The Zhangye Danxia landform is a feast for the eyes that one must experience in person, and witnessing the sunset over Danxia is a sight to behold!

Zhangye Danxia - Zhangye City Here's the conclusion: Zhangye Danxia is definitely worth a visit, and the sunset is well worth the wait! It's perfect for photographers, geography enthusiasts, or just tourists seeking a visual spectacle. Zhangye Danxia Travel Guide: The scenic area has a total of 4 viewing platforms, which you need to visit in turn by taking the scenic area's sightseeing bus. (If you're short on time, you can choose to only get off at some of the viewing points) 1. Colorful Fairyland Advantages: It's the first viewing platform after entering the scenic area, with colors almost as vibrant as the 4th platform, and a short walking distance after getting off the bus. The highest point of the viewing platform offers a great panoramic spot. 2. Colorful Cloud Sea Advantages: The terrain is relatively high, allowing for an overlooking view of the Danxia landform. Disadvantages: The colors here are relatively monotonous, mainly for appreciating the texture of the Danxia landform. If you're really pressed for time, I personally think you can skip it. 3. Colorful Brocade Advantages and Disadvantages: The 3rd viewing platform has a long tour route, but the scenery along the way is actually better than that from the viewing platform itself. 4. Colorful Rainbow Advantages: The most colorful viewing platform of Danxia, and it faces directly east. During sunset, the sun casts its rays from behind, further deepening the colors of the Danxia in front, which is very beautiful. Disadvantages: Everyone knows that the 4th platform is beautiful, so it's very crowded, especially during sunset, reminiscent of the crowds at the Great Wall of Beijing during the National Day holiday. Tips: 1. For better photos, it's best to wait for the sunset. The colors are not as splendid under the strong noon light as they are under the sunset. (For reference, compare the light difference between p1-3 vs p4, with p4 being the noon time, the light is much harsher) 2. Many online guides suggest heading straight for the 4th viewing platform, but I personally feel that each viewing platform has its own highlights, such as the geological landscape of the 2nd platform and the distant views along the 3rd platform, which are surprises for photographers. 3. Clothing recommendation: Don't wear clothes with too many patterns; simple solid colors are best. I encountered a young lady in a black and dark red sundress, as well as a couple dressed in a retro American style, and they looked amazing. 4. If you are driving yourself, after coming down from the 4th viewing platform, you need to take the sightseeing bus back to the original entrance to find the parking lot, so be aware of whether you entered through the west or north gate. To be honest, the real Danxia landform is not as dazzling as the pictures on the internet. The quality of the photos depends largely on the weather, framing, post-processing, and many other factors. But for a place that has only existed in books, seeing it with your own eyes brings a sense of awe that pictures can't match. With this mindset, I began to understand that travel is about the experience!