Hefei travel guide — where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in Hefei, Anhui, China.
Cultural orientation
Essential context for travellers.
Mandarin is spoken everywhere; locals also speak Hefei dialect (Jianghuai Mandarin), so keep a translation app and a saved Chinese address for taxis.
Payment is dominated by Alipay and WeChat Pay; link a foreign card to Alipay before arrival and carry some cash (CNY) as backup.
Carry the original passport; hotels, museums and rail stations scan it.
Expect bag X-ray checks at every Metro station and allow a few extra minutes.
Do's and don'ts
Quick guide to local norms.
Do
- Greet people with a smile and a nod; a light handshake is common in business settings.
- Accept and offer items with both hands, especially business cards and gifts.
- Remove shoes when entering a private home if the host does so.
- Dress modestly and speak quietly in temples such as Ming Jiao Temple.
- Use DiDi or a hotel-called taxi and show the address in Chinese characters.
Don't
- Do not stick chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice; it resembles incense offerings for the dead.
- Do not raise sensitive political topics in public.
- Do not photograph military or government buildings, or people praying at close range.
- Do not tip; it is not expected and can cause confusion.
- Do not point with a single finger at people; use an open hand.
Etiquette by setting
How to navigate everyday situations.
- Overview
- Hefei is an educated, science-oriented provincial capital where etiquette is relaxed but rooted in Confucian values of respect for age and hierarchy.
Useful phrases
A few words go a long way.
你好
Hello
谢谢
Thank you
不好意思
Excuse me / Sorry
多少钱?
How much is it?
地铁站在哪里?
Where is the Metro station?
我不吃肉
I don't eat meat
买单
The bill, please
有英文菜单吗?
Do you have an English menu?
包公园
Bao Gong Park
请带我去大东门
Please take me to Dadongmen
Religion & spirituality
Understanding faith in Hefei.
Overview: China is officially secular, but Hefei retains Buddhist temples, Taoist practice and popular ancestor veneration. Visitors are welcome at temples as long as they behave respectfully.
Items:
- Religion
- Buddhism
- Info
- The most visible organised religion in Hefei; Ming Jiao Temple and temples at Dashushan draw worshippers, especially on the 1st and 15th of each lunar month.
- Religion
- Popular religion and ancestor veneration
- Info
- Memorial temples such as the one to Lord Bao and family shrines reflect the tradition of honouring exemplary ancestors.
- Religion
- Christianity and Islam
- Info
- Small registered communities worship in state-recognised churches and mosques in the city.