Northwest Hidden Gem! 22℃ in Linxia, 9 Stunning Spots to Own Your Summer!

Babes! Who’s still struggling in the Northwest heatwave? Come check out this underrated fairy-tale town—Linxia! 🌬️ While others are frying eggs at 40℃, it’s a cool 22℃ here, perfect for wearing jackets! Although it’s in the Northwest like Ningxia, it hides a “Little Erhai Lake,” a “Little Altay,” plus millennia-old grottoes and Yellow River wonders… The best part? Fewer people, beautiful scenery, and cool weather—truly the ultimate summer escape! Today, we’re dropping 9 must-visit spots with full food, accommodation, and travel guides. After reading, just book your ticket and go! 🚗 🌿【Linxia Must-Visit Spots · Nature】 🔻① Bingling Lake | Northwest’s “Little Erhai,” breathtaking lake and mountain views 🌊 “Half lake, half mountain, boats sailing in a painting” perfectly describes it! The lake is sapphire blue, mountains lush and green in the distance, reeds swaying by the shore—every snap feels like “Erhai vibes” 📸. Rent a small boat (50r/hour), sail to the lake’s heart, watch sunlight shatter into golden flakes on the water, listen to the rustling reeds… If lucky, you might spot water birds skimming the surface, instantly healing all fatigue! ✨ (Tips: Come at dusk for sunset shots; the lake turns a stunning orange-red, so beautiful it’ll make you cry!) 🔻② Liujiaxia | The Yellow River and Tao River’s “clear divide” wonder 🌊 For just 10r, witness the Yellow River “changing color”! The yellow Tao River meets the green Yellow River in the canyon, forming a sharp dividing line like nature’s spilled palette 🎨. From the viewing platform, watch the Yellow River rush down while the Tao River surges in—this “yellow + green” visual impact is off the charts! (Photo tip: wear white for amazing color contrast!) 🔻③ Songmingyan | A natural oxygen bar with “off-the-charts beauty” in spring, summer, and autumn 🌲 - Spring: Wildflowers bloom into seas of color—azaleas, peonies, lilacs… the fragrance is intoxicating, like stepping into Alice’s Wonderland 🌸; - Summer: Cool 22℃ canyon, stone paths shaded by trees, babbling streams—perfect for summer outings with kids (don’t forget mosquito repellent!); - Autumn: Mountains covered in red leaves, forests dyed in layers, every shot looks like an “autumn fairy tale” 🍁. (Tips: Deep in the park is a waterfall reachable by a 20-minute hike, the roaring water is breathtaking!) 🔻④ Caoshangou | The “Little Altay” straight out of a Miyazaki anime 🌳 “Grasslands, wooden cabins, cattle, streams…” This isn’t Scandinavia, it’s Linxia’s Caoshangou! 🌿 The lush green grass looks like a carpet, cabins scattered neatly, cows and sheep grazing leisurely on hillsides, crystal-clear streams… Put on a floral dress, stand on the wooden boardwalk, and instantly become a “forest-style heroine” 📸. (Must-do: picnic on the grass, sip milk tea, watch clouds drift over the mountain tops—maximum healing vibes!) 🔻⑤ Yanzhi Lake | The “blue secret” hidden in the city 💙 Only 10r for a “blue sky, white clouds + clear water and grass” healing scene! The lake is mirror-like, reflecting distant mountains, reeds sway in the breeze, like a watercolor painting 🎨. Take the sightseeing bus (10r/person) around the lake, hop off anytime to snap photos—every angle is breathtaking! (Tips: Soft light at dusk is perfect for portraits, bring a reflector!) 🕌【Linxia Must-Visit Spots · Culture】 🔻① Bingling Temple Grottoes | Millennia of Buddha light illuminating the Yellow River bank 📿 50r ticket unlocks the “encyclopedia of Chinese grottoes”! Caves 169 and 172 cling to cliffs; climbing the stairs gets your heart racing (fear of heights, cover your eyes), but look up! The flying apsaras on the murals seem ready to float out any second ✨. Sunlight filters through cave cracks onto the statues, the sacred feeling is beyond what any camera can capture! (Tip: Hire a guide to hear the grottoes’ history and instantly travel back a thousand years!) 🔻② Linxia Museum | The “Painted Pottery Kingdom” from 5,000 years ago 🏺 Want to learn about the Majiayao culture? This is the place! Among 4,288 artifacts, painted pottery takes center stage: Majiayao’s brilliant swirl patterns, Banshan’s serrated designs… each piece is a work of art! Six immersive exhibition halls tell the story of how painted pottery evolved from clay into a symbol of civilization. After visiting, you’ll realize Linxia’s ancestors had impeccable aesthetics 5,000 years ago! (Tips: The museum is dimly lit, wear bright clothes for better photos.) 🔻③ Yellow River Culture Expo Park | Immersive “touch” of Yellow River history 📜 “Every artifact tells a story”! From stone tools at the Yellow River’s source, to Silk Road camel-bell pottery, to modern Yellow River management… here you can “touch” the pulse of Yellow River civilization. The exhibition design is thoughtful, with light and shadow effects plus interactive installations that bring history to life! (Must-see: the Yellow River basin map sand table, a vivid experience of the mother river’s grandeur!) 🔻④ Fataishan | The “scream park” for thrill-seekers 🎢 20r ticket unlocks multiple exciting attractions: - Glass skywalk: a dizzying abyss below, not for the faint-hearted (but the views are stunning!); - Jungle zipline: fly from the mountaintop to the foot, feel the wind roar past (adrenaline rush!); - Cliff swing: swing out and take in the entire valley view (for the brave only!). (Tips: Children under 1.2m and retired soldiers get free entry, great value!) 🍖【Linxia Food · Paradise for carb and meat lovers】 - Hand-pulled lamb: choose bone-in lamb, boiled until tender, dip in pepper salt and eat directly, juicy and tender, garlic slices cut the grease perfectly! - Niangpi (fermented wheat gluten noodles): sour and spicy, chewy gluten, a bowl in summer clears the heat 🌶️; - Hezhou buns: lamb and carrot filling, soft dough, bite and the soup bursts out (a breakfast must!); - Sweet fermented barley milk tea: sweet fermented barley (qingke) plus milk tea, sweet and sour, refreshing and grease-cutting, carb happiness maxed out! - Youguozi (fried dough): golden and crispy, sprinkled with sugar, perfect as a snack~ (Recommended restaurants: “Lao Hua Hand-Pulled” and “Hezhou Food Mansion” in Bafang Shisan Alley, loved by locals!) 🏨【Accommodation & Transportation · Stress-Free Guide】 - Accommodation: - Choose near Hezhou Avenue in the city (e.g., “Linxia International Hotel,” great value and convenient for sightseeing); - For ethnic vibes, stay in a guesthouse in Bafang Shisan Alley (at night, the ancient alley lights up with lanterns, instantly turning into a “Western Region town” 🏮). - Transportation: - 1.5-hour self-drive from Lanzhou (good road conditions, beautiful scenery along the way, perfect for a road trip); - High-speed train to Linxia Station (Lanzhou West → Linxia, 30 minutes, about 20r ticket); - Local taxis start at 6r, for sightseeing spots it’s best to rent a car with driver (30-50r per person per day, convenient and fast, drivers can also be guides!). 🌟【Travel Tips】 1. Season: Best in spring, summer, and autumn (June to October). 22℃ summer is perfect for cooling off, autumn leaves are stunning; 2. Clothing: Bring a light jacket in summer (cool mornings and evenings), wear a windbreaker in spring and autumn; wear bright colors (white, yellow, red) for photos to double your chances of great shots; 3. Sun protection: Strong UV in the Northwest, sunglasses, hats, and sunscreen are must-haves (don’t ask how I know…); 4. Souvenirs: Painted pottery crafts, Linxia brick carvings, halal pastries—great gifts for friends and family! 🔥Ending: Linxia, the cure for “travel fatigue”! “Only after visiting Linxia do you realize the Northwest isn’t just deserts and heatwaves, but also 22℃ coolness, stunning landscapes, and millennia of civilization…” 🌿 Save this guide now, and when summer comes, rush to this “cool capital” to take in snow mountains, lakes, grottoes, grasslands… all in one trip! ✨ Comment below: which spot do you want to visit most? Or any hidden gems in Linxia to add? Let’s explore the Northwest together and own this summer’s social feed! 👇