Fifth in the series where we profile what we think are the top ten destinations for the first time visitor to see in China. Destinations are listed in no particular order, however, what do YOU think the top ten should be???
It is easy to forget that a country with 1.3 billion people and which seems to make a large percentage of the world’s goods from endless factories actually has some outstanding scenery. China’s mountains are largely unknown to foreigners but just look a topographical map of China and you can see there huge areas of wild, mountainous terrain. The obvious range is the Himalaya’s in Tibet and bordering and crossing into Nepal. Other huge ranges can be found in Xinjiang province (the Parmirs, Altai and Tian Chi ranges), The Kunlun range in Qinghai province and the sacred mountains that dot China from Sichuan to Beijing. China.org has a list of it’s top ten here and below are some of the ones we have explored in recent years.
A craggy peak in a scenic part of southern China has been renamed after floating mountains featured in Hollywood blockbuster “Avatar,” with the province hoping to cash in on the movie’s massive success. The “Southern Sky Column” in Zhangjiajie in southern Hunan province formally had its named changed to “Avatar Hallelujah Mountain” in a ceremony on Monday, according to the Zhangjiajie government’s official website (www.zjj.gov.cn). Read more at NYdailynews.com
Mount Huangshan in Central China’s Anhui province is considered one of China’s top attractions – at least when the weather is good. I visited here with my good friend Andy and luckily for us the weather could not have been much better. On our first day and late in that day we had a taste of how quickly the weather can change with an impenetrable mist appearing within minutes. Our second and only full day was glorious though with stunning blue skies and views to match.
People flock to Huangshan to view the sunrise which is well worth getting up for – something I hope these photos show. The first days sunrise (above) was dramatic due to high winds and many trees being coated in ice from the previous afternoon’s mist. The second morning it was much warmer and the air was still, the valleys layered with mist as in the photo below.
Getting around the park on foot is easy with frequent maps to orientate yourself. The most spectacular area was around the North West Canyon. Along some of these trails a good head for heights is advised. From our experience, late autumn / early winter seems to be a very good time to visit this mountain although spring and the Azalea blooms would also be breathtaking.
