FEELING the festive atmosphere on the streets? The waving lanterns, sparkling lights and red couplets are ready to embrace the Chinese lunar New Year, or Spring Festival. To attract travelers, a number of cities and tourist destinations are offering discounts on fares and hotels.    

    Northern China

    From Jan. 1 to Feb. 28, the Hebei provincial tourism bureau and nearly 200 scenic spots are offering discounts on tickets to A5 attractions, three world cultural heritage sites and most A4 attractions in Hebei Province. A 30-percent discount is being offered on all standard rooms at hotels above three-star level.

    More than 60 attractions are free and more than 100 others are offering discounts of up to 50 percent on tickets. These include dozens of scenic spots in Qinhuangdao, Zhangjiakou and Shijiazhuang cities.

    The 10th China Chongli International Skiing Festival is being held in Chongli County in Zhangjiakou City through April 10. After skiing, visitors can relax at the Pingshan Hot Springs resort.

    Transport: Fly to Shijiazhuang or Beijing from Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport.

    Accommodation: Stay at resorts with hot springs.

    Cuisine: Try the local cuisine.

    Central China

    Nearly 30 scenic spots in Zhengzhou City in Henan Province are offering discounts on admission. Among them are the Shaolin and Zhongyue temples.

    Founded in the 5th century, the Shaolin Temple has long been associated with Chinese martial arts and particularly Shaolin kung fu. It is the Mahayana Buddhist monastery perhaps best known to the Western world. The Shaolin Temple and its famed Pagoda Forest were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site last year.

    Yuntaishan Mountain in Jiaozuo City near Zhengzhou City is offering a 50-percent discount on 120 yuan tickets until Feb. 28. One of the first world geological parks named by the UNESCO, the mountain is an eco-tourism resort that prides itself on its clear water and mountains.

    The Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang City, one of the three most famous ancient sculptural sites in China, has reduced admission by 16 percent to 100 yuan through Feb.28. The grottoes, which depict Buddhist subjects, have more than 2,300 niches, 100,000 statues, 40 pagodas and 3,600 tablets in the Guyang, Binyang and Lianhua caves.

    Transport: Fly to Zhengzhou City from Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport.

    Accommodation: There is a wide choice of hotels and hostels in Zhengzhou and Luoyang cities.

    Cuisine: Try Luoyang dishes and Kaifeng snacks.

    Tibet

    The Potala Palace in Lhasa, in the Tibet Autonomous Region, has reduced admission by 50 percent to 100 yuan until April. The palace symbolizes Tibetan Buddhism and its central role in the traditional administration of Tibet.

    The complex, comprising the white and red palaces with their ancillary buildings, is built on Red Mountain in the center of Lhasa Valley, at an altitude of 3,700m. Also founded in the 7th century, the Jokhang Temple Monastery is an exceptional Buddhist religious complex. Norbulingka, built in the 18th century, is a masterpiece of Tibetan architecture and art.

    Most of the local attractions, hotels, airlines and travel buses are also offering 50 percent discounts on tickets.

    Lhasa, which has a history of more than 1,300 years, is one of the highest cities in the world. It is home to the Tibetan, Han, and Hui people, as well as many other ethnic groups.

    Transport: Fly to Lhasa from Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport.

    Accommodation: Lhasa Babao Hotel and the Tibet Saikang Hotel offer standard rooms from 150 to 300 yuan during the Spring Festival holidays.

    Cuisine: There is a wide selection of western, Sichuan and Tibetan dishes in Tibet. Try typical Tibetan dishes on Bakuo Street and Beijing Road Central.

    (Jane Lai)