BEIJING, April 15 -- The limelight is on low-carbon living, which has been fashionable for quite a while, and low-carbon travel is now gaining increasing popularity among travel lovers.

In contrast with luxurious travel, low-carbon travelers minimize their energy consumption and pollution while on trips, reflecting an awareness of protecting the environment.

These five destinations allow travelers to keep their carbon footprint small. Let's go and check them out!

Yan Zi Gou in southwest China's Sichuan Province (Photo: CRIENGLISH.com)

1. Yan Zi Gou (Swallow Cove)

Location: inside the famous Gong Gashan International Travel and Recreation Zone, 283 kilometers from Chengdu, capital city of Sichuan Province.

Reason: It established its reputation after being selected as the shooting site of the arks in the blockbuster 2012.

Yan Zi Gou has not been as well-known in western Sichuan's travel circuit until the disaster movie 2012 featured it as one of its settings. Glaciers, snow-topped mountains, forests with colorful leaves, and hot springs can all be found here, while the highlight is a 30-kilometer red stone shoal, whose origin is still a myth at present. The scenic zone calls for low-carbon travel concepts, so the sightseeing buses are reduced, and even the expanded walking path was built on the path villagers used as they went picking herbal medicine. In the scenic zone, disposable raincoats are no longer sold, and free raincoats are offered instead.

2. E Mei Mountain

E Mei Mountain in southwest China's Sichuan Province (Photo: CRIENGLISH.com)

Location: Southwest China's Sichuan Province

Reason: A pioneer in advocating low-carbon travel

Energy-saving measures have been widely adopted across the scenic zone. The forests have been well-protected, with the coverage percentage of E Mei Mountain kept over 95 percent through the years. March to June is the best season to appreciate rhododendrons on the mountain, while in spring, visitors can also enjoy picking spring tea and bamboo shoots.