Hefei may not be a very bustling city in China, but this modern city has its own unique customs and charm.
The people of Hefei are kind and hospitable.
Although it is a medium-sized city, Hefei has been developing its environment and is constantly optimized.
The city is the economic and financial hub of the Anhui Province since time immemorial.
Because of its great surroundings and important role in China’s economy, it has also done its share to boost tourism with its wealth of natural attractions, special points of interests.
Top 20 Things To Do In Hefei
The most well-known one is without a doubt the Memorial Temple of Lord Bao.
When To Visit Hefei
It epitomizes a mellow atmosphere with obviously characterized seasons and moderate precipitation.
The normal yearly temperature is 15.
7c (60.
26f).
As is known, each city in China has a city tree and flower.
With regards to Hefei; the Yulan tree is its city tree and the fragrant Osmanthus pomegranate bloom is its official city flower.
The temperature in spring (March to April) is warm, yet is inclined to change.
Despite the fact that the characteristic scene may be the most excellent in spring, the stormy days make it not a suitable time to visit.
The normal temperature of summer (May to August) is around 28c (82f), although not extremely humid, however it is also the city’s official monsoon season.
The rainy season is a time of unsettled climate with regular and drenching downpours.
It starts in the month of June and consummates at the end of July, it offers endless downpour in the city, and however, it causes some inconvenience for every traveler who explores the city.
Remember to bring your rainfall gears with you because of this uncommon climate.
Different from the other three seasons, the season of autumn (August to October) may be the best time to enjoy the holidays, because the climate is more favorable.
The winter (November to February) is a tad bit cool with a normal temperature of -10c (50f), so it is advisable to pack in some scarves and warm dress when you go around this time.
Stunning things to do in Hefei
Here are the top attractions to visit and things to do when in the city of Hefei, China.
Hefei Swan Lake
The Hefei Swan Lake is a great place for a stroll and spend quiet moments to unwind while in the city.
The promenade area itself is somewhat distant from the city center.
The long walks around the lake is just one of the few possible entertainments in the evening.
You can see couples, families, and young locals who make this one of the best meeting points and landmark attraction of the city.
The busy night life starts there with shows about songs, folk dances, and other types of amusement to delight its guests.
The better the weather, the more “buzzing” life and activity abounds on the lake.
In addition, the thing that surprises everyone – near the lake it is very clean and breezes with fresh air.
You can breathe very well, especially with the clean air all around.
Circling around the lake can take more than an hour, but if you move away from the swarm of the crowd, the walk will be very quiet and secluded.
It is the best evening pastime in the area.
The good air and scenery is good and relaxing as well as the presence of the many dine in corners around the premises of the lake.
What else to do in Hefei?
Xiaoyaojin Park
The Xiaoyaojin Park in Hefei is very central, accessible via convenient transportation and loaded with pleasant scenery.
This attraction has no entrance fee.
The monument of Zhang Liao is not only a statue but it is also adjacent to a large artificial lake where there are plenty of recreational facilities to discover.
After the stroll, you can also go to the nearby Huaihe Road Pedestrian Street for more shopping and leisure options.
The overall layout is ok and most parts that are a bit old are still well maintained and preserved plus, the traffic is quite convenient.
This park exists in China for hundreds of years already.
It has two interesting segments; the zoo segment and the regular park area.
If you have enough time, try to visit it for more than an hour, the park is a pleasant getaway from the occupied city life in Hefei.
There are likewise rides, a zoo, kids’ photography, and so forth.
Get an espresso and try for a walk around the evening -or conceivably at night.
30-60 minutes is already ideal and you can see and enjoy most of its features especially at night and what’s more, it is totally free and you can fly your kites in the wide springfield area of the park.
Outdoor activities in Hefei
Hefei Botanical Garden
The Hefei Botanical Garden is an extraordinary park to observe and stroll without the usual presence of heavy crowds.
There are numerous nature spots to stop, visit the local aviary and inspect the lush vegetation and its rich fauna.
Most guests find it exceptionally quiet, even if it’s in the middle of a busy city.
You can stay for more than 6 hours there without ever getting bored.
It is located a few blocks away from the adjacent busy street which adds to its mystic charm.
From here, one must walk quite a few distance to catch a cab or a return taxi that will transport you back to the central city.
This is an extensive park with various trails and walkways.
The recreation center surrounds a water supply and has lots of small artificial man-made lakes.
There are lots of fresh flowers and exotic plants all throughout the recreation center.
Admission fee is very affordable.
If you plan to use a whole day, there is a ton to see and great strolling shoes is an unquestionable requirement.
The spring season months are the best time to go to the Botanical Garden.
Around the spring time it is really good, the scenery is beautiful, you can also have a barbecue at noon, and there is a lot of outdoor entertainment to amuse its visitors.
Hefei attractions
Hefei Huancheng Park
The Hefei Huancheng Park is actually one of the main parks of the city with many scenic spots, a quiet environment, and fresh air.
If you take a walk in the morning, you can see a lot of elderly people doing morning exercises, playing chess, doing Tai-Chi exercises, some people walking the dog, mommies pushing baby strollers, couples admiring the scene and people watching or simply enjoying the long walks.
The park area is not so small and inside there are lots of vegetation and on special holidays the decoration gets festive.
In summer it is very cool and there are lots of people who enjoy the boat ride along the river.
If you can drive a bicycle it is more convenient and one of the best ways you can explore and know its special corners and features.
You can not only see the park’s variety of sculptures, landscape and moat, but also enjoy a variety of Hefei city buildings and a magnificent skyline.
It is a good place to take photos.
At night it is also one of the best options to enjoy some quiet time and solitude.
Mt.
Dashu Forests Park
The Mt.
Dashu Forests Park Hill is not really so high, but the hilltop scenery is very good especially at night.
At the top of the hill and overlooking the distance you can see the entire city and its surrounding mountain sides.
At the foot of the hill is where you can see the Martyrs’ Cemetery, it is a very sentimental place for the inhabitants of this old city as it allows visitors to feel the souls of the martyrs that are still defending the vast land.
It consists of a few acres of forest park, flower gardens, very pleasant promenade areas, surrounded by old mausoleums, safari, and it is also very convenient to drive to and have some camping activities in its recreational area.
It is one of the best family destinations in Hefei where you can not only admire the scene but also engage in a challenging mountain hike adventure, a breath of fresh air, and also a good physical exercise.
What is Hefei famous for?
Hefei is famous for its wildlife zoo.
Hefei Wildlife Zoo
The Hefei Wildlife Zoo is another Hefei attraction that is widely visited during weekends by families and locals who wants to admire wildlife and its number one resident- the Panda.
It is located inside the complex of the Shushan Forest Park, and divided into two sections.
Go and visit the wildlife zoo to admire other species of wild animals.
Since it is located in one hillside, the zoo area is a little larger and the animals have plenty of space and to a great extent move around their natural habitat freely and interact with other wild animals.
Since it is a safari, the animal caretakers create the atmosphere of a forest with lush trees, plus the jump squirrels, tigers striding around the enclosure, and colorful peacocks that flash their designed feathers to delight their guests.
The pandas are quite shy and seldom goes out.
This zoo allows everyone to feel more harmony between man and the animal side.
Bao Zheng Cemetery (Memorial Temple of Lord Bao)
Mr.
Bao was an important political figure in Chinese history.
The Bao Zheng Cemetery (Memorial Temple of Lord Bao) is encompassed by a pleasant park where individuals play, rent electric watercrafts and unwind.
Amidst the recreation center there is an exhibition hall that is fully devoted to Mr.
Bao.
This is designed and crafted in full Chinese style.
If cultural landscape is more suitable to your taste, then a visit to this memorial is the best option when in the city of Hefei.
It can be found in the southern part of the downtown area in Baohe Park.
It is constructed to preserve the memory of Bao Zheng, a well-known military leader and officer of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127).
The Memorial Temple of Lord Bao is a typical run of the mill building complex that is very common during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
Anhui Museum
Typically, small-town museums are not encouraging or offer anything but a hallway filled with dusty books, however, the Anhui Museum is not one of them.
It was recently remodeled and expanded all of its permanent exhibitions.
It has an impressive pavilion, which presents a traditional Anhui house, and yet it is impossible to take your eyes off on their collection of locally made wooden handicrafts and bronze vases.
The Anhui Museum design is very distinctive and everything revolves around the great hall atrium.
The second floor is the first special exhibition hall and highlights the Anhui civilization, the exhibition of the arranged Huizhou houses during the ancient times, and the exhibition showing the rehabilitation of several local old houses that are still visible up to the modern times.
It is worth spending half a day exploring this small museum in Hefei to have a better understanding of its rich past and colorful culture.
The collection cannot be considered quite a lot, but overall it is still worth visiting and some explanation is also good coupled with impressive illustrations.
Hefei City Square
The Hefei City Square is always bustling and crowded because it is the commercial and financial center of Hefei.
It is also the heart of the city with its row of shopping streets and nice shops that are worth a visit.
You can see lots of banks around here like; Merchants Bank and other provincial banks.
It is also the main transport point for all buses and local transportation vehicles that travel from one point of the city to other nearby cities of Hefei.
The traffic is very good, the seat of the city government can also be found here and there are lots of pedestrian streets where travelers can try a local cuisine or enjoy the dazzling nightlife of Hefei.
Here is a very lively place that you can check out no matter what time of the day and always packed with a lot of people.
It is located next to the city center called the Lepusheng Hongtusanbao area.
The most important thing is it is not far from the crowded pedestrian street so traffic is relatively tolerable and going around can be easily done on foot.
Bao Zheng’s Ancestral House of Anhui
When you visit the Bao Zheng’s Ancestral House of Anhui, be sure to take a guide that tells about the late leader and military official named Bao Zhen, who was famous for wise decisions and absolute probity.
From the height of the memorial tower, you can see the most beautiful panoramas of Anhui.
This is the former residence of Bao Zheng.
It is a pedestrian street with several shops on both sides.
The house is well maintained and neat with lots of interesting displays to see inside.
It is highly recommended for young students who wants to know what this military officer contributed to the history of China and Hefei.
You can stroll along the river, visit the tomb and cemetery, and from the top you can see and admire the panoramic view of the entire Hefei.
Former Residence of Li Hongzhang
The Former Residence of Li Hongzhang is located at the Luyang Huaihe Road area (near Huaihai Road and Suzhou Road intersection), and where most of the rest of Li Hongzhang’s families live.
There are many Li’s precious photos, ink collection (calligraphy), as well as a huge collection of old clothing.
There are many indoor Qing Dynasty furniture that you can see inside that has great ornamental value.
Not many people really visit this place.
It is advisable to hire a tour guide to have a better understanding of who Li Hongzhang is and what he has done to the city of Hefei.
There is an interesting bonsai garden and lots of classical sculpture collection that you can also admire in the garden.
Hefei University Of Science And Technology Of China
The Hefei University Of Science And Technology Of China or the USTC is an interesting place to explore where you can feel a deep sense of great learning atmosphere and an admirable scenery.
It is tree-lined, quiet and calm.
It has an atmosphere that is conducive to learning.
It is composed of four campus grounds that are close to the city center, the business district, shopping areas and recreational centers.
HuaiHe Lu BuXingJie
The HuaiHe Lu BuXingJie is one of the lively and festive avenues in the city of Hefei.
Its thick festive atmosphere makes every traveler find the need to explore and discover all its wonderful features.
In particular, a walking tour starts at the convergence of eastern Hefei’s famous historical sites such as the; Li Hongzhang’s former residence and the famous Mingjiao Temple.
You can also explore on foot the Hefei Changjiang Road alongside the main road which shows the commercial importance of Huaihe Road.
Don’t miss the western part of the end of the “city square” and the large bus transfer terminal stations.
Despite the busy atmosphere, the traffic here is quite convenient in the bustling street of Hefei City.