Kangxian

The Northwest's lush “tea country”, with the forests and tea gardens of Yangba's Meiyuan Gully and picturesque villages like Huaqiao — hillsides of green that overturn every expectation of Gansu.

Kangxian lies in Longnan in southeastern Gansu, at the western end of the Qinling–Daba mountains on the upper reaches of tributaries of the Jialing River. Its humid climate and dense forests have earned it the nickname “Little Jiangnan of Gansu” — a world away from the arid Northwest most people imagine. The county is known for its showcase villages: in the north, Huaqiao Village in Changba Town is an AAAA-rated rural scenic area right off the Shiyan–Tianshui Expressway; around the county town are rural wellness retreats such as Fenghuang Valley, Zhujiagou in Anmenkou and Hejiazhuang in Wangba; about 80 km of mountain road to the south, Yangba Town is one of Gansu's main tea-growing areas, and its Meiyuan Gully forest canyon is an AAAA-rated scenic area worth an overnight stay. The best seasons are Apr–May (spring tea and fresh greenery), Jul–Aug (escaping the heat) and October (autumn colors); during the rainy season, mountain roads occasionally suffer landslides, so check road conditions before setting out. Getting there: drive in from Longnan Chengxian Airport, Xi'an or Tianshui; sights in the county are spread out, so self-driving is strongly recommended. Allow 2–3 days: one for the villages around the county town, and one or two for Meiyuan Gully and the tea gardens of Yangba. Local specialties include Kangxian cured pork, black wood-ear mushrooms, walnuts and Yangba green tea.

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