Hidden Gem Cities Perfect for a 3-Day Getaway with Direct High-Speed Rail Access

Foping

• Attractions: Foping Panda Valley is a must-visit to observe giant pandas; Foping Old Street, dating back to the Qing Dynasty, brims with local charm; Dongshan and Jinshan Parks feature observation decks and corridors offering panoramic views of the town or nightscapes; the Qinling Mountains Nature Museum displays specimens, including the rare brown panda "Dandan" and diverse flora/fauna.

• Cuisine: Foping Sanxiang (steamed trio), bamboo shoots with cured pork, rice noodles with bacon, hot rice-skin noodles, crispy rice with pickled veggies and minced meat, and "immortal tofu."

• Transport: Take the Xi'an-Chengdu high-speed rail (47 mins) to Foping, then transfer by bus/taxi/day-tour charter to Panda Valley.

• Stay: Trip.com Farmstay (Foping, Shaanxi) offers family-friendly scenic retreats.

**Guangyuan**

• Attractions: Jianmen Pass, a famed strategic gateway along the ancient Shu Road; Zhaohua Ancient Town boasts a yin-yang river landscape and Three Kingdoms relics; Huangze Temple honors China’s only empress, Wu Zetian; Thousand-Buddha Cliff showcases Sichuan’s grandest grotto complex.

• Cuisine: Guangyuan rice cold noodles, Zengjia cured pork, Chaotian walnut cakes.

• Transport: Reach sites via local buses (e.g., Guangyuan Bus Station to Jianmen Pass).

• Stay: Luxury options like ZhiZhu Hot Spring Resort or boutique B&Bs like Nanlu Homestay (Zengjia Mountain).

**Wuyuan**

• Attractions: Wuyuan Scenic Area’s terraced flower seas; Huangling’s high-altitude blooms and autumn drying customs; Likeng’s Huizhou-style bridges and streams; Moon Bay’s painterly sandbar; Wuyuan Museum, hailed as China’s top county-level museum.

• Cuisine: Red-braised carp, sticky tofu, steamed pork with rice flour, qigao (fermented rice cake), glutinous rice cakes.

• Transport: Scattered sites favor self-driving/charters, though buses serve popular spots.

• Stay: Splurge at Yuehui Tang; for views, choose Huangling Sun-Drying Lodge; for local vibes, Mingxun Villa’s "Cloud Water Ballad."