Summer Cooling Guide|5 Summer Retreat Cities to Guarantee Your 20°C Summer
1. Kunming: The Spring City with 22°C Nights That Never Sleep
🌿 Core Activities: Wild Romance and Tipsy Plans
• Dianchi Lake Loop Challenge:
Ride a shared e-bike at 6 AM to Haigeng Dam (avoid the crowds), speed along the "most beautiful lakeside road" for 10 km, and shoot stunning "sea road" photos at Haidong Wetland. In the afternoon, explore the alleys of Dounan Flower Market, buy a bunch of peonies for 10 yuan to decorate your guesthouse vase, and at dusk, grill pork belly at Laoyuhe Wetland (bring your own grill), watching the sunset dye the reeds golden red.
• City Drinks in Old Alleys:
At "Mushroom Space" in Culture Alley, try a special Yunnan small bean coffee; at "Jiuying" bar by Green Lake, sample plum wine shots; at 2 AM, head to Zhuanxin Farmers Market for grilled pig trotters paired with papaya juice—Kunming’s nightlife is a blend of everyday charm and artistic vibes.
• Hidden Gems:
The "City of Flowers" nighttime greenhouse near Changshui Airport offers free entry after 10 PM, with giant cacti and light shows perfect for photos; hike the "Longquan Plum Exploration" ancient trail in Heilongtan Park for 2 hours to the summit and enjoy panoramic city night views.
2. Guiyang: The Karst Secret Land at 22.9°C
🌿 Core Activities: Underground Adventures and Light & Shadow Encounters
• Tianhetan Water-Land Karst Cave & Underground River Rafting
Night tours start after 7:30 PM; ride rubber boats into the dry cave (life jackets required), with headlamps illuminating the "crystal curtain" of stalactites. The guide points out billion-year-old stalagmites with a laser pointer. At the underground river junction, all lights go off to hear dripping water echoing in the cave—this immersive darkness experience is thrilling. After exiting, try the "glass dry slide" (50 yuan/person), sliding from the cave top to the foot of the mountain through a tunnel of fluorescent lights.
• Qingyan Ancient Town: Night Wall Patrol & Intangible Cultural Heritage Crafts
Free entry after 7 PM; rent a set of Ming Dynasty armor (30 yuan/hour) to patrol the "Little Great Wall," where six catapult models hide between battlements for a taste of ancient city defense. In the backstreets, visit "Qian-Yue Guild Hall" to learn making "leather paper lanterns" with plant dyes. Carry your handmade lantern on the stone path at night, with flickering light creating a magical atmosphere. Every Friday and Saturday at 9 PM, the "Intangible Cultural Heritage Iron Flower" show under the city wall dazzles—stand 3 meters away to capture photos and instantly feel the epic of "The Longest Day in Chang’an."
• Qianling Mountain: Night Exploration of the Macaque Kingdom
Start hiking the "Nine-Bend Path" at 5 PM, pray for academic success at Hongfu Temple, then head to the wild trail at "Elephant King Ridge" (headlamp + non-slip shoes needed). At dusk, macaques come down to forage; safely feed them apples (5 yuan/bag sold in the park) and watch the monkey king lead his family through the woods. At the summit of Daluo Ridge, use your phone’s panorama mode to capture the city sunset; when clouds are thick, you might see "Jesus rays" piercing the mist. On the way down, visit "Qilin Cave"—shining a flashlight on the walls reveals hidden stone inscriptions.
3. Harbin: The City of Diverse Charms at 25°C
🌿 Core Activities: Historical Tracing and Artistic Strolls
• Central Street Leisure Tour: At 6 PM, order red sausage with rye bread at "Huamei Western Restaurant," savoring Russian flavors with kvass. At 8 PM, stroll to a corner of Central Street to admire European architecture under lights, accompanied by street musicians. At 10 PM, enter "Lucia Coffee Western Restaurant," order a rich coffee, and enjoy mellow music while tasting old Harbin stories. At 1 AM, go to the Flood Control Monument, feel the night breeze by the Songhua River, watch the shimmering water, and soak in the city’s peaceful beauty.
• Industrial Heritage Exploration: Visit "Old Daowai" in the morning, a Chinese Baroque area blending traditional Chinese and Western Baroque architecture, evoking a century-old commercial prosperity. Try signature pork rib buns at "Zhang Bao Pu" for authentic Harbin cuisine. In the afternoon, head to "1905 Cultural and Creative Park," formerly the Second Metal Workshop of Shenyang Heavy Machinery Factory, preserving original architecture with creative shops, exhibitions, and performances. Pick unique souvenirs or enjoy an art exhibition, experiencing the fusion of industry and art. At dusk, visit the "Songhua River Railway Bridge," a century-old bridge witnessing Harbin’s history; walk on it, watch green trains roar by, and enjoy the sunset’s golden glow on the river.
• Hidden Fun:
On the top floor of "Jiaohua Electronics World" near Harbin Institute of Technology, find a retro arcade (1 yuan/coin) with classics like King of Fighters '97 and dance machines, bringing childhood joy to 80s and 90s kids. At Qunli "Music Park" on the Songhua River beach, you can find agate stones at dusk and, if lucky, catch open-air rock concerts, feeling Harbin’s musical charm.
4. Hulunbuir: The Grassland Disco at 18°C
🌿 Core Activities: Horseback Drifting and Starry BBQ
• Morigele River Wild Luxury Plan:
Rent an off-road vehicle (about 800 yuan/day) to cross the "World’s First Meandering River," use a drone at the high point to shoot the "dragon-shaped river," grill lamb chops by the river at noon (rent grill from herders in advance). At dusk, ride horses (bargain to 100 yuan/hour) chasing the sunset, have friends capture splashing hooves, and camp at the "Starry Sky Camp" in Heishantou Town, watching "Wolf Totem" on a projector.
• Border Road Challenge:
Ride a motorcycle (200 yuan/day) along the 9-card road from Shiwei to Linjiang, speeding beside the Erguna River, stopping at the "Taiji Circle" viewing platform for photos. Learn bread-making at the "Rye House" in Enhe Russian Ethnic Village. At night, join the bonfire party at "Kalenburg Manor," dance ethnic dances with locals, and finish a whole bucket of blueberry wine.
• Hidden Fun:
Sliding grass at 186 Ribbon River (100 yuan/time) too tame? Try "Grassland Go-Karts" (200 yuan/lap) drifting on rolling slopes; at the top-floor bar of Manzhouli "Matryoshka Hotel," watch Russian girls’ hot dance shows until 2 AM.
5. Changbai Mountain: The Volcanic Hot Spring Party at 20°C
🌿 Core Activities: Heaven Lake Disco and Forest Drinking
• Heaven Lake Hiking Guide:
Catch the first bus at 6:30 AM from the north slope to Heaven Lake (ticket + eco-bus 225 yuan), shoot "sea of clouds" photos at the main peak, descend before 9 AM to avoid tour groups. In the afternoon, hike the alpine garden on the west slope (wildflowers bloom in July), shoot cliff photos at "Ladder River" cliff edge, and soak in volcanic hot springs in Erdaobaihe Town at dusk (recommend "Hannashan," night ticket 98 yuan), drinking chilled beer in the pool.
• Forest Night Hiking Plan:
Hike the "Forest Oxygen Bar" trail at Changbai Mountain Luneng Resort, enter at 6 PM to capture "Tyndall effect," and possibly spot wild sika deer. At night, barbecue at the "Starry Sky Camp" (equipment rental 150 yuan/set), stargaze with a telescope, and sing "Ordinary Road" on a hammock when tipsy.
• Hidden Fun:
The "Tiger Back" ski resort on Changbai Mountain’s west slope turns into a "mountain coaster" in summer (80 yuan/time), thrillingly racing downhill like a roller coaster; at "Old Pu Skewer Shop" in Songjianghe Town, open until 1 AM, spicy stir-fried pollock with chilled rice wine is amazing.
[Cute] Final Words: The Ultimate Romance of Traveling with Friends
When you’re grabbing 3 bouquets of roses for 10 yuan at Kunming Flower Market, dancing with phone lights in Guiyang caves, taking turns riding horses on Hulunbuir grasslands, and racing to finish bottles of rice wine in Changbai Mountain hot springs—the meaning of travel is never about how many sights you check off, but about going crazy, being silly, and turning ordinary days into poetry with your crew.
🌍 Take this guide and set off with your besties! In a 20°C summer, leave your sweat, laughter, and alcohol between mountains and seas.