Editor's note: It's mid-July and the summer temperatures are at their worst. Beaches are crowded and the pools are packed. Even though there are sun worshippers out there who love baking in the heat, at some point everyone needs to chill out. How about using those summer vacation days still left on the calendar, to visit a chillier, dare we say, cold weather destination instead of one that requires a portable fan or umbrella?

Some cities in China manage to stay cool even in the summer months. Check out this list of the seven places China Daily readers recommend to escape the heat. If you have other options, please let us know.

Changbai Mountain

The most beautiful part of Changbai Mountain is undoubtedly Tianchi, or Heavenly Lake. You will notice a very interesting phenomenon while walking along Heavenly Lake. On many occasions it is common for sunshine and rain to occur at the same time. It may rain very hard one minute, but then the sun shines warmly the next. Sometimes, you can even see rain in the west and sunshine in the east. [Photo/VCG]