10 trails of discovery
The best tourist routes, mostly on the mainland - chosen by netizens and travel experts - include magnificent Chinese landscapes, gourmet food, traditional customs and a slice of history. The list, boiled down from 30 candidates and sponsored by the National Tourism Administration, provides a trove of options for the footloose and the curious alike.
1. SILK ROAD
Route: Xi'an, Lanzhou, Xining, Qinghai Lake, Chaka Salt Lake, Qaidam Basin, Dunhuang, Jiayuguan, Zhangye.
Silk, porcelain and spice, all steeped in history. Route played an important part in early economic and cultural exchanges.
Recommended sites: Qinghai Lake's Bird Island in Qinghai province; swan natural reserve in Bayanbulak Grassland in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region; Terracotta Warriors in Shaanxi province; Mingsha Mountain in Dunhuang; and Jiayuguan Pass of the Great Wall in Gansu province.
2. GREAT CANAL
Route: Beijing, Tianjin, Cangzhou, Dezhou, Jining, Zaozhuang, Huai'an, Wuxi, Suzhou, Jiaxing, Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Ningbo.
Travel down the world's longest ancient canal, which contributed to economic and cultural communication.
Recommended sites: Palace Museum in Beijing; Confucius temple, mansion and cemetery in Shandong province's Qufu; West Lake in Hangzhou.
3. YANGTZE RIVER
Route: Nanjing, Hefei, Wuhan, Yichang, Chongqing.
Includes panda habitat and southern water towns. Many ethnic groups live along the Yangtze River.
Recommended sites: Mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen in Nanjing, Jiangsu province; Yellow Crane Tower in Wuhan, Hubei province; Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River.
4. YELLOW RIVER
Route: Jinan, Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Yan'an, Baotou, Yinchuan, Lanzhou.
Take in the scenery along China's second-longest river. Many well-known historical sites can be found.
Recommended sites: Hukou Waterfall, Shanxi province; Mausoleum of Genghis Khan in Inner Mongolia; Sanmenxia reservoir, Shaolin Temple and Longmen Grottoes in Henan province; Taishan Mountain and Baotu Spring Park in Shandong province.
5. PEARL RIVER
Route: Kunming, Qujing, Guiyang, Anshun, Guilin, Guangzhou, Shaoguan, Nanchang.
Offers a taste of Lingnan culture and showcases the evolving culture along the Pearl River.
Recommended sites: Stone Forest in Kunming, Yunnan province; Huangguoshu Waterfall in Anshun, Guizhou province; Baiyunshan scenic spot, Guangzhou.
6. NORTH CHINA WINTER FUN
Route: Dalian, Shenyang, Changchun, Harbin, Hohhot, Chifeng, Manzhouli, Baotou, Erdos.
Breathtaking natural and artificial winter scenery, winter sports and ice art.
Recommended sites: Laohutan Ocean Park in Dalian, Liaoning province; Museum of the Imperial Palace of the Manchu State and Jingyuetan Park in Changchun, Jilin province; Sun Island in Harbin, Heilongjiang province; Dazhao Temple in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia.
7. SHANGRI-LA
Route: Kunming, Lijiang, Hutiaoxia (Tiger Leaping Gorge), Shangri-La, Deqin, Markam, Zogang, Bomi, Nyingchi, Lhasa.
Heavenly landscapes, including high mountains and glaciers and exotic Tibetan elements.
Recommended sites: Stone Forest, Kunming; Yulong Snow Mountain and Lijiang ancient town; Potatso National Park in Shangri-La, Yunnan province; Potala Palace, Lhasa.
8. SOUTH CHINA SEA
Route: Sanya, Haikou, Xisha, Dongsha, Nansha, Beibu Gulf.
Experience Buddhism, tropical rain forests and Li and Miao ethnic culture at Betelnut Valley.
Recommended sites: Hainan province's Nanshan cultural zone, Yanoda rain forest in Sanya; Qilou old street, Haikou.
9. MARITIME SILK ROAD
Route: Shanghai, Ningbo, Fuzhou, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Guangzhou, Zhanjiang, Beihai, Haikou, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan.
Visit major coastal cities and experience marine culture. The Maritime Silk Road connected China to the outside world in ancient times.
Recommended sites: Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai; Xikou scenic spot, Zhejiang province.
10. RED TOURISM
Route: Longyan, Sanming, Hejiachong scenic spot, Jinggangshan, Ruijin, Zunyi, Loushanguan, Luding, Huining, Yan'an.
Follow the footsteps of the Red Army on the Long March with heroes and patriots.
Recommended sites: Changting, Liancheng and Shanghang in Fujian province's Longyan; Jinggangshan, Jiangxi province.
yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn
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Hukou Waterfall in Shanxi province. Photos by Li Jin and Zhu Xingxin / China Daily |
(China Daily European Weekly 12/02/2016 page21)
