Ya'an

Mengding Mountain, within Ya'an's territory, is recorded as the earliest site in the world where tea was cultivated, making this large Sichuan city a significant stop on any journey through China's tea history. Positioned where the Sichuan Basin meets the Tibetan Plateau, Ya'an sits along the Sichuan-Tibet highway and has long served as a gateway between lowland China and Tibet. The city is also one of Sichuan's main giant panda habitats and is known locally as the "rainy city" for its persistently wet climate.

• Population612,056
• Nearest water0.3 km