Bama: longevity county
Drive south of Wudang to get to the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. There you will reach Bama near the Vietnamese border, where residents enjoy the longest life expectancy in China.
The county has claimed an inordinate number of centenarians, including one said to be 113 years old. With a population of 250,000, Bama has 74 centenarians, or about one for every 3,400 people, according to Luo Ronghui, a local tourism official. That's a far higher incidence than in the U.S. or even in Japan, which enjoys one of the longest average life expectancies in the world.
One of the possible reasons for their longevity is that residents in Bama still drink water from the rivers, which come directly from springs. Thus, there is no need to hesitate about the river water served on the dinner table when travelling here.
The longevity villages, with their stone or mud-brick houses and tile roofs, make for a scenic afternoon walk. The Hundred Demon Cave, a network of caverns with immense rock hangings, is like a vast sculpture gallery. It is linked with the outside roads with 2.5 miles of illuminated concrete walkways invested in by the local government with railings on steep portions. Unlike many other scenic spots in the country, the place is actually much quieter and far less crowded.
Residents near the cave, however, have made full use of the place with morning exercises and mah-jongg games. Joining them for a couple days here adds years to your life -- or at least that's what elderly natives and hopeful visitors in this remote place contend.
Bazhou: hot spring spa location
We can probably say that Bazhou probably is the most relaxing city to go to near Beijing due to its famous hot spring spa resorts.
Located 80 miles south of Beijing, Bazhou is renowned for its 500 square meters of geothermal hot springs. The 22 billion stere of hot water reserved underground contains multiple healthy microelements including silicon, lithium, and selenium, just to name a few. What appears more appealing is the sodium bicarbonate in the spring that is effective in moistening the skin.
After a comfortable dip in the hot spring, you may spare an evening in the local memorial hall, where quite a few folk operas are regularly performed.
A bonus to visiting the city is to see the ancient town Shengfang. Visitors flocking to the town usually won't miss one of the most well-known local snacks of lotus root starch. Only one or two days in the city can cure your stressed nerves for sure.
