恩施土家族苗族自治州

Why this place

Enshi is a mountainous prefecture in western Hubei, home of the Tujia minority, and its landscape is genuinely spectacular — deep limestone canyons, enormous caves with rivers inside them, and terraced villages. It is one of the least-visited good landscapes in central China.

What to see

• Enshi Grand Canyon and the 'one-column incense' rock pillar
• Tenglong Cave (Qingjiang) — one of the largest cave systems in the world, with a river inside
• The Tujia villages and their stilted wooden houses, and the old town of Lichuan
• Pingshan canyon, where you can float down a clear green river between cliffs

What to eat

• Tujia food: cured pork, 'zhaguangjiao' (pickled chilli), and the local glutinous-rice dishes
• Enshi is known for its 'Yulu' tea and its wild vegetables

How to plan

Three days: the canyon one, the cave one, the villages and Pingshan one.

Best time

April–June and September–November

Practical tips

• Enshi has its own airport and train station, but the sites are far apart — arrange transport in advance