian (热干面） (literally, "hot dry noodle") is the epitome of Wuhan's breakfast food. It is noodles with peanut sauce, tossed in sesame paste and other seasonings. You will find these noodles for ¥3 from street vendors. Other Wuhan breakfast specialties include mianwo, a type of savory donut; tangbao, small dumpling-buns filled with pork and soup; mibaba, a lightly sweetened pancake made with rice flour; and mijiu tangyuan, a sweet soup of rice wine (fermented from glutinous rice) with rice flour dumplings stuffed with sesame paste and "doupi", rice fried into a cake with tofu skin and some pickled veg.
In addition, the area to the north of the 江汉路 (Jianghan Road) subway stop is littered with small roadside stands and stalls during the morning travel rush. From about 7 onwards, the majority of the entrances and alleyways leading into the Jianghan Pedestrian Street (immediately to the north of the subway stop, Exit C) have people selling portable and not-so-portable breakfast foods, including the above-mentioned 热干面 (Reganmian) and about fifteen varieties of handheld pancake.
South of Exit B of 江汉路 (Jianghan Road), along 交通路 (Jiaotong Road), there's a fairly large shopping area, under which is another major food "street" frequented by the locals. For entrances, look for small stand-alone buildings with escalators and staircases leading downwards, in between the shopping malls. The most noticeable are a red-colored, half-cylindrical building in the middle of the shopping area and one with a peaked yellow roof along 中山大道 (Zhongshan Blvd).
- Al Arabi, Wenhua Road, Luoyu Road-武汉市武昌区桂园路72号华师文化街. Great Arabic food, haven for foreigners who miss hummus and non-spicy food with flavour. Slightly awkward layout, but can comfortably accommodate a large group, errs towards the pricey side of restaurants, but well worth it. Menu includes barbecued meats, falafels, Hummus, Baba ganoush et cetera as well as full meals. All good. Muslim restaurant, no alcohol on premises, serves non-alcoholic beer. Affiliated with small shop next door, has good range of niche import products. Meal for two- up to 200元. edit
- Gianos (吉雅诺西餐厅), 洪山区光谷创业街1栋, . Best pizza in Wuhan, real-brick oven cooking, economical when compared to inferior high-street chains such as Papa John's and Pizza Hut. Good choice of toppings, generous portions, good side orders, salads and ciabatta sandwiches. Because the pizzas are all made fresh, you can be left waiting for longer than other places, but it is a worthwhile wait. Good selection of beers and ales on menu, but rarely in stock. Also does deliveries- check website for details. To get there, go to Guanshan Avenue, turn in to Guanggu chuangye Street and you will see a large signpost immediately on your right-hand side advertising the restaurant, guiding you up a ramp and left. Never busy. Old Friends bar is right next door and worth a visit also. Average 12-inch pizza- 80元. edit
- Kebab Kingdom (烤巴巴王国), 武汉市武昌区桂园路72号华师文化街52号, ☎ 027-87880981. 11.00 to 21.30. Kebab Kingdom, is the first restaurant in Wuhan to offer kebabs and it’s in the style of Turkish food. They opened up in January 2010 near Wuhan University 武汉大学 but now moved to huashi cultural street and make deliveries from 11:30-21:00. Each kebab is large and packed full of meat and vegetables at an affordable price of ¥20. They deliver free for orders within a 2 km radius and charge 4 yuan for orders more than 30 yuan for a 3km radius! They are currently serving doner kebabs, fries, chicken nuggets, and a variety of Indian and Pakistani dishes. 20元. edit
- La Sophie (墨西哥餐厅), 户部巷 (Enter from the main entrance and then turn right onto the small street). A small taco restaurant tucked away on a small street. Opened in 2014, the owner speaks pretty good english and is very accomodating. The food is pretty good as far as tacos go (try the shrimp!) And very cheap (10-15rmb/item). 50. edit
- Grandma's Kitchen, Chicony Plaza 7F (街道口 JieDaoKou Metro, exit B and walk straight.). A pretty complete restaurant with your normal american european fare (pizza, pasta, salads, burgers, tex-mex), a pretty varied menu with some vegetarian options as well. Not dirt cheap, service is pretty quick, and food is really good. 70元. edit
There are a few drinks that are associated with the city. Included in this list is Jingjiu (a healthy alternative to regular wines), Baijiu. If you would like to taste something slightly more low key, there is a local micro-brew called Singo (Xingyinge), that will be the beginning of every good night, at just ¥1.5 per bottle.
- VOX live house, Luxiang, Lumo lu（鲁磨路）, ☎ +86 13437251621 (chinese), 13163308577 (english). The most popular bar in Wuhan for non-Chinese, VOX is a small bar which regularly has shows on the weekend playing host to underground Chinese acts ranging from rock/punk/indie/experimental. Has a DJ after shows playing electro, indie-dance-rock among other things. So well known, it can be home to natives 'experimenting' with the concept of 'going out for drinks'. This largely consists of them going early, getting a table, playing dice and eating popcorn. Sometimes dancing. Fewer dabblers end up in Prison bar, round the corner. Beers start at ¥5. edit
- Wuhan Prison (Folk hand bar (sometimes advertised gigs use this name for the venue)), Next to the BBQs and Vox on Lumo Lu（鲁磨路）. 7/8pm to late.. Awesome dive bar with a great atmosphere, makes most foreigners feel at home, friendly staff and occasional live music. Good selection of international lager, cocktails, et cetera. Cheapest drink 10元. edit
- Old Friends Bar, Guanggu Chuangye Jie (see below- a bit complicated). open until late. A great little bar with friendly staff and a relaxed atmosphere. A little bit overpriced and the staff can take up to three weeks to assemble a cocktail, but worth it for a clean, comparatively quiet atmosphere with a free pool table. Large projection screen always playing music video channel that never matches the music actually playing, is often hilarious. Has (usually unwanted) open-mic performances and karaoke. To get there, go to Guanshan Avenue, turn in to Guanggu chuangye Street and you will see a large signpost immediately on your right-hand side advertising the bar, guiding you up a ramp and left. Go there early and get a pizza at Giano's Pizza restaurant next door- best pizzas in Wuhan. cheapest beer 15元. edit
- Sawa, Opposite Wuhan Prison on Lumo lu（鲁磨路）(near CUG中国地质大学), ☎ +86 15072306120 (chinese and english). Opens in afternoon. Opposite Wuhan Prison, around the corner from VOX, Sawa is a very small Hookah/shisha bar that serves cheap alcohol and also does some foreign food, it's a good place to start before heading to Vox or Prison. Open during the day also. Beer from ¥5, cocktails are mostly ¥20, Shisha starts at ¥35 for 2 pipes. edit
- Grammy International, Just south of Luxiang on Minzu Dadao (民族大道）, . One of Wuhan's International Clubs, playing Rn'B, Hip-Hop, Rap. Largely consists of horny foreigners literally sniffing the air for sexual opportunity. Has carpets on the walls. Avoid. edit
- Topone Bar, On the north end of Luoshi Lu（珞狮路） close to Wuhan University （武汉大学）, ☎ 13016464840. Chinese style 'club', lots of tables, live entertainment and not a lot of dance floor. Beers start at about ¥30. edit
- Queens Bar / Pin Club, Luoshi Road（珞狮路）. Beers start at about ¥30. (,Wuchangs own little club district, recently refurbished. Limited dance floor, plenty of tables, liquor by the bottle. Friendly atmosphere towards foreigners.) edit
- Helen's Cafe, (卓刀泉北路 - Next to Wuhan University's medical (there are now many branches in Wuhan)). 2pm - 4am. Good, simple western food options. Can play your own music if you like - sometimes a blessing, often a curse. Ladies night on Wednesday is a weekly highlight for foreigners looking for things to do sex with. Also, whiskey buckets. cheap. edit
- Burton / La Provence, (华师文化街 - Huazhong University Culture Street). 2pm until close. Adjoining cafes with good coffee and food which transform, as the night comes along, into a crowded, sweaty and hormone-saturated place to party. Music is heavy on rap, hip hop and dance, with plenty of Justin Bieber. Closes with the last customer- most likely crawling out on their bloodied hands and knees after another inevitable punch-up or bottling. Burtons really is where the "party people" retreat to. The place to go after everywhere else has closed and you still have a fight in you. "Wild" party atmosphere. students, students, students. Burtons is full of students- mostly foreign students and the Chinese classmates they have dragged there on the promise of a good night out. During the day acceptable pizzas, burgers and coffee, though not quite as good as Helen's. cheap. edit
- Toucan, On the ground floor of the Holiday Inn Wuhan Riverside on Qingchuan jie (晴川街). Irish bar, pool table, watch sports, Guinness on tap. ¥25 for a something which resembles a pint.. edit
- Blue Sky Cafe, On Xibeihu Lu (西北湖街）, . edit
- Brussels Beer Garden, Also on Xibeihu Lu, directly below Blue Sky Cafe. A good range of Belgian and German beers on draft and bottled. (西北湖街）. edit
- Chloe Wine Bar, 145 Poyang St (Near Lihuangpi Lu and 1 block behind the Marco Polo Hotel) Laid back, upscale bar serving mostly wine but also beers, cocktails, and a decent Scotch list. Small, yet interesting food menu., ☎ 027-8288-6366, . 7-12. edit
- Jianghan Riverside Club District, Set among the main entrance to the Riverside area (汉口江滩门)next to Hankou's Ferry port (汉口江滩轮船). Multiple Chinese style clubs with limited dancefloors but plenty of lounges and tables for lively and expensive drinking. As of 2012 Return 97 and Muse are highlights. Venues generally close between 2-4am, later on holidays such as Western New Years Eve. Wuchang residents can stay to 6am and catch the ferry across the river for breakfast at hubuxiang. edit
- Citadines Zhuankou Wuhan (馨乐庭武汉沌口服务公寓), No. 159 Dongfeng Avenue, Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone, ☎ +86 27 8421-8000 (email@example.com, fax: +86 27 8421-8008), . All 249 apartments, ranging from studios to two-bedroom layouts, have separate living and dining areas, a kitchen, broadband internet access and a home entertainment system. Daily rates starts from ¥450. edit
- Holiday Inn Wuhan Riverside, (At the heart of city a few minutes away from the shopping and entertainment district). Built near the banks of the Yangtze River,opposite to the well-known Yellow Crane Tower,neighbor to the ancient Qing Chuan Pavilion. 315 well-furnished rooms including 10 suites ,80 non-smoking rooms ,2 disabled rooms and 50 rooms on Executive Club floor. edit
- Haiyi Jin Jiang Hotel, 1 Hongshan Road, Wuchang District, . An intelligent building in the heart of the Wuchang District, offers 72 rooms with cutting edge amenities that are perfect for busy executives. It also has a variety of event venues to suit every function, as well as dining options where you can have the best of local cuisine. edit
- Wuhan Pathfinder International Youth Hostel (武汉探路者国际青年旅舍), 368 Zhongshan Road, Wuchang District (武昌区中山路368号) (Cannot be seen from the street, and may be difficult to find, so make sure to write down the address in Chinese and phone number to give to your taxi), ☎ +86 27 88844092, 88851263 (firstname.lastname@example.org, fax: +86 27 88844092), . Free wireless access, and very nice and extensive common area(s). Restaurant on site with extensive menu of quite good Chinese and Western dishes (¥10-28 per dish). Although quiet hours are listed as 11PM-8AM, this is barely a suggestion and not enforced too rigidly, so request a secluded dorm. Not a hotel for light sleepers. Dorm from ¥40(¥35 YHA member), single ¥80 (¥70 member), double ¥158 (¥138 member). edit
- Super 8 (速8酒店), 98 Donghu Road, Wuchang District (武昌区东湖路98号), ☎ +86 27 67811788 (fax: +86 27 67811766). Free internet in rooms. Free simple buffet meals. From ¥180. edit
- Wuhan Jin Jiang International Hotel (武汉锦江国际大酒店), 707 Jianshe Avenue, Jianghan District, . A 5-star business hotel with over 400 guestrooms replete with the essentials for the traveling businessman. Also has fully-equipped ballrooms made for business conferences and other special events that can accommodate up to 400 guests. The hotel has restaurants offering Chinese and Western cuisine, and a cigar bar. edit
- Novotel Wuhan Xin Hua (武汉新华诺富特大饭店), (In Hankou), . 5 star hotel. edit
- Shangri-La Hotel (武汉香格里拉大饭店), 700 Jian She Avenue, Hankou, ☎ +862785806868, . An upscale hotel offering massages, a fitness room, and a swimming pool. Internet is available in all rooms for no extra fee. From around ¥700. edit
- Liangjingjing Hotel, 401 Zhongshan Avenue Jianghan wuhan (Jianghan). The Liangjingjing Hotel is an economy business hotel on Zhongshan Avenue, in Wuhan's commercial center. Each guestroom is furnished with a television, air conditioning, wireless telephone from CNY108-CNY193. edit
- Wuhan University(武汉大学 Wǔ-hàn-Dà-xué), It is regarded as one of the top ten universities in China, and its history dates back to 1893, making it one of China's oldest institutions of higher learning. It was also one of the first modern "national universities" in post-dynastic China. It is located in Hubei province's capital, Wuhan, known as "the nine provinces' leading thoroughfare".
- South-Central University for Nationalities(中南民族大学 Zhōng-nán-mín-zú-Dà-xué). It is a national university located in Hubei province's capital Wuhan, directly under the State Ethnic Affairs Commission of PRC. It is a comprehensive university founded in 1951 and the former name was South Central College for Nationalities(Chinese: 中南民族学院). In March 2002, the school adopted the current name. As one of the 6 national higher education institutes for ethnic groups in China, SCUN is committed to the innovation in higher education for ethnic groups, and thus has achieved a rapid and comprehensive development. Everyone in SCUN, led by a wise and united leadership is making great effort for the comprehensive development of the school— to improve its teaching and learning conditions, enhance its education quality, construct a harmonious campus and ultimately make SCUN an outstanding university for ethnic groups with its own distinguishing features. SCUN is well on its way to a better future.
- United States, New World International Trade Tower I, 568 Jianshe Ave, Hankou District, ☎ +86 27-8555-7791 (email@example.com, fax: +86 27 8555-7761), . edit
- Republic of Korea, 4F, Pudong Development Bank B/D, 218, Xinhua Road, Jianghan District 430022, ☎ +86 27-8556-1085 (firstname.lastname@example.org, fax: +86 27 8574-1085), . edit
There are two train stations in Wuchang (Wuchang station and Wuhan station, the latter for high speed trains) and one in Hankou. There are also long-distance bus stations; one in Hankou, and near the Wuchang train station.
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