The rural vitalization strategy proposed at the CPC's 19th National Congress held in October 2017 has promoted the development the rural tourism of Tai'an, Shandong province. Here is a rundown of some of the best villages in the area to visit.

1. Qijiatan Village

Qijiatan Village, located at the foot of the Qingshan Peak of Mount Tai, is a provincial featured tourism village.

With a forest coverage rate of more than 80 percent, the village has the reputation of the "green valley of Mount Tai". A total of eight picking gardens, including for cherries, kiwi fruits, Chinese chestnuts, nuts, hawthorns, peaches, and apricots, are situated along both sides of the 4,500-meter-long touring road of the village.

Additionally, the stunning scenery makes the village a great location for those who like to paint nature.

Location: Shengzhuang Town, Taishan district, Tai'an, Shandong province

Qijiatan Village. [Photo/WeChat account: SDTXTA]

Daheyu Village, with its beautiful natural scenery and richness in natural resources, is renowned for its planting of the kiwi fruit, which is available for people to pick from early September until October.

The village has been planting the kiwi fruit for about 30 years, and has earned the nickname the "No 1 Village of Kiwi Fruit".

Apart from the kiwi fruit, there are also cherries, Chinese chestnuts, nuts, and hawthorns available to pick for visitors.

Location: Shengzhuang town, Taishan district, Tai'an, Shandong province

A visitor picks kiwi fruits at Daheyu Village. [Photo/WeChat account: SDTXTA]