Six scenic spots across Jiangsu province, including two in Nantong, will be upgraded to national 4A-level tourist attractions, according to an announcement by the provincial department of culture and tourism on Dec 11.

The two Nantong sites are the Penjing Daguan in Rugao International Garden City and Nantong Forest Safari Park.

Various bonsai are on display at the Penjing Daguan in Rugao International Garden City. [Photo/WeChat account: rugaofabu]

The Penjing Daguan in Rugao International Garden City was created by leading local gardening company Rugao World of Plantings at a cost of 1.5 billion yuan ($217.35 million).

It consists of five areas for recreation, conferences and exhibitions, training, headquarters, and tourist services and aims to become a world-class travel destination combining natural scenery and culture.

White tigers play in the water at Nantong Forest Safari Park. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

The Nantong Forest Safari Park, located at No 299 Tongliu Road, Chongchuan district, covers an area of more than 200 hectares and is home to nearly 20,000 wild animals and 300 different species. 

The park is a massive tourism complex featuring sightseeing, circus performances, recreation and science education. 

It is divided into three areas for drive-throughs, walking and boating. The drive-through area is located in the south of the park and gives visitors the chance to see the animals roam freely. The walking area is in the north and gives visitors a close look at rare wild animals including pandas, Asian elephants and pumas. The boating area is in the west and is mainly home to water birds such as oriental white storks and black-neck swans.

Nantong currently has 11 scenic areas ranked at the national 4A level and above. The other nine are the Haohe River scenic area, Langshan Mountain scenic area, Seyuan Garden, Zhou Ji Green Expo Garden, Zhang Jian Cultural Tourist Site, Dearshiqiao Home Textile Museum, Shuihui Garden, Memorial Hall of the 14th Army of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants Red Army, and Jianghuai Culture Park.