Enjoying a cooler summer in Pingnan

( chinadaily.com.cn )

Updated: 2013-08-08

A swarm of tourists hit Pingnan county, Fujian province, Friday morning like a bunch of locusts to bathe in its enjoyable climate and the pleasant, moist breezes, especially after a sprinkling of rain, with one person from Fuzhou commenting, “It’s amazing that it’s so cool here. Last night I had to sleep with a quilt.”

Many people were coming to escape the extreme heat still lingering in the provincial cities of Fuzhou and Ningde.

The area’s Baishuiyang scenic spot has seen a whopping 1.35 million tourists in the Jan - July period, a 79.3-percent increase over last year’s same period. And tourism industry revenues have taken a corresponding jump, at 946 million yuan ($155 million), up 79.7 percent year-on-year.

Pingnan has an average altitude of 830 meters above sea level, which has given it a reputation of being a sort of natural air conditioner. It has also done quite a bit to protect its forested areas, and has a coverage rate of 75.4 percent. And it has water-related scenic spots and convenient transportation, so it’s the perfect choice for people suffering from the heat, especially urban heat.

Edited by Lin Hong and Roger Bradshaw