Less crowded summer escapes from July to September, hidden gems with few people and beautiful scenery
While the whole country crowds the beaches, you can enjoy a 22℃ evening breeze by Jingpo Lake. These places aren’t unknown—they just haven’t been taken over by tour groups yet. Within a 2-hour high-speed train ride or a half-day slow train trip, you’ll find bustling alleys, alpine meadows, and ancient city sunsets—there’s always one that suits your style.
01 Mudanjiang | Heilongjiang
In August at Jingpo Lake, mist rises from the waterfall like an air-conditioned cover over the entire lake. I arrived at Diaoshuilou Waterfall at 3 PM. Standing on the viewing platform, a cool breeze hit me, instantly drying the sweat on my forehead.
⏰ After 5:30 PM, the lake turns into a golden mirror reflecting the surrounding mountains. Walking along the lakeside boardwalk at this time gives you goosebumps. The next morning, wander into the alleys of Mudanjiang city and find a place serving iron pot stew. When the lid lifts, steam mixed with savory sauce rises. The potatoes are tender, and the ribs fall off the bone.
⚠️ Don’t buy the 5-yuan grilled sausage at the scenic area entrance—it tastes mostly like starch. Instead, head back to the city for a 1-yuan grilled cold noodle, wrapped in sweet and sour sauce with egg skin, crunchy with every bite.
🚄 Taxi from Mudanjiang station to Jingpo Lake takes about 40 minutes and costs around 80 yuan.
02 Yangzhou | Jiangsu
You ask which is better, Slender West Lake or Ge Garden? My answer: visit Ge Garden in the morning and Slender West Lake in the evening. Ge Garden’s rockeries are famous. I strolled in at 7:30 AM when almost no one was there, only the rustling bamboo leaves. In the summer mountain area, the caves formed by Taihu stones offer cool shade. The breeze through the corridors feels better than air conditioning.
🍜 Exit Ge Garden’s east gate and turn into Dongguan Street’s “Simple Meals” to order a bowl of lotus root starch balls. The broth is sweet with osmanthus, the balls are chewy, and the filling is sesame paste. Take a nap at your hotel at noon, then head out at 4 PM straight to the Twenty-Four Bridges at Slender West Lake.
⏰ At this time, the sun leans west, the white pagoda’s reflection stretches long in the water, and the willow branches brushing the surface disperse the steamy feeling with the lake breeze.
🚄 It’s a 20-minute walk between Ge Garden and Slender West Lake—no taxi needed. If you like covered corridors and magnolias, visit He Garden at 3 PM and spend an hour there.
03 Chifeng | Inner Mongolia
Hasahatu stone formation isn’t a place you can capture with just a couple of phone shots. The most breathtaking moment is standing at the highest point, with wind rushing into your chest from all directions. The surrounding giant stones look like an open book, each page carved with wind-eroded patterns.
⏰ Arrive before 9:30 AM when the light just crosses the stone edges, casting long shadows and preventing overexposure in photos. Inside the formation, the granite texture feels rough to the touch, but the stones are thick enough to keep the interior cool.
🍜 At the scenic entrance, there’s a stall selling grilled milk skin for 5 yuan a piece. The milky aroma is intense, and it’s crispy when bitten.
⚠️ Avoid visiting between 12 PM and 2 PM when UV rays are twice as strong as in the city. There’s no shade inside the stone formation, so bring water and a sun hat.
🚄 It’s about a 1.5-hour drive from Chifeng city. Renting a car or private car is most convenient.
04 Jingzhou | Jiangxi
Jingzhou ancient city isn’t a fake tourist spot with a ticket gate. I entered from the east gate at 6 PM. Only a few locals were walking on the city wall. The blue bricks underfoot glowed warm orange in the sunset, and shadows stretched long. At the side of Binyang Tower, peering over the battlements, the moat’s water rippled in the evening breeze, reflecting the city tower like another city hidden underwater.
🍜 In the dark, head to “Old Neighborhood Restaurant” and order Jingzhou fish cake. The fish is mashed and steamed into a cake, sliced and cooked in a pot. It’s tender like tofu but with a richer flavor.
⚠️ To see the lights, wait until 8:30 PM when the city wall’s light strips turn on. Lantern folk performances aren’t daily, so call ahead to check.
🚄 Taxi from Jingzhou station takes 20 minutes and costs about 15 yuan. Avoid the newly built commercial street during the day—it’s full of chain stores. Instead, go straight to the old alleys west of the city wall, where handmade baked flatbreads sell for 1 yuan each. Freshly baked, they’re crispy and crumbly.
05 Lingshui | Hainan
Should you visit Fenjiezhou Island or Nanwan Monkey Island? It depends. If you have kids, go to Nanwan Monkey Island—take the cable car up, watch monkeys darting through the trees, and see little ones fighting over food, which will keep kids laughing for a long time.
⏰ Arrive before 2 PM when the monkeys are most energetic. If you tear a piece of sausage and toss it, they’ll line up to catch it. The island’s sea water is emerald green. Standing on the boardwalk looking out feels like flipping through a postcard.
But if you just want a quiet sea view, I recommend Fenjiezhou Island. After disembarking, take the small path to the right to a wild beach with so few people you only hear the waves.
🍜 The island has coconut stalls selling for 10 yuan each. After drinking, you can scoop out the coconut meat.
⚠️ Don’t eat the seafood buffet on the island. It costs 198 yuan per person, but the shrimp is frozen and not worth it. Instead, return to Lingshui town and find grilled oysters at “Yelin Night Market” for 2 yuan each, topped with garlic sauce and juicy with every bite.
🚄 Taxi from Lingshui station to Fenjiezhou Island pier takes 30 minutes.
06 Qianxinan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture | Guizhou
For Malin River Canyon and Wanfenglin, I suggest two days with different experiences. On day one, visit Malin River Canyon in the morning. Walk down the cliffside boardwalk with the sound of water all around. At the Tianxing Gallery section, waterfalls crash down from the cliff above, and the mist cools your face like a natural spray.
⚠️ The boardwalk is slippery. Wear non-slip shoes and avoid sandals—I saw a woman’s sandal get washed away by water. On day two, get up at 6:30 AM to visit Wanfenglin when it’s less crowded. Rent an electric bike and circle the Bagua fields. The morning mist hasn’t lifted, and the bun-shaped peaks emerge from the fog like islands floating on a sea of clouds.
⏰ In summer, the rice fields are lush green, and the breeze makes them ripple like waves. A few photos are perfect for social media.
🍜 At the foot of the peaks, a Buyei village sells sticky rice cakes for 3 yuan each. Freshly made and coated with soybean powder, they’re chewy and sweet.
07 Benxi | Liaoning
Benxi Water Cave is one of those places that surprises you when you don’t expect it. Cool air gushes out at the entrance. I shivered as soon as I entered in August.
⏰ It’s best to enter around 10 AM. The cave is 11℃ inside, so a light jacket is perfect. Take a boat along the underground river. Strange stalactites hang overhead, and the dripping water echoes in the quiet cave like a natural heartbeat machine. At the end, looking back at the light filtering in feels like a gateway to another world. Leave the cave by 2 PM and drive to Huanren Wunv Mountain. 🌄 The 40-minute climb leads to a lookout where you can see the Hun River’s big bend, the river winding like a silver ribbon around green hills.
⚠️ Guanshan Mountain National Forest Park is better in autumn when the leaves turn red. In summer, the leaves aren’t colorful, but the creek water is clear enough to wade in barefoot.
🚄 Taxi from Benxi city to the water cave takes 25 minutes and costs about 30 yuan. Driving from the cave to Wunv Mountain takes about an hour.
08 Jining | Shandong
I’ll help you plan a route for Qufu Ming Ancient City and Weishan Lake. Enter Confucius Temple in Qufu at 8 AM and head straight to Dacheng Hall. Morning light filters through ancient cypress trees, casting mottled shadows on the ground like time’s imprint.
🍜 Exit the temple’s east gate and walk three minutes to “Confucius Mansion Feast” for a Kong family pancake. Wrapped with scallions and sauce, it’s crispy with a spicy kick that makes you sweat but can’t stop eating.
⚠️ Limit your visit to the Confucius Mansion to under two hours. Spend the rest of the time at the Confucius Forest, which is large. Rent an electric cart for 20 yuan to tour it. At 3 PM, head to Weishan Lake and buy the last boat ticket at the pier.
⏰ Weishan Lake is most beautiful after 5 PM. Lotus flowers rise from the water, their pink petals edged with gold in the sunset. When the boatman rows by, the sound of carp jumping out of the water might startle you.
🚄 It’s a 70 km drive from Qufu to Weishan Lake, about 1.5 hours.
While others queue and risk heatstroke at popular spots, you could be enjoying iron pot stew by Jingpo Lake or riding an electric bike under the cool breeze at Wanfenglin. Among these 8 places, I personally recommend Mudanjiang and Qianxinan—one moist and cool, the other vast and tranquil. You’ll understand the joy of avoiding crowds during peak season once you try it. Share your hidden summer escapes in the comments.