Don't Mind Crowds? Domestic Destinations for CNY
If you've got limited amounts of time in China, the Chinese New Year opportunity should not be wasted. As long as you've got your travel sorted ahead of time (plane tickets are probably easier to come by by now than train tickets), and are prepared for the crowds, these six domestic desinations outside of Beijing detailed below are still spectacular.
Visiting Yunnan: A Bountiful Paradise South of the Clouds
Flanked by Tibet, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam, China’s southern province of Yunnan presents a stunning mixture of Tibetan and Southeast Asian cultures. Yunnan holds 25 of China’s 55 officially recognized ethnic minorities and a plethora of rich topographical sights and weekend escapes, making it infinitely explorable, wonderfully diverse, and permeating it with a vibe that can only be described as laidback.
Gubei Water Town
Located closest to Beijing of all of these domestic destinations, Gubei Water Town is an ancient village away from the hustle and bustle of central Beijing. The architecture of the town is in a traditional Chinese style and preserves the ancient culture of China. At night, you have a clear view of the Simatai Great Wall lit up, and if you're lucky you can even see the stars from here.
Three Spectacular Domestic Escapes: Huangshan, Chengdu, and Kashgar
We looked at three of China's most spectacular domestic escapes with three very different landscapes: Huangshan, Chengdu and Leshan, and Kashgar. If you head over during Chinese New Year, make sure you've got layers on and your elbows out, but these sights are beautiful.
Harbin Ice Festival
Figuring out how to escape Beijing's cold is always a challenge, but one surefire getaway it is to completely freeze your limbs off in what is basically Siberia so that cold doesn't even register as a sense. Yes that's right, the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, arguably China's most famous annual attraction, just behind the Yulin Dog Meat Festival, is back.
Shanghai Craft Beer
Shanghai, the magical city we love to compete with, is never lacking in surprises while visiting; it’s impossible to avoid the sea of trendy craft beer, with all the micro-breweries and taprooms, let alone brewer-friendly events like the annual Shanghai Beer Week, Shanghai Craft Beer Festival, Kerry Craft Beer Festival, and Shanghai International Beer Festival. If you happen to travel down to see our Southern brethren, here are several watering holes we recommend you dive into. To get a good overview, you can even make it a pub crawl, since most of these venues are within walking distance of each other.
Photos: Margaux Schreurs, Francois Phillip, Andrew Killeen, Tom Arnstein, Joneil Escobar, courtesy of Boxing Cat