Hefei travel guide — where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in Hefei, Anhui, China.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
About 306 km (190 miles) south of Hefei by rail
Huangshan (Yellow Mountain)
1-2 daysHigh-speed train from Hefei South to Huangshan North, then a shuttle bus to the scenic area; a same-day return is possible but tight, so an overnight stay is advised
About 330 km (205 miles) south of Hefei
Hongcun and Xidi Ancient Villages
High-speed train Hefei South to Huangshan North, then bus or taxi to Yixian; Hongcun and Xidi are UNESCO World Heritage villages (listed 2000); overnight stay recommended
About 60 km (37 miles) southeast of central Hefei
Chaohu Lake
Half day-full dayTrain from Hefei South or Hefei to Chaohu East, or direct bus from Hefei long-distance bus stations
About 130 km (81 miles) southeast of Hefei
Wuhu
High-speed train from Hefei to Wuhu, then taxi or bus to the Yangtze riverfront, Zhongshan Road walking street and old town
About 165 km (103 miles) east of Hefei
Nanjing
High-speed train from Hefei South to Nanjing South, then metro to Zhongshan Mountain, Confucius Temple or the Presidential Palace; about 110 train pairs run daily
About 40 km (25 miles) south of central Hefei
Sanhe Ancient Town
Half day (3-5 hours)Direct bus from Hefei South or Central bus stations to Sanhe, then walk the canal lanes and old stone bridges of this water town
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
Multi-day tours from Hefei
If you have longer than a day, these are organised
multi-day trips that start here.
Browse multi-day tours from Hefei
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Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Tip
Huangshan and the Hongcun/Xidi villages are best done overnight rather than as a same-day return.
Tip
Buy rail tickets on 12306 or Trip.com as soon as they go on sale, about 15 days ahead, especially around national holidays.
Tip
Bring the passport used for booking; it is required at station gates.
Tip
Save each destination in Amap in Chinese before leaving, since rural signage is mostly in Chinese.
Tip
Nanjing, Wuhu and Chaohu are easy same-day trips by high-speed rail from Hefei South.
