July Off-the-Beaten-Path Travel: Budget-Friendly Trips to Three Cozy Cities

📍Datong, Shanxi
🚗Transport Tips
Self-drive/Charter: Scattered attractions, charter car ~¥400-500/day (essential for distant sites like Hanging Temple & Yingxian Wooden Pagoda)
City transit: Cycling + taxis within ancient town (<¥100/day)
🍜Must-Eat
Zini 369 Kaige Restaurant (Shanxi cuisine), Longjuxiang Shaomai, Hunyuan Liangfen
Gulou East Street Night Market: Daoxiao noodles, lamb offal soup
🏠Accommodation
Downtown: Hotels near ancient town (convenient for Yungang Grottoes & old city)
Hunyuan County: Homestays (kang beds, great value, early Hanging Temple visit next day)
🌆3-Day Itinerary
Day1: Yungang Grottoes (3hrs) → Nine-Dragon Wall → Dai Prince Palace → Ancient city wall cycling
Day2: Yingxian Wooden Pagoda → Hunyuan Liangfen → Hanging Temple → Tulin Sunset (time permitting)
Day3: Huayan Temple (45m chiwen murals) → Shanhua Temple → Datong Museum (exceptional municipal collection)

📍Xiuning, Anhui
🚗Transport Tips
Self-drive: ~1hr from Huangshan downtown, Qiyunshan parking ¥20/day
Bus: Take Xiuning Line 1 from Huangshan North Station (40min)
🍜Food Guide
Specialties: Huangshan stinky mandarin fish, stone ear stewed chicken, hairy tofu, taguo (bamboo shoot & pickle filling), Wucheng tea dried tofu
Hidden gems: Huizhou guo at Zhonggulou Market (stone-mortar pounded), ¥10 noodle toppings (wild fern/black pork) at Lao Mian Guan
🏠Stays
Pusu Weilan Homestay: Near Qiyunshan, designer vibe
Liangshe Yunxi: Rustic charm, family-friendly
🏙️3D2N In-Depth Tour
Day1: Qiyunshan (full-day hike + cliff carvings)
Day2: Huizhou Grand Canyon (hiking + rafting) → Jiantan Scenic Area (Bridal Chamber Waterfall)
Day3: Huangcun Ancient Village (Huizhou architecture) → Runyi Rui Lan Tea Workshop (handmade tea experience)

📍Wuyuan, Jiangxi
🚗Transport: Via Hangrui Expressway, self-drive/charter recommended (~¥400/day)
🏠Stays: Book Huangling Sunshine Autumn Homestay 1 month ahead; Sixiyan Village homestays feature carved patios
🏙️3-Day Classic Loop
Day1 East Route: Moon Bay (free photo ops) → Likeng (visit early) → Wangkou → Overnight at Huangling (mountain homestay with private view deck)
Day2 Terraces: Huangling morning mist → Jiangling Terraces (drive & shoot) → Qingyuan Ancient Village (free pear blossom valley) → Hongguan's millennium-old camphor tree
Day3 North Route: Sixiyan Village (Huizhou architecture) → Zhang Village Plank Bridge (fisherman photo ops) → Yantian Ancient Village (countryside slow living)