Wuhan

Wuchang

Yellow Crane Tower, the 1911 museum and Wuchang railway station; best for sightseeing on foot.

Hankou (Jianghan Road area)

Treaty-port buildings, shopping and the riverfront walk; metro Lines 2 and 6.

Hanyang

Quieter, cheaper, near Guiyuan Temple and the Yangtze bridge's west end.

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

• Summer heat and humidity are severe; plan indoor stops at midday in June–August.
• The three railway stations are far apart — check which one your train uses before booking a bed.
• Cross-river taxis stall in rush hour; allow an extra 30 min for a station run.
• Air quality can be poor on still winter days.