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Big Island Hawaii Blog

Family travel, Hawaii, Tropical, USA

Big Island, Hawaii: Volcanoes, Beaches, & Hidden Spots

Daphne / May 29, 2021

Explore the incredible Big Island of Hawaii in three unforgettable days, from black sand beaches and hidden freshwater pools to lush waterfalls, lava caves, sea turtles, and breathtaking sunsets atop Mauna Kea. Discover Daphne’s favorite family-friendly adventures and must-see hidden gems for an unforgettable Hawaiian getaway.

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@travelswithdaphne

Xianggong Mountain. In Xingping, Yangshuo, China.

Xianggong Mountain. In Xingping, Yangshuo, China. 100% worth the 4:30am alarm wake-up. I know it looks fake. But trust me, the view is this insane. >>>>
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#xianggong #xianggongmountain #xingping #yangshuo #chinatravelguide

Fully embracing my golden era. Cisco is also embr

Fully embracing my golden era.
Cisco is also embracing my golden era. 😂
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#yangshuo #guilin #chinatrip #chinatravels #goldenera

I am in my golden dragon era after all, so I had t

I am in my golden dragon era after all, so I had to travel halfway around the world to see the golden dragon parade in Yangshuo, China. 77 individual rafts, steered by 77 oarsman, create the glowing serpentine golden dragon that glides down the Yulong River under a night sky and fireworks. It was breathtaking!

#yangshuo #guilin #chinatravelguide #chinatravels #yangshuochina

FURONG ANCIENT TOWN About a 20 minute train ride f

FURONG ANCIENT TOWN
About a 20 minute train ride from Zhangjiajie, is this beautiful ancient village that dates back 2000 years. It was built on the cliffs surrounding a waterfall, which is at the center of the town. Many of the structures still retain the traditional Diaojiaolou (stilt-houses) style, which is what makes the town look so beautifully unique. But Furong really comes alive at night, when all the lanterns are lit and every building, street, and bridge are glowing….
Tip: for the most inexpensive and delicious dinner, try Yi Jie Shi Fu, a cozy, tiny restaurant that is run entirely by the sweetest antique, who makes all of the food from scratch herself right then.
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#furong #furongzhen #furongancienttown #chinatravels #chinatrip

…Also China. 😳 The 72 Wonder Tower in Zhangjiajie

…Also China. 😳
The 72 Wonder Tower in Zhangjiajie looks like something straight out of Bladerunner. Futuristic Asian cyberpunk structures sit directly alongside age-old geological wonders and ancient mountain temples in China. And I’m here for it all! 🤩
Is it worth the entry ticket? Yes! Inside, it’s built to emulate lantern-lit old Chinese streets and markets with craftsman and performers and tasty food stalls throughout. But just seeing the lasers shoot out of this crazy glowing building is worth it enough!
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#chinatravels #chinatrip #chinatravelguide #zhangjiajie #72wondertower

Tianmen Mountain (meaning Heaven’s Gate) is a famo

Tianmen Mountain (meaning Heaven’s Gate) is a famous landmark and spectacle of Zhangjiajie in China. It is home to the large natural cut-out in the mountain, known as Heaven’s Gate), the 999 steps leading up to it, the 99 road bends that curve up the entire mountain, and the Tianmen cable car, which is one of the longest in the world at 4.8 miles. It normally takes you from the Town center of Zhangjiajie all the way up to the top of the mountain with an elevation change of about 4190 feet.
Unfortunately, the cable car is currently undergoing some renovations, so it was closed when we went. Instead, you can take route C, which is the only route currently open. It takes you via a shorter cable way to the base of the 999 steps that lead up to heavens gate.
MY TIPS FOR VISITING:
1. There is a lot to see! Give yourself enough time on this mountain to visit various areas on the very top.
2. Take the 999 steps or the interior escalators up to the top of the mountain.
3. From there, we headed to the left towards the main cable car station (which is currently closed), and onward through the tunnel to Yunmeng Fairy Peak.
4. Taking the views from here, and then take the chairlift to Tianmen Mountain Village & Temple.
5. Make sure to check out the various levels of the temples, as they get more and more beautiful with each set of steps you take.
6. Follow the east path back around to the top of the escalators, along the hanging cliffside pathways. Insane views!
7. Take the 12 escalators back down to the base of heavens gate, and then the shorter cable car down from there.
8. There is a nightly show at the base of the mountain, called Fox fairies’s romance that starts after dark. We didn’t go, but our friend did and said it was entertaining in the mountain backdrop was beautiful.

The initial shorter cableway that you take as part of route C, from the base of the mountain up to the base of the 999 steps has gorgeous views.

Views from the cableway over Tongtian Avenue, which has a whopping 99 bends in it!

Be prepared to ride quite a few escalators! If you don’t want to climb the 999 steps, you can take the escalators instead. There are a total of 12 elevators t

We visited the incredible location in China that i

Would you jump?!?! This bungee off of the Glass Ca

Would you jump?!?! This bungee off of the Glass Canyon Bridge in Zhangjiajie is the second longest bungee in the world at 850+ feet. 😳🫣 The song you are listening to is exactly what was going through my head when I saw this incredibly brave (crazy?) individual fly off the platform, and bounce 850 feet later 😅. Only to drop and bounce again…. and again… And it only costs CNY 2,998 (approx $450USD) to have your heart stop for that moment in time. 😂 $150 (discounted price) if you go for a second time in the same day! 😂🤣 China, you are very entertaining!! ❤️
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#zhangjiajie #zhangjiajieglassbridge #zhangjiajiebungee #bungeejumping #bungeejump

Making a sugar animal at one of the street food s

Making a sugar animal at one of the street food stalls in Beijing!
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#chinatravels #chinatrip #beijing #sugaranimals #chinastreetfood

We had an amazing day visiting one of the new 7 Wo

We had an amazing day visiting one of the new 7 Wonders of the World. Here are my tips for a great experience when visiting the Great Wall of China:I
1. We chose to visit the Mutianyu section, because it is much less crowded than the Badaling section that is closer to Beijing. And it was worth the one hour 20 minute drive, without a doubt.
2. Get there as early as possible! It opens at 7:30 AM and we left Beijing shortly before 6 AM, which actually enabled us to grab a hot coffee and pastry at the base of the Great Wall to start off our morning
3. Take the chair lift first. When we arrived, there were zero crowds. We walked right on. Walk from Tower 6 to Tower 1 for no crowds, stunning views, and enjoy taking in the sun rising over the wall at a relaxed pace. The round-trip walk is less than a mile, (but there are some sections with incredibly steep and narrow steps.)
4. Take the toboggan down from Tower 6. If you head down at around 9:30 AM, there were again zero lines, and the ride is actually very fun!
5. If you have some more time to spend at the wall, next take the cable car up to tower 14. By the time we got there, at around 10 AM there were already quite a few people up on the wall. But we did not have to wait for the cable car.
6. The further you walk away from Tower 14, the less crowded it will be. If you’re able to get up to Tower 20, you can enjoy some more stunning views of the wall from an elevated point. You can walk back to 14 and take the cable car back down.
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#mutianyu #mutianyugreatwall #greatwallofchina #beijingtravel #chinatravel

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