A pilgrimage up the holy plateau

The Northern Sichuan-Tibet line, which starts from Chengdu and passes through Luhuo and Ganzi, is a classic route that goes by historic and cultural relics and extraordinary natural scenery.

A discovery of folk gems in Hotan

Hotan, located in the southern part of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, is famous for its “Three Treasures”: jade, silk and carpet.

Getaways that will get you away from the tourist crush

While everyone heads to the Fragrant Hills this season, here are some activities that might help you keep away from the crowds: picking persimmons in an ancient town, scoping temples on mountains and hiking certain parts of the Great Wall. Read on for details.

Cultural border town retains its traditional ways

For big-city dwellers, small ancient towns are always fascinating, but it’s getting harder to find them these days as they continually succumb to “commercial renovation.”

Taking in fresh air in the city’s suburban parks

While residents inside Beijing often complain about being surrounded by steel and iron skyscrapers, the city offers many natural sites on its outskirts where visitors can relax and breathe in fresh air.

Avoiding the holiday crush while still having fun

National Day holiday is a time for travel, and you can expect Beijing’s tourist sites to be packed with out-of-towners. For those who live in the city, Beijing Today would like to recommend these alternative places – from ancient villages to mountains – that will be less crowded but equally fun.

Ancient gems in Yuxian, Zhangjiakou

About 200 kilometers to Beijing’s west is an ancient county called Yuxian, which has more than 3,000 years of history. Located in southwest Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, Yu County has abundant historical sites, including nearly 200 ancient fortresses and a considerable number of ancient towns, temples, theaters and old houses.

Adrift in the sandy sea of Kubuqi Desert

The Kubuqi Desert, one of the country’s largest, is also the closest to Beijing. Located in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, its name in Mongolian means “bowstring.” If you search the place on a map, it looks like a deep yellow crevice that stretches along the Yellow River.

Best destinations during the moon festival

Next Monday is Mid-Autumn Festival, when the moon should be at its brightest. To commemorate this holiday, Beijing will hold a Mid-Autumn Cultural Tourism Festival called Lugou Xiaoyue, or Dawn Moon at Marco Polo Bridge, starting Saturday, with up to 166 activities and events, including a lantern show, Peking Opera performance, folk art exhibition and concert.

Saihan Ba, photographers’ dreamworld

Saihan Ba, or Saihan Dam, is quickly becoming a hot destination for a weekend tour. With its surrounding beautiful grasslands, it is known as a “photographer’s heaven.”