达州市

Why this place

Dazhou is the eastern gate of Sichuan, where the province meets Chongqing and Shaanxi. Its Wufeng Mountain and the Ba Mountain country hold the 'Bamboo Sea' at Matou and the cliffs and rivers that the old Ba people lived in.

What to see

• The Matou bamboo valley — a bamboo forest with cliff paths
• The Ba people's cliff tombs in the surrounding valleys
• The Zhouhe and the old river towns of eastern Sichuan

What to eat

• Sichuan cooking; Dazhou is known for its 'dengying' beef and its cured pork
• The local 'yongxing' dried tofu

Best time

March–May and September–November