Underrated China destinations, built for practical planning.

秦皇岛

From Beijing by high-speed train in about 2-3 hours.

承德

From Beijing by high-speed train in about 1 hour.

大同

From Beijing by high-speed train in about 2-2.5 hours.

杭州

From Shanghai by high-speed train in about 45 minutes to 1.5 hours.

苏州

From Shanghai by high-speed train in about 25-45 minutes.

南京

From Shanghai by high-speed train in about 1-2 hours.

广州

A major South China gateway with excellent rail, metro, and airport access.

珠海

From Guangzhou by high-speed train in about 1-1.5 hours.

韶关

From Guangzhou by high-speed train in about 1 hour.

西安

A major northwest China hub with high-speed rail, metro, and airport access.

华山

From Xi'an by high-speed train to Huashan North in about 30-45 minutes.

洛阳

From Xi'an by high-speed train in about 1.5-2 hours.

开封

From Zhengzhou by train in about 20-40 minutes, or from Xi'an via Zhengzhou.

成都

A major southwest China hub with excellent rail, metro, and airport access.

重庆

From Chengdu by high-speed train in about 1-2 hours.

乐山

From Chengdu by high-speed train in about 1 hour.

九寨沟

From Chengdu by flight, long-distance road route, or rail-and-road connections depending on season and schedule.

昆明

Yunnan's main transport hub, with airport and high-speed rail connections across the province.

大理

From Kunming by high-speed train in about 2-2.5 hours.

丽江

From Dali by train in about 1.5-2.5 hours, or by flight from major Chinese cities.

香格里拉

From Lijiang by road in about 3-4 hours, with rail and flight options depending on schedule.

西宁

The usual starting point for the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop.

塔尔寺

A classic first stop south of Xining.

青海湖

A vast highland lake and one of the signature sights of the loop.

茶卡盐湖

A famous mirror-like salt lake between Qinghai Lake and the Qaidam Basin.

大柴旦翡翠湖

A colorful salt-lake stop near Dachaidan.

G315 U型公路

A dramatic highway perspective in the Qaidam Basin.

水上雅丹

Wind-carved yardang landforms rising from water in the Qaidam Basin.

莫高窟

Dunhuang's essential Silk Road heritage site.

鸣沙山月牙泉

Dunhuang's iconic dune-and-oasis landscape.

玉门关

A remote Silk Road pass west of Dunhuang.

阳关

A poetic Silk Road frontier stop near Dunhuang.

嘉峪关关城

The western fortress landmark of the Ming Great Wall.

张掖七彩丹霞

The loop's most colorful landform stop.

马蹄寺

A cliff-temple and grotto stop south of Zhangye.

卓尔山

A classic Qilian viewpoint on the return toward Xining.

日月山

A highland pass between Xining and Qinghai Lake.

大冬树山垭口

A high-altitude pass on the Qilian return route.

茫崖翡翠湖

A remote western Qinghai salt-lake extension for longer loops.

艾肯泉

A remote mineral spring often called the Devil's Eye.