Ten of the most out of this world places in China

China is home to some truly spectacular natural and manmade sights, many of which wouldn’t look out of place on the set of a sci-fi movie. For this blog, we rounded up a few of the most out of the world sights that you should consider including on your itinerary.

Panjin Red Beach, Liaoning province

The bright red color of Panjin Shuangtaizi River Mouth Nature Reserve, the biggest wetland and reed marsh in the world, isn’t created by the sand; rather, it is created by a type of grass called suaeda salsa, which turns bright red when it matures in autumn. The red grass creates a stunning scene that wouldn’t look out of place on Mars. The best time to visit Panjin Red Beach is late August to early October when the grass is at its most colorful.

Zhangye Danxia Landforms, Gansu province

When people see these surreal, multicolored geoforms for the first time they often think that they are Photoshopped! The landscape is formed of sandstone, laid down by sedimentation over millions of years and shaped into dramatic peaks and troughs by erosion. The most popular place to see the peaks, Linze Danxia Scenic Area, is around 40km away from Zhangye city (around a one and a half hour drive).

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Hunan province

Visit Zhangjiajie and you’ll see why James Cameron used it as the inspiration for the otherworldly floating mountains in his movie Avatar. The landscape of thousands of peaks and karst pillars is breathtaking, especially if you visit in the early morning when the peaks are often shrouded in mist. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is one several parks within the UNESCO-listed Wulingyuan Scenic Area.

Huanglong National Scenic Reserve, Sichuan province

Landscapes in China don’t get much more “alien” than Huanglong (literally “yellow dragon”). 150 kilometers northwest of Chengdu, the area is known for its colorful pools, which are formed by calcite deposits. The best views can be found in Yellow Dragon Gully itself, where the layered pools are said to resemble the scales on the back of a dragon - a challenge to the imagination of even the most talented movie set designer!

Tulou, Fujian province

These fortified, circular earth structures are unique to the mountains region of southeastern Fujian province. The shape has both a defensive function and allows for communal living. A popular story goes that in the 1980s, US satellites mistook these unique buildings for missile silos thanks to their donut-like shape.

Mount Huangshan, Anhui province

Mount Huangshan in southern Anhui province is one of China’s most popular destinations and with good reason. The mountain range is known for its scenery, sunsets, peculiarly-shaped granite peaks, pine trees, hot springs, winter snow, and views of the clouds from above. The latter, in particular, makes for some truly amazing photos.

Galaxy Soho, Beijing

Even the name of this building is out of this world! Designed by the late Zaha Hadid for Soho China, this massive complex is a favorite with urban photographers, especially when it is lit up at night.

Dongchuan Red Land, Yunnan province

The colorful landscape of Dongchuan district 250 kilometers northwest of Kunming could have come right out of an artist’s paint box. The area’s eponymous red soil is caused by high levels of aluminum and iron, which have oxidized over the centuries due to the warm, wet climate. The best time to visit this area is May-June and September-November when the fields have been freshly turned over and the colors are at their most vivid.

Qinghai Lake, Qinghai province

Qinghai Lake is China’s largest lake, located in Qinghai province, 100 kilometers west of the provincial capital Xining. Few regular tourists make it to this picture-perfect part of China but those that do will be rewarded with views of clear blue water blending into the horizon as far as the eye can see.

Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort, Zhejiang province

This luxury hotel in the city of Huzhou in northern Zhejiang province wouldn’t look out of place in a sci-fi movie. Looming over the banks of Lake Tai, the 27-storey, horseshoe-shaped structure was designed by Ma Yansong, the founder of Beijing-based MAD Architects. ■

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If you would like to plan a trip to any of the incredible destinations above, contact our travel specialists now for more information and suggested itineraries.

Images: Wikimedia, Flickr (Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort), Pixabay, Flickr (Galaxy Soho, Beijing), Flickr (Dongchuan Red Land)