5 Places In China That Are Remote And Are Worth Visiting

Though China is more navigable now than it has ever been, some of the best pockets of the country remain remote. For those willing to venture beyond Beijing, Xi’an, and Shanghai, there are whole worlds to explore within China’s borders. Here are eight places that are tricky to reach, but stunning to visit.

# Hulunbuir Grasslands

Most people don’t even know that Inner Mongolia is part of China; fewer still have been there. Those that do go tend to stick to the capital of Hohhot and the world-famous Gobi Desert. For a taste of Outer Mongolian life, however, a trip to the Hulunbuir Grasslands is essential.

The grasslands of Hulunbuir don’t have roads. So if you want to explore them, you will need to book a group excursion from the small city of Hailar. From there, off-roading vehicles will take you to places that will make you say “I can see Russia from my horse!” Experience the antithesis of city life during the day, and stay in a glammed-up Mongolian ger during the night.

# Huanglong Scenic Area

Prior to August 8, 2017, Jiuzhaigou National Park was one of Sichuan’s top destinations. Sadly, on that day, the area suffered a magnitude 7.0 earthquake, and Jiuzhaigou will remain closed to tourists for a year while the damage is cleared.

Located in the same mountain range as Jiuzhaigou, Huanglong Scenic Area is a wonderful alternative to the national park while it undergoes restoration. Huanglong is famous for its tiered calcite-deposit pools and hot springs, and lucky visitors might even get to see a giant panda in the wild or, more likely, a few golden snub-nosed monkeys.

# Houtouwan Fishing Village

Houtouwan is an abandoned fishing village on Zhejiang province’s Shengshan Island. Once a bustling community of over 2,000 people, Houtouwan became a ghost town in the early 1990s when residents left in search of better educational opportunities. Since then, the village’s structures have become overgrown by vines, making the island an eerily beautiful spectacle that few adventurers will ever see.

Although only 65 kilometres (40 miles) from Shanghai, Houtouwan is not easy to get to. In fact, the journey requires a combination of bus, boat, taxi, and boat again, taking roughly a total time of four hours.

# Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture

So few international tourists know about Sichuan’s Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, which is a shame for them, but a blessing for the few who do decide to make the long trek out there. Situated at the western edge of the province, Garzê, or Ganzi as it is known in Mandarin, is a six-hour drive from Chengdu and may require a special permit to visit, depending on the time of year and the mercurial mood of the government. With Tibetans making up over 77% of the autonomous prefecture’s population, Garzê makes Beijing nervous. During the Tibetan New Year in the spring, the government often enacts travel restrictions to the prefecture, but, even still, it is significantly easier to visit than Tibet itself.

# Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture

The Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture in China’s western Xinjiang province shares borders with Kazakhstan to the northwest and Russia and Mongolia to the northeast. At 280,000 square kilometers (108,108 square miles), Ili has no shortage of natural wonders. In fact, it contains some of the most stunning beauty in all of Xinjiang. The Nalati Grassland, worthy of a one to two day excursion, offers a peek into nomadic Mongolian life, and crescent-moon-shaped Kanas Lake, located in the Altai Mountains, is famed for its turquoise waters and mythical Kanas Lake Monster.

It’s easy to look at pictures of the prefecture and question their authenticity, but no, those places really are just that beautiful. And the good news is that, compared to many other Chinese autonomous prefectures, Ili isn’t that difficult to get to. However, the vastness of Xinjiang cannot be underestimated. While the provincial capital of Urumqi appears on maps as just a blip away from Ili, it is, in fact, an eight-hour drive away. Increased security measures have also been placed on the prefecture in recent years, as the ethnic minorities there often clash with the national government and Han locals.