Lying at the junction of the Yangtze and Hanshui rivers in central China, Wuhan is an industrial powerhouse and one of China’s largest cities. It is now a popular tourist stop-off on a typical Three Gorges tour and although there is not that much to do here, there are several high quality sights amid the city’s many lakes and parks.
Wuhan was created when the three boroughs of Wuchang, Hankou, and Hanyang were joined at the hip. Of its many important historical sights are the ancient five-tier Yellow Crane Tower, one of the five most valued towers in China. Views from the top of the tower, which lies atop Snake Hill, are outstanding.
The Guiyuan Buddhist Temple (Temple of Original Purity) is another popular Wuhan attraction and one of the most important Buddhist temples in the country, with its hundreds of Buddha carvings and amazing architecture. On the museum front, Wuhan has the Hubei Provincial Museum, which has a massive collection of artefacts including the famed bronze bells.
Wuhan also does well in the scenery stakes with its many attractive parks and nature areas. East Lake Park is the best known and comes complete with a beach area, great bathing and sailing options, a skating rink, and the lofty Moshan for hiking. Guishan (Tortoise Hill) is another popular outdoor area while the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge provides a fine aspect of the city.
The Han River waterfront is a particularly popular area for tourists with its many bars and pubs and colonial style architecture. The town also has some decent shopping in the Hankou commercial district as well as bustling, pedestrianised Jiangshan road.
Accommodation wise, Wuhan has everything from budget right up to five-star luxury in the city centre. All price categories are catered for although Wuhan is generally cheaper than the other major Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Worth noting is the advisability of getting a hotel in a good part of town as Wuhan is very big and public transport isn’t all that good. Getting near the promenade along the Yangtze River, or in Hankou, or near the Yellow Crane Tower in Wuchang is advised, but wherever you intend on staying, book any rooms in advance as hotels fill up fast. Booking hotels online is your best bet where prices and available can’t be beaten.
Wuhan is best visited in the spring or autumn time as summers are boiling hot and crowded and winters freezing cold. Wuhan is a major transportation hub and getting here is made easy by Tianhe International Airport, which receives flights from all over the country and from a growing number of international destinations. The town is also an important railway centre and has an influx of expressways.
The history of Wuhan is rich, stretching back over 3,500 years and encompassing many important dynasties. The famous Yellow Crane Tower itself is over 1,700 years old and was one of the most famous buildings in China. The city has grown to become one of the most important cities in China, being a centre for culture and learning.
It was way back in 1500BC that people settled in the area now known as Wuhan when Panlong town was established under the Shang Dynasty owing to the extensive waterways in the region. The Warring States Period, around 300 to 200BC, saw the building of fortresses at Snake Hill and Tortoise Hill and in AD 222, just before the Yellow Crane Tower was first built, king of Wu (Sun Quan) started to build Wuchang Town.
The Tang Dynasty (between 7th and 10th centuries) was pretty active in Wuhan where Li Bai, the famed poet, aptly named Wuhan the River City. China’s much ballyhooed 300-year Ming Dynasty between the 14th and 17th centuries saw much development in the Hankou area of Wuhan, with the expansion of the towns of Wuchang and Hanyang.
The ensuing 300-year Qing Dynasty was also an active time for Wuhan and one in which eventually saw great prosperity with the building of many factories by the Governor of Hubei. After the construction of railroads and heavy industry, as well as many European style abodes along Hankou's riverfront, the Wuchang Uprising saw the Qing Dynasty overthrown. Wuhan then became a centre of Chinese Communist Party activities.
Wuhan officially became a city in 1927 when it administered the three towns of Hankou, Wuchang and Hanyang at the junction of the two rivers. The town grew at a phenomenal rate and by 1957 a bridge was built across the mighty Yangtse River. By 1970 the Dongfeng car factory saw its headquarters set up here and in 1986, Wuhan achieved the title ‘China famous historical and cultural city'.
Foreign companies were allowed to trade by 1992 and the economy went from strength to strength, during which time the term ‘Wuhan Phenomenon’ was coined. Today, Wuhan has attracted locals from all over China for work and also has a significant foreign expat community adding to the flavour of the city.
Wuhan has a four-season subtropical climate including a monsoonal wet season. Its location in the centre of the country means that summers are scorching hot and winters bitterly cold. With this in mind, travelling here outside of July and August and December to February is advised.
Wuhan has its best weather in the autumn and spring time - September and October and March and April. Daytime and night time temperatures during these periods are very pleasant and it doesn’t rain that often either.
Avoiding the summer is a good idea as temperatures in July and August can often hit 40 degrees and it also rains heavily from June to August. In addition to this, Wuhan suffers from very high humidity in the summer months.
Although winters are generally pleasant in many Asian climes, like northern China, central China can get very cold at night. Temperatures will often dip to way below freezing and this coupled with high blustery Yangtze River winds makes for a generally unpleasant time. If you do travel at this time, make sure you pack the right heavy clothing.
