Top 10 Off-the-Beaten-Path Attractions in China

When visiting China, many people will first consider visiting Beijing to see the Great Wall, Xi'an to see the Terracotta Warriors, Shanghai to marvel at modernity, and Chengdu to see the adorable pandas. But China has much more to offer. In this article, I will recommend ten off-the-beaten-path attractions, including the Changbai Mountain, Guizhou minority villages, Fujian Tulou, and others. They are not that famous, but definitely worth a visit!

Changbai Mountain, Jilin Province

Sixteen peaks over 200 meters above sea level encircle Tianchi or the Heavenly Lake in Changbai Mountain, keeping it clean and isolated from the outside world. Seeing the full view of the lake is a matter of luck, as the top of the lake is shrouded in fog and clouds. However, there are also great views on the way up the mountain. Because of the unique climate, you can see four distinct natural zones from the base of the mountain to the top, which is not an opportunity that happens everywhere. On the way down, you can also see the magnificent Changbai Mountain Waterfall, which is 62 meters high and rushes from the top to the bottom of the mountain.

The best season to visit Mount Changbai is in July and August, the height of summer, but winter snow sports also attract many people. You can enjoy this trip with the well-developed tourist services. You can experience the time-honored Manchu culture, enjoy food with Korean and northeastern flavors, and experience the volcanic hot springs at Changbai Mountain, known as the "divine water."

Tulou, Fujian Province

Fujian Tulou is a symbol of Chinese Hakka culture, rich in the beauty of architectural art, is a mysterious mountain dwelling. Here you must have a look at the Chuxi Tulou, Hongkeng Tulou, Gaobei Tulou, Yanxiang lou, Zhenfu lou, which are included in the World Heritage List.

The tall and majestic Tulou, the terraced fields piled on top of each other on the hillsides, the green crops in the fields, the mountains, the clear streams, and the gravel path extending in the village like the Tulou that have experienced the vicissitudes of life...

Here blend, rippling the distant Central Plains and the sincere Hakka folk customs. Enjoy Hakka cuisine, drink a cup of rice wine, and look up at the stars in the night sky. This moment you will experience the beauty of life.

Tulou, Xiamen

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Xijiang Miao Villages, Guizhou Province

Qianhu Miao Village in Xijiang, Guizhou Province is the largest Miao village in China and even in the world. The village is built against the hills. The mountains are stacked with wooden stilted houses, leaning against the verdant mountains. The Ershui River at the foot of the mountain flows slowly. For thousands of years, the Miao people in Xijiang have been working here at sunrise and making a daily living, opening up large terraces.

When you arrive at the gate of the stockade, the hospitable Miao people will first offer you 12 shots of Lanmen wine. This wine is rice wine. It's not very strong. You'd better drink it down, and if you can't drink, tell them you're teetotal. Every day you can see the Miao people, who love singing and dancing, wearing their splendid folk costumes, singing and dancing. In the commercial pedestrian area, you can see a wide variety of Miao handicrafts. This area is famous for its silver jewelry, and almost all the men in the village have mastered the craft of silver jewelry making.

In the evening, every house lights up, just like the Japanese movie Spirited Away scene, beautiful. In terms of food, you can experience the long table banquet with dozens of tables connected and no end can be seen from the beginning. You can eat fish in sour soup, pickled vegetables and preserved meat, which are famous of the Miao people.

Tang'an Terrace Field

Xinjiang

Xinjiang scenery is different in four seasons. No matter when you come, no matter what the weather, the scenery in Xinjiang is very beautiful. Xinjiang has such rich tourism resources that it is worth your time to explore it. Salimu Lake environment is fresh, with beautiful scenery, and the water is clear and transparent. The Xinjiang International Bazaar integrates Islamic culture, architecture, entertainment and catering. While here, you can also enjoy the enthusiastic dance of Uyghur boys and taste the famous Xinjiang grapes in the grape valley, and stroll through the labyrinthian ancient city of Kashgar, which retains a wealth of raw architecture. Xinjiang also has a lot of food, you can eat a lot of happiness, Xinjiang big plate chicken, grilled lamb kebabs, naan bread, hand pilaf, and so on. Many people don't want to leave here after eating Xinjiang food, because Xinjiang food is delicious and affordable.

Hemu Village, Xinjiang

Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province

Xishuangbanna in southern Yunnan Province is the hometown of the Dai ethnic group, where you can experience the warm hot belt customs. It's also the animal kingdom and the plant kingdom.

Experience the customs of the Dai people, buy various shaped instruments made of silver, participate in the water-splashing festival, feast your eyes on their unique tropical plants in the Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, enjoy the view and the bonfire in the old Manlisten Park, and interact with cute elephants in the wild Elephant Valley…Xishuangbanna just has something for everyone!

Zhangye Danxia Geopark, Gansu Province

Zhangye is famous for its special geomorphic landscape. These rocks in Zhangye, formed by deposits dating from 24 million years ago, have different colors, shapes and sizes that are highly ornamental. In Zhangye, you can also see many natural landscapes, including grassland, wetlands and deserts.

The Binggou Danxia landform in Zhangye was nominated by National Geographic magazine as one of the world's top ten magical geographical landscapes in the world in 2000. The Binggou Danxia landform is the best-developed vertically framed palace danxia landform in China, many of which are like castles and pagodas. Watching the sunset in mergers and acquisitions is also loved by many tourists.

Zhangye Danxia Geopark

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Hanging Temple, Shanxi Province

It is a temple of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. It is also a temple built on a cliff, supported only by a few slender pillars. It looks precarious, but it has stood for thousands of years. In 2010, the temple was included in Time magazine's Top 10 Buildings in Danger in the world. But what it does is it uses a design similar to an expansion screw to hold the wood and rock walls together for a solid effect.

The passageway is narrow and high, and you can feel the thrill. Walking on the wooden steps, exclaiming the greatness of ancient people. The paths between the attics are different, some connected by walkways, some through holes, like a maze of elaborate design.

Terraces in Yuanyang, Yunnan Province

Yuanyang Terrace, also known as Hani Terrace, is a spectacular agricultural civilization created by Hani people of all ethnic groups taking advantage of the special geographical and climatic conditions, with a grand scale and great momentum. It was successfully inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2013. The total area of Yuanyang's terraces is about 1 million acres, but many of them are inaccessible to tourists because of the long distance.

The houses of Hani people look like mushrooms from a distance, so they are called "mushroom houses", which makes people feel like walking into a fairy tale world. Yuanyang has Hani, Yao, Miao, Dai and other ethnic groups. You can choose in the street day, to experience the ethnic customs of the street at the foot of the mountain. At this time the mountain people dressed up to go out, the street is full of commodities, livestock, means of production, ethnic handicrafts, daily necessities, agricultural and sideline products, flavor snacks and so on.

Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province

As a famous kiln town, Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province produces a lot of exquisite porcelain. If you like porcelain, you must come here. The Ancient Kiln Folk Museum here tells the story of various ceramics, and you can see the history of ceramics, the craft of firing porcelain, and different kinds of exquisite porcelain.

The architecture of Jingdezhen is also closely related to porcelain, with many relics of buildings and ancient kilns from the Ming and Qing dynasties. There are also many porcelain artists on the street, and you can buy blue and white porcelain, thin embryo porcelain, and sculpture porcelain. At the Jingdezhen International Ceramic Festival, there will be an exhibition of world ceramics and ceramic products, which play an important role in the ceramic industry.

Qinghai Lake, Qinghai Province

Qinghai Lake, located in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, is China's largest inland saltwater lake, with an elevation of 3,260 meters above sea level. Surrounded by natural pastures full of water plants. Since the freeze lasts for six months, it's best to start after April, when the lake is unraveling.

Chaka Salt Lake is a famous scenic spot because its lake clearly reflects the sky and the surrounding mountains, so it is also called the "sky mirror", very beautiful. April to June is a good time for birding, when there are lots of birds to watch. Every year from June to August, the rapeseed flowers around the lake are in full bloom, and the scenery is very beautiful. You can also go through the Tibetan pasture and ride yaks and horses around the lake. The culture and scenery here are pure and clean, no doubt is a good place to wash the soul.

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With incredible architecture, stunning natural beauty, and various outdoor activities, China has many dimensions for you to explore. When planning your next China tour, if you want something different, just contact our travel consultants to design your perfect journey.