Avoid crowded spots! These 8 summer escapes have fewer people, beautiful scenery, and are budget-friendly
Don’t just think of Moganshan or western Sichuan when it comes to summer getaways. Within a 2-hour high-speed train radius, there are many underrated cool places. Not only are they less crowded, but food and lodging cost about half of what you’d pay near popular attractions. July brings frequent rain—some spots cool off with canyon streams, others rely on ancient city breezes, and some even turn off-peak hours into private experiences. I’ve picked 8 spots that I’ve personally tested and thought, “I should have come here sooner.”
1️⃣ Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture | Yunnan
Who says Xishuangbanna is unbearably hot in July? During the rainy season, there’s a heavy shower every afternoon, and after the rain stops, the temperature drops to around 25℃. In the morning, visit the Chinese Academy of Sciences Tropical Botanical Garden. The palm forest in the west area forms a dense canopy with leaves bigger than people, making it feel like a natural air-conditioned room.
📍 Enter through the west gate for fewer crowds and a chance to spot white storks. In the afternoon, visit the Dai Ethnic Garden, stay in a stilt house, eat bamboo tube rice, and in the evening, join the local women dancing in the square. Dancing a few moves will cool your sweat completely.
⚠️ Avoid going to the Primitive Forest Park at noon; the hiking trail has no shade, and I almost got heatstroke. It’s better to go before 10 AM to watch the peacocks fly—the forest is just waking up then.
2️⃣ Changzhi City | Shanxi
Changzhi is a solid summer escape in the Taihang Mountains. The Baquan Gorge in Hukou Taihang Grand Canyon is filled with the roar of water, and the canyon wind blows up from below.
⏰ The best time to enter the gorge is 3 PM when the sunlight hits the water at an angle, making the whole canyon look like it’s edged in gold. My route: take a boat in, walk the plank road to the sky elevator, then hike down, stepping through pools to cool your feet. The Taihang Grand Canyon is wilder; I recommend staying at a farmhouse near the entrance for 50 yuan a night, including two meals.
🚄 A taxi from Changzhi East Station costs about 60 yuan. Don’t trust roadside touts—they’re expensive.
3️⃣ Nanchong City | Sichuan
Langzhong Ancient City is a hidden summer gem in Sichuan. Hot during the day? Not at all. The ancient city’s alleys form a maze with connected eaves that block the sun completely.
🍜 Try Zhang Fei beef noodles at the old shop on Xuedao Street—spicy, fresh, and flavorful. Alternate bites of noodles with iced jelly for a refreshing kick. In the evening, climb Huaguang Tower; the river breeze mixed with mist feels cooler than air conditioning.
⚠️ Weekends are a bit busier but still ten times quieter than other ancient towns near Chengdu. For first-timers, enter from the north gate and stroll along Zhongtian Tower to the south gate on the stone-paved path without detours.
4️⃣ Shizuishan City | Ningxia
Shahu Lake? Going in July sounds like a death wish? Not at all! Early mornings and evenings at Shahu are a different world. At 5 AM, the lake is shrouded in mist, and the reed beds feel as cool as mint.
⏰ The best time is after 4 PM. Ride a camel up the dunes as the light softens, and the lake breeze cools the sand. If you’re with family, skip the camels and take a rowboat into the reed maze—kids can play all afternoon.
🍜 Don’t order the fish head pancake at the entrance—it’s 80 yuan and not worth it. Instead, go to the city for Lao Ma’s lamb offal soup, 20 yuan and filling.
5️⃣ Qianxinan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture | Guizhou
Maling River Canyon is Guizhou’s underrated cool spot. Summer rains fill the waterfalls, and walking the plank road means mist spraying your face. After a loop, your clothes will be half wet, feeling like a refreshing shower.
📍 From the entrance, descend to the valley floor and walk to the “Galloping Horses” waterfall. The round trip takes two hours and isn’t tiring. Wanfenglin is better for cycling; after 6 PM, the light is perfect, reflecting on the Nahui River. Ride to Bagua Field, where every hill is bathed in golden light.
⚠️ Don’t rent electric bikes inside the park—they’re expensive and have long lines. There are shared bikes at the entrance for 5 yuan to ride half a day.
6️⃣ Tai’an City | Shandong
Climbing Mount Tai in July? Too hot during the day? Then climb at night. Start from Hongmen at 11 PM; the mountain breeze cools your sweat instantly.
⏰ Arrive at Riyue Peak before 4 AM, wrapped in a military coat waiting for sunrise. It’s freezing but worth it to watch the sea of clouds roll. If you don’t want to hike, take the cable car to Nantianmen and wait for sunset. The temperature at the summit is just over 20℃.
⚠️ Don’t buy water at the foot of the mountain; it gets cheaper as you go up. Water at Zhongtianmen is only 2 yuan. For first-timers, stay at Tianjie Inn to watch the sunrise without fighting for a spot.
7️⃣ Quanzhou City | Fujian
Quanzhou is a bit hot in July but has half the crowds and twice the wind of Xiamen. The best time to visit Qingyuan Mountain is in the morning. Laojun Rock is hidden in the shade, and at the top, there’s a teahouse where you can drink a pot of Tieguanyin while the mountain breeze flows through.
🚄 A taxi from Quanzhou Station to Qingyuan Mountain’s south gate costs about 20 yuan. Visit Chongwu Ancient City in the evening; the sea breeze blows away the heat, and you can watch fishing boats return from the city wall. The East and West Towers of Kaiyuan Temple are worth seeing but avoid noon. After 2 PM, it’s quieter, and walking the temple corridors brings calm and coolness.
🍜 For oyster omelets on West Street, only eat at the old “Wu’s Mochi” next door to avoid disappointment.
8️⃣ Baoding City | Hebei
Baoding is the summer backyard for Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei. The cliff plank road at Baishi Mountain is thrilling, and the summit is about 20℃ in July. Just wear a sun-protective shirt. If you’re with elders, skip the wild hike at Bailixia in Yeshanpo—it’s exhausting. Instead, visit Qingxiling, where pine and cypress forests create tunnel-like shade, and you can see the carved dragon shadow wall at Muling.
⏰ Arrive at Baiyangdian at 4 PM and take a wooden boat into the reed beds. Lotus leaves and flowers brush the boat’s edge, and the lake breeze makes you not want to get off.
⚠️ Don’t buy lotus leaf chicken at the park entrance—it’s expensive and dry. There’s a village-run place 500 meters east of the dock for 35 yuan, with juicy, flavorful chicken.
When traveling in July, try to pick times after rain or early morning. Don’t fight the weather forecast. Which of these 8 places do you want to visit most? Let me know in the comments, and I’ll send you detailed routes.