Chongqing - I'm not sure how many people still remember this, but Chongqing is actually the hottest of China's "Four Stove Cities," which generally also includes the cities of Wuhan, Hangzhou, and Nanchang. Chongqing is famous in China for its burning summertime temperatures.

Luckily, for those of you who haven't decided on where to go and spend your holidays to avoid the sweltering summer heat, the Municipal Culture and Tourism Development Commission has recommended a list of four cooling places, including Banan District, Fengdu County, Xiushan Tujia, and Miao Autonomous County, and Wansheng Economic and Technological Development Zone, according to a press conference on the coming summer tourism season held in Wansheng's Black Valley scenic spot on June 24.

No. 1: Banan District

Centered on its abundant Summer specialty tourism resources, Banan District mainly recommended four tourist routes for people to experience rafting, low altitude flying, off-road racing, and enjoy tranquil rural lifestyles at the countryside farmhouses.

You can choose to live in various bed & breakfast guesthouses, including those built on the edge of a cliff, refurnished from a traditional courtyard residence, or decorated from a local rural family house, Yunlin Tianxiang Scenic Spot at the foot of the Tianping Mountain. 

There are also places for you to enjoy the Banan-style rafting, low-altitude flying, and mountain off-road racing at the tourist areas of Longxu Gorge, Haoyu Air Base, Shengdeng Mountain, Foying Gorge, and Shilong Town. Or maybe you would rather spend your days exploring the folk cultures at Fengsheng Ancient Town, Color Forest, and Pudong Ancient Town.

No. 2: Fengdu County

Famously known as the "Ghost City" in China, Fengdu boasts tons of national AAAA-level scenic areas such as the Nantian Lake, "China's Most Beautiful Cave" Xueyu Cave tourist spot, "Nine-Tiered Sky" Jiuchongtian tourist spot. The Shuanggui Mountain National Forest Park, Longhe National Demonstration River/Lake, Niuqian Gorge Rafting, and the Jiangchi Hengliang scenic spots have attracted an increasing number of tourists.

No. 3: Xiushan Tujia and Miao Autonomous County

Located in southeastern Chongqing and bordering Hunan and Hubei provinces, Xiushan is hailed as the "Pearl City of Wuling Mountain" and the "Smaller Chengdu City" for its unique geographical location and abundant tourism resources.

For many coming here for the first time, the "Hong'an Frontier City" would most definitely go on top of their lists for its other lesser-known nickname - the No.1 First Love City of China. More and more of China's younger generation, especially those who spend a lot of their time on social apps such as Weibo and Douban, are swarming here to find, remember, or commemorate their first loves.

No. 4: Wansheng Economic and Technological Development Zone

Though a relatively new economic and technological development zone in Chongqing, Wansheng has successfully established itself as one of the most popular tourist destinations on short-video sharing social app Douyin, the domestic version of ByteDance's Tik Tok. Among the most famous scenic spots in Wansheng is the Dream Ordovician Theme Park, which welcomes tons of internet celebrities to shoot short videos of themselves walking on the world's longest cantilevered glass footbridge, swinging on the 18-meter-radius cliffside swing built on the verge of a 300-meter precipice, and bungee-jumping off of a terrifying platform.

This is probably the city's most exciting place for people to test their nerves and exhale their pressures by living out some of their most horrendous nightmares.

Chongqing is said to launch this year's summer tourism season with more than 200 culture and tourism activities and a host of preferential policies for local citizens and visiting tourists to appreciate the beauties of the mountain city better and to fully experience the local cultures and customs at the various tourist areas in the city's peripheral counties and districts.