A Town Built on the Edge of a Waterfall: A Traveler's Furong Ancient Town Guide

By Raphael M., a travel photographer and writer based out of New York City

Last Updated on August 21st, 2026

Furong has its own dedicated railway station, conveniently placed between Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang, two other major tourist destinations. I arrived from Zhangjiajie, and my homestay offered to pick me up directly from the station to the hotel, which was a 10 minute drive.

It definitely makes sense to stop here for one night, as Furong completely changes at night.

The town was originally founded over 2,000 years ago, and functioned as a trading hub along the You River, primarily inhabited by the indigenous Tujia minority. During the Qing Dynasty, the town became under the control of Yongshun County, and lost a lot of its indigenous population.

Furong has different levels of homestays/hotels, all of which differ in their views, pricing, and quality. For the absolute best view of the waterfall (from your hotel room), you'll have to book a room inside the town. Make sure to confirm that the room you buy has a view of the waterfall, not just the river or back of the stream. Contact the hotel via direct communication or the travel agency you're using (I used trip.com). These are the most expensive option, but definitely worth it for those who value an amazing view.

The best view of this waterfall is on the right side, where you can get a full view of the width of the waterfall and the buildings.

I'll keep it short and sweet: the town. There isn't much else to do in Furong other than this town, which makes it ideal for a 1 day trip, or even a half day (leave either Zhangjiajie or Fenghuang in the morning and arrive in Furong in the afternoon). There are a few areas that I would recommend, but it's pretty self explanatory.

When I visited, there was a performance at the top of the waterfall. I didn't even know this was going to happen, but it was a pleasant surprise. When I visited, it was a blistering 30 degrees, and the performers were dressed in the thinnest clothing; it was pretty crazy.

How to get there:

Why Furong?

Where to stay:

Performance on top of the Waterfall:

Top places to visit:

As with all the performances in China, it was a treat for the eye, and told the history of the Tujia minority which once dominated this ancient town.

The Charm of this town comes from just strolling around, admiring its tight alleyways, and taking in the scenery. The afternoon light was just beautiful when I visited, and added to the ambiance of the already surreal experience. I cannot recommend visiting this place during golden hour any higher - it was insane.

The Main Waterfall:

You can even go behind the waterfall, just watch out for the water.

The first view of this waterfall is just jaw-dropping. I could not believe what I was looking at, and it really did look impossibly real. This town might be one of the few places I've visited that the videos still don't do it justice.

While the town has been commercialized and become a tourist destination, the 2,000 year old paved walkways and views remain, a view that has stood the test of time.

The next level are the accommodations on the back of the river, with views of the river but not the waterfall. I personally don't see the value in these, as you can't see the actual waterfall, and the prices are still pretty high.

The final level are the hotels outside of the town, which is where I stayed. My hotel, Floral Hotel·Furong Town Juxian Pavilion Hotel, was about 10 minutes from the town, and was amazing value. It came with a rooftop balcony (it was massive), and had just been renovated. I visited the town in the off-season, and I was only one of two people visiting the town at the time. The owner even gave me a bag of oranges when I left, and was super nice. Highly recommend.

I would choose either of the extremes: the one with the best possible view, or the one that offers the best value. MAKE SURE to contact you're hotel to make sure you have a direct view if that is the avenue you are going down, as many hotels can be misleading (as I've read in the reviews).

There is a small admission fee to get into the park. As a tip, students get 50% off at pretty much every single tourist attraction. Just show them your ID (it doesn't matter if it's foreign) and you get a pretty sizable discount at most sites.

Final Thoughts:

Furong Ancient Town one of my favorite Ancient towns in all of Asia, and visually the most incredible. The sunset glow, the flowing river, the stilted buildings: it didn't feel real. Furong is just another example of the jaw-dropping natural wonders of China, combined with the engineering of millennia-old civilizations.