Take the high-speed rail directly to avoid the crowds on May Day! Small cities

If you are looking for a **high-speed rail direct**, **crowd-free**, **low-cost** and **slow-paced** city travel guide, here are some recommended destinations for the May Day holiday, combining high-speed rail convenience with a comfortable travel experience: **1️⃣. Quanzhou, Fujian** **✨Recommendation reason**: Half of the city is bustling with people and the other half is fairyland, with a strong Minnan culture, fewer tourists and low consumption. **🚄High-speed rail direct**: Quanzhou Station (about 1 hour from Fuzhou/Xiamen) **Core gameplay**: - **West Street** (Southern Fujian ancient houses + authentic snacks) - **Xiepu Village** (experience the hairpin flower circle and take photos of the fisherwoman style) - **Luoyang Bridge** (ancient bridge from the Song Dynasty, beautiful sunset) **🍱Food recommendations**: Vermicelli soup, ginger duck, four-fruit soup **🏠Accommodation suggestion**: West Street B&B, 100-200 yuan per person per night **2️⃣. Shaoxing, Zhejiang** **✨Recommendation reason**: Jiangnan water town, the hometown of Lu Xun, the fragrance of rice wine, suitable for slow travel. **🚄High-speed rail direct**: Shaoxing North Station (30 minutes from Hangzhou) **Core attractions**: - **Lu Xun's hometown** (free, experience the Baicao Garden in the textbook) - **Anchang Ancient Town** (uncommercialized water town) - **Hometown of the Sage of Calligraphy** (Former Residence of Wang Xizhi, Literary Alley) **🍱Food recommendations**: Rice wine milk tea, stinky tofu, fennel beans **🏠Accommodation suggestion**: B&B in the old town, 150 yuan per person per night **3️⃣. Chongzuo, Guangxi** **✨Recommendation reason**: The secret place on the China-Vietnam border, the Detian cross-border waterfall is stunning, and there are fewer tourists. **🚄High-speed rail direct**: Chongzuo South Station (1.5 hours from Nanning) **Core gameplay**: - **Detian Waterfall** (the largest transnational waterfall in Asia) - **Mingshi Countryside** (cycling + bamboo rafting, picturesque landscape) - **Taiping Ancient City** (Zhuang style night scene) **🍱Food recommendations**: Vietnamese rice noodle rolls, roast suckling pig **🏠Accommodation suggestion**: Mingshi Countryside B&B, 200 yuan per person per night - **4️⃣. Qingdao, Shandong** **✨Recommendation reason**: Coastal city, European-style architecture + blue sea and blue sky, fewer tourists before May Day. **🚄High-speed rail direct**: Qingdao Station/Qingdao North Station (4 hours in Beijing, 1.5 hours in Jinan) **Core attractions**: - **Badaguan** (Phoenix tree + old house) - **Wheat Island** (few people, beautiful scenery, great sunset) - **Laoshan** (mountains and sea, a good place for hiking) **🍱Food recommendations**: Spanish mackerel dumplings, spicy fried clams **🏠Accommodation suggestion**: Youth hostel/B&B in Shinan District, 150 yuan per person per night **5️⃣. Pu'er, Yunnan** **✨Recommendation reason**: The world's tea source, tropical rainforest + ancient tea garden, few tourists. **🚄High-speed rail direct**: Pu'er Station (Kunming high-speed rail 3 hours) **Core gameplay**: - **Jingmai Mountain Ancient Tea Forest** (Thousand-year-old tea trees, surrounded by clouds and mist) - **Xiaoaozi Coffee Manor** (Yunnan boutique coffee experience) - **Nakeli Tea Horse Road** (Horse Caravan Cultural Town) **🍱Food recommendations**: Sour bamboo shoots chicken, Wa chicken rice **🏠Accommodation suggestion**: Jingmai Mountain B&B, 200 yuan per person per night **6️⃣. Qingyuan, Guangdong** **✨Recommendation reason**: Guangzhou's back garden, landscape + hot springs, suitable for relaxation. **🚄High-speed rail direct**: Qingyuan Station (40 minutes from Guangzhou) **💗Core attractions**: - **Gulong Gorge** (Glass Bridge + Rafting) - **Yingxi Peak Forest** (karst landform hiking) - **Sempora Hot Spring** (forest pool) **🍱Food recommendations**: Qingyuan chicken, Beijiang river seafood **🏠Accommodation suggestion**: Hot spring hotel, 300 yuan per person per night **7️⃣. Henan Kaifeng** **✨Recommendation reason**: The ancient capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, immersive experience in Qingming Riverside Park, low consumption. **🚄High-speed rail direct**: Kaifeng North Station (20 minutes from Zhengzhou) **Core gameplay**: - **Qingming Riverside Park** (live performance + ancient costume travel) - **Kaifeng Mansion** (Restoration of the scene where Bao Gong judged a case) - **Gulou Night Market** (snack gathering place) **🍱Food recommendations**: Soup dumplings, carp baked noodles **🏠Accommodation suggestion**: Economy hotel in the ancient city, 150 yuan per person per night **Summarize** These cities have direct high-speed rail access, low consumption, and fewer tourists, making them suitable for slow-paced travel during the May Day holiday. suggestion: ✅ **Book tickets in advance** (high-speed rail tickets are tight on May 1st) ✅ **Visit during off-peak hours** (leave early and return late to avoid crowds) ✅ **Travel light** (backpack + comfortable shoes)