Breathtaking views

Wuhan may be one of China's fastest-growing cities, but the region around it is one of the country's most storied and naturally beautiful.

There are two national parks within a few hours' drive to the south, Jiugongshan and Lushan. Also, a bit farther away, on the border to Chongqing, is Shennongjia, one of the area's most breathtaking and diverse natural reserves.

The urbanisation of Wuhan reflects the economic growth that allows for much greater mobility for the middle class in the municipality.

Jiugongshan, about a two-hour drive south near the city of Xianning, is a forested mountain park that forms part of the border with Jiangxi province to the south. The mountain range has been an important summer retreat for generations of aristocrats and scholars. The park is dotted with lakes and small streams, and dramatic waterfalls, such as the 420-metre-high Dayatou Falls, keeping temperatures low for citizens escaping the summer heat. The park has been developed for tourism, so the paths are clearly marked and footpaths lead visitors around the park and up the peaks for views of the lush, evergreen forest and the tiny, white streams that course through the park.

Lushan National Park, a Unesco Heritage Site since 1996, is one of China's most famous mountains. Although located within Jiangxi province, the national park is easily accessible via road from Wuhan - about a four-hour drive - and many locals make the trip during the summer to get away, or during the autumn to watch the colours change across Lushan's forested mountainsides.

Far to the west, bordering Chongqing, are the Daba Mountains and the Shennongjia Forest District, one of China's few protected forest areas. Shennongjia lies about eight hours away from Wuhan, but the wild forests and rivers of this botanist's paradise are worth the trip.