Wuhan isn’t as child-friendly as many other Chinese cities yet there are several parks with all types of activities available and even a beach at the popular East Lake Park. In addition, kids can learn all about the legends behind the two main hills in town – Snake Hill and Tortoise Hill – as well as have fun in the many shopping malls.
East Lake Park
The best recreational area in Wuhan for the family features a huge lake and a forest. There is a lot to do in the park, with the East Lake Ocean Park having the largest sand beach in inner China and the Bird Forest featuring hundreds of bird species, while the Friendship Forest is where the people of Wuhan have planted trees symbolizing friendship. Outdoor activities available for kids within East Lake Park include sailing, riding, ice-skating, and a natty ropeway.
Shopping mall entertainment
Parents can also find entertainment for the kids in Wuhan’s many shopping malls with their arcades and fast food restaurants. The Hankou commercial district on Zhongshan Avenue has several large shopping malls including the Wuhan World Trade Plaza and Walmart. The pedestrian street of Jiangshan road is also a good place to find something to do for the kids.
Snake Hill (Sheshan)
Snake Hill is the most popular of Wuhan’s hills and has the share of the attractions, including the Yellow Crane Tower. The hill has the shape of a huge snake where the head drinks from the Yangtze River and the tail lies through the eastern part of town. Kids can learn all about the Taoist priest who flew to Heaven on the back of a yellow crane, while other educational sights here include the Shenxiang Pagoda, the Taoist Evergreen Temple, and Yongyue Terrace.
Tortoise Hill (Guishan)
Located on the opposite bank of the Yangtze River to Snake Hill, Tortoise Hill resembles a huge tortoise and legend has it that a giant tortoise from heaven helped King Yu defeat a demon here. Today, apart from the military base on the hill, are many pavilions and terraces built over the ages, including King Yu's Temple, King Yu's Rock, elaborate cliff carvings and the Guqintai Terrace.
Wuhan has many impressive temples and museums where important Buddhist carvings and relics have been uncovered and put on display. Hubei Provincial Museum is here, one of China’s finest, while 500 Buddha carvings can be seen in Arhat Hall.
Arhat Hall
Located in the Guiyuan Buddhist Temple, Arhat Hall contains 500 Buddha carvings which are the best-preserved in China. The temple was built in the 1800s during the Qing dynasty under Emperor Daoguang and the statues themselves took two artists a total of nine years to carve. The statues have been depicted sitting, standing, reclining, happy, angry and sad and some of them have incredibly lifelike faces and are quite large.
Baotong Temple
The large and colourful Baotong Temple has a 1,500-year history and has been razed to the ground by fire and subsequently rebuilt several times. The temple is set against a mountain and was eventually opened to the public in 1988. On approach to the main gate are the words ‘Bao Tong Chan Si’ written by Zhao Puchu in Chinese script. Once through the entrance and across the stone bridge one can discern the Mile Hall, Grand hall, and the Zhushi Hall. The Hongshan Pagoda is situated on the top.
Hubei Provincial Museum
Hubei is one of China’s foremost museums with more than 200,000 important artefacts including items from Marquis Yi’s (Zenghouyi) tomb. The greatest treasure from his 2,500 year old tomb is the ‘Chime Bells of Marquis Yi’ - 65 fully-restored, perfectly doubled-toned bronze bells which feature gold-plated inscriptions on music. Recordings of Chinese and Western music can be heard here to boot. Other items on display are the sword of King Gou Jian (Yue Kingdom) and an ancient spear.
Sutra Collection Pavilion
Another important relic from the Qing Dynasty (under Emperor Kangxi) in Wuhan, the 17th century Sutra Collection Pavilion is loaded with Buddhist scriptures and art treasures. The highlight of the temple is without doubt the Sakyamuni statue, carved as it is from a single block of white jade. Additionally, more than 7,000 Buddhist sutras, including examples from Japan, India, Thailand and Burma, are featured here.
Wuhan has thousands of restaurants with every Chinese cuisine taken care of, while literally hundreds of restaurants with Western food are also in evidence. Hubei and the Jiangshan District are the most popular areas for food in town.
Fish is the main staple in Wuhan and there are all kinds of freshwater fish available in a huge variety of delicious dishes, the most popular being steamed Wuchang fish. It’s not all fish, though, with jingnan (stewed and braised game); xiangyang (meat dishes); ezhou (vegetarian food); and han-mian (steamed seafood, poultry, and meat dishes).
Wuhan’s market places and standard Chinese restaurants offer the best choice to sample these four Hubei cuisines and popular dishes include: xiaotaoyuan soup, Wangji chicken soup, Dongpo pork, and Hongshan vegetable bolts.
Jing Wu's duck neck is a delicacy of Wuhan; a duck neck cooked slowly with spices and pepper and having a strong, distinctive taste. The restaurant of the same name is renowned throughout the country for it. Another speciality of Hubei Province is xiaogan cake, which is made of sticky rice flour, sesame, and sugar.
Those that struggle with exotic foods will also find many Western-style eateries in Wuhan, although most cater to local Chinese taste buds. The best option for a taste of the West is in the star-rated hotels of Wuhan where American, French and Italian foods are all popular, if somewhat expensive.
On the drink side, Wuhan also offers its own beers, wines and liqueurs. Jingjiu is a nice, well-priced wine in the city, while the tasty baijiu liqueur and Singo (Xingyinge) beer are also available.
Wuhan has some fantastic shopping and is a popular hub for those in the region for its shopping malls, shopping streets, chain stores and supermarkets. Prices for clothing, electronics and food are reasonable and there is even a Carrefour here for budget shopping.
Of the many shopping areas in Wuhan, the pedestrian street of Jiangshan road is perhaps the most charming. Lying within Jiangshan District, Jiangshan road is totally pedestrianised and comes complete with many fine old buildings and popular department stores such as the Zhongxin Department Store. Jiangshin road is brightly lit at night and is a great place to people-watch.
The Hankou commercial district along Zhongshan and Jianfang avenues is another popular shopping area for tourists with its many familiar shopping malls. These include the Wuhan World Trade Plaza, Wuhan Department Store, Wuhan Plaza, and even a Walmart, while People's Parade (Xin Min Zhong Le Yuan) has an array of local and international brands.
Apart from the fashion, good buys in Wuhan are antiques and gemstones. The Antique Market on Hongkong road is particularly good with its many private dealers and shops, while the bluish green semi-precious stone known as Turkish stone is available all over the city.
The Chinese have always enjoyed being active and you will notice this of an afternoon when city parks generally fill with people doing all types of exercise, from walking, jogging and cycling to tai chi and the like. There are plenty of high spots in the city to attempt to get to and the city also has its own beach.
Beach Activities
Apart from the lake and the forest at the popular East Lake Park there is also a pretty fine beach here which happens to be the largest sand beach in inner China. Activities on the beach include good bathing and swimming, while the nearby Bird Forest has 200 bird species that ornithologists can discern.
Cycling
Wuhan has some pretty good cycling terrain and although the roads are extremely busy, there are a couple of good hills in town as well as many large parks with a network of interesting paths. Snake Hill and Tortoise Hill are ideal for cycling and you also get to see major attractions while there, such as the Yellow Crane Tower on top of Snake Hill. East Lake Park is another popular cycling spot. Bicycles can be hired at kiosks in town or from most hotels.
Tai Chi
If you get it right tai chi can do wonders for the soul and you can join in with the locals for this slow meditative exercise at the many city parks in late afternoon. After you pass the feeling awkward stage you will begin to relax and get a feel for the gentle motions and really get absorbed in the moment. Tai chi is mainly practised for health reasons and for balance and relaxation but is also a good excuse to get out among the masses.
Walking
There are some great places to have a stroll in Wuhan, with the pedestrianised shopping street of Jiangshan road being the ideal place in town to people-watch and amble about. Tougher terrain can also be had for serious walkers in East Lake Park’s Moshan Hill, while Snake Hill and Tortoise Hill, also within the confines of the city, offer good walking. For a different view of Wuhan, take a walk along the huge Yangtze River Bridge.
