Beautiful Summer Escapes in China

Source:English.news.cn; Date: 2010-7-12; By shyoto; Clicks:469

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Beautiful Summer Escapes in China: Dali

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Dali in Yunnan Province

Since ancient times, Dali has been known as a land of wind, flowers, snow, and moonlight, and a city of mountains and water. Its Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake are particularly famous.

The 19 tall peaks of the mountain stand like a giant screen, with the highest towering 4,122 meters. The summit is permanently snow-capped while white clouds linger halfway up the mountain.

Erhai Lake lies at the foot of the mountain. Like a crescent embracing the mountain, the picturesque lake stretches for 41.5 kilometers.

There are several ethnic groups in Dali, which differ in terms of language, dress, food, religion and traditions. Bai people are a typical minority and Bai opera and songs are regarded as outstanding traditions in Dali.

Recommended route: Cangshan Mountain, Erhai Lake, Guanyin Pavilion, Nanshao Island, Butterfly Spring, Dali Ancient Town and Foreigner Street

Transport: Fly to Kunming from Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport. An express bus from Kunming to Dali takes four hours and costs 130 yuan. A Train ride costs around 50 yuan but takes six hours.

Accommodation: There are plenty of hotels and hostels in Dali.

Cuisine: There is a wide selection of spicy, sour and sweet dishes in the Bai style. The Three-Course Tea is a must.

» More about Dali
» Customize a summer trip!

Hohhot in Inner Mongolia

Hohhot in Inner Mongolia
Sheep and cows on a grassland in the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region. (Photo source: Shenzhen Daily)

Hohhot, or Huhehaote, is the capital of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region. A city with a rich cultural background, Hohhot is known for its historical sites and temples and is one of the major tourist destinations of Inner Mongolia.

The city’s name means “Blue City” in Mongolian. The color blue in Mongolian culture is associated with the sky, eternity and purity.

Flocks of sheep and horses wander the vast grassland and unique Mongolian yurts dot the prairie.

Recommended route: Avatamsaka Sutra (one of the great sutras in Buddhism) Tower, Dayao cultural heritage, General Mansion, Inner Mongolia Museum, Princess Mansion, Islamic Culture Street, Temple of the Five Pagodas and Zhaojun (famed as one of the Four Beauties of ancient China) Museum

Transport: Fly to Huhehaote from Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport.

Accommodation: Visitors are welcome to stay in Mongolian yurts at the hospitality of local people.

Cuisine: Milk tea, roasted, hand-torn and barbequed mutton, wild vegetables and wild mushrooms are recommended.

» More about Hohhot
» Customize a summer trip!

Chengde in Hebei Province

Chengde in Hebei Province
Lotus flowers in Chengde Summer Resort.(Photo source: Shenzhen Daily)

Chengde in Hebei Province is famous for its Chengde Summer Resort, a political center second only to Beijing during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and one of the world’s largest imperial gardens. It was listed as a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO in 1994.

One of the top 10 scenic sports in China, the resort covers an area of 5.64 million square meters, twice that of the world-famous Summer Palace in Beijing. It took 89 years to complete since 1703.

It is a vast complex of palaces and administrative and ceremonial buildings. Temples in various architectural styles and imperial gardens blend harmoniously into a landscape of lakes, pasture and forests.

Recommended route: Puning Temple, Little Pudala Palace, Chengde Summer Resort, Bangchui Mountain and Pule Temple

Transport: Fly to Beijing from Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport and take a bus or train to Chengde City.

Accommodation: There are plenty of hotels and hostels in Chengde, or stay at Chengde Summer Resort.

Cuisine: There are a number of unique dishes from the Qing Dynasty. Among the most famous are Imperial Court Feast, Chengde Hot Pot, noodles and wild-flower-rose cakes.

» More about Chengde
» Customize a summer trip!

(Source: Shenzhen Daily)

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Tags: China Tours Summer Escape Summer Resort

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