Hunan · China
Changsha travel guide
Changsha is a city in Hunan, China, home to about 10,048,000 people.
- Best months
- September and October
- Nearest airport
- CSX24 km · Changsha Huanghua International Airport
- Currency
- CNYrenminbi
- Time zone
- Asia/Shanghai
- Language
- Chinese, Putonghua, Standard Chinese
About
About Changsha
Changsha is the capital of Hunan, China. Located in the lower reaches of the Xiang River in northeastern Hunan, it is the 15th most populous city in China with a population of 10,513,100.
Changsha has an urban population of over 10 million people (2022). Mao Zedong lived and worked as a teacher in Changsha, and it was the site of his conversion to communism. A huge sculpture of Mao's head on Orange Island reminds everyone of his connection to the city. The city is known among the Chinese for being the site of the Battle of Changsha, which was the first major victory the Chinese scored against the Japanese during World War II.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Changsha
See
- Changsha Bamboo Slips Museum
- Changsha Museum
- The Geological Museum of Hunan
- Hunan Embroidery Museum
- Hunan Provincial Museum
- Hunan Science and Technology Museum
- Longping Rice Museum
- Xie Zilong Photography Museum
- Dufu Pavilion
- Hunan First Normal University
- Hunan University
- Yuelu Academy
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Changsha
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Changsha are September and October. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 34 °C; June is the wettest, with about 213 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Changsha: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Changsha Huanghua International Airport (CSX), about 24 km from the city centre in a straight line; Yueyang Sanhe Airport (YYA, 127 km) and Yichun Mingyueshan Airport (YIC, 138 km) are also within reach.
Getting around
Ubiquitous taxicabs flood the city streets, willing to transport you just up the street or to the other side of town. Meters start at ¥8 in daylight, ¥10 at night. If you want to spend like a native or just want to experience the sensation of being sandwiched between locals, then hop on a bus for ¥2 and feel the thrill of speeding down the bumpy roads with barely any breathing room. Buses with air-conditioning (hot or cold) or cross city districts run for ¥2 and buses without run for ¥1.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
CSX · Changsha Huanghua International Airport
YYA · Yueyang Sanhe Airport
YIC · Yichun Mingyueshan Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Changsha
Eat
When eating in Changsha there is nothing better than a plate of stinky tofu (臭豆腐 chou doufu), butter pancake (酥油饼 suyoubing) or mini lobster (口味虾) bought right off the street. If you have just arrived, be wary of eating from street vendors. Although the inviting aroma of food cooking may be too tempting to resist, you had better have a strong stomach if you do not want to get an upset one. Changsha food is part of the broader Hunanese cuisine (湘菜 xiang cai), one of China's traditional eight great regional cuisines. Traditional Hunan foods are quite spicy like Sichuan cuisine, but without the unique numbing sensation that comes with Sichuan peppercorns.
Drink
Jiefang West Road (解放西路 Jiefangxilu) has a few Chinese clubs along this road, including SoHo, the ubiquitous Chinese chain. Drinks tend to be expensive, the music loud, and clubs crowded. It's just off the main walking street so it is in quite a handy location. Taiping Street (太平街 Taipingjie) is a newly refurbished area, with traditional/tacky facades has a few smaller bars, some with live music. It is just off Jiefang West Road towards the river. This is a touristy shopping street and many prices are on par with the West. Bargaining is impossible here. Even those who speak little English know how to say no bargains. But the shops are worth seeing to get an idea of what is available.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Changsha: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Changsha?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Changsha are September and October. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 34 °C; June is the wettest, with about 213 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Changsha?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Changsha Huanghua International Airport (CSX), about 24 km from the city centre in a straight line; Yueyang Sanhe Airport (YYA, 127 km) and Yichun Mingyueshan Airport (YIC, 138 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Changsha?
renminbi (CNY).
Nearby
Destinations near Changsha
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.