In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · China
Yueyang
岳阳
Spend 1–2 days in Yueyang: see Yueyang Tower, cruise Dongting Lake, and visit Junshan Island; a day trip to Changsha is easy by high‑speed rail.
Yueyang is a historic port on Dongting Lake in northern Hunan. Its main draw is the iconic Yueyang Tower and lakeside scenery, both reachable within walking distance of the city centre. A short high‑speed train ride (30–50 min) connects it to Changsha for a longer stay.
- Country
- China
- Local name
- 岳阳
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, rain)
- 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 ¥250–400 excl. bed · Mid ¥400–650 excl. bed · High ¥650+ 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 119 · Ambulance 120
- 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 |
|---|---|
| Yueyang Tower admission | ¥70 |
| Dongting Lake cruise | ¥80–150 |
| Junshan Yinzhen tea tasting | ¥30–100 |
| Taxi (city centre) | ¥7 per km |
| Bus ride | ¥2 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YUY · Yueyang Sanhe Airport
- 4C class airport in Yueyanglou district; limited domestic flights.
Typical fares
- Yueyang Railway Station → Yueyang Tower (taxi)
- ≈¥15–20, 10 min
- High‑speed train Yueyang ↔ Changsha
- ≈¥120–260 round trip (check)
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
Walk or bike around the tower and lake area (short distances). City buses ¥2, taxis ¥7 per km, Didi ride‑hailing. Bike‑share apps (Meituan, Hello Bike) common. Ferries to Junshan Island.
See and do
Known for
- Yueyang Tower
- Dongting Lake
- Junshan Island
- Junshan Yinzhen tea
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Changsha | High‑speed rail from Yueyang Railway Station, 30–50 min | ≈1 h total |
| Zhangguying Village | Bus or taxi, about 80 km (50 mi) southeastBus or taxi, about 50 mi (80 km) southeast | ≈2 h |
Sleep
- Yueyang Tower Hotel
- Business hotel with lake views; good base for main sights.
- 7 Days Inn Yueyang
- Budget chain in city centre; clean and affordable.
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 toilet? | 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 meters may not be used automatically; ask for meter.
- High‑speed train tickets to Changsha sell out early on weekends.
- Light show at Yueyang Tower runs only in summer months; check schedule.
Yueyang is generally safe for tourists; keep an eye on taxi meters, buy train tickets in advance, and note that summer heat can be intense.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Yueyang yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Yueyang Tower
- Dongting Lake
- Junshan Island
- Junshan Yinzhen tea
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Yueyang official government site: en.yueyang.gov.cn/
- Wikidata – Yueyang: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q123456
- Wikivoyage: Yueyang, revision 5304383 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5304383
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/yueyang). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.