Huaibei

Huai Bei has four distinct seasons. Spring and autumn are good for walking outdoors. Bring a light jacket if you’ll be out in the morning or evening.

• Xiangshan Park: A large green space in the city and a free National 4A Tourist Attraction and national forest park. Follow the paths uphill for views over the city. The park also has an elephant-shaped slide, an old temple bell tower, and a zoo, making it a pleasant place for a stroll.

• Huaibei Industrial Museum: An industrial museum in a converted power plant. Admission is free with an ID card. Exhibits include a giant drilling rig and old miners’ lamps, and a recreated miners’ cabin offers a glimpse of the area’s industrial history.

• Linhuan Ancient Town: A town with a thousand-year-old tea culture. Stop at a teahouse for a cup of bangbang tea for 5 yuan, served with water chestnut flatbread, sunflower seeds, and peanuts. It’s a good way to experience the town’s relaxed pace of life.

• Sui-Tang Canal Ancient Town: A historic-style shopping street built around the canal’s heritage, with relatively even stone-paved paths. It’s a pleasant place for an evening stroll once the lights come on.

• Suixi Ancient City: Stone-paved streets and some unrestored old houses preserve the area’s historic atmosphere. Local snacks are sold along the streets.

• Nanhu National Urban Wetland Park: Restored from a coal mining subsidence area, this park has wide, flat, colorful paths around the lake. The reed beds are a good place to pause and enjoy the breeze, and the route is mostly level.

• Longji Mountain: The highest natural scenic area in Huai Bei, known as the “Northern Anhui Sichuan-Tibet Highway.” The winding mountain road passes Longyin Lake and viewing platforms. It’s a good place to hike and watch the sunset.

• Ming and Qing Pomegranate Garden: An ancient pomegranate orchard covering more than 1,000 mu. In autumn, pomegranates ripen across the hills. You can join a picking activity or take photos of the rural scenery.

A Two-Day, One-Night Itinerary

• Day 1: City Culture and Industrial Sights
  • Morning: After arriving, have breakfast on Youyi Lane and try the tofu pudding at Doufunao Dawang or fried liangfen. Then walk to Xiangshan Park. Enter through the east gate and follow the scenic path past the “I miss you so much at Xiangshan” sign.

• Afternoon: Visit the Huaibei Museum (Sui-Tang Grand Canal Museum). Admission is free with an ID card, and the exhibits trace the canal’s history over more than a thousand years. The ginkgo trees outside at Aiyuan are especially lovely in autumn.

• Evening: Visit nearby Kui Niu Tianjie and the Huaibei Industrial Museum. Kui Niu Tianjie puts on a light show featuring a giant, 21-meter-tall mechanical beast, and the industrial-themed night views are distinctive.

• Night: Have dinner along the stone-paved streets of Suixi Ancient City. Try local snacks such as oil tea and pan-fried buns, then enjoy the city’s night views.
• Day 2: Ancient Town Life and Natural Scenery
  • Morning: Drive to Linhuan Ancient Town. Have bangbang tea and water chestnut flatbread at a teahouse, and take in everyday life in an ancient town in northern Anhui.

• Afternoon: If you have time, pick pomegranates and photograph the countryside at Ming and Qing Pomegranate Garden, or hike Longji Mountain for views of the surrounding peaks and wait for sunset.
• Evening: Return to the city and stop by the flagship store of Huaibei Dairy Factory for fresh milk or yogurt dispensed into glass bottles to take home as a gift, then head back.

Local Foods to Try in Huai Bei

• Huai Bei hot-tossed noodles: A popular local breakfast. Hot noodles are tossed with a savory sauce for a smooth texture. Try them at A Lei Brothers’ Hot-Tossed Noodles or Huai Tang Ji Lamb Hot-Tossed Noodles.

• Clay-pot chicken: The chicken is simmered until richly flavored. Dip the pot bread into the broth for the best flavor. Liuyuan Clay-Pot Chicken was named one of Anhui’s specialty foods, and it’s easy to find near Ming and Qing Pomegranate Garden.

• Linhuan bangbang tea: A local tea brewed with an iron rod. It’s often served with sunflower seeds, peanuts, and water chestnut flatbread. Take your time over a cup at an ancient town teahouse.

• Water chestnut flatbread: A traditional pastry from Linhuan Ancient Town, baked in a barrel oven. It has a crisp crust, a soft, filled center, and a pronounced scallion aroma.

• Huaibei Dairy Factory: A long-established local dairy brand. Its fresh milk and yogurt, dispensed into glass bottles, have a rich taste and are easy to take away.
• Fish with lamb: A traditional dish inspired by a story about Confucius. Lamb is placed inside a mandarin fish and braised. The fish has little of its usual fishy smell, the lamb has little of its gamey taste, and the broth is rich. It’s best to reserve it in advance at a restaurant that serves full meals.
• Kawanka: An Anhui milk tea brand. Try drinks such as Huizhou fermented rice wine or Yangzhi Ganlu for a refreshing taste.

Getting Around and Where to Stay

• Getting around: Huai Bei’s city center is compact. Take a taxi or shared electric bike between attractions. High-speed trains from nearby cities such as Xuzhou take about 40 minutes to an hour.
• Where to stay: Consider Xiangshan District, or the areas around Huaibei Wanda Plaza and Bicheng Le. There are plenty of places to eat, and rides to attractions are relatively short. Hotels near the train station tend to be cheaper, though the overall surroundings may be fairly basic.

Practical Tips

• Museum closures: The Huaibei Museum and Huaibei Industrial Museum are usually closed on Mondays. Check opening hours before you go, and bring your ID card.
• Slippery paths and mosquitoes: The boardwalk at Nanhu Wetland Park and the stone streets in the ancient town can be slippery after rain. Wear shoes with nonslip, flexible soles. There are more mosquitoes by the lake and in the mountains, so consider bringing insect repellent.
• Avoiding crowds: Nanhu Wetland Park and Suixi Ancient City can get busy during holidays. Visit on a weekday morning or arrive before 9 a.m.
• Buying local products: Buy Kouzi liquor and pomegranate products from official stores or large supermarkets. Avoid roadside stalls at scenic areas.