12 most attractive national parks in China according to Lonely Planet

12 công viên quốc gia hấp dẫn bậc nhất Trung Quốc theo gợi ý của Lonely Planet

A vast wetland in Sanjiangyuan National Park, Tibet, China. (Source: Shutterstock)

Sanjiangyuan National Park (Qinghai – Tibet)

With peaks reaching 4,800m, Sanjiangyuan National Park is 14 times the size of Yellowstone in the US. This 190,100 km² area spans the headwaters of three major Asian rivers: the Yangtze, the Yellow and the Lancang (upper reaches of the Mekong).

Of this total area, more than half lies on the Tibetan Plateau – an area of special ecological importance and home to many rare species such as snow leopards, Tibetan antelopes and wild yaks.

The park is currently in the process of completing its infrastructure, from the road system to management points, to serve both conservation and ecotourism development. While waiting for more favorable conditions, visitors can still take part in hiking trips to the source of the Yellow River, following trails through grasslands, glaciers, alpine lakes and the Gobi Desert.

Giant Panda National Park (Sichuan – Shaanxi – Gansu)

Baby panda at Bifengxia Panda Reserve, Sichuan. (Source: Animalgraphy)

The giant panda, a famous species endemic to China, is one of the rarest bears in the world . Thanks to decades of conservation and breeding efforts, its status has improved to no longer being “critically endangered.” However, it remains vulnerable and continues to receive special attention.

The Giant Panda National Park was established by merging 67 reserves scattered across Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu. It is home to more than 1,800 pandas, accounting for about 80% of the species' population in China. The merger aims to expand habitat, enhance habitat connectivity, thereby ensuring genetic diversity and facilitating natural reproduction.

Among them, Wolong Nature Reserve and Bifengxia Panda Base in Sichuan have opened to visitors, offering rare opportunities to see and learn about China's iconic pandas.

Wuyishan National Park (Fujian – Jiangxi)

Experience bamboo rafting on the Nine Bends River in Wuyishan National Park, Fujian. (Source: Getty Images)

Of China's first five national parks, Wuyi Shan is the smallest. The mountain is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve, featuring one of the largest subtropical primeval forests on the planet, home to many ancient plants and rare insects.

The Wuyi Mountains landscape is both majestic and associated with unique cultural vestiges. Along the peaceful Jiuqu River are high cliffs with hanging coffins – evidence of an ancient funeral custom. The area also preserves the ruins of a 1st century palace and traces of temples and academies with a history of more than 1,000 years, when this place was once the cradle of Neo-Confucianism.

Today, bamboo rafting on the Nine Bends River is a popular experience for tourists. In addition, the area has many peaks and caves, suitable for hiking and exploring by trail.

Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park (Heilongjiang – Jilin)

The Amur tiger is an endangered species. (Source: Shutterstock)

Located in the Changbai Mountains, close to the Russian border, the park was founded on the basis of a breeding center that has successfully restored the population of Amur tigers – the world's largest cat species and still listed as endangered.

The Amur tiger is endemic to China, the Russian Far East, and North Korea. Historically, the people of Changbai regarded tigers as “mountain gods,” before poaching, war, and economic development drove the species to the brink of extinction.

In addition to the Amur tiger, the park is home to Amur leopards, Eurasian lynxes and golden eagles. Hiking trails are available, but tiger sightings in the wild are rare. Further south, along the China-North Korea border in Jilin, the Changbaishan Nature Reserve boasts vast forests, blue-green crater lakes and ski runs.

Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park (Hainan)

Suspension footbridge in Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park. (Source: Shutterstock)

Hainan Rainforestation National Park, a collection of scenic areas and reserves, is one of China’s most biodiverse destinations. It is the only remaining habitat of the critically endangered Hainan gibbon, the rarest primate on the planet. The park is also home to 39% of China’s recorded bird species and thousands of other wild plant species.

The rainforest here is home to a variety of unique ecosystems, ranging from mangroves to deep green valleys. Visitors can go hiking, visit wildlife monitoring stations or gibbon sanctuaries, and enjoy stargazing at night.

Wulong Karst National Geopark (Chongqing)

Three natural bridges at Wulong Karst National Geopark. (Source: Shutterstock)

About a two-hour drive from central Chongqing, Wulong Karst impresses with its majestic limestone landscape, which was featured in the movie Transformers: Age of Extinction .

“Karst” is a geological term for a landform formed by the process of rainwater and groundwater dissolving limestone over millions of years, creating sinkholes, caves and steep cliffs.

Wulong Karst National Geopark is part of the South China Karst Complex – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and comprises three prominent main areas.

Three natural bridges rise above a giant sinkhole, considered the tallest natural limestone arches in the world. Phu Dung Cave impresses with its vast karst space, stalactites formed over thousands of years and magical underground waterfalls. Meanwhile, a glass elevator at Long Thuy Gorge takes visitors down a deep ravine cut by an ancient river.

Wulong remains a little-known destination to international visitors, except for the cave explorer community – who have long considered it a world-famous site.

Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area (Sichuan)

Autumn scenery in Jiuzhaigou. (Source: Getty Images)

Jiuzhaigou has long been considered one of China’s top tourist attractions. The valley is almost surreal in its beauty, with clear blue lakes, cascading waterfalls of turquoise, pearl, and sapphire, and dense, mysterious forests, all set against a backdrop of snow-capped limestone mountains.

Every year, about five million tourists come here to hike the trails and admire the unique landscape. The name Jiuzhaigou means “valley of nine villages”, referring to the nine Tibetan settlements in the area, seven of which are still inhabited.

Hoa Son (Son Tay)

Dawn on Mount Hua. (Source: Shutterstock)

Standing at 2,154m, Mount Hua is one of the five sacred mountains of Taoism and is also known as the most dangerous mountain climbing route in China. Visitors are often attracted by the narrow, steep stairs clinging to the cliffs, or the wooden planks hanging across the vertical granite cliffs – testing both courage and patience.

Historically, Mount Hua was a retreat for Taoists and mystics, and is associated with the image of ancient physicians going up the mountain to collect medicinal herbs to make elixirs. The mountain also appears in many martial arts novels, where swordsmen compete on the five peaks.

Today, the wild and magical landscape, along with the adventurous nature, makes Mount Hua a popular destination for many tourists, especially those who choose to climb the mountain at night to catch the brilliant sunrise from the top of the mountain – an unforgettable experience.

Zhangye Global Geopark (Gansu)

Colorful mountains at Zhangye Global Geopark. (Source: Hiddenchina)

Zhangye Global Geopark is a stunning landscape of rusty red mountains streaked with white, yellow, orange and pale purple – set at the foot of the Qilian Mountains. It is also being developed into Qilian Mountains National Park, with the aim of comprehensively conserving the entire area.

Not only is the landscape remarkable, the area also has a special ecological role. Snow leopards roam the mountains, helping to prevent desertification and preserve glaciers and water resources on China’s western fringes. There is also a small oasis in the park that was once a stopover for travelers on the ancient trade route, the Hexi Corridor of the Silk Road.

Huangshan (Anhui)

The scenery of Hoang Son is as beautiful as a watercolor painting. (Source: Lonely Planet)

The jagged granite peaks and misty Hangshuan pines have inspired Chinese poetry, painting and photography for centuries. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the area is also considered the birthplace of the shanshui school of landscape painting, a genre of painting characterized by the imagery of “mountains and water”.

To fully explore the landscape, visitors can follow the dense system of trails leading to the top and around the mountainside. At an altitude of 1,864m, many hotels have been built, including places with natural hot springs, making it easy for visitors to stay overnight and enjoy the majestic beauty of the mountains in the morning mist.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Hunan)

Sandstone pillars at Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. (Source: lzf/Getty Images)

Zhangjiajie has long been renowned for its unique landscape, so much so that it served as the inspiration for the world of Pandora in the movie Avatar, which is especially impressive when shrouded in mist. A UNESCO Global Geopark, it is dotted with 240 pillar-shaped sandstone peaks and more than 3,000 towers, creating a rare, magical scene.

For thousands of years, this land was remote, known only to a handful of ethnic minority communities and home to hundreds of rare animal species, including the critically endangered Chinese giant salamander – the world's largest amphibian.

Today, the most spectacular viewpoints can be found at Yuanjiajie or Hallelujah Peak, which visitors can access by glass elevator, offering a panoramic view of the majestic rock formations stretching out before them.

Dunhuang Global Geopark (Gansu)

Buddha statue at the Mogao Grottoes. (Source: Shutterstock)

The highlight of Dunhuang Geopark is the Mogao Grottoes – a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which houses one of the most important collections of Buddhist art in the world. The magnificent statues and murals were created continuously over a period of 1,000 years, starting in 366 AD, transforming the site into a living “library in stone”. Of the 735 caves, 20 are currently open on a rotating basis, and visitors must join a guided tour to visit.

About 200 kilometers northwest, in the Gobi Desert, wind and time have created the strange yadan (yardang) terrain. The unique rock formations and eerie howling wind once earned the place the nickname “Devil Town,” as caravans were prone to getting lost in the desert. China is now home to the world’s largest concentration of yadan, most of which are concentrated in Dunhuang. The best way to experience this natural wonder is to take a minibus tour.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/12-cong-vien-quoc-gia-hap-dan-bac-nhat-trung-quoc-theo-goi-y-cua-lonely-planet-326585.html