12 most attractive national parks in China according to Lonely Planet

China boasts a diverse range of natural beauty, from tropical rainforests to majestic plateaus. World-renowned travel publisher Lonely Planet presents 12 of the most iconic national parks.

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 stretches across the headwaters of three major Asian rivers: the Yangtze, the Yellow River and the Lancang (upper reaches of the Mekong).

Of this total area, more than half lies on the Tibetan Plateau – an area of ​​particularly important 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 the conservation work and develop ecotourism in parallel. While waiting for more favorable conditions, visitors can still join hiking trips to the source of the Yellow River, following trails through grasslands, glaciers, alpine lakes and even the Gobi Desert.

Giant Panda National Park (Sichuan – Shaanxi – Gansu)

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

The giant panda, a famous endemic to China, is one of the world’s rarest bears. 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 in 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 habitats, 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 panda.

Wuyishan National Park (Fujian – Jiangxi)

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

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

Wuyishan’s 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. This 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.

Nowadays, bamboo rafting on the Nine Bends River is a popular experience for tourists. In addition, the area also has many peaks and caves, suitable for trekking 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 established 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 the tiger as a “mountain god,” 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 lynx and golden eagles. Hiking trails are available, but the chances of seeing tigers 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 combination 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 has many unique ecosystems, ranging from mangroves to deep green valleys. Visitors can go hiking, visit wildlife monitoring stations or gibbon sanctuaries and enjoy stargazing after dark.

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 the rim of 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 Canyon takes visitors down a deep ravine cut by the flow of an ancient river.

Wulong remains a little-known destination to international tourists, except for the cave explorer community – who have long considered it a globally renowned 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, around 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 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 adventure, makes Hoa Son a favorite 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, with its rust-red mountains streaked with white, yellow, orange and pale purple, is a spectacular sight at the foot of the Qilian Mountains. It is also being developed into the Qilian Mountains National Park, with the aim of comprehensively preserving the 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 mist-shrouded Hangshuan pine trees have inspired centuries of Chinese poetry, painting and photography. Recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, the area is also considered the birthplace of the shanshui school – a genre of landscape painting characterized by the image 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 famous 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 columnar sandstone peaks and more than 3,000 spires, creating a rare, magical scene.

For thousands of years, this land was remote, known only to a few 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 Caves – 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, making it 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 km northwest, in the Gobi Desert, wind and time have created the strange yadan (yardang) terrain. The unique rock formations and the 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 fully 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