Xi'an Nearby Getaways | Shennongjia, Hubei

Tianyan Scenic Area: Requires driving in, then getting off at small attractions for sightseeing. Coming from the east, you'll first reach Yanzhiya, where there are a few very small parking spots by the road, causing severe traffic jams. Inside, you can hike to Yanzidong (Swallow Cave), Rainbow Bridge, and Yeren Valley (Wild Man Valley). The entire walk takes about 1 hour. Yanzidong is very dark—some visitors brought strong flashlights to see the swallows. The Rainbow Bridge is just an unremarkable man-made bridge, not photogenic. Yaren Valley requires a longer walk and features an ordinary cave, though the stone steps carved into the rocks nearby are quite interesting. Tianmenya offers little scenery and is small, which explains why it's not crowded. Tianshengqiao (Natural Bridge): Essentially just a cave. Most travel guides suggest turning back after reaching the highest point, and rightly so—the latter half has nothing noteworthy, plus there are many vendors. Shennong Altar is mainly a photo spot. Climb halfway up the hill for a picture, then leave. However, many consider it Shennongjia's iconic structure, so it's still worth a quick visit. Guanmenshan Scenic Area offers the worst experience in Shennongjia. You must drive inside, but parking at each small attraction is extremely limited. During holidays, traffic jams are constant—you might spend 2 hours stuck in traffic, park at the mountain top, then walk 2km to see a bunch of uninteresting, low-quality exhibits. If you must go, the honeycomb spot is photogenic, and panda or giant salamander enthusiasts might find something to see. The rest of the filler exhibits are quite dull—they should’ve built more parking spaces instead... Muyuping Road is still under construction, with many steel plates, but at least it has two lanes, plus several free parking lots!! Yet, the roadside remains packed with parked cars. Pingqian Ancient Town has uniformly planned architecture that looks quite charming when lit up at night. However, prices here are on the higher side~