Monsoon rains fall mostly in the months of April, May, and June while July and August are uncomfortably warm and humid. The best time to visit Hunan is during fall when the air is cooler and there is minimal rainfall. For persons who are used to the cold northern climate, visiting Hunan in the winter is an entirely pleasant experience. Temperatures during winter are usually above freezing. The mean annual precipitation ranges between 1,300-1,700 mm.

Places to see Hunan is host to many of the most beautiful sights that China can proudly offer its visitors. Some of the best places to visit include:

Dongting Lake is a beautiful sight to behold in the early morning dawn when mist covers China’s second largest lake.

Yueyang City sits on the shores of Dongting Lake and it is home to one of China’s three legendary towers.

Yueyang Pavilion can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). At present it is being renovated and built in the style of the Song Dynasty.

Zhangjaijie National Forest Park was established as China’s first national forest park in 1982. It is located in the northwest of Hunan. It is famous for its magnificent quartz-sandstone rock formations which are natural art sculpted on bare stone by Mother Nature against a backdrop of green trees.

In winter, snow-capped Mt. Hengshan is a sight to behold. It is one of the five most renowned mountains in China and is a holy mountain for both Taoists and Buddhists. The region along the banks of Yuanjiang River has been described by Tao Yuanming as an isolated Utopia-like paradise. The river’s serene beauty and tranquility can offer anybody a respite from the daily grind. This makes the region a favorite travel destination since ancient times.

Changsha, Hunan’s capital city, offers its visitors a different kind of journey to the past. It houses many sites and places of historical significance earning the prestige of being known as one of China’s famous cultural centers.

The 2000 census recorded Hunan’s population at 64,400,700. Although a majority of the population is Han Chinese, there are many minor ethnic groups which comprise its population. Some of minority groups include Tujia, Dong, Hui, Zhuang, Uyghurs, Miao, Yao, Bai and others. The multi-ethnic population treats visitors to the unique and rich cultures of each ethnic group.

Hunan’s chili-rich foods are also called Xiang cuisine. The name denotes the Xiang River which is one of the major tributaries of the Yangtze River.

Hunan’s many rivers and rolling terrain are rich sources such as fish, crab, shrimp and turtle. The abundance of nature’s gifts to man gave rise to the rich variety of Hunan cuisine. Among the more than 4,000 cuisine of this region, more than 300 have become very famous.

The dishes served in this province are distinguished by their hot and sour flavor, greasiness, fresh aroma and deep color. Hot dishes are very much desired to counteract Hunan’s very humid air that makes the elimination of moisture from the body difficult. Local people usually eat hot peppers to eliminate dampness and cold.

The dishes of Hunan cuisine mirror the three cooking styles typical of its three main regions namely:

1. Xiangjiang River Valley Dishes - It comprises of the dishes served in Changsha, Hengyang and Xiangtan. Dishes from this region have characteristic pungent, chili flavors. Most common dishes include stir-fried tripe slivers, chicken with hot and spicy sauce, and dried scallop with egg-whites.
2. Dongting Lake Region Dishes – Dishes served in Yueyang and Changde make up the cooking styles of this region’s dishes. Among the most common local delicacies are Xiaoxiang Turtle, mashed shrimp in lotus pod, Wuling snake soup, and Dongting wild duck. Dishes are served with beautifully-shaped and patterned serving dishes and have a characteristic deep color and a hot and salty flavor.
3. Jishou, Huaihua, and Dayong Dishes –these mountainous regions echo the abundance of game, mushrooms and fungi. They are known for their steamed cured meat, hot-spicy frog legs and deep-fried loach – all imbued in the rich flavors of the locality.