Reverse travel in August-September! These 4 places make "budget travel" exciting

Friends~ Are you scared off by the price hikes in Sanya/Dali during summer vacation? Don’t worry! This thrifty travel blogger has dug up 4 "off-season treasure spots" where you can enjoy fewer crowds, beautiful scenery, and save money in August-September. Spend just over 200 yuan per day and have a blast—working people can easily achieve the freedom of a "paid vacation"! [RoundNails] Quanzhou, Fujian | 2000 yuan for 5 days, eat your fill in the ancient city without guilt Why go off-season? [Bowknot] Avoid the crowds of May Day/Golden Week, fewer typhoons in August-September, and the 28°C sea breeze is even more comfortable than air conditioning. The key is accommodation is half the price of peak season! - [HighSpeedRail] Transportation: High-speed train directly to Quanzhou Station, use buses/shared bikes in the city, and rent a small electric scooter for 10 yuan to explore the ancient city all afternoon. - Itinerary & Highlights: 1. Day 1: Stroll and eat on West Street, visit Kaiyuan Temple in the morning to see the thousand-year-old mulberry tree, climb East and West Towers in the afternoon for panoramic views of the ancient city, and catch the "Bell Tower Sunset" on West Street in the evening—every snapshot looks vintage and cinematic. 2. Day 2: Become a "flower girl" in Xunpu Village, rent a costume and headpiece for 20 yuan, take photos by fishing boats on the beach—10 times more cost-effective than a photo shoot! Don’t miss the "Grandma’s Spring Rolls" at the village entrance, 5 yuan packed with filling. 3. Day 3: Visit Chongwu Ancient City by the sea, tickets only 40 yuan. Walk on the Ming Dynasty city walls and enjoy the sea breeze. In the evening, go to Crescent Bay to walk on the beach—so few people you can have the whole sea to yourself. - Accommodation & Food [House]: Stay near West Street in a guesthouse, 150-200 yuan per night for a room with a small balcony; must-try foods: Mianxian porridge (with vinegar meat and large intestine for only 8 yuan), ginger duck (half a duck for 50 yuan enough for two), and Tusu jelly (don’t be afraid! It’s chewy like jelly). - Budget [Purse]: About 2000 yuan for 5 days and 4 nights (including transport, accommodation, and food). - Tips [Pushpin]: Rent costumes from the aunt’s stall at Xunpu Village entrance, avoid "internet-famous" shops; apply sunscreen well, UV rays by the sea are very strong! [RoundNails] Linxia, Gansu | The overlooked "Little Lanzhou" with great value Why go off-season [Bowknot]: Fewer people than Lanzhou, cheaper than Dunhuang, average temperature 25°C in August-September, enjoy food and sightseeing without suffering, and avoid high-priced flights during Northwest China’s peak season! - Transportation [HighSpeedRail]: Fly to Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport, then take a 1-hour high-speed train to Linxia. Taxi starting fare is 6 yuan, convenient to get around. - Itinerary & Highlights [Bowknot]: 1. Day 1: Explore the ancient city at Bafang Shisan Alley, with blue-green brick carvings perfect for photos, free entry! In the afternoon, have tea at Hongyuan, 10 yuan for a cup of "Sanpao Tai," relaxing in the sun. 2. Day 2: Visit Liujiaxia Reservoir and Bingling Temple Grottoes, join a local day tour for only 150 yuan, take a boat to see the "plateau lake," fewer crowds than Mogao Caves, and get close to the Buddha statues. - Accommodation & Food [House]: Stay near Bafang Shisan Alley in a hotel, 180 yuan per night for a four-star standard; must-eat "Hezhou hand-pulled lamb," 50 yuan per jin, freshly cooked and sliced, delicious with garlic! Also try sweet fermented milk tea, 10 yuan a cup, better than some popular brands. - Budget [Purse]: About 1500 yuan for 3 days and 2 nights (including Lanzhou-Linxia transport). - Tips [Pushpin]: Northwest dishes are large portions, one dish and one soup for two people is enough; wear long sleeves at Liujiaxia, it’s windy on the boat. [RoundNails] Pu’er, Yunnan | Avoid Dali and Lijiang, hide in a "natural oxygen bar" Why go off-season [Bowknot]: August-September is Pu’er’s rainy season, but showers come and go quickly, the air is super fresh, room prices are 30% cheaper than Dali, and you can experience "tea picking freedom"! - Transportation [HighSpeedRail]: Fly to Pu’er Simao Airport, taxi starting fare 8 yuan, carpool to tea mountains recommended (about 20 yuan per person). - Itinerary & Highlights [Bowknot]: 1. Day 1: Explore and eat at Chama Ancient Town, free entry! In the afternoon, visit the China Pu’er Tea Expo Garden, 50 yuan ticket includes tea picking and making, and you can take home the tea you make. 2. Day 2: Visit Sun River Forest Park (aka "Little Panda Manor"), 60 yuan entrance, get close to feeding red pandas (bring apple slices, pandas are very friendly), walk the "jungle plank road" like wandering in a primeval forest. - Accommodation & Food [House]: Stay near Chama Ancient Town in a guesthouse, 160 yuan per night for a room with a small courtyard; must-eat "Pu’er barbecue," grilled chicken feet and wrapped enoki mushrooms, about 30 yuan per person to eat until full; also try "sour soup chicken," incredibly fresh! - Budget [Purse]: About 1800 yuan for 4 days and 3 nights. - Tips [Pushpin]: Bring a folding umbrella for the rainy season; wear light-colored clothes for tea picking, better for photos; red pandas are cute but don’t pull their tails! [RoundNails] Weihai, Shandong | Fewer people than Qingdao, seafood so cheap you can enjoy "scallop freedom" Why go off-season [Bowknot]: Qingdao Beer Festival is crowded in July, but Weihai has fewer tourists in August-September, seafood season just started, you can buy a jin of scallops for 10 yuan, and sea view rooms cost only 200 yuan per night! - Transportation [HighSpeedRail]: High-speed train directly to Weihai Station, take the "Coastal Loop Bus" for 1 yuan, ride from Weihai Station to the International Seaside Bathing Beach, enjoy the sea views all the way. - Itinerary & Highlights: 1. Day 1: Walk on the International Seaside Bathing Beach, free! Rent a bike in the afternoon (20 yuan/hour) for a coastal ride, pass "Torch 8th Street" and take photos like "Little Kamakura." 2. Day 2: Day trip to Liugong Island, tickets plus boat fare 130 yuan, visit the First Sino-Japanese War Museum, and see spotted deer (free feeding spots on the island). 3. Day 3: Explore Hanlefong for food, watch the sunset at Weihai Port in the evening, enjoy seafood at street stalls, about 50 yuan per person to eat until full. - Accommodation & Food [House]: Stay near the International Seaside Bathing Beach in a guesthouse, 200 yuan per night for a sea view room; buy seafood at "Emperor Palace Market," have restaurants cook it (processing fee 10-20 yuan), scallops, oysters, and razor clams, 100 yuan for three people is enough. - Budget [Purse]: About 2200 yuan for 5 days and 4 nights. - Tips [Pushpin]: Be careful cycling along the coast, some sections have no bike lanes; don’t buy too much seafood, eat it fresh on the spot! 💡Final thoughts: Reverse travel is not "settling," it’s doing big things with little money! Don’t blindly follow the crowd to popular spots in August-September and be a "big spender." These 4 places are tested to be fun and budget-friendly. Students can save pocket money, workers can take annual leave and go. Save this guide and set off!