Avoid the summer crowds! These nine off-the-beaten-path cities are fun and uncrowded

✨Tired of the summer tourist crush? 💦Craving a truly relaxing and unique trip? ⛰️This carefully selected guide to lesser-known cities⛲️ helps you avoid the crowds and discover hidden gems! 1. Jingxi 👍Top recommendations 🌟Equan Spring One of the three famous springs in Southwest China, the water is crystal clear—you can see the stones and little fish at the bottom. Surrounded by mountains with a small bridge in the middle, it’s perfect for photos. Sitting by the shore, feeling the breeze, you’ll instantly relax. 🌟Jiuzhou Ancient Town A small but charming ancient town. Every household makes colorful embroidered balls that hang along the streets, full of local life. The town also has Wenchang Pavilion, where you can enjoy stunning views of distant mountains and waters from the tower. 🌟Sandieling Waterfall A spectacular waterfall cascading down from the mountain top in several tiers, with rushing water and mist everywhere. Standing in front of it, you feel the power of nature. No entrance fee and few visitors make it ideal for a visit. 🌟Jin Xiu Ancient Town More like a modern small town with quaint traditional architecture. At night, you can enjoy local snacks and milk tea, soaking in the local atmosphere. 2. Huaihua 👍Top recommendations ✅Hujiaxi Scenic Area: A living fossil of Tujia ancient villages, preserving many traditional wooden stilt houses arranged among mountains and waters. Flying eaves, carved doors and windows showcase exquisite craftsmanship. The thousand-year-old Huanglian tree at the village entrance tells ancient stories. Walking along the old post road, you can see ancient courtyards and tea gardens, feeling the weight of history. ✅Baihe Valley Scenic Area (You River Cultural Gallery): Located between Gaotan and Fengtan power stations along the You River, it boasts beautiful scenery and lush vegetation. Take a boat ride to admire unique peaks and rocks like Niujiao Rock, Hongzi Stele, Qianqu Rock, and Mao Rock, all marvels of nature. ✅Fengtan Scenic Area: Centered on the Fengtan Hydropower Station, the world’s tallest hollow gravity arch dam designed independently by China, with an installed capacity of 800,000 kW. The generators are installed inside the dam’s hollow, connected by tunnels like an underground maze. The innovative design and impressive technology make it one of Hunan’s new eight scenic spots. 3. Arxan 👍Top recommendations 📍Arxan National Forest Park A natural forest oxygen bar 🍃 featuring primeval forests, alpine meadows, lakes, and streams—every step feels like walking in a fairyland! The Unfrozen River attracts calves grazing by the water daily, and the blue house is a popular photo spot! 📍Bailang Peak Offers hiking and other activities with breathtaking views of the Greater Khingan Mountains. Standing atop, you can see all the surrounding peaks. ⛰️ 📍Arxan Railway Station With a unique architectural style, the bright yellow small building against blue sky and green trees looks like it came straight out of an animation, full of vintage artistic charm. 4. Longnan 👍Top recommendations 1. Unique Danxia Landform: Yunhua Mountain features Danxia landforms with tall, elegant mountains and red rocks like clouds. Lone peaks rise between heaven and earth, with steep cliffs that awe visitors, like natural masterpieces carved by divine hands. 2. Thrilling Sky Bridge: A remarkable “sky bridge” connected to the Tazi Mountain range, open on three sides with only one side connected. Walking on it feels like treading a heavenly path to a fairyland, with breathtaking views on both sides that make you pause despite the thrill. 3. Dreamy Sea of Clouds: After rain clears, the sea of clouds at Yunhua Mountain is a must-see. The vast clouds surge from valleys and mountain streams, flowing over the Danxia ridges, sometimes like galloping horses, sometimes like wind-blown grass with cattle and sheep, ever-changing like a fairy tale. 4. Guifeng Autumn Moon: When the bright moon rises and all is silent, Yunhua Mountain presents the magnificent “Guifeng Autumn Moon” scene. Mountain shadows blend with moonlight, the peak bathed in soft moon glow, evoking a serene and profound beauty like an elegant ink painting. 5. Quzhou 👍Top recommendations ◼️Shuitingmen A historic district preserving Quzhou’s traditional style, a landmark for photos. From the city tower, you can see the blend of diverse cultures, reflecting history and development. ◼️Confucius Temple Quzhou is known as the "Southern Confucius Holy Land," called the "Southern Sect." It is one of only three Confucius family temples in China. Entrance requires a ticket and includes a small copy of the Analects! ◼️Quzhou Museum The main building is grand and imposing, combining modern grandeur with traditional architectural charm. It symbolizes Quzhou’s historical and cultural heritage. You can book on-site by scanning a QR code. The museum is small, with the highlight being dinosaur fossils. ◼️North Gate Street Historic District An old street in Quzhou’s old town, contrasting with the lively Shuitingmen at night, this area is more about everyday life and local atmosphere. The historic clock tower is here, and you can climb up to ring the bell on the second floor. ◼️Quzhou Auditorium The red building serves as the marriage registration office and is a great photo spot! You can go up to the roof to enjoy the breeze from the Qu River. 6. Xiapu 👍Top recommendations 1. Mudflat Photography Spots - Beiqi Mudflat: (Xiapu’s photography card) Tiger skin mudflats and bamboo pole shadows at sunrise. - Xiaohao Beach: Colorful mudflats with oil painting-like textures when the tide recedes. - Dongbi Village: Best sunset spot, golden sunlight on fishing village and sea. - Huazhu Village: CCTV sunrise live broadcast site, overlooking the Fuyao Archipelago, misty and fairy-like. 2. Islands and Natural Scenery - Yangjia Creek: ("Little Wuyi of Eastern Fujian") Ancient banyan trees, red maple forests (best in autumn and winter), bamboo raft drifting experience. - Yushan Island: (One of China’s top ten most beautiful islands) Heavenly lake grasslands and sea pools, recommended to stay overnight for stargazing. - Sijie Archipelago: Untouched natural islands, great for adventure and sea fishing (boat required). 7. Jingdezhen 👍Top recommendations 1. Sanbao Art Museum Ceramic Wall: The museum’s exterior wall is made of various ceramics, unique and photogenic. The ceramic wall opposite is a popular photo spot with no entrance fee. Nearby are pottery shops, cafes, restaurants, and murals by artist Wen Na. 2. Sanbao Peng Art Community: A complex of art museum, shops, and studios. The Bukongshan Japanese-style tea house inside is very popular 🔥 with a beautiful environment, perfect for photos, tea, and coffee, but reservations are required. There is also a boutique upstairs. 3. 9494 Aesthetic Space: A unique shop with food and shopping. The kiln-baked pizza is a must-try! The “Mom’s Bakery” at the entrance is a popular photo spot, very photogenic but can have queues when busy. 4. Taoka Talka Coffee: Features “Gas Cylinder,” “Lying Win Bottle,” and “Blue and White Porcelain Steps,” very distinctive and highly photogenic, though photo queues can be long. 8. Mangshi 👍Top recommendations 📍Menghuan Great Golden Pagoda: South Asian Dai royal palace style, the best city view spot (night view is stunning!) 📍Mengbanaxi Rare Garden: Thousand-year-old ancient trees, free-range peacocks, and a rare tree fossil museum. 📍Dai Ancient Town: Intangible cultural heritage street, with ethnic song and dance performances every night at 8 pm. 📍Heihe Old Slope: Alpine meadows and primeval forest hiking (cloud sea season from May to October). 📍Shubao Pagoda: A 300-year-old banyan tree wrapped around a Buddhist pagoda, a natural wonder near "Mangshi Maternal and Child Health Hospital." 📍Peacock Lake: Lake cycling and rainforest boardwalk, best for birdwatching early in the morning. 9. Libo 👍Top recommendations Xiaoqikong Ancient Bridge Built in the 15th year of the Daoguang reign (1835), this seven-arch stone bridge spans the Xiangshui River, 25 meters long, entwined with vines. The clear emerald water beneath was once a trade route from Qiannan to Guangxi. Laya Waterfall Meaning "beautiful girl" in the Bouyei language, 10 meters wide with a 30-meter drop, the waterfall plunges freely with cool mist. 68-Level Cascading Waterfall Stretching 1.6 kilometers with a 110-meter drop, featuring 68 densely packed waterfalls of various shapes, a karst landform marvel. Water Forest A rare global karst aquatic ecosystem where tree roots anchor in riverbed rocks and streams flow through. You can explore by creek trekking, a perfect summer cooling spot. Wolong Pool The lake changes blue-green with the seasons, with a curved waterfall like a pearl curtain. Known as "Little Jiuzhaigou," it’s ideal for photos and check-ins.