Pandora, the Ancient Town & 3 Other Gems That’ll INSTANTLY Put China on Your Travel List

When someone mentions travelling to China, the first thing that comes to mind would be Beijing or Shanghai. Considering how huge China is as a country though, surely it contains many more beautiful sights, right? Absolutely! You’ve probably never heard of these places before, which makes them even more special. On a special note, these places are suitable for you backpackers out there!

Here are a few other places in China you can add to your list:

1. Mount Yuelu

 

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A post shared by Roger Pan (@rogerpanarchi) on Sep 14, 2018 at 7:52pm PDT

Located on the west bank of Xiangjiang River, many ideologists have left their tracks here, proving the coexistence of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.

What to expect:

1. The beauty of nature as the trees shed the path for you to have a peaceful hike
2. Come across beautiful structures such as Yuelu Academy (established over 1,000 years ago!), Lushan Temple, Sarira Tower, Yunlu Palace, and Aiwan Pavillion
3. Admire the graceful stream of water that calms you

Location: Yuelu District, Changsha, Hunan

 

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2. Changsha Nanjiao Park

Source: Trip Advisor

Take in the beautiful peace and tranquillity of this park that is also known as a recreational garden. FYI, 92.5 per cent of it is covered with lush greenery, including calm ponds, flat lawns, and wooded areas.

What to expect:

• Activities such as a tea house, amusement rides, barbeque pits, and more
• Romantic strolls to explore with a loved one
• Admire the dazzling cherry blossoms during spring

Location: TianXin District, Changsha, Hunan

 

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3. Pheonix Ancient Town

Source: pinterest

This place was built in the Qing dynasty in 1705 and has kept its original appearance including the natural beauty of the mountains, the water and the blue skies. Fenghuang, when translated to Chinese, is phoenix. Legend says that two phoenixes flew over the town and thought the town was so beautiful that they hovered and decided not to leave.

What to expect:

• Be transported back in time with its building architecture from the Ming and Qing dynasties
• Explore this world heritage-listed water town and learn about their ancient languages, arts, and customs
• Visit sites such as Zhunti Temple, Pheonix Hong Bridge, and Pheonix East Gate

Location: Fenghuang county, Hunan

 

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4. Pandora @ Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

 

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In case you didn’t know, the world in James Cameron’s movie Avatar, named Pandora, was based on an actual place in Zhangjiajie. This place looks like it came straight out from an ancient Chinese painting!

What to expect:

• Hike your way to the top to glaze over the beauty of 200+ gigantic quartz-sandstone columns towering over the forest beneath it
• If you’re lucky, the peaks may be covered halfway by the mist coming from the rivers that make them look like they’re floating!
• Have an extraordinary hotel experience with a spectacular view too!

Explore other parts of the park such as the Golden Whip Stream aka the most poetic valley in China, Tianzi Mountain, and Suoxiya, which has the Ten Miles Gallery, Baofeng Lake, and Yellow Dragon Cave.

Location: Wulingyuan, Zhangjiajie, Hunan

 

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5. Tianmen Mountain

 

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Known as ‘Heaven’s door’, this may be one of the most beautiful mountains in the world. You could spend more than six hours to hike up the mountain (let’s be honest, none of us will eventually do that) or take the 30-minute cable car ride that happens to be the longest cable car ride in the world.

What to expect:

• Climb up 999 steps to reach the mountain’s natural creation, Tianmen Cave aka ‘Heaven’s door’
• Walk through the Cliff Hanging Walkway that’s 1,400 metres way up the ground! It has see-through glass panels by the way!

Location: Tianmen Mountain National Park, Zhangjiajie, Hunan

 

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I don’t know about you but I’m now putting China on the top of my list. If you’re like me and you’re already feeling the wanderlust, here’s a pro-tip for you!

You can visit all 3 locations (Changsha, Zhangjiajie, and Fenghuang) at one go. The route is pretty popular among backpackers and you can do the same!

Malaysia to Changsha, China

• Take a flight (journey is about 5 hours)
• Take AirAsia and choose the one with a premium flatbed and quiet zone as it’ll be quite a journey

Changsha – Zhangjiajie

• Travel by train (journey is 4.5 to 5 hours)
• Buy an advanced ticket which costs about RM32 to RM50 for hard seats and RM60 to RM90 for sleeping seats

Zhangjiajie – Fenghuang

• Travel by bus (journey is 4 hours)
• You can get buses every day from Zhangjiajie Bus Terminal or Wulingyan Bus Terminal
• It costs about RM48 to RM65 per person

Itching to go already? Well, luckily we’re born in Malaysia eh?! Because AirAsia flies from KL to Changsha four times a week. If you’re wondering when’s the best time to go, well, make it your year-end or new year vacay spot as BIG MEMBERS will be enjoying:

• An all-in one-way fare from RM279!
• Premium Flatbeds from RM999

Booking period: Now until 11 November 2018
Travel period: Now until 30 March 2019

Wanna know more about these amazing deals? Book here now!