Quick Travel Guide to Furong Zhen Old Town

Furong Zhen Old Town is one of China’s most underrated ancient towns. Follow my quick guide to find out how to organize your trip.

While I was planning to visit the famous Fenghuang Old Town (here my guide), a friend told me to check out the nearby Furong Ancient Town (芙蓉镇), a place I had never heard of despite having lived in China for a few years.

At first, I thought it would be just another old town, but I’m glad to admit I was completely wrong, so much so that it became one of my favorite ones in China.

This place is unique because it’s built around a river with a beautiful waterfall right in the middle, unlike other places like Lijiang(here my guide).

Here are some quick facts about Furong:

• Located in Yongshun County, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan Province, the town is known for its well-preserved ancient architecture, including traditional Tujia (one of the local ethnic groups) houses with wooden roofs, stone walls, and intricate carvings.
• The town is named after the hibiscus (furong in Chinese) that blooms abundantly during the summer. Furong was initially known as Wangcun but was renamed following the success of the 1986 movie Hibiscus Town.
• One of the most famous attractions in Furong Ancient Town is the Wangcun Waterfall, also known as the Furong Waterfall, which cascades into the Tuojiang River at the town’s entrance.
• The Tujia ethnic group, known for its rich cultural heritage, is the predominant population in Furong Ancient Town.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit the waterfall really depends on what you are looking for. During the rainy months of Summer, the falls are at their most powerful, but keep in mind that this also means heavy downpours, very humid air, and temperatures that can feel exhausting if you are outdoors for long.

In Spring, the weather is pleasant and comfortable, but the waterfall is usually much weaker since it hasn’t rained for months. Autumn is probably the best balance, as the heat eases off and there is still a good flow of water left over from the rainy season.

During the Winter months, it can get quite cold (it sometimes snows), and the main issue with places like this in China is not so much the frigid temperatures as the lack of heating, including in most hotels, as I explained in my quick guide to China.

Where to Stay and for how long

There are plenty of hotels, both inside and outside the Ancient Town area (such as this one, which is very famous). However, keep in mind that you have to pay an entrance fee of about 100 RMB to enter the old town, and this fee applies whether you stay in the village or just visit for the day.

If you choose accommodation inside, you’ll have the advantage of walking around in the early morning or late evening when most day-trippers are gone, and the streets feel much quieter. Outside the village, you’ll find cheaper options, and it’s only a short walk to the gates, so it really depends on your budget and travel style.

How to get to Furong Zhen

Getting to Furong is relatively easy. There are a few direct buses from the Zhangjiajie bus station (people often combine the two destinations during the same trip), and there is also a new high-speed train station just 10 minutes from the old town. That’s probably the best option to reach this town from outside the province.

Besides Zhangjiajie (here is my travel guide), you might consider combining Fanjingshan (here is my guide) and Fenghuang Old Town with a visit to Furong Zhen. If you need a local tour guide or driver to take you around this part of China, send me a DM on Instagram.

How to explore Furong Zhen

Furong is built along the waterfall, with wooden houses perched on the cliffs and walkways that seem to hang over the water. The town stretches on both sides of the falls, connected by a couple of bridges and a few narrow paths that you can walk when the water level is not too high. Hearing the cascade’s constant roar as you wander through the alleys gives the place a special atmosphere.

Like in many tourist towns in China, you’ll find plenty of shops selling the usual souvenirs, snacks, and trinkets, but what makes Furong stand out is the architecture. Most of the houses are built in the traditional Tujia style, with dark wooden beams, sloping roofs, and carved balconies facing the river. If you walk a bit away from the central streets, you’ll notice that people still live in many of these houses, which keeps the town from feeling like a theme park.

One highlight is that you can walk behind the waterfall. A path carved into the rock lets you pass directly behind the curtain of water, which is especially nice in summer.

Final Thoughts

Furong turned out to be one of those places that I didn’t expect much from but ended up enjoying a lot. The combination of the waterfall cutting through the town and the Tujia-style wooden houses makes it stand out from many other ancient towns in China. Spending the night was worth it, since the atmosphere changes completely when the lights are on.

Compared to Fenghuang, which has become overwhelmed by mass tourism, Furong still feels calmer and more authentic. Of course, there are souvenir shops and tourist restaurants like everywhere else, but the balance between local life and sightseeing is still there. If you’re already visiting Zhangjiajie or Fenghuang, adding Furong to your itinerary is not difficult, and I personally think it’s one of the most rewarding stops in this part of Hunan.

If you plan a trip to China, remember that you’d need a VPN to access the internet, and popular ones like ExpressVPN and Nord VPN DO NOT WORK in China. At the moment, this one is working properly. If you prefer an eSIM, this one works well. As for travel insurance, I recommend this one.

If you want to visit another interesting minority village, check out my Fujian Tulou guide. Here, you can read my travel guide to the Rainbow Mountains of Zhangye in Gansu.