Sayram Lake Xinjiang: The Blue Lake at the Foot of the Tianshan
Sayram Lake in Xinjiang: the blue alpine lake below the Tianshan, the Guozigou approach, yurt nights, the flower season, and getting there from Urumqi.
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Tarim Poplar Forest: Autumn Gold Along the Desert River
The Tarim poplar forest turns gold for about two short weeks each autumn. Here is when to go, how to reach Luntai from Korla, and what the park costs.
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Mingsha Crescent Lake: Dunhuang Dunes, Prices, and Timing
Crescent Lake at Mingsha in Dunhuang: entry, the best hour for light, whether the camel ride is worth it, and how to pair the dunes with the Mogao Caves.
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Kuqa Grand Canyon: Red Rock Narrows in Southern Xinjiang
How to visit Kuqa Grand Canyon in southern Xinjiang: red sandstone narrows, flash flood safety, the Kizil Caves, getting there, and what to eat in Kuqa.
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Longji Rice Terraces: The Dragon’s Backbone Fields
Longji Rice Terraces in Guangxi are 600-year-old Zhuang and Yao paddies carved into dragon-scale ridges. Here is when to go and which villages to pick.
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Libo Zhangjiang: Karst, Waterfalls, and Seven Small Arches
Libo Zhangjiang guide: the uncrowded Guizhou karst, the Seven Small Arches bridge, wade-able streams, how to get there, season, and costs versus Guilin.
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Yuanyang Rice Terraces: The Best Light in Yunnan
Yuanyang Rice Terraces in Yunnan: the Hani people’s flooded mirror fields, the Duoyishu sunrise and Tiger Mouth sunset viewpoints, the best months, and how to reach them from Kunming.
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Wuyuan Countryside: Jiangxi’s Rapeflower Villages
Wuyuan in northeastern Jiangxi is a county of a hundred Hui-style villages and spring rapeflower terraces. Here is how to time your visit and which villages to pick.
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Tianmen Mountain Zhangjiajie: Glass Skywalks and the Heavenly Gate
Tianmen Mountain near Zhangjiajie is known for its Heavenly Gate arch, one of the world’s longest cable cars, and glass skywalks. Here is how to plan the visit.
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Shennongjia Forest: Central China’s Wild Reserve
Shennongjia is a UNESCO forest reserve in western Hubei, home to golden snub-nosed monkeys and a wild-man legend. Here is how to reach it and what to see.
