How do travelers see China, known for its thriving economy and megacities inhabited by millions of people? Most tourists think China is a bustling country with a fast-paced future. And although large Chinese cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, with their mega malls and skyscrapers, indeed provide an opportunity to look 5-10 years ahead, many corners of this great state still remain unknown to the average tourist. Unusual places in China have inspired famous writers, musicians and artists around the world.
Giant statues, abandoned villages, unusual arches in the rocks, red swamps and colorful lands - China is multifaceted and unique. He offers not only to look into the future, but also to visit the distant past.
It seems that planning a move to a remote attraction in China is very difficult. In fact, this is not the case. Many unique tourist sites are already included in the excursion routes in the regions. There is public transport to absolutely all unusual places. Tickets for it can be purchased right on the spot.
The only obstacle on the way of a European who wants to see something beautiful and amazing may be the fact that no one speaks English in the hinterland of China. But even in this case, do not be discouraged: the sign language and online translators have not been canceled yet!
Xuankong-si Hanging Monastery
A forgotten wonder of the world, temples of the 5th century, somehow incredibly built into the slope of the sacred Mount Henshan, is Xuankong-si, located about 60 km from the city of Datong in Shanxi province.
Looking at the monastery, consisting of 40 separate temples connected by dizzying passages, one begins to believe that the ancient builders knew a way to trick gravity. It is said that the creator of the monastery was a monk named Liao Ran. The monastery was built during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) and rebuilt in 1900. The buildings are supported by pillars that have been inserted into holes specially made in the rock.
How could such a structure withstand winds and storms for many years? The Hanging Monastery is an architectural miracle, which is visited not only by tourists, but also by architects from all over the world.
It is interesting that the temple complex belongs to representatives of three religions at once - Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. There are 78 statues in the halls of the complex, which are worshiped by the believers of these confessions.
How to get there: A bus leaves from the square near Datong Railway Station to Huanyuan County. A ticket for it will cost 22 yuan. Upon arrival at the terminal station, you should take a minibus or taxi, which will take you to the Hanging Monastery. On the way from Datong to Xuankong-si complex, the tourist will spend about 2 hours. In addition, there is a direct bus from Datong Bus Station to Xuankong-si.
Abandoned village Hutuvan
Far from civilization, on Shenshan Island in Zhejiang Province, there is the abandoned fishing village of Hutuwan. In the past, it was a lively, large village with about 2,000 inhabitants, but in the 1990s it turned into a ghost village, when almost all residents left it in search of a better life. Since then, all the buildings in the village have been covered with climbing plants, making this place one of the most mysterious and picturesque in the world.
In search of inspiration and beautiful shots, Hutuvan is visited by famous photographers and filmmakers. Ordinary tourists also come here.
Actually, Shenshan Island is inhabited. Less than ten minutes' walk from Hutuwan, there are two bustling ports adjacent to one of the world's largest mussel farms. But the road to the village from them is too steep and inconvenient. Therefore, tourists do not walk along it, but take a taxi.
During a 15-minute walk through the village along the circular route, you can see:
- the old school, where mathematical examples are written in chalk on blackboards in abandoned classrooms. Most likely, this is the work of the guests of Hutuvan;
- several collapsed buildings with window failures that nature mercilessly captures;
- docks where life was in full swing just 15-20 years ago;
- a small area with fantastic views of the surroundings.
It is not recommended to turn off the paved route, although here and there tourists can see heavily overgrown and almost impassable paths leading to distant buildings. Girls in neon vests, the so-called "guardians" of Hutuvan, are watching over the observance of order in the village. They warn about the danger of hesitating travelers and prevent them from making a rash rush to the abandoned houses.
How to get there: Although Hutuwan is located only 65 km from Shanghai, the journey here is long and tiring. It takes about 5-6 hours. During this time, you will first have to go by bus to Yangshan port, then by boat to Shengxi Island, then by taxi to Xiaoquan pier, from where another boat departs for Shenshan.
Dongchuan red earth
140 km north of the city of Kunming in the Yunnan province of southwestern China, there is an area called the Palette of God. This is the Red Land of Dongchuan, which is a mountainous area 50 km long.
The word "red" in the name of this natural landmark is present for a reason. Imagine hills with terraces of crimson, purple, and brick interspersed with patches of yellow and green. This is how the cultivated fields look like, where rice, rapeseed, potatoes, buckwheat grow. The soil on the hillsides has acquired a red color due to the abundance of iron oxide.
From the side, Dongchuan Red Land resembles a patchwork quilt thrown over gray rocks. It is set off by the blue sky and snow-white clouds. Many famous photographers consider this place to be the most picturesque in the world.
From Dongchuan, it is easy to reach the Moon Rice Terrace, from where one of the two hiking trails in the area begins. One of the stops will be the Lesaguo farmland in Songmaopeng. Another must-see site is the “T” fork.
How to get there: There are two regular buses a day from Kunming to Fazhe, departing at 7:50 and 8:50. The bus passes by the Dongchuan Red Land. Tourists will spend about 3 hours on the way. From Kunming North Bus Station, you can take a direct bus to Dongchuan City, where you can change to a bus in Fage, which runs past all villages in the Red Land. Or for about 150 RMB you can take a taxi to the most beautiful viewpoints. Finally, you can contact your hotel owner in Dongchuan, who will arrange transfers to the most interesting sites in the area.
Arch "Gate to Heaven" on Tianmen Mountain
The huge hole in Tianmen Mountain is called very poetically - the Gateway to Heaven. In almost any weather, this stone arch looks like something otherworldly. Shrouded in blinding sunlight or thick fog, tourists climb to the arch, overcoming the 999 steps of the Tianti stairs.
According to legend, just under the arch "Gate to Heaven" the gods meet mortals. The height of the break in the rock is 132 meters, its width is 57 meters. The exact date of its formation is known - 263 AD. NS. The arch was originally a cave with a collapsed back wall. The people of China themselves prefer to call the arch "the magic cave of Western Hunan".
On Tianmen Mountain, in addition to the Gateway to Heaven arch, you can find:
- Buddhist temple Tianmenshan of the Tang dynasty with an area of 10 thousand square meters. m. Now there is a large restaurant serving vegetarian dishes;
- the famous glass bridge, opened in August 2016. From it you can see the Tongtian road, which is called the Peak of the Enchanted Dragon. This glass hinged passage, about 70 meters long, is often referred to as the scariest bridge in the world. It is made of glass with a thickness of 6 cm and is surrounded by glass sides;
- a hanging alley, which was attached to the steep cliffs at an altitude of 1400 meters. The length of the track is about 1.6 km.
How to get there: you can get to the Tianti stairs by cable car - the longest on the planet or take a bus that overcomes 99 turns, which not every tourist will like. Mount Tianmen is located in the Zhangjiajie National Park. Airplanes fly from Beijing to the city of the same name, from where it is easiest to organize a tour of the reserve.
Huanglong Travertine Pools
In the south of China, in the Sichuan province, there is the Huanglong National Park, which can be translated as "Yellow Dragon". On its territory there are two gorges surrounded by snow-capped mountains. In one of the gorges called Huanglong, tourists will find terraced pools filled with water from mineral springs.
Natural travertine reservoirs have been created here for thousands of years. Mineral springs came out to the surface, and light blue water cascades filled the baths located on the banks. Now these rounded baths, of which there are about 3, 5 thousand, resemble the scales of a frozen dragon. Depending on the season, natural pools of different sizes and shapes take on yellow, green, blue and brown shades.
Around the pools, golden snub-nosed monkeys and giant pandas can often be seen. They consider Huanglong Wildlife Refuge to be their home.
The most beautiful terraces are located along the road connecting Benbo Temple and Xishen Cave.
How to get there: the reserve is open all year round. Getting to the park is difficult. A tourist bus, departing from another nature reserve called Jiuzhaigou, will take you to it in 2-3 hours. This second national park is accessed by buses from the large city of Chengdu. The ride will take about 10-12 hours.
Panjin Red Beach
Strictly speaking, Panjin is not a beach at all, it is part of the largest swamp in the world, where bright red grass grows, transforming a peaceful earthly landscape into a Martian one. Such a unique area is located in the Chinese district of Dawa, where you can visit during your vacation in this country.
Despite its apparent extraterrestrial origin, the lush red grasses that flank the channels of the Liaohe River are still native to our planet. This is a Sueda herb that grows in alkaline and salty soil, retains its normal green color for most of the spring and summer and turns red only by September.
The unique area is open to tourists. For them, in order not to damage the local ecosystem, special wooden bridges have been laid.
Panjin is also known as the Land of the Cranes. Crowned cranes live here - rare, graceful birds, which in China are considered a symbol of good luck, longevity and fidelity.
How to get there: Panjin is connected by bus with Beijing, Tianjin, cities of the Inner Mongolia region, Hebei, Shandong and Henan provinces. The nearest settlements to the city of Panjin are the port of Dalian and Shenyang. Panjin Bus Station is located at 145, Taishan Lu, Xinglongtai District. High-speed trains run from Beijing to Panjin. On the way, tourists will spend from 3, 5 to 5 hours.
Statue of Buddha in Leshan
The main attraction of Leshan is the world's tallest statue of Buddha, 71 meters high. It is under the protection of UNESCO. The statue, carved directly into the rock at the junction of the Mingjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers into one stream, was created for a practical purpose. The fact is that at the point of confluence of rivers, light ships have always suffered shipwrecks. It took a huge statue to attract the attention of the boatmen.
It was started in 713 by a monk, and his work was continued by two more priests. It took 90 years to create the Buddha figure. Experienced craftsmen came up with a unique drainage system, and a wooden canopy was placed over the statue itself, which lasted for about 5 centuries.
The Buddha can be viewed both from the river or from the ferry, and from nearby peaks. There is a walking route along the slopes of the hill where the sculpture of Buddha is located.
How to get there: From Chengdu, where the nearest airport to Leshan is located, you can take the high-speed express train. Trains towards Leshan leave from the Eastern Railway Station. On the way, tourists will spend from 46 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes, depending on the chosen train. The first train to Leshan leaves at 06:18, and the last one at 20:59. Ticket prices range from RMB 54 to RMB 162. There are buses and buses from Chengdu to Leshan. From Chengdu Airport, the easiest way to get to Leshan is also by bus. The journey takes about 2 hours. Buses arrive at a stop located near the huge Buddha.
