Huaihua (怀化, Huáihuà) is in western Hunan, southwestern China. It is a prefecture-level city in a mountainous area with some rural poverty problems. The city itself has a population around 400,000, the prefecture as a whole 5 million.
The prefecture encompasses several autonomous ethnic counties, towns and villages. Major ethnic groups found here are the Dòng or Kam (侗族), Miáo or Hmong (苗族), Tǔjiā (土家族), and Yáo (瑶族). It was long inhabited by these ethnic group before the arrival of the Han Chinese more than a thousand years ago. They are known to be indigenous to these mountainous areas. They also inhabit neighboring Guizhou province.
Huaihua is located on the Shanghai-Kunming railway line, which now host both fast and regular trains. 1 hour and a half by fast train and 5 to 9 hours on regular trains from Changsha. 1 hour and 15 minutes by fast train and 3 to 5 hours on regular trains to Kaili in Guizhou province.
Regular trains also go northwest towards Chongqing and it takes between 8 and 18 hours. Check out schedules and journey time on 12306.com, because it can vary in an exaggerated way.
There are trains to Zhangjiajie as well.
The two train stations in the north and south of the city are connected via bus number 12 (~30 minutes).
Huaihua's central urban area has only a few low-key sights such as the Huaihua Museum. All the main attractions and ethnic towns are outside the main urban area and in other parts of the prefecture. Those places can be reached by bus and in some cases by train.
Pao Cai (泡菜) or pickled vegetables are found everywhere around the city. It's a must try if you are in this dusty city.
Go east to Changsha, the provincial capital, west to Tongren (not to be confused with the one in Qinghai province) or Kaili in Guizhou province, south to Guangxi Province or northwest to Chongqing.
From Chongqing or Changsha there are fast trains all over China. A route popular with tourists is from Changsha to Guiyang and on to Kunming.
2nd-order administrative division
Primary administrative division