Reasons to visit Changsha in China's Hunan province

Changsha is the provincial capital of Hunan province in China. Home to more than 10 million people, the city of Changsha has some tremendous contemporary architecture, including the Zaha Hadid Architects-designed Changsha Meixihu International Culture and Arts Centre. High-rise buildings along the waterfront can be illuminated. LED lights on riverfront facades produce animated effects.
One of the best ways to observe that is by taking a boat ride on the broad Jiang River. River cruises in Changsha depart from Orange Isle, which at 5km in length is reputedly the world's longest river island. A monumental sculpture of the youthful Moa Zedong is on the island: he famously wrote a poem that captured the essence of Changsha's charms and lived for a time in the region.
The long-established Yuelu Academy is a celebrated academic establishment and tourist attraction: one of many within Changsha (the Hunan Museum and cultural complex around the Changsha Museum count among them).
The many opportunities to taste regional cuisine is another reason to visit Changsha. The food from China's Hunan province is famed for being spicy and big on flavour.
Changsha has direct flights from London with Hainan Airlines and bullet trains provide rapid connections with destinations elsewhere in Hunan Province and China. That means visiting Changsha can be easily incorporated into a wider China travel itinerary.