Visit Fenghuang Ancient City from Zhangjiajie

Welcome to the complete guide for Fenghuang Ancient City (凤凰古城，fèng huáng gǔ chéng), also commonly known as Phoenix Ancient City or Phoenix Ancient Town. If you’ve been scrolling through those stunning photos of stilted houses reflecting in a misty river and wondered if it actually looks like that in real life… the answer is YES.

Having travelled extensively through China and spending 8 months there, we’ve learned that some “ancient” towns feel more like theme parks. But Phoenix? Even with the neon lights and the bustling night markets, it retains a soul that’s hard to find elsewhere.

So leave the heels at home and wear your most comfortable walking shoes to come explore Fenghuang Ancient City with us! Here is everything you need to know to plan your visit, from the best spicy duck blood noodles to dodging the crowds on those famous stepping stones.

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Is Fenghuang Ancient City worth visiting

Fenghuang is absolutely worth visiting for its unique wooden stilted houses “diao jiao lou” (吊脚楼), rich Miao and Tujia ethnic culture, and the magical atmosphere of the Tuojiang River at night. It offers a rare glimpse into a preserved Qing Dynasty frontier town, making it a photographer’s and historian’s dream destination.

While it is undeniably touristy, the trick is in the timing. Much like catching a train in the city centre during peak hour, the main bridges can get packed. However, if you wake up at 6:30am, you can have the mist-covered river and the stone lanes all to yourself. We spent hours just getting lost in the back alleys where the locals actually live, far away from the souvenir stalls selling ginger candy. It’s one of those places that feels like a Ghibli movie brought to life.

How to get to Fenghuang Ancient City

To get to Fenghuang, the most efficient method is taking a high-speed train from either Zhangjiajie or Changsha. If you are coming from Zhangjiajie like we did, you can take the train from Zhangjiajie West Station 张家界西站，zhāng jiā jiè xī zhàn) to Fenghuang Ancient City Railway Station (凤凰古城站，fèng huáng gǔ chéng zhàn). From there, a quick 15-minute taxi or a dedicated shuttle bus will take you directly to the edge of the old town. Alternatively, you can fly into Tongren Fenghuang Airport (TEN).

Coming from Zhangjiajie, the train takes just about an hour, making it a perfect add-on to your Avatar mountain itinerary. We personally found the Maglev (the “Star of Phoenix”) a bit of a quirky thrill – it connects the high-speed rail station to the town area and offers some pretty epic panoramic views as you descend toward the river.

The station at Phoenix Ancient City (Fenghuang Gucheng) is located about 10km from the actual city itself. you can easily order a Didi or take a bus to get to the city itself.

What are the best things to do in Fenghuang Ancient City

The best things to do in Fenghuang Ancient City include walking across the Tuojiang Stepping Stones, taking a traditional wooden boat ride, and exploring the ancient city walls. Don’t miss the Rainbow Bridge (Hongqiao) and the nightly light show when the stilted houses illuminate the riverbanks in a spectacular golden glow.

Traditonal Chinese Costume and Photoshoot in Fenghuang Ancient City

One of our most memorable (hilarious?) experiences was renting a traditional Miao outfit for a photoshoot. You’ll see hundreds of people doing it, and while it feels a bit (extremely) extra, getting professional photos against the stilted houses are part of the China travel experience.

For those planning to get their make up done, a word of caution: the general population in China does NOT believe in shade matching your foundation. In fact, the goal is to make you as ghostly white as possible – to the point that it might start to feel more like a Halloween costume than a holiday shoot. We can thank long entrenched east asian beauty standards for that. Nonetheless, our travel motto is to trust the process and so we (I, reluctantly) did.

Generally, an outfit rental with makeup, hair and professional photos including some edits will cost about 200 CNY (29 USD). Before you commit, make sure you bargain for the price upfront and agreed on the inclusion for your package. There are so many shops around the city that you will have no trouble finding a place, so use it to your advantage and shop around for the best deal.

Tuojiang River Boat Cruise in Fenghuang Ancient City

Drifting along in a traditional wooden punting boat gives you a front-row seat to those famous diaojiaolou stilted houses that you can’t get from wandering the narrow stone alleys. It’s remarkably peaceful to watch the life of the town unfold from the water and seeing the way the architecture leans precariously yet gracefully over the riverbanks.

The experience usually kicks off near the North Gate and takes about 20 minutes to sweep you under the shadows of the Hongqiao (Rainbow Bridge). If you prefer a bit of atmosphere over a crowd, aim for an early morning slot when the mist is still clinging to the water – it feels like stepping straight into a classic ink wash painting.

A daytime row will set you back about 85 CNY (12 USD), while the night cruise jumps to 148 CNY (22 USD). While the evening price is steeper, getting to see the neon reflections hit the ripples of the river as the town lights up is worth the extra money.

What should you eat in Fenghuang Ancient City

The food in Fenghuang is dominated by bold, spicy, and sour Xiangxi (Western Hunan) flavours. You must try the signature Blood Duck (duck cooked with glutinous rice and spices), Sour Soup Fish, and handmade ginger candy. Street food fans should look for shrimp cakes and “miao baba” (sticky rice cakes).

If you aren’t great with spice, proceed with caution! Food from the Hunan province is known for being hot and spicy. For a great meal, head to the restaurants near Hongqiao Middle Road; the prices are much better than the spots directly overlooking the water.

Where to stay in Fenghuang Ancient City

If you want a quiet night, do not stay right on the main river bar street as the music pumps late into the night. Look for a guesthouse one or two alleys back – you’ll save about 100 CNY (15 USD) a night and actually get some sleep. You can find plenty of options at all price ranges on Trip.com.

We stayed at a hotel recommended by our homestay host from Zhangjiajie. It was a hotel run by a friend of his very close to the main attractions. That said, after wandering around and seeing what was on offer, this is the place we would stay at if we had our time again.

Fenghuang Ancient City is a place that rewards the slow traveller. Don’t just tick it off a list; sit by the river with a coffee, watch the fishermen, and let the history soak in.