Students in China are making the most of their summer holidays, and Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan province is once again proving a top destination.

Jiuzhaigou has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992. Covering more than 72,000 hectares and with altitudes approaching 5,000 meters, the area comprises a series of diverse ecosystems with spectacular waterfalls. Some 140 bird species also inhabit the area, as well as a number of endangered plant and animal species, including the giant panda and the Sichuan takin.

So far this July, Jiuzhaigou receives more than 15,000 tourists per day. Over half of these are students on holiday with their families, and the scenery that awaits them is breathtaking.

Qianshan Mountain, in Northeast China’s Liaoning province, is another top destination. It takes its name from the legend that there are 999 peaks, which from a distance look like green lotuses in the sky. The geological formation is nearly four billion years old.

A national park covering about 125 square kilometers, Qianshan has a deeply religious culture, where Buddhism and Taoism coexist in harmony. Its compliment of religious structures includes nine palaces, five major Buddhist temples, and 12 thatched nunneries.