Are you tired of visiting overcrowded summer destinations? Have you had enough of so-called ancient towns that are as busy as a modern city? Here are some places where you can escape the heat and humidity of Shenzhen that are off the beaten path.  

    Heijing, Yunnan

    Located in Lufeng County, which is called “home of the dinosaur,” in Yunnan Province, Heijing is one of the four best known ancient towns in the province. It is also famous for its salt. In ancient times this salt was presented to emperors a as a sign of respect.

    The county is about 180 kilometers from Kunming, capital of the province, and has a history of more than 1,000 years. Many of its traditional residential houses, temples and memorial arches are still intact.

    Although Heijing is no longer an important base for salt production, there are still ancient ruins that recall this proud history, such as an ancient salt well and salt production tools. The streets are in the styles of the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties, while the residential houses are mainly in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) styles.

    The former residence of the Wu family is the pride of Heijing town. Every year it attracts large numbers of foreign visitors who are interested in Chinese history and architecture.

    Tickets for entering the town are 30 yuan for adults and 15 yuan for children.

    Transport: Fly to Kunming from Bao’an International Airport and take the No. 6162 train to Heijing Station.

    Accommodation: There is a wide selection of hotels and hostels in Heijing and you can also stay with locals.

    Cuisine: Salted chicken stew, grey tofu and dried beef.

    Huangyao, Guangxi

    Huangyao is so small that it can be easily missed by travelers, but the 1,000-year-old town has the kind of peacefulness and elegance that can make a journey unforgettable.

    Located in Zhaoping County in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Huangyao Ancient Town is about 200 kilometers from Guilin. The black bean sauce produced in Huangyao has been sold worldwide since the first decade of the 20th century.

    The town is so quiet that when you walk the streets at night, you can hear your own heartbeat. In many ways, the town has not changed since it was a typical Chinese commercial town in the Ming Dynasty with its small river, long streets and small houses and courtyards. There are 11 temples and several attraction spots such as ancient wells and an opera stage in the town.

    Transport: Fly to Guilin from Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport and take a long-distance coach to Huangyao.

    Accommodation: There is wide selection of hotels and hostels in Huangyao and Zhaoping. You can also stay with locals to enjoy the quietness of the town.

    Anchang, Zhejiang

    Anchang in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, is one of the main water towns in the Jiangnan area and is also the home of the wupengchuan (boat with a special-made black cover commonly seen in the area) and wuzhanmao (a Jiangnan-style black hat).

    It is like many other water towns in the Jiangnan area but with fewer visitors.

    The long streets by the river are the best place to photograph the serene Chinese water town. There are also a lot of ancient houses in the traditional Chinese architectural style.

    Not far away from Anchang, there is a street called Changqiaozhi Street located in downtown Shaoxing. All the houses along the street are in the traditional Jiangnan style and were built about 300 years ago. The best way to visit the street is to pay 20 yuan to hire a three-wheel bicycle and the bicycle owner will tell you the stories behind the houses.

    Transport: Fly to Hangzhou from Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport and take a bus to Anchang. The bus ride is about 20 minutes from the Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport to Anchang.

    Cuisine: Stewed duck, fried fish, Chinese sausage, Shaoxing wine.

    (Wang Yuanyuan)