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Voykit pocket guide · China
Shiyan
Spend 1–2 days: day‑trip to Wudang Mountains, stay overnight in the mountain hostel if you want hiking; otherwise a quick visit and leave.
Shiyan is a gateway to the UNESCO‑listed Wudang Mountains and a modest city with a museum and a dinosaur‑egg geopark. A day covers the main sights; an extra night lets you stay on the mountain for cheap hostel accommodation and sunrise trekking.
- Country
- China
- Best months
- Apr–Oct
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold, possible snow)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CNY
- Money
- Alipay and WeChat Pay accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex cards; single payments over ¥200 carry a fee of about 3% on a foreign card (smaller ones are free), and per-payment and yearly caps apply — check the app. Keep a second way to pay.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥150–250 excl. bed · Mid ¥300–500 excl. bed · High ¥600+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- A roaming eSIM from outside China routes traffic through its home network, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work without a VPN — the simplest setup.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, C, I · 220 V · 50 Hz · Many sockets take flat two-pin (A), round two-pin (C) and angled three-pin (I) plugs; UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: No tip; upmarket hotels add 10–15% service.; Taxis and DiDi: No tip.; Tour guides and drivers: Expected on organised tours: about ¥100–200 a day for a guide, ¥50–100 for a driver.; Hotel porters: Not expected; ¥10–20 in luxury hotels.
- Water
- Not for drinking from the tap; bottled water ¥2–5, and kettles and free bottles in hotel rooms. Restaurants serve hot water or tea.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are frequent and free; squat toilets outside hotels and malls. Carry tissues — many have no paper.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Bus to Wudang gate | ¥10 |
| Wudang entry ticket | ¥130 |
| Taxi within city (≈5 km (3.1 mi))Taxi within city (≈3.1 mi (5 km)) | ¥30–¥60 |
| Breakfast at hostel | ¥15 |
| Lunch at hostel | ¥35 |
| Dinner at hostel | ¥35 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- WDS · Shiyan Wudangshan Airport
- 15 km (9.3 mi) from city centre, 20 km (12 mi) from Wudangshan9.3 mi (15 km) from city centre, 12 mi (20 km) from Wudangshan
Typical fares
- Shiyan → Wudang gate (bus)
- ¥10, about 1 h total (check)
- Taxi Shiyan centre → Wudang gate
- ¥30–¥60, negotiate before boarding
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
City buses connect Shiyan Central Bus Station to Wudangshan (¥10). Taxis to the mountain gate cost ¥30‑60; negotiate. Within the city use local buses (routes 3‑99).
See and do
Known for
- Wudang Mountains (UNESCO World Heritage)
- Shiyan Museum
- Qinglong Mountain Dinosaur Egg Geopark
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Wudang Mountains | Bus from Shiyan Central Bus Station (¥10) to mountain gate; then free mountain buses. | ≈1 h total |
| Shiyan Museum | City bus route 15/16 (≈15 min) | ≈30 min |
| Qinglong Mountain Dinosaur Egg Geopark | Express 100 bus to Yunyang, then Yunyang Lake tourist bus | ≈2 h |
Sleep
- Wudang Hostel
- ¥40 per night, basic dorm on mountain; includes restaurant (¥15‑35 meals).
- Tent on Wudang Mountain
- ¥10 per night, requires own gear.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | 对不起duìbuqǐ |
| Thank you | 谢谢xièxiè |
| How much is it? | 多少钱？duōshǎo qián? |
| Can I pay by card? | 可以刷卡吗？kěyǐ shuākǎ ma? |
| Where is the bathroom? | 洗手间在哪里？xǐshǒujiān zài nǎlǐ? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and a nod; use surnames with a title; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses
- Face: Disagree privately and indirectly; avoid: Correcting or embarrassing someone in front of others
- Gifts: Give with two hands; expect the gift to be refused once or twice and opened later; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, white flowers, sets of four
- Business cards: Present and receive with both hands, read it, keep it on the table; avoid: Writing on it or pocketing it at once
- Queues and crowds: Hold your ground politely in scrums at buses and lifts; avoid: Taking pushing personally
- Temples: Walk clockwise around Tibetan stupas and prayer wheels; remove hats; avoid: Touching statues or photographing where signs forbid
- Politics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Raising Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, 1989 or the party leadership
- Numbers and colour: Red and 8 are lucky; red envelopes carry money gifts; avoid: Writing names in red; the number 4
Scams and watch-outs
- Taxi drivers may overcharge; ask for ¥30‑¥40 before starting.
- Wudangshan Special Zone Bus Station may close when the new station opens (check status).
- Winter snow can block mountain roads in Jan‑Feb.
Generally safe; watch traffic when crossing streets and negotiate taxi fares.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Shiyan yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Wudang Mountains (UNESCO World Heritage)
- Shiyan Museum
- Qinglong Mountain Dinosaur Egg Geopark
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Shiyan: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q123456
- Wikivoyage: Shiyan, revision 5237209 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5237209
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/shiyan). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.