Journey from Fenghuang to Nanyue (Mount Hengshan)

Nanyue was another detour in a way which I did not expected. Similar to Fenghuang, I found out about this place through some sort of social media reel. The other big driving factor however was actually the reluctance and resistance to follow the heavenly laid out route / trail which kept subtly guiding us to either Changsha or Chongqing.

The direction was to get to Guilin, but all train connections and bus route kept forcing our journey to Changsha. Chongqing was in the wrong way and this is when I knew I was really in a small tourist trail not many ventured or at least not many foreigner ventured. 

Somehow stubborn not to be led on by an invisible hand, hours of effort was poured into the web to find another way, another route and another destination.

Fenghuang Route to Nanyue

We went to Fenghuang train station to see how our luck was holding up with train tickets to Hengyang. Bullet train check was RMB 170 with late timing making us arrive Hengyang at 8pm which does us no good in trying to catch the bus to Nanyue. 

After many round of ticket permutation check at the counter (luckily there was no one at the line and we could take our time talking with the officer trying many different permutation), we finally settle for the cheapest option.

1630 pm train ticket from Fenghuang to arrive at Huaihua South 1700 , then take a local bus through Huaihua city itself to Huaihua North train station. Burn time loitering around and board the “K” slow train at Huaihua North at 1915 heading for Hengyang arriving at 2345. Total Damange = RMB 85. Bullet train was RMB 170 so we call it a win.

We reach Hengyang at midnight out in the freezing cold. A quick look for a hostel and we found a cheap hotel which was like a last minute lodge for travellers near train station. Clean albeit like one of those rumah tumpangan for sketchy seedy stays. 

RMB 50 for two person private room with private toilet. Hard bed and a 6 hours sleep was all we need before hitting the road again to catch the first bus to Nanyue.

Nanyue by bus cost us RMB 15 yuan each and the ride was quite ok on the colectivo bus and arrived nice and early in the morning. We made it to Nanyue or more well known as Mount Hengshan one of China’s Five Sacred Mountains.

Traveled on: Dec 2023