7 Hidden Gem Cities for Reverse Travel in June Await You

Beihai

• Best travel time: October to April of the following year.

• Attractions: Silver Beach where you can walk barefoot on the sand, watch tide sculptures, and enjoy sunsets; Weizhou Island for hiking the Crocodile Mountain volcanic crater and watching the sunrise at Colorful Beach; Beihai Old Street with Nanyang-style arcade buildings; Guantouling offers a sea and sky view from the Haiku Shiluo Observation Deck; Qiaogang Style Street for tasting Vietnamese spring rolls and other delicacies; Ocean Window is a great place for family science education.

• Transportation: Direct flights to Beihai Fucheng Airport or high-speed train to Beihai Station; a ferry is needed to reach Weizhou Island.

• Accommodation: Sea view lovers can choose hotels along Silver Beach or Qiaogang Beach; to experience island life, stay in Drip Water Village or Shiluokou homestays on Weizhou Island; food lovers can stay near Qiaogang or Old Street.

• Food: Seafood includes salt and pepper mantis shrimp, mango conch; desserts like chestnut taro balls, mango shaved ice; also Vietnamese rice rolls, crab noodle soup, and other snacks.

Weihai

• Best travel time: Summer with cool climate, perfect for seaside vacations.

• Attractions: The stranded giant shipwreck of the Brewis; the less crowded Haiyuan Park; Chengshantou for sunrise views; the scenic Naxianghai; Torch Eighth Street ending at the sea; the lively International Seawater Bathing Beach; Liugong Island followed by seagulls; the stunning Maotoushan; and the landmark Happiness Gate Square.

• Transportation: Has an airport and high-speed rail station; city buses reach main attractions; taxis are convenient.

• Accommodation: Choose seaside hotels or homestays near the International Seawater Bathing Beach for easy sea access.

• Food: Includes mackerel dumplings, Weihai clear soup, seafood barbecue.

Zhangzhou

• Best travel time: Suitable all year round, spring and autumn are more comfortable.

• Attractions: Fujian Tulou (Nanjing) scenic area, Dongshan Island, Zhangzhou Ancient City; family trips can visit Tianluokeng Tulou cluster; free attractions include Yundongyan and Changtai Gushan Chong.

• Transportation: Has airport and high-speed rail station; city transport is convenient; for nearby attractions, car rental or public transport is available.

• Accommodation: Luxury hotels like Changtai Banyue Mountain Hot Spring Hotel; scenic hotels like Zhangzhou Meilun Villa; design-focused hotels in Longhai Baitangwan Tourist Resort.

• Food: Includes hand-beaten beef balls, pork bone soup, braised pork with preserved vegetables.

Liuzhou

• Best travel time: Suitable all year; summers are hot, winters are mild.

• Attractions: Must-visit Chengyang Bazhai, Luzhai Xiangqiao Karst National Geopark, Baili Liujiang Tourist Area; family trips can go to Longtan Park, Liuzhou Yunding Sightseeing; free attractions include Liuhou Park.

• Transportation: Has high-speed rail station; city buses and taxis are convenient; cars can be used to visit nearby Dong villages.

• Accommodation: Luxury hotels like Liuzhou Hyatt Place; boutique homestays like Huazhu·Liuzhou Moon Not Full Inn.

• Food: Includes snail noodles, Longcheng snail family feast, sour bamboo shoot fried fish.

Yanji

• Best travel time: Winter for snow viewing and playing; summer with cool climate.

• Attractions: Water Market to experience morning market culture; Korean Ethnic Park to experience being a Korean princess; Dapo for photo walls; West Market for specialty shopping; popular photo walls; also Tumen for the 86th boundary marker and Nanyang Pavilion viewing platform.

• Transportation: Has high-speed rail station; city taxis and buses are convenient; high-speed rail to nearby cities.

• Accommodation: Choose city center hotels or homestays near the Folk Customs Park for easy travel and cultural experience.

• Food: Includes cold noodles, stone pot bibimbap, kimchi, rice sausage, wasabi barbecue.

Huzhou

• Best travel time: Pleasant climate in spring and autumn; winter offers Jiangnan snow scenes and skiing.

• Attractions: Nanxun Ancient Town, Moganshan, Anji; Nanxun Ancient Town features Bai Jianlou; Moganshan is a summer resort with Yucun cultural market; Anji has China’s Bamboo Sea and Hello Kitty Park.

• Transportation: Has high-speed rail; about 1.5-2 hours by car from Hangzhou or Shanghai; attractions are spread out, so driving or taxis are recommended.

• Accommodation: Waterside homestays in Nanxun Ancient Town; high-end homestays and farm stays in Moganshan; family hotels and bamboo forest homestays in Anji; lakeside hotels in Huzhou city.

• Food: Includes Zhu Laoda rice dumplings, Ding Lianfang Qianzhang buns, Taihu Three Whites, Anji Bamboo Shoot Banquet.

Jingdezhen

• Best travel time: Suitable in spring and autumn for sightseeing.

• Attractions: Ancient Kiln Folk Custom Expo Area to learn about ceramic making and history; Jingdezhen Ceramic Museum with rich ceramic collections; Taoxichuan Cultural and Creative Street with creative shops and art exhibitions; Yaoli Ancient Town with Ming and Qing architecture and natural scenery.

• Transportation: Has airport and high-speed rail station; city buses reach main attractions; taxis are convenient.

• Accommodation: Choose city hotels or homestays near Taoxichuan for easy travel and shopping.

• Food: Includes cold noodles, alkaline rice cakes, porcelain clay stewed chicken.