Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie is the otherworldly landscape that inspired the floating mountains of Avatar — thousands of sandstone pillars rising sheer from misty valleys. The scenery is concentrated in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, where cable cars, cliffside paths and the vertigo-inducing glass bridge let you get up into the peaks.

Spread the park over two or three days to cover the main viewpoints: the Avatar Hallelujah Mountain, the Tianzi Mountain plateau, and the cliff walk at Tianmen Mountain with its 99-bend road. The weather is the wild card — fog can hide or dramatically reveal the views, often within the same morning.

Getting there: Zhangjiajie Hehua (DYG) airport serves domestic routes, and high-speed rail now reaches Zhangjiajie from Changsha (about 2 hours) and beyond. The park is 30–40 minutes from the city and railway station.

Getting around: Inside the park, free shuttle buses, cable cars and the famous Bailong elevator move you between levels. Expect a lot of walking and steep staircases — pace yourself.

The local cuisine is Tujia cooking from the region's ethnic minority groups — sour-and-spicy stews, smoked and cured meats, and mountain vegetables. Try sour fish hotpot, smoked bacon with chilli and the local rice wine. It's hearty, rustic food built for the mountains.

Apr–Jun and Sep–Nov

Buy a multi-day park ticket — you won't see it in one day. Avoid the first week of October, when the park is packed. Check the forecast and be flexible: cloudy days can clear into spectacular "sea of clouds" views, but dense fog means you'll see little.