“Is there a hidden paradise waiting to be discovered in some corner of the world? A place where crowds are scarce, scenery is picturesque, and prices are as refreshing as a clear spring…”
To your delight, our editors have meticulously searched through the vast world of travel and found eight dazzling gems. They lie quietly on the holiday map, waiting for brave explorers. These places may not be well-known, but their beauty is like a hidden treasure. Once discovered, they will leave you in awe, lingering in your thoughts, and cherished in your heart, becoming an unforgettable chapter in your life.
Fujian · Siyu Islands
Although the Siyu Islands are not well-known, they possess an indescribable beauty.
Like a brilliant gem left behind in the human world, it is quietly nestled in the center of the rippling blue sea, with every inch of land and every drop of seawater filled with stories.
On the island, lush green hills roll on endlessly, and the clear seawater sparkles like diamonds. The peculiar rocks and steep cliffs outline one breathtaking painting after another. Each scenery seems to be a work of art carefully crafted by nature, leaving one mesmerized and enchanted.
The seawater is so clear that it resembles crystal, allowing you to see the colorful fish swimming freely in the water, as if you are in a dreamlike fairy tale world.
Here, you can stroll along the winding paths, feeling the gentle and pleasant sea breeze caressing your cheeks. You can stand on the towering cliffs and overlook the beauty of the entire island, experiencing the magnificence and vastness of nature. Whether it’s the tranquil beaches or the steep cliffs, you will find yourself lingering and indulging in the scenery.
Travel Tips:
By plane. You can fly to Changle Airport or Wenzhou Airport, then transfer to transportation heading to Xiapu Station, such as high-speed rail or self-driving. After arriving at Xiapu Station, take a taxi to Jishi Wharf, and from there, take a boat to reach the Siyu Islands.
By high-speed rail. Take the high-speed rail directly to Xiapu Station, then take a taxi to Jishi Wharf, and finally take a boat to the Siyu Islands.
By self-driving. Navigate directly to Jishi Wharf, then take a boat to depart.
Jiangxi · Shangrao Wangxian Valley
If you harbor a longing for the world of martial arts or immortal realm, then Wangxian Valley is a fairyland you cannot miss.
This place lies south of the beauty of Lingshan and north of the steepness of Sanqingshan. It inherits the elegance and otherworldliness of the Yushan mountain range while gathering the essence of the surrounding mountains. In this valley, villages, ancient temples, lush forests, and bountiful fields intertwine into a vivid painting of life, showcasing the beautiful picture of harmonious coexistence between man and nature. People and mountains merge into one here, as if every leaf and every dewdrop contains the essence of immortality.
Looking along the valley, the well-arranged wooden houses hang on steep cliffs, blending cleverly with the mountain. Nature and artificiality have reached a perfect balance here, both elegant and tranquil.
In the distance, waterfalls cascade down like the Milky Way, with an overwhelming momentum that leaves one in awe. The suspension bridges winding among the mountains resemble a giant dragon, adding a touch of fantasy and thrill. Being in the midst of it all, it feels like traveling to that distant world of immortals, with every step filled with mystery and adventure.
In the years of Wangxian Valley, time seems to slow down and become tranquil. The gentle breeze rustles through the treetops, making a soft sound as if nature is whispering. The atmosphere here is full of the charm of traditional Chinese style, making one feel as if they are in the lofty realm of Song dynasty landscape paintings. Walking among the forests and springs, each step is like walking in a painting, refreshing the mind and spirit.
Life here is simple and pure. Villages, markets, ancestral halls, temples, opera stages, academies… each place is filled with a rich historical and cultural heritage and beautiful legends. Here, you can feel the tranquility and peace that comes from being away from the hustle and bustle, as well as appreciate the ancient and profound cultural heritage.
Travel Tips:
1. By train/high-speed rail, arrival station: Shangrao Station
Route: Shangrao Bus East Station/Shangrao High-speed Rail Station (Wangxian Valley Scenic Area direct bus) – Wangxian Valley
2. By plane, final destination: Shangrao Sanqingshan Airport
Shangrao Sanqingshan Airport (K001) – Shangrao High-speed Rail Station (Wangxian Valley Scenic Area direct bus) – Wangxian Valley Scenic Area
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Jiangxi Wuyuan · Huangling
When you first catch a glimpse of Huangling, you might wonder: Is Huangling still considered a lesser-known place?
Indeed, Huangling is quite famous, but when it comes to its summer, it is definitely a “hidden version” of a secret realm.
Most tourists are eager to visit in autumn, coming for the golden hues of the drying crops. However, Huangling in summer is equally breathtakingly beautiful!
Few people know that Huangling has another elegant name – “The Most Beautiful Flower Town”. Every April, when the golden spring quietly retreats, the sea of flowers in the ten thousand mu of terraced fields surges into the ancient village’s heavenly streets and alleys like a tide.
This village, hidden in the mountains, tranquil and ancient, is tightly embraced by colorful flowers under the backdrop of the vast sky.
Between the pink walls and black tiles, vines intertwine, and pansies and morning glories dot the space, like a natural palette. The 300-meter Flower Street, the 400-meter Cherry Blossom Corridor, and more than a dozen flower-themed gardens such as crape myrtle and bougainvillea, where peach blossoms and pear blossoms compete to bloom, create a flurry of falling petals.
Walking in the Flower Town of Huangling, it feels like being in a dreamlike “Valley of Flowers”, where every step is an encounter with flowers, and every glance is a vivid painting.
Travel Tips:
By high-speed rail or train. You can first take the high-speed rail or train to Wuyuan, then transfer to the scenic area’s special bus to directly reach Huangling.
By bus. In Wuyuan county or the high-speed rail station, you can take a bus heading to Huangling.
Yunnan · Jianshui
That city wall, like a guardian of history, stands tall and unshakable. Each bluestone slab carries the glory and prosperity of ancient Lin’an, while the deep and secluded ancient wells softly narrate the vicissitudes of Jianshui’s land, with each drop of water flowing with the stories of the years.
The sunlight in Jianshui, like the warmth that has passed through a thousand years, is mottled and gentle. It gently falls on the Chaoyang Tower, an ancient building that guards the southeast. Under the illumination of the sunlight, it seems to regain its youthful luster. It caresses its people like a gentle mother, and those who enter Jianshui seem to be immersed in this warm embrace of history.
The ancient buildings, the Confucian Temple, Zhu Family Garden, Imperial Examination Hall, Tuanshan Folk Houses, and the countless ancient wells, they stand as witnesses to history, silently guarding the vicissitudes of Jianshui through the long river of time. Every brick and tile, every stone and wood, seem to be telling ancient stories, making people feel as if they can travel through time and return to that distant era.
The tofu of Jianshui and Shiping, like the cultural treasures of the two places, are difficult to distinguish which is superior. But the people of Jianshui’s love for grilled tofu is like their deep affection for this land, forever remembered and passed down by the warm sun of southern Yunnan. Whenever night falls, the aroma wafting from the grills seems to be the aspiration and pursuit of a beautiful life for the people of Jianshui.
Travel Tips:
- Self-driving from Kunming to Jianshui takes 2.5-3 hours.
- The high-speed rail from Kunming to Jianshui takes about 2 hours.
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Yunnan · Baoshan
Baoshan, this secret realm of Yunnan, is like a dazzling gem inlaid on the earth.
Here, the mountains and rivers are rugged, like a giant dragon winding, with the vastness of the Lancang River at its waist, and the turbulent Nu River rushing endlessly. The heroic pass stands guard, like a natural moat, locking the throat of the land. The unique conditions of low latitude and high altitude, combined with the complex and changing topography and landforms, have given Baoshan the magical phenomenon of “four seasons in one mountain, different weather every ten miles”.
Stepping into Baoshan, you will be stunned by the beauty before your eyes. The Nujiang Grand Canyon runs for thousands of miles, with an overwhelming momentum; the Tengchong Volcano sleeps with magma, quiet and mysterious; the Rehai Wonder is passionate and surging, like a warm embrace from nature; the world’s rare floating mat wetland, like an exquisite painting; the world’s largest rhododendron community, blooming in a riot of colors, too beautiful to behold; and the thousand-year-old Ginkgo Village, where golden ginkgo leaves float in the wind, like a golden dream.
Baoshan, this magical land, not only possesses magnificent natural scenery but is also a livable paradise. No severe cold in winter, no scorching heat in summer, with an average annual temperature of 16°C, allowing you to enjoy spring-like weather all year round. The forest coverage rate is as high as 70%, and the fresh air is filled with the fragrance of negative ions, reaching as high as 38,000 per cubic centimeter, making your every breath full of vitality and energy. The excellent city air quality, with a good rate consistently maintained above 99%, makes every day in Baoshan poetic and picturesque, an ideal place for living, daydreaming, and relaxing.
Travel Tips:
- There is a direct high-speed rail from Kunming to Baoshan (takes over 3 hours).
- There are passenger buses from Kunming to Baoshan.
Guangdong Qingyuan · Liannan
Liannan, this magical land, is the cradle of the world’s classic musical piece “Yao Dance”.
Here, strange peaks stand tall, like masterpieces carefully carved by nature’s sculptors. The mountains and rivers complement each other, like a flowing painting scroll. Above the continuous high mountains and ridges spanning hundreds of miles, Yao villages are scattered like stars, dotting the landscape. Thus, Liannan is known as the “Hundred-Mile Yao Mountain”, filled with the rich customs of the Yao ethnic group.
When you sit alone under that lush ancient tree that has witnessed a thousand years, your gaze penetrates through the layers of branches and leaves, looking out to the vast mountains. The terraced fields, layer upon layer, are like fingerprints of the earth, telling the changes of time. The ancient villages are a microcosm of Yao culture, making you feel as if you have traveled through time, back to that distant era. Passing through the old houses, strolling on the stone-paved paths, it seems as if you have entered the long river of history in the Yao village, making one linger and forget to leave…
The Yao villages in Liannan can be said to be the largest, most ancient, and most distinctive Yao villages in the country and even the world. Despite having such a glorious title, many Guangdong people know very little about it, which is undoubtedly a great pity.
Travel Tips:
- Self-driving route from Guangzhou to Liannan Thousand-Year Yao Village: The whole journey takes about 2 hours.
- Guangzhou Ring Expressway – Guangqing Expressway (about 50 kilometers) – Qinglian Expressway (about 150 kilometers) – Sanpai Exit or Liannan County Town (20 kilometers to Thousand-Year Yao Village).
- By bus: From Guangzhou to Liannan, take the express bus to Lianzhou at the bus station at 08:30 in the morning. It takes about 3 hours to reach Liannan County Town. Take a medium-sized bus to Nangangpai at the bus station, which takes about half an hour to arrive.
Zhejiang Shaoxing · Shengzhou
The beauty of Jiangnan is like a delicate painting scroll, and within it, Shengzhou is particularly dazzling.
The poet Li Bai once poured his deep feelings for the mother river Jianxi, leaving the eternal classic “The moon in the lake reflects my shadow, accompanying me to Jianxi”. This is not just words, but praise for the poetic dwelling between the mountains and rivers of Shengzhou, becoming Shengzhou’s timeless classic.
Wandering along the Jianxi River, you will see it sometimes surging like a horse, sometimes gathering into a sea, competing to flow between myriad ravines, as if telling ancient legends. The green mountains on both sides seem to be the guardians of the earth, undulating continuously, with peaks like screens, protecting this land and water.
Shengzhou, this city born from mountains and rivers, where people depend on the landscape for their livelihood, enjoys the nourishment of the spiritual energy of the mountains and waters. Here, every stone and every drop of water contain the magical power of nature, giving Shengzhou a unique beauty.
Moreover, Shengzhou’s delicacies are even more unforgettable. Dried vegetable braised meat, rich in aroma; Zao chicken, fresh and tender; crab drunk in yellow wine, letting people indulge in the fragrance of wine and the freshness of crab. There are also Shengzhou egg baked dumplings, Shengzhou fried rice cakes, Shengzhou peach-shaped plums, pine nuts… Each one is a unique taste of Shengzhou, leaving an endless aftertaste. So, when you come to Shengzhou, don’t forget to bring some digestive tablets and let your taste buds fully enjoy this food feast!
Travel Tips:
- First arrive in Shaoxing, then there is a high-speed rail from Shaoxing to Shengzhou Xinchang (about half an hour).
- There are direct buses from Shaoxing Highway Passenger Transport Center to Shengzhou (about 1.5 hours).
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Zhejiang Jinhua · Wuyi
Those who set foot in Wuyi can’t help but exclaim that the most enchanting scenery of Jiangnan is hidden here:
The stream water is green like a jade belt, winding around. The distant mountain peaks are as deep as splashed ink. Every bridge seems like an independent painting scroll, and the water surface is like a clear mirror of the sky, crystal clear and transparent. People live along the river, as if in a dreamlike water town, where time becomes pure and beautiful.
Wuyi hides many secluded villages, waiting for people to explore.
Gently stepping into those villages untouched by commercialization, the sounds of crowing roosters and barking dogs rise and fall, accompanied by the curling smoke from cooking, as if telling the tranquility and harmony of the countryside. The noise of the world becomes distant here, as if entering a fairy-tale world. Here, some stories about time inadvertently flow into people’s hearts, leaving a deep impression.
Travel Tips:
- First go to Jinhua, then take a train from Jinhua directly to Wuyi. The high-speed rail only takes 10 minutes.
- Take a bus from Jinhua West Bus Station to Shuangqiaotou or Yangjia, which takes about 1.5 hours.
If you don’t know where to go, you can refer to these places.
Finally, I wish you a happy life!
(The above traffic information is for reference only. Please remember to check the latest information before you travel~)
