June & July Reverse Travel! 9 Off-the-Beaten-Path Destinations: Cool & Fun to Explore
👣 June & July Reverse Travel! 9 Hidden Gems: Cool & Crowd-Free ✨ | Ultimate Guide
1. Ganzhou, Jiangxi🏮
Highlights: Avg 28°C in summer, living-history Song Dynasty city walls, stunning Yugu Pavilion night views, Hakka walled houses with stories.
Activities:
- Explore Song Dynasty walls on e-bikes (free), admire "Ganzhou's Seine" at Yongjin Gate; try Hakka rice jelly (¥10/bowl) with crispy rice skins (¥3) in Zao'er Alley.
- Visit Guanxi New Walled House (¥50) - "Hakka Grand Mansion", hear family tales; night stroll at Yugu Park with Xin Qiji's poetry walls🌙.
Food: Ningdu meatballs (¥8, bouncy texture), Ganzhou fish dumplings (¥12, fish-skin wrappers), fried Huangyuan rice cakes (¥5, crispy).
2. Liuzhou, Guangxi🌿
Highlights: Avg 29°C, birthplace of stinky-yet-addictive luosifen noodles, emerald-like Liujiang River night cruise, cool karst caves.
Activities:
- Eat 3-flavor luosifen (¥10) with fried eggs at Qingyun Market at 6am; take water bus (¥3) for riverside views; hike 20min up Ma'anshan Park for sunset cityscapes🌇.
- Escape heat in Duleyan Cave (¥60, "undersea world" stalactites); visit Liu Zongyuan Temple at Liuhou Park, try sour mango salad (¥5).
Food: Grandma's fried dough sticks (¥6, extra crispy), beef & snail hotpot (¥15), dewy sesame tangyuan (¥3).
3. Sanming, Fujian🍃
Highlights: Avg 27°C, Danxia landscapes rivaling Guilin, free Hakka ground tea, forest oxygen bar.
Activities:
- Dajin Lake cruise (¥160) for "waterborne Danxia", marvel at Ganlu Temple's single-pillar support; buy ground tea powder (¥10) in Taining Ancient Town.
- Cool off in Yuhua Cave (¥105, "dragon palace" formations); hike Sanming Country Park, pick wild bayberries (June season!).
Food: Shaxian peanut noodles (¥8), Ninghua shaomai (¥12, thin wrappers), Mingxi jerky (¥5, chewy goodness).
4. Qiandongnan, Guizhou🌺
Highlights: Avg 25°C, mirror-like terraces at Zhaoxing Dong Village, Zhenyuan's nightscapes surpassing Fenghuang, stunning ethnic costumes.
Activities:
- Stay in stilt houses (¥80/night), watch free Dong choir shows; hike Tang'an Terraces (3hr loop); night cruise on Wuyang River (¥80).
- Avoid weekends at Xijiang Miao Village! Rent Miao costumes (¥30/hr) for terrace photos; try "bull bile" hotpot (¥15, acquired taste).
Food: Kaili sour soup noodles (¥6), Congjiang roast pork (¥10, crispy), Liping sticky rice rolls (¥8).
5. Dali, Yunnan🌄
Highlights: Avg 24°C, skip peak crowds, wild Erhai West scenery, Shaxi - "Lijiang 20 years ago".
Activities:
- Bike Erhai Ecological Corridor (¥20/day), find hidden photo spots at Panxi S-bend; stay in rammed-earth guesthouses (¥120/night) in Shaxi.
- Eat Xizhou baba (¥10, sweet/savory), try Zhoucheng tie-dye (¥50); hike Wuliangshan tea plantations (June harvest!).
Food: Bai-style sour-spicy fish (¥12), Weishan pork rice noodles (¥8), walnut cakes (¥5).
6. Xichang, Sichuan🌙
Highlights: Avg 26°C, Qionghai Lake 3x bigger than West Lake, post-Torch Festival vibe (June celebrations), space center education.
Activities:
- Qionghai Wetland sightseeing car (¥30), drunken shrimp (¥15) at Moonlight Town; cable car up Lu Mountain (¥50) for lake views.
- Satellite Launch Center tour (¥120); stroll Jianchang Ancient Town, try rice roll wraps (¥5).
Food: BBQ skewers (¥10), Xichang rice noodles (¥8, loaded toppings), huili glutinous cakes (¥6).
7. Sanya, Hainan🏝️
Highlights: June-July low season! Half-price flights/hotels, private beaches at Wuzhizhou Island, Atlantis waterpark thrills.
Activities:
- Stay at Coral Hotel (50% off!), shoot empty beach scenes; "Leap of Faith" slide at Atlantis (¥300), evening aquarium visits.
- Photograph blue-white houses in Tianya Town, eat coconut chicken (¥20); ancient kiln sites at Yacheng, buy zongzi (¥10).
Food: Hou'an noodles (¥15), coconut jelly (¥8), Tanka salted fish pot (¥20).
8. Zhuhai, Guangdong🌊
Highlights: Avg 28°C, Hong Kong night views from Wailingding Island, Qi'ao Island mangroves birdwatching, cheap Macau island cruise.
Activities:
- Stay in fishing homestays (¥150), catch grouper (¥100/boat), beach BBQ (¥50); bike Qi'ao mangroves (¥20/hr).
- Macau circumnavigation cruise (¥80), see Lisboa Hotel from sea; try tea cakes (¥12) in Tonggu Ancient Village.
Food: Tangjia tea cakes (¥10), double-shell crabs (¥15), curry fish balls (¥8).
💡 Pro Tips:
- Transport: Buses/carpools; rent cars in Liuzhou/Ganzhou (¥100-200/day); join small tours for Qiandongnan/Dali.
- Prepare for showers (foldable umbrella + sun jacket); strong UV in Sanya/Xichang (sunglasses + hat essential).
- Authentic eats hide in old quarters: Zao'er Alley (Ganzhou), Qingyun Market (Liuzhou).
Skip summer crowds! These 9 hidden spots offer cool temps, few tourists, and wild adventures🌿 Pick a weekend to embrace a "scenic & serene" summer!