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A British couple spend their first full day in Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province. They walk a pedestrian food street near Wuyi Square, try sweet sugar-oil dough balls and free rice wine samples, eat a spicy Hunan lunch, then take Metro Line 2 to Orange Isle in the Xiang River. There they ride the hop-on hop-off sightseeing train, watch jet ski stunts and visit the giant statue of young Chairman Mao. Later they explore a huge snack store with snacks from 70 plus countries, rent a power bank, and see Changsha's famous nightlife buzzing on a Tuesday night, ending at a giant Mixue store where they announce their upcoming China road trip from Chengdu.
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The couple arrive in Changsha, capital of Hunan Province, after Yangshuo. They arrived late the night before and found the city still busy at 1:00 a.m., while daytime has a more relaxed vibe. Staying near Wuyi Square, with the IFS center nearby and the Xiang River down the road, they walk to a food street. They mention smelly tofu and chopped chili fish head as local specialities, see magnets for sale, and buy a portion of sweet sugar-oil dough balls for 10 yuan, paying with Alipay. Walking the pedestrian street they are handed many free samples, including a cold rice wine, and praise how clean the city of over 10 million people is. Lunch in a restaurant includes beef, beef noodles, corn and cucumber, a little spicy with red chilies. Many locals carry umbrellas against the sun. On the way to the metro they pass a very long queue for a tea shop. They note the metro costs about 2 yuan per person, stations feel like underground shopping malls, platforms are bright and clean, and signs show which carriages have semi-cold or super-cold air conditioning. They take Line 2 two stops to Orange Isle, an island in the middle of the river. You need your passport or ID to get in. From the metro to the tip of the island where the monument stands is 3.3 km, so they buy a return sightseeing train ticket for 40 per person via Alipay; the train is hop-on hop-off, and there are many English signs, shaded queues with fans and mist, toilets, shops and even a KFC. They buy ice creams for 16 in total, walk about 600 m along a shaded path by the river, watch jet ski riders performing stunts, and reach the huge statue of young Chairman Mao with views of the Changsha skyline. Next they visit a giant snack store with over 35,000 types of snacks across 6,500 brands from 70 plus countries, a floor made of drink cans, a mosaic of 76,000 lollipops, giant snacks such as a 9 L beer and a huge Oreo box, unusual flavours like century egg, and a basement bakery section. They spend about 2 hours inside and rent a power bank by scanning a QR code, about 15p for 60 minutes. At 10 p.m. on a Tuesday the city center is packed, with 3D screens, the IFS mall, a big Apple store, a busy crossing they compare to Shibuya, shops with loud entertainment, many Modern China Tea Shop branches, and a bar sign saying it closes at 6 a.m. They find a huge Mixue store with Snow King mascots, new drinks, cakes, claw machines and merchandise; ordering at the back extension avoided the long front queue. They announce they now have a Chinese driver's license and will start a road trip around Sichuan from Chengdu, their next stop, before ending the day at 11 p.m.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: How much does the Changsha metro cost?
- A: The couple paid about 2 yuan per person for their ride, which they compared to about 20p.
- Q: How do you get to Orange Isle in Changsha?
- A: They took Metro Line 2 from Wuyi Square, two stops; the station drops you in the middle of the island.
- Q: Do I need my passport to visit Orange Isle?
- A: Yes. You need your passport or ID card to get in, as tickets are usually electronic and bound to your ID.
- Q: How far is the Mao statue from the Orange Isle metro station?
- A: It is 3.3 km from the station to the tip of the island where the monument stands.
- Q: How much is the Orange Isle sightseeing train?
- A: A return trip cost 40 per person, paid with Alipay, and you can hop on and off along the way.
- Q: How big is the giant snack store in Changsha?
- A: The store says it has over 35,000 types of snacks across 6,500 brands from 70 plus countries, plus a basement floor.
- Q: How late does Changsha nightlife go?
- A: Streets were busy at 10 p.m. on a Tuesday and at 1:00 a.m. the night before, and one bar sign listed a 6 a.m. closing time.
- Q: What food is Changsha famous for?
- A: The couple mention smelly tofu and chopped chili fish head as popular local specialities.
- Q: Can you rent a power bank in Changsha?
- A: Yes. They scanned a QR code at a rental station and paid about 15p for 60 minutes.
