"I've come to nature's air conditioner."

That was the reaction of a Spanish tourist visiting southwest China's Yunnan Province this summer. Before arriving, he had been enduring temperatures of around 40 degrees Celsius. But when his flight landed in Kunming and he stepped out into the breeze, the relief was immediate. His trip in search of cooler weather had proved well worth it.

This summer, as heat waves swept across many parts of the world, an increasing number of foreign tourists are heading to China to escape the heat.

In places such as Zhangjiajie in central China's Hunan Province, where mountain scenery creates a natural cooling effect, and the water town in "Jiangnan," the scenic region south of the Yangtze River, where visitors can enjoy the slower pace of life by the canals, cool weather has become part of the travel experience itself. Local specialties and products that help people beat the heat add to the appeal.

But the "cool" in "China Cool" goes beyond the weather. It also comes from the variety of experiences available to visitors. They can listen to the bells of an ancient temple at dawn, learn traditional crafts from artisans, take a high-speed train to another city, or simply order a late-night meal with a few taps on a smartphone. Such everyday experiences showcase China where tradition, convenience and modern life coexist.

A foreign tourist takes photos at Shibanjie ancient street tourism area in Duyun City, southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 25, 2026. Thanks to the visa-free entry policies, China has witnessed an increasing number of foreign tourists visiting China this summer. According to the official data, 77.7 percent of foreign visitors entering China in the first half of the year enjoyed visa-free entry policies. (Photo by Xiao Wei/Xinhua)

Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Congxiao

Editor Ⅱ: Zhang Wenwen

Editor Ⅲ: Pan Kaiyue