China's 'coolest' summer spots

"This summer, we've seen notable growth in tour groups from Europe, the United States and the Republic of Korea. Overseas visitors have shown a strong preference for nature-based activities such as forest hiking and splashing in mountain streams, with the area's consistently cool temperatures the key draw," says a staff member at the scenic area.

"Yesterday we visited the western slope of Changbai Mountain, and today we came to the northern slope. We've been greeted by waves of cool mountain air. I just want to etch all the scenery before my eyes deep into memory," says Choi Suk-rye, a traveler from the ROK. "This is my first time in China, and I hope I can come back often," adds Ahn Sunmi, also from the ROK.

Urban chill

By 2025, China had 150.6 air conditioners for every 100 households — that's more than 1.5 per household, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Over the years, the country has been taking that cooling power beyond the home and into every corner of public life, including shopping malls, neighborhood cooling stations, underground shelters, and transit hubs alike.

At Huaqiangbei, a sprawling electronics marketplace in South China's tech hub Shenzhen, French visitor Jocelyne had been wandering through a mall for over an hour. "There's air conditioning everywhere in China. It's very comfortable," she says, pointing to a portable fan she had spotted. "I'd like to get a few to take back for my friends."

"For European visitors from places where air conditioning is not yet ubiquitous, the sheer availability of cool, air-conditioned spaces almost everywhere in China can be quite a revelation," says Yang Yong, who works for an international travel agency.

At a shopping mall called The Ring in Chongqing, visitors are greeted not by endless rows of shops, but by a lush indoor rainforest. With misting systems and carefully designed lighting, the mall keeps the temperature at about 21 C.

"The scenery in the mall has become quite popular on overseas social media, so I came here to see it for myself," says Avidar, who was visiting from Jordan. "It's not only a cool place to escape the summer heat, but also a feast for the eyes."

The refreshing experience extends beyond the mall. In the Mountain City Alley historic district of Chongqing, a 400-meter-long pedestrian walkway has been transformed into a "cooling corridor", where misting systems and shaded areas reduce the perceived temperature by 3 to 5 C.

In addition, 23 subway stations in Shenyang, capital of Northeast China's Liaoning province, have set up cooling-off areas equipped with benches since June 21. They're open to everyone, with no ticket or transit card required. The service will run until the end of September.

Deeper stays

Thanks to China's expanding visa-free transit policy and improved travel measures, this summer has brought a notable shift in inbound tourism. Visitors are staying longer and going deeper.

For many inbound travelers, "China Cool" is about more than just lower temperatures; it's a whole new kind of cool, one that's packed with discovery. Whether they're practicing traditional Chinese fitness exercises like baduanjin, sipping tea, diving into intangible heritage, or zipping across the country on high-speed trains, paying with their phones, and wandering through tech hubs, tourists are picking up on China's cultural depth and innovative pulse, one small moment at a time.

For example, in Southwest China's Yunnan province, a popular inbound destination, travelers who stayed four to seven days made up 35 percent of the total, and those who stayed longer than a week accounted for 23 percent, according to a Trip.com official.

Juan Antonio from Spain is one of them. On his eighth trip to China this summer, he made a beeline for Yunnan. Before he even arrived, he'd already devoured several books about the province.

In Yunnan's capital Kunming, he made sure to visit Yuantong Temple, a 1,200-year-old Buddhist site. "Here, an ancient temple gazes calmly across at a high-rise 100 meters away," Antonio observes. "That's the China I came to understand."

Antonio says his itinerary will take him from northwest Yunnan all the way to the south, with stops in Dali to try ethnic tiedye, Lijiang to explore ancient Naxi dwellings, Shangri-La to view the sunrise over the snowcapped peaks, and Yuanyang to take in the breathtaking vista of its famed rice terraces.

For Bilal Badri, a Dutch visitor, the journey to Chongqing was inspired by a video game, Cyberpunk 2077. At an observation deck perched on top of a skyscraper, he stepped out over the edge in a safety harness, striking poses against the city's dazzling nightscape for what he called a "once-in-a-lifetime shot".

"The whole city looked very cyberpunk," he says, adding that Chongqing's layered, one-of-a-kind experiences invite travelers to discover it in ways far beyond the usual sightseeing.

Similar stories can be seen across the country. This summer's surge in travel to China is a vivid snapshot of the country's sustained inbound tourism boom. Data from the National Immigration Administration show that in the first half of this year, China recorded 22.91 million inbound foreign visits, up 20.4 percent year-on-year, with 77.7 percent of foreign travelers enjoying visa-free entry facilitation.

"A China that pursues peaceful development, buzzes with innovation, and pulses with cultural richness is winning ever-greater trust and recognition around the world," Chinese Foreign Ministry representative Lin Jian told a regular news briefing in late July. "We welcome more international friends to come and feel the warmth and vitality of a Chinese summer for themselves."

XINHUA