Plannin Peace Out Nanning

One of China's frontier cities, Nanning remains blissfully undiscovered by the tourist hordes. The enchanting city, bordering Southeast Asia, has somehow flown under the radar, offering a relaxing escape for the traveller seeking a blend of old and new.

- TIANA LI

For champions of slow travel, Nanning ticks all the boxes. The capital of Guangxi is half lush greenery, half urban jungle. A subtropical oasis, the sun graces the city almost all year round, creating the perfect condition for plant life to flourish. Many streets are lined with different varieties of trees: Almond, banyan and kapok, and fruit trees such as mango. The 12km-long stretch of Minzu Avenue feels like a forested road, lined with almond trees, royal palms, banyan trees, mango trees, and kapok trees. This green wave continues throughout the city. Locals particularly adore Qixing Road, billed as the city's "Most Beautiful Road", with the canopy of leafy branches forming a green corridor.

Taoyuan Road boasts tower-shaped trees with fragrant blossoms, while the foodie haven of Jianzheng Road, is famous for its 30-year-old camphor trees.

To get a bird's eye view of the city, climb Qingxiu Mountain which overlooks the Yong River. The mountain is not prohibitively high and exudes a serene beauty. It is home to the Longxiang Pagoda, originally built during the Ming Dynasty period, and demolished during World War II to prevent it becoming a target for enemy planes. Restored in 1986, the nine-story tower, adorned with green glazed tiles, stands tall at over 50m and is a sight to be hold.