Take road less traveled and avoid rush

2.Guoliang village in Huixian county, Henan province

Guoliang village is well hidden in the hinterland of the Taihang Mountains. The village perches on a mountaintop 1,700 meters above sea level and is besieged by cliffs on three sides.

In 1972, to find a safe way in and out of the village, local people chiseled through the stone cliffs and created a 5-meter-high and 4-meter-wide passage. The 1,250-meter-long passage took the villagers five years to complete. Villagers from teenagers to those older than 70 joined in the epic project, using their hands and bamboo baskets to remove the stones. Some villagers even died in accidents.

You can feel the cold tunnel breeze and walk the meandering passage hanging along the rocky cliffs, while the abyss is just outside the side-openings.

Before the passage, stairs chiseled out along the almost vertical cliff, nicknamed "heavenly stairs" by locals, was the only way to connect the village with the outside world. Although the stairs have been abandoned by local villagers, it is a favorite choice for hikers.

Despite its hazardous structure and location, it is an ideal place to observe a sunrise.

If you go: Tourists should first go to Huixian county, in Henan's Xinxiang city, which is connected to Beijing by a three-hour high-speed train ride. Then take a shuttle bus to Guoliang village. It costs 10 yuan ($1.60) for the three-hour bus ride. Hostels and family lodgings in the village have simple facilities and usually cost 40 to 50 yuan per person for one night.

3. Qikou town and Laoniu Bay

Chen Fan / For China Daily

The ancient town of Qikou sitting along the Yellow River was once a vital trading point. It flourished in history as goods transported along the waterway and brought in large numbers of visitors.

The once bustling hub is now a relaxing town. It is home to a population of about 30,000 people. Many residents still live in local-style caves.

Laoniu Bay is about 300 km from Qikou. Situated on the border of Shanxi province and Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Laoniu Bay is the only spot where the mighty Yellow River shakes hands with the Great Wall. Regarded as one of the 10 most beautiful canyons in China, the area has been made into a national-level geological park.

If you go: Take a three-hour high-speed train from Beijing to Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi. Qikou town is about three hours' drive from Taiyuan. You can also take a bus from Taiyuan to Qikou, which costs about 70 yuan. The bus leaves at about noon every day. It will be a special experience to spend a night in a local residents' cave dwelling, at a price of about 50 yuan per room. Be aware that there is no public bus connecting Qikou town and Laoniu Bay. You may need to hire a private van to reach Laoniu Bay, with the price depending on how well you negotiate.