Zhangye

Zhangye (张掖; Zhāngyè) is a city in Gansu Province. Understand Zhangye became the garrison headquarters after General Huo established control of the Hexi Corridor. Originally known as Ganzhou, the town was part of the Western Xia dynasty until conquered by Kublai Khan in 1227. Although the city is not a tourist destination as such, it serves as good place to make stop when passing through the Hexi Corridor. Zhangye currently has a population of around 1,250,000. There also live minority Yugu, which is only in Gansu. Get In By Air Newly built airport 13km south of the city. Currently only has flights on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday to/from Xi'an via Lanzhou. By Train Zhangye Station at the end of Zhanghuo Gonglu, 13km northeast of the central part of town. Bus No.1 runs from the train station to the centre of town (Drum Tower) and costs 1 Yuan (correct change only) By Bus East Bus Station is on Huaicheng East Road. Wuwei - takes about 3-6 hours Lanzhou - takes about 11 hours Yinchuan South Bus Station is on Huaicheng South Road. Dunhuang - takes about 12 hours Jiayuguan - takes about 4 hours Lanzhou - takes about 10 hours Mati Si - takes about 2-3 hours Xining - takes about 7 hours (77.5 yuan Apr 2013) West Bus Station Zhangye Danxia Landscape - take about 1.5 hours (8.5 yuan) Xining - takes about 7 hours (77.5 yuan Apr 2013) Get Around By bus: Take bus No.3 to the West bus station, take bus No. 1 to the train station (Bus fares are 1 Yuan - correct change only) By privet car/ bus: You can book a private car via a travel agency or at the reception of most hotels. A trip to Mati Si + Daxia Landscape cost 500 RMB.) See Da Fo Si, 大佛寺步行街, ☎ (0936)6933666, [1]. (大佛寺), Giant Buddha Temple, biggest chinese wooden indoor Reclining Buddha. 34.5m long, 7.5m high. This temple is the reputed birthplace for the Mongol emperor, Kublai Khan. ¥41/ ¥21.  edit Da Fo Si - Inside the Tibetan style stupa Da Fo Si - This hall is reputed birthplace of the Mongol Emeror Kublai Khan Da Fo Si - Housing the largest wooden reclining Buddha in China Zhangye Danxia Lanscape, (By bus from West bus Station). This is a small park about 40km from Zhangye where you can see a unique geological landscape. The layers of multi-coloured rock in the mountains amid a green oasis basin is truly spectacular. When you visit you will be driven the viewing platforms by bus, where you can get off and take your time to view and photograph the scenery. At the time of my visit many of the platforms & roads were under construction but this didn't defer from the beauty of the place - it was one of the highlights of Gansu province. 40 Yuan + 20 Yuan bus fee.  edit Blackwater National site (黑水国遗址), [2]. In the 12.5 km northwest of the Zhangye. 15 km long from north to south and 10 kilometers long from east to west, ancient cultural sites of the Neolithic period, a national key cultural relics protection units. Sites within the Han Dynasty tombs, about four square kilometers. Most of the tombs have been buried in sand, who have not traveled was buried by the desert, most of the liberation excavation.  edit Nanhu Park (南湖公园). Nanhu Park, also known as South Lake Ecological Botanical Garden, located in the south county, is the the Shandan experiment to promote flower species of new varieties of forestry demonstration garden, but it is also a set of historical and cultural landscape of the land and the natural landscape as one of the tour.  edit Mati Si Temple & mountain scenery. 65 kilometers south of the city proper, in the Sunan Yugu (Tibetan) Autonomous Prefecture, lies the Mati Temple, or Horse's Hoof Temple, (Mati si). Besides the temple you can do a 2h horse tour passing a fantastic landscape ( horse ride 150-200 RMB)  edit Do Swim in Hei river Buy Eat During the day, give Qing Ming Street a try and during the night, give Xiaochichang (Little Eat Market) a try. In the food alley Ming Qing Jie there is a friendly and good restaurant with tasty and inexespensive food. The restaurant does'nt have a name in latin alphabet however, it is placed 20m circa from the gate, it is opposite a plant shop and it has blue chairs and black tables (2013 May). There is no english menu, but the owner was really helpful and proactive. Try the aubergine and pulled noodles! Drink Expensive and exellent coffee but nice environment and wi-fi available at UBC cafe in Oushi Je. Sleep Budget Huayi Hotel (Huayi Binguan), East Street (East of Xiaochichang), ☎ +86 936 8242118. No English sign or English spoken but easy to find - opposite the pedestrian street, about 100m east of the Drum Tower. (Close to Dico's, next door to the China Construction Bank) It has two stone lions either side of a revolving doors. Twin rooms for 90 yuan with free (wired) internet, TV, a/c and private bathroom, 24hr hot water.  edit Zhongguang Hotel (Zhongguang Zhaodaisuo), Second Floor establishment, Xianfu Street (On the south corner of Minsheng West Street), ☎ +86 936 5985449.  edit Mid-range Honghao Hotel (Honghao Binguan), 11 Xianfu Street, ☎ +86 936 8250588.  edit Jindu Hotel (Jindu Binguan), 19 East Street, ☎ +86 936 8245088 (fax: +86 936 8245122).  edit Splurge Zhangye Hotel (Zhangye Binguan), ☎ +86 936 8212601 (fax: +86 936 8213806).  edit Huachen International Hotel (Huachen Guomao Binguan), 162 East Street (Dong Jie),Zhangye, ☎ +86 936 8257777 (fax: +86 936 8277667).  edit Tianyu International Hotel (Tianyu Guomao Binguan), Ganquan Cultural Square, South Avenue (Nan Jie), Ganzhou District, Zhangye 734000, China, ☎ +86936 8516666, 8513333 (fax: +86 936 8860331).  edit Get out Mati Temple - in the Tibetian town of Mati, more caves carved into a cliff. Qilian mountains Zhangye Danxia Landscape - about an hour to an hour and half by bus from the West station. This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!