Explore China - 30 Most Beautiful Counties in China

The China Institute of City Competitiveness (CICC) released a list of the 30 most beautiful counties in China for the year 2014, with Yangshuo in Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region topping the list.

The 30 counties are credited for their excellence in planning and design, historical landscape, good maintenance of ancient sites, rich cultural heritage, beautiful natural scenery and the reputation of its service among the public. The CCIC committee also used 85 indicators of three levels in the comprehensive selection process.

Here is the full list:

1. Yangshuo county (阳朔县), Guangxi

2. Fenghuang Ancient Town (凤凰县古城), Hunan

3. Tonglu county (桐庐县), Zhejiang

4. Wuyuan county (婺源县), Jiangxi

5. Gyantse County (江孜县), Tibet

6. Daocheng county ( 稻城县), Sichuan

7. Dunhuang county (炖煌), Gansu

8. Buerjin county (布尔津), Xinjiang

9. Libo county (荔波县), Guizhou

10. Xunyang county (旬阳县), Shaanxi

11. Taining county (泰宁县), Fujian

12. Shou county (寿县), Anhui

13. Dapu county (大埔县), Guangdong

14. Jianshui county (建水县), Yunnan

15. Pingyao county (平遥), Shanxi

16. Zhongxiang county (钟祥), Hubei

17. Penglai county (蓬莱), Shandong

18. Siyang county (泗阳县), Jiangsu

19. Tengchong county (腾冲县), Yunnan

20. Suifenhe city ( 绥芬河), Heilong Jiang

21. Tongren county (同仁县), Qinghai

22. Linjiang county (临江), Jilin

23. Xinglong county (兴隆县), Hebei

24. Xinbin county (新宾县), Liaoning

25. Yanqing county (延庆县), Beijing

26. Weishan county (微山县), Yunnan

27. Anxi county (安溪县), Fujian

28. Kangding county (康定县), Sichuan

29. Shangcheng county (商城县), Henan

30. Duolun county (多伦县), Inner Mongolia

Yangshuo

No 1 - Yangshuo in Guangxi tops the list of the 30 most beautiful counties in China for the year 2014 released by China Institute of City Competitiveness. [Photo/IC]


Fenghuang

No 2 - Fenghuang Ancient Town in Central China's Hunan province ranks second among the 30 most beautiful counties in China for the year 2014 released by China Institute of City Competitiveness. [Photo/IC]


tonglu-zhejiang

No 3. - Tonglu county, Zhejiang


Wuyuan

No 4 - Photo taken on Jan 19,2013 shows the scene at dawn after a rainfall in Shicheng village, Wuyuan county, East China's Jiangxi province. Wuyuan ranked fourth among the 30 most beautiful counties in China for the year 2014 released by China Institute of City Competitiveness. [Photo/Xinhua]


Gyantse

No 5 - Gyantse County, Tibet


Daocheng
No 6 - Daocheng, a county in the Southwest of Sichuan province, is mainly inhabited by Tibetans. Surrounded by snow mountains and forests, Daocheng is often referred to as "the last pure land in our blue planet." The county ranked sixth among the 30 most beautiful counties in China for the year 2014 released by China Instituteof City Competitiveness[Photo/Xinhua]

Mingsha

No 7 - Tourists riding on camels visit the scenic spot of the Mingsha Mountain in Dunhuang city, Northwest China's Gansu province, July 13, 2014. Dunhuang ranked seventh among the 30 most beautiful counties in China for the year 2014 released by China Institute of City Competitiveness. [Photo/Xinhua]


burqin-xinjiang-ran_cai

No 8 - Buerjin county, Xinjiang


libo-guizhou-enn_hui

9. Libo county, Guizhou


xunyang-shaanxi-sullivan_ma

10 - Xunyang county, Shaanxi


Pingyao

No 15 - Tourists visit Pingyao County in North China's Shanxi province, Aug 1, 2014. Pingyao is among the 30 most beautiful counties in China for the year 2014 released by China Institute of City Competitiveness. [Photo/Xinhua]


Heshun

No 19 - Photo taken on Apr 16, 2013 shows the scenery of the ancient townlet Heshun in Tengchong county, Southwest China's Yunnan province. Tengchong is among the 30 most beautiful counties in China for the year 2014 released by China Institute of City Competitiveness. [Photo/Xinhua]


Honghe

No 23 - Tourists drift down a stream on Honghe River in Dashuiquan Township of Xinglong county, North China's Hebei province, Aug 27, 2014. Xinglong is among the 30 most beautiful counties in China for the year 2014 released by China Institute of City Competitiveness. [Photo/Xinhua]


Weishan

No 26 - A street is seen in Weishan county, Southwest China's Yunnan province, April 18, 2011. Weishan is among the 30 most beautiful counties in China for the year 2014 released by China Institute of City Competitiveness. [Photo/Xinhua] 


Mugecuo

No 28 - Photo taken on Oct 16, 2013 shows the autumn scenery of Mugecuo, a lake in Kangding county, Southwest China's Sichuan province. Kangding is among the 30 most beautiful counties in China for the year 2014 released by China Institute of City Competitiveness. [Photo/Xinhua]


Shangcheng

29. Shangcheng county, Hena


Doulun1

 30. Duolun county, Inner Mongolia

Source - china daily