A Few Great Nearby Travel Recommendations
Living cooped up in the city for a long time and living a routine nine-to-five life every day is very bad for your health, and most people have entered a sub-health state. You should at least travel around and relax a bit during holidays. Some people will say, oh, I'm busy—when single, busy making money to buy a house and a car, and after marriage, busy earning money for the baby's formula. How would I have time to travel... Actually, relaxing yourself doesn't require much time...
Living cooped up in the city for too long, going through the daily nine-to-five routine, is really bad for your health, and most people end up in a state of sub-health. You should at least get out and travel a bit during your holidays to relax. Some people say, oh, I'm too busy—when I was single I was busy making money to buy a house and a car and get married, and after marriage I have to earn money for the baby's formula... how could I find time to travel? Actually, you don't need a long trip to a faraway place to relax. Getting together with a few good friends and taking a trip around your own city is a great option too.
Different places have different scenery. I'd like to give a brief introduction to a few places I know something about that are good for nearby trips:
Recommended nearby trip routes around Beijing
A great place combining mountain hiking, praying for blessings, and farmhouse fun, and the whole thing costs less than 50 RMB per person
Recommended spot: Huairou <Shengquanshan Scenic Area>
Why recommended: The ticket to Shengquanshan Scenic Area is 20 RMB, the scenery is beautiful, and it's great for hiking and enjoying the views. There are temples on the mountain with real monks, and at the mountain temples you can pray for family and friends on the first day of the New Year. The temples here are said to be very efficacious, and if you're lucky you can see a well-known Dharma master give a sermon, and then ask for a peace amulet for yourself and your family or friends. (Note: On January 1, 2010, Shengquanshan will hold a chess tournament, so if you like playing chess you can watch too!)
This scenic area's specialty is its year-round "20 RMB = beautiful scenery + good food" promotion, meaning that with the attached coupon from the 20 RMB ticket you can eat a farmhouse meal for free or stay one night in a farmhouse courtyard, and this free food and lodging is of the same standard as what you'd normally pay for at a farmhouse inn—great value! If you're not going home the same day, I suggest choosing the free lodging and paying for your own meals, because if you pay for lodging yourself it's usually 30 RMB per person, so you'd save 30 RMB per person this way. If you pay for a farmhouse meal yourself it's about 15 RMB per person, so for the whole day it's only 40.2 RMB per person to eat well, have fun, and stay well. (This is the top choice for many families' holiday trip routes!)
In the evening you can also sing karaoke in the farmhouse courtyard and play cards in the chess and card room—these are all provided free by the farmhouse. Finally, sleep on a warm kang bed to shake off the day's fatigue and welcome the second day of the short holiday refreshed.
On the second day you can randomly choose some scenic areas. Huairou also has famous spots like Mutianyu Great Wall and Qinglong Gorge, but in winter everyone surely wants to ski, so you can go to Huairou's Huaibei Ski Resort. That way your short holiday can be thoroughly enjoyed in two days, and it won't be rushed at all—you'll spend less and have a great time! On the last day you can go home and arrange other activities, or just enjoy the last day of the holiday at home, adjusting body and mind! Get ready for the first day of work after the short holiday! Finally, I wish everyone a happy and enjoyable three days during the New Year's short holiday!
Shengquanshan Scenic Area website:
Bus route: First take bus 916 from Dongzhimen directly to Huairou city area, get off at Beidajie Station in Huairou——cross to the opposite side of the road and transfer to bus 916 branch "Huairou→Dongtai"——get off at Shengquanshan.
(All buses on this route accept the Yikatong card. If coming from Dongzhimen, the whole trip costs 5.2 RMB.)
Self-driving route: 1. From the Jingcheng Expressway, take Exit 13 Beita Road, then follow the signs directly to Shengquanshan.
2. Take National Highway 101 into Huairou city area, drive north along Qingchun Road, and after reaching Qingchun Road North Roundabout, drive west for about 10 minutes to arrive. There are signs along the way.
Nearby trips around Chengdu
Chongzhou
1. Jiezi Ancient Town (Chongzhou. A must-visit)`` While you're there, buy some Jiezi Tang Changfa sesame cakes (a specialty of our Chongzhou!) and go to a farmhouse in Jiezi`` a great place to escape the heat and relax~~
2. Huaiyuan Ancient Town (Chongzhou. Second choice)`` Huaiyuan's Three Wonders (frozen cake, leaf-wrapped glutinous rice cakes, and tofu skin rolls) are the most delicious` you must buy them`` you'll regret it if you don't eat them`` delicious food`~
3. Zuling Temple, Daming Temple, Puzhao Temple (Qingcheng Outer Mountain, Dujiangyan)…… burning incense is nice too``
4. Jiulonggou (Chongzhou summer resort, lodging conditions are quite good`)
5. Daoming White Pagoda Lake (Chongzhou. Fewer people, cool)
6. Yanxia Lake (Dayi)
7. Yinchanggou (Pengzhou) Relatively cheap
8. Xiling Snow Mountain (Dayi) Not much snow to see in hot weather; mainly grass skiing
9. Jiguan Mountain National Forest Park (Chongzhou) Unfortunately still under development
10. Longchi Park (Dujiangyan) Not fun in hot weather``
11. Qingcheng Back Mountain (Dujiangyan) But it may be a bit crowded`` lodging conditions are pretty good~~~~ highly recommended~~
12. Wenjinjiang Hot Springs (Wanjia Town, Chongzhou) Also very nice~
13. Tiantai Mountain (Qionglai)
14. Wenjun's Hometown (Qionglai)
15. Helin Temple (Qionglai)
16. Shixiang Lake (Pujiang)
Within Shenzhen:
Paid attractions: Happy Valley, Window of the World, China Folk Culture Village/Splendid China, OCT East,
Free attractions: OCT Ecological Plaza, Mangrove Forest, Lianhua Mountain, Bijiashan, Wutong Mountain, Fuyong Phoenix Mountain... ...
Surrounding areas:
Huizhou West Lake / Huizhou Luofu Mountain
Zhuhai one-day tour (Sun Yat-sen Memorial Park, Meixi Archway, Shijingshan Park, Macau Island Cruise, Zhuhai Fisher Girl)
Qingyuan rafting (forest adventure, Feilai Temple, Qinglong Gorge or Xuanzhen rafting)
Guangzhou Baiyun Mountain, Guangzhou Pearl River Night Cruise
Panyu Xiangjiang Safari Park, Chimelong Paradise, Lianhua Mountain, Water Park
Yangshuo four days three nights tour (depart first day evening and sleep on the bus, arrive second day morning, stay overnight in Yangshuo, play for two days, depart third day evening to return, arrive back in Shenzhen fourth day morning)
Xiamen four days three nights tour (depart first day evening and sleep on the bus, arrive second day morning, stay overnight in Xiamen, play for two days, depart third day afternoon to return, arrive back in Shenzhen fourth day early morning)
Also, the more famous places in Hunan are Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang. If you choose these two places for a nearby trip, you can check the Zhangjiajie Tourism Website () in advance for some of the information you need.
Food and lodging in Fenghuang are very cheap. Staying in the ancient town, a river-view standard room starts at 50 RMB. A non-river-view room starts at 40 RMB.
For food, if you want it cheap and tasty, walk a bit farther to Wanmu Zhai and Dashi Restaurant on the Hongqiao side. A dish is 10–15 RMB. That way you can calculate your expenses in Fenghuang.
In Fenghuang you can stay for two days. Don't buy the so-called through ticket; just look around at the entrance.
Food and lodging in Zhangjiajie and other places are roughly similar to Fenghuang. As long as there are enough choices, it won't be too expensive.
As for routes, look at a map and, based on the specific locations of each place, you can design the best route.
Hehe, making money and working is certainly important, but you should also relax properly.