How I walked 40km in Changsha without realizing it

Spent two days in Changsha and somehow ended up walking 40km total (not on purpose, but here we are). If you’re planning to visit, here’s a breakdown of what I did and what you might want to check out:

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📍 Itinerary Overview
🚶♂️ Total Distance Covered: 40km in 2 days (yes, my legs hate me).
🗓 Day 1: Hunan Museum → Mt. Yuelu → Taiping Street
🗓 Day 2: Meixi Lake → Orange Island (walked the entire way to the Mao Zedong statue and back—took 2+ hours).

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🚩 Sightseeing Route
🔹 Hunan Museum – A deep dive into Hunan’s history, with artifacts and exhibitions that I wish I understood better (learn Chinese, seriously).
🔹 Mt. Yuelu – Beautiful mountain with temples, pavilions, and killer views. Worth the hike.
🔹 Taiping Street – Changsha’s bustling old town area, filled with snacks, souvenirs, and a million people.
🔹 Meixi Lake – A modern, scenic lake area, great for a chill walk.
🔹 Orange Island – Famous for its giant Mao Zedong statue. Walked from the entrance to Mao and back—2+ hours of my life I wasn’t ready for.

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🚇 Transportation
Took cabs and the metro when necessary, but clearly, I also walked an unreasonable amount. Public transport is super convenient, but somehow I always ended up on foot.

📷 Photo Spots
📍 Mt. Yuelu – Perfect views of the city
📍 Orange Island – The massive Mao statue is a must-see
📍 Taiping Street – Old-style architecture + neon signs at night = great contrast

🍜 Local Cuisine
I didn’t do a food, I just ate some skewers but Changsha is famous for spicy food. If you like heat, stinky tofu and Hunan-style barbecue are everywhere.

🏠 Accommodation
I stayed at One Corner Pool Hotel, which was a solid choice for a comfortable stay with an amazing private pool.

💡 Tips (aka What I Learned the Hard Way):
✔️ Expect to walk. A lot. Even if you don’t plan to.
✔️ Orange Island is huge. If you don’t want to walk 2+ hours round-trip, take the sightseeing car to Mao.
✔️ Hunan food is spicy. Even if they say it’s “mild.” Don’t trust them.

Final thoughts: Changsha is a mix of history, modern city life, and endless walking. Worth every step, even if my legs are still recovering.

#changshatravel #hunanadventures #whydidiwalk40km