Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province, is the political, economic and cultural center of the whole province. It is the biggest city as well as the principal domestic and foreign trading port in Central China. Besides this, Wuxi is also the biggest transportation hub in China as well as being one of the most important bases of industry, education and scientific research. All of these factors illustrate that ?Wuhan is a very important city in Central China. The total area of the city is 8,494 km²and the population numbers around 8.97 million.

 

Wuhan is located at Jianghan Plain where the Yangtze and Han Rivers meet, dividing Wuhan into Wuchang, lying south of the Yangtze River and Hankou and Hanyang, lying to the river's north. In Wuhan, there are numerous rivers and lakes, affording the city its natural moniker-River City.

 

Attractions

Historical Sites

The well-known Yellow Crane Tower, a Wuhan landmark, is a must for travelers. Inscriptions by famous poets and literati from ancient dynasties adorn the tower. A climb to the top nets a bird's view of the entire city.

Second in importance is Guiyuan Buddhist Temple (Temple of Original Purity). One of the four important Buddhist temples in China, it is known for its perfect architecture, excellent sculptures, and rich collection of Buddhist doctrine.

In the city, you can go to visit Chairman Mao Zedong's Villa. The villa adjacent to the East Lake was built as a retreat house for Chairman Mao and other privileged ruling members of the Politburo. Mao nicknamed it "Home of the White Clouds and Yellow Cranes" where he enjoyed the quiet ambiance and great relief it offered.

Besides, the Heptachord Terrace is another quite wonderful place of interest. Known as Guqin Tai, it is a reminder of the legend of Yu Boya, an expert heptachord player and Zhong Ziqi, a woodcutter, who can understood Boya's music.

 

Natural Sites

Wuhan presents charming scenery for nature lovers. The scenic East Lake area is top on all travel plans for its fascinating lake scenery, charming plum gardens and bamboo forest. Gui Shan (Tortoise Hill), Mo Hill and Qingchuan Pavilion are also worth of visiting.

 

Modern Charm

Modern architecture vies for interest with historic sites. The bund area in Hankou, the famous waterfront along the Han River is a bustling commercial section with colonial style architecture, bars and pubs. At night this is the hub of Wuhan nightlife. Two other shopping streets in Zhongshan Dadao and Jiefang Dadao are also popular.

 

Yangtze River Bridge, known as Wuhan Changjiang Daqiao, is the first highway-railway bridge over the Yangtze River. It has two levels – the upper one for bus transit and the lower for trains. From the bridge, you can see the rolling water run to the east with ships coming and going.

 

Museums

Travelers interested in China's brilliant historical civilization should not miss Hubei Provincial Museum with its collection of more than 200,000 artifacts excavated from ancient tombs. Among them, the bronze bells are most attractive.

 

Another popular museum is the National Stone Museum, famed for its collection of various rare stones. To admire the enchanting unique stones, some 1,300 pieces of stone in the National Stone Museum will virtually broaden your mind.

 

Food & Restaurants

The city of Wuhan offers the more spicy side of Chinese cuisine with such mouth-watering dishes as raw pig's ear, water buffalo intestine, fried eel and the infamous chicken feet. Most of these dishes are served in tongue-scorching sauces that will leave you thirsting for water. The wealth of food available in Wuhan reflects the city's location between Shanghai and Chongqing. Many restaurants serve a good mix of eastern Sichuan cuisine and oily, braised dishes. Wuhan style cuisine focuses on preparation, cooking time and the appearance of dishes. Fish and shellfish are especially good. Snacks such as buns and omelets are also popular here.

 

Weather

 Wuhan has a subtropical monsoon climate with four distinct seasons. The ideal travel months to Wuhan are March-April, and September-October. Travelers are advised to avoid the scorching summer period of July and August with its 40 C (104 F) heat, and the cold winter from November to later January with its severe cold. Another weather caution is the summer period from June to August with its heavy rain. 

Summer in Wuhan is renowned for its scorching heat and high humidity.

Unlike most areas in northern China, which have dry-heat summers, in summer Wuhan is known as an instant "steam box. Cotton, rather than nylon clothing is recommended.
Although the temperature in Wuhan's winter is not as low as those in the northern cities in China, the river winds and humidity can make it as cold as ten degrees below zero, and some travelers suffer from chilblains. Moreover, many hotels and guesthouses in Wuhan do not have heaters. For winter travel, bring heavy overcoats, gloves and scarves to protect against the wind and cold.

 

 

Average Data	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June
Average High ( F)	44/48	47/51	57/60	68/72	78/81	84/88
Average Low ( F)	30/33	33/37	42/45	52/56	62/66	70/74
Average High ( C)	7/9	8/10	14/16	20/22	25/27	29/31
Average Low ( C)	-1/1	1/3	5/7	11/13	17/19	21/23

 

Average Data	July	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Average High ( F)	90/94	90/93	81/85	72/75	60/64	49/52
Average Low ( F)	76/80	75/79	66/70	55/59	44/48	34/37
Average High ( C)	32/34	32/34	27/29	22/24	16/18	9/11
Average Low ( C)	25/27	24/26	19/21	13/15	7/9	1/3