China, one of the countries that can boast of an ancient civilization, has a long and mysterious history – almost 5,000 years of it! Like most other great civilizations of the world, China can trace her culture back to a blend of small original tribes which have expanded till they became the great country we have today.
China is one of the most diverse countries in the world, and it provides unique opportunities for exploring various and incomparable territories and objects. If you are planning to have a travel adventure there are so many China tourist places that are accessible for travellers. It boasts of the Great Wall and the Terracotta Army and more still in cities such as Shanghai of today. Whether you are in search of off-the-beaten-track wonders of the famous places in China, whatever your preference is, there is something for everybody.
You must be wondering whether you are in the right state for the most beautiful adventure of your life. Who wouldn’t want to take a walk in palaces, see magnificent mountains, or boating in a spectacular river? These are some of the best places to visit in China. This is so if it is your first time coming to China or if you are looking for new China tourist places and each place has its kind of fun. Explore some of the top 10 places to visit in China and let’s learn why this country is one of the most visited places in the world.
1.Beijing: The Capital City of the People’s Republic of China
Beijing is one of the four ancient cities of China (together with Xi’an, Luoyang, Nanjing), the best preserved, and famous around the world. The city is also known as a cradle of humanity. Beijing city was established over 3,000 years ago and was called Jin City in the Western Zhou Dynasty. During these 800 years, 34 emperors lived and ruled here. The world renowned Forbidden City was built during this period. The Chinese capital is a sprawling city where there’s a landmark, monument or UNESCO world heritage site everywhere. There have many ancient places for visit such as The Great Wall, The Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace and the traditional Courtyard residences that once dominated the city etc.
The Great Wall-Top Landmark of China
The Great Wall, One of the iconic symbols of China, it is the longest wall in the world, an awe-inspiring feat of ancient defensive architecture. Its winding path over a rugged country and steep mountains takes in some great scenery. It deserves its place among “the New Seven Wonders of the World” and the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China. The Great Wall is among the China tourist places of attraction that comprises over 13,000 miles of ancient walls that provide excellent views of the ancient fortifications. This monument is probably one of the most famous places in China and is highly recommended for visitors who are in for an interesting experience and history.
The Forbidden City
China’s largest and most important building, also known as the Imperial Palace, is situated in the very heart of Beijing and is a must-see when visiting the country. Started during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), much of the complex seen today was built between 1406 and 1420. Really many splendid palaces in one, this sprawling complex was the residence of 24 Ming and Qing Emperors whose presence forbade the entry of anyone other than the imperial family and their courtesans. It covering area about 720,000 square meters and protected by a 10-meter-high wall with watchtowers and a wide moat, this massive complex consists of areas set aside for ceremonial and administrative purposes, as well as a private residence used by the emperor. While it can take many hours to see everything, highlights include the five white marble Golden River Bridges; the Hall of Supreme Harmony, a 35-meter-tall building housing the imperial throne; and the exquisite emperor’s banquet hall (the Hall of Preserving Harmony). The Palace Museum with its large collection of art and artifacts from the Ming and Qing dynasties is another must see. Additional important attractions in the vicinity of the Imperial Palace include the famous Tiananmen Square, and the Temple of Heaven. One of the country’s most important religious sites, this impressive temple dates back to the 15th century.
2.Shanghai Municipality
Shanghai is the largest city in China by population size; it’s also the economic powerhouse city. Shanghai is famous for being the country’s most modern metropolis and offers a diversity of tourist attractions old and new. Boasting in excess of 24 million citizens, the city’s highlights include numerous world-class museums and art galleries, ranging from the excellent Shanghai Museum to the China Art Museum. There are also a surprising number of quiet green spaces, old temples, and pagodas.
The Bund is one of the most attractive and interesting tourist destinations in Shanghai. This place is not only famous for its modern skyscrapers, but also for its classical and neoclassical architectural works. All create a very unique intersection between the past and present. There’s a European influence here as the French and British occupied parts of the city during the 19th century, leaving their imprint on the architecture. On the Bund, for example, the clock-tower was modelled on Big Ben, while the leafy French Concession is dotted with grand mansions. This lovely pedestrian walkway runs along the west bank of the Huangpujiang River and is popular for its very distinctive European architecture. It’s an especially beautiful sight at night view. Also notable here is the beautiful Yu Garden (the garden of Happiness), with have many sufficient old buildings.
Additional things to do in Shanghai embrace spending time exploring it’s more modern attractions, such as the 468-meter-tall Oriental Pearl Radio and TV Tower with its excellent views over the river and city. Be sure to include the amusing Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, one of the country’s most visited science museums, on your itinerary, along with Shanghai Disney.
3.Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province
Xi’an is one of the oldest cities and the best known ancient capital in China. In its about 3,000 years’ history, 13 dynasties have founded their capitals there, including Western Zhou Dynasty.
And, as the city was the starting point of the Silk Road, Islamic influences can be seen in its Muslim quarter. Also there have numerous historical attractions places include are The Terracotta Army, Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, City Wall, Mt. Huashan. The Terracotta Army in Xi’an is one of the most astonishing China tourist places that one will ever come across. This is one of the most beautiful places that a visitor can never miss to have a look at. It contains several life-size clay warriors and chariots that were entombed with Emperor Qin Shi Huang. Even its one-time capital of China is a treasure trove of heritage attractions. Nearby and less well-known is Han Yang Ling, the mausoleum of Emperor Jing, which is filled with 2ft-high doll-like terracotta warriors. Meanwhile, Xi’an city wall is a tremendously well-preserved example of medieval fortification. This interesting and rather popular architectural site is one of the famous places in China, which may attract those interested in the progressive history of the country. Without any doubt, it’s one of the best places to visit in China for history enthusiasts.
4.Chengdu City, Sichuan Province
Chengdu is the biggest city of Sichuan Province. It’s locate the southwestern China, has been a heavenly land because of the mild climate and abundant resources. In particular, it is the home to giant pandas. You can see quite many of these lovely creatures of all ages at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, especially the baby pandas, which is what you cannot see in any place else. Chengdu is also one of wonderful places to see in China as the birthplace of ancient Shu civilization – the local culture that formed 3,000-5,000 years ago. Sanxingdui Museum, Jinsha Site Museum and Wuhou Temple are the spots for you to learn the local culture and civilization. The even more attractive thing in Chengdu is the numb and spicy Sichuan cuisine. Kung Pao Chicken, Ma Po Tofu, Sliced Pork in Hot Chili Oil, Hot Pot, and other more dishes would whet your desire to eat. Wide and Narrow Alley and Jinli Street are best spots to try the appetizing foods, as well as to taste the leisurely life of the local people. In addition, Mount Qingcheng and Dujiangyan Irrigation System are worth a visit as well, which can be reached by high speed train from Chengdu within about half an hour. Jiuzhaigou Valley is one of the serene China tourist places famous for its beautiful lakes, waterfalls, and the hues of the landscape. This is one of the world heritage sites that every photographer and nature lover would certainly love to tour in. It is one of the major places to go in China for two main activities which include hiking and nature walks.
5.Chongqing Municipality
Chongqing is the largest municipality in southwest China. It is a modern port city on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers. One of four municipalities managed by the central government (along with Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin), Chongqing special status has allowed it to flourish, a process evidenced by the towering and architecturally interesting skyscrapers that dominate its riverfront. The antithesis of all this modernity is Ciqikou Old Town, where you can get a taste of what the city looked like before the development. And before you float down the Yangtze on a river cruise, head to Dazu – unknown compared to the Longmen Grottoes, this Unesco world heritage site is home to over 10,000 rock carvings featuring Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian themes. Chongqing also known as the ‘Mountain City’, it has a wavy terrain and encompasses a wealth of water reserves, mineral resources, dense forests, and abundant flora and fauna. The city attracts visitors from home and abroad for its natural wonders and cultural heritage. As a common starting port for the Yangtze River cruise, tourists can go for a downstream tour to the magnificent Three Gorges, Chaotianmen Port, Jiefangbei Time Square, Hongya Cave, etc. Chongqing is not only a beautiful mountain city boasting wonderful landscapes, but also the China tour destination for food lovers. As an essential branch of Sichuan cuisine, Chongqing food also features spicy, numbing flavor, and tourists can enjoy a wonderful food tour in Chongqing as there is a great variety of local dishes and snacks to choose from, such as hot pot, Chongqing noodles, and spicy wontons.
6.Guangdong Province
Guangzhou is China’s third-largest city; it is the capital of Guangdong Province and a thriving commercial center. It’s located in the south-central part of Guangdong province, Guangzhou is a regional centre in southern China. The main part of the city is situated on the north bank of the Pearl River and proximity to Hong Kong has made Guangzhou a strategic port for centuries. It has found firm footing as a booming metropolis full of cutting-edge architecture, Guangzhou one of China’s most important trading ports with a colonial background and culturally diverse society, Glimpse old temples and gleaming steel towers on an architectural tour. Visit one of four Chimelong theme parks for thrills and chills. Once called Canton, Guangzhou is considered the home of traditional (read Cantonese) “Chinese food.” Guangzhou, with the nickname of the “City of Five Rams” or the “City of Flowers”, is a migrant city filled with flowers, modern high rises, delicate foods, and stylish boys and girls but yet keeps its traditional lifestyle in some parts. As a glamorous travel destination, Guangzhou owns a large number of tourist attractions, either focusing on natural landscapes or cultural heritages. History buffs always like to explore the Shamian Island with European flavor, the Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family showing the clan culture and history of Guangzhou, the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall in memory of the Father of Chinese modern democracy, and the Museum of the Western Han Dynasty Mausoleum of the Nanyue King, The White Cloud Mountain consisting of more than 30 peaks ranks as the most beautiful mountain in Guangzhou. The Yuexiu Park, where the landmark Five-Ram Sculpture is set, offers enchanting mountain and lake sceneries. At night, be sure to take a cruise on the Pearl River so that you will fully take in the charm of this dynamic city.
Shenzhen is a coastal city in the southern portion of the Guangdong Province, neighboring Daya Bay and Dapeng Bay to the east side, Pearl River Estuary and Lingdingyang to the west side, and Dongguan and Huizhou to the north side and Hong Kong to the south side. It is only 25 miles from Hong Kong. Benefiting from the superior location and China’s reform and opening-up policy, Shenzhen has become a modern and international metropolis since 1978. Called as ‘China Silicon’, today’s Shenzhen gathers more than 15,000 high-tech companies including Huawei, Lenovo and Tencent. It also becomes the innovation hub as a new generation of start-ups emerging, which makes it the most competitive and innovative city in China.
7.Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Hunan Province
Hunan Province is located in the middle of China and the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. It is named “Hunan” because most of its areas are located in the south of Dongting Lake and the abbreviation of Xiang is for the Xiangjiang River, the largest river in Hunan, running through the whole territory. With a long history, Hunan has many historical remains including city remains, tombs, bronzewares, bamboo slips used in the Qin Dynasty and historical buildings. Hunan is also a popular tourist destination featuring magnificent natural scenery in Zhangjiajie city and ancient residential buildings in tranquil Fenghuang Ancient Town. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, set up in 1982, is the first authorized national forest park in China. Perhaps better known as the Avatar mountains. The area covers 480 thousand square meters. This park, together with Suoxi Valley Nature Reserve, Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve and Yangjiajie Scenic Area makes up the Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area, also known as Zhangjiajie Scenic Spot. The park is especially known for its quartz-sandstone rock formations, bare stone sculpted by nature and set among green trees and frequent clouds. The high and steep Mt. Hengshan is frequently snow-capped in the winter, contrasting with the subtropical fields that one sees below it. It is one of the five most famous mountains in the country, known for its precarious cliffs; it is a holy mountain for both Taoists and Buddhists.
8.Cruising the Li River, Guilin, Guangxi Province
Characterized by spectacular landscapes, charming natural scenery and diverse ethnic customs, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is an impressive region to visit. The Region is situated in the southern part of China, facing the Beibu Gulf on the South China Sea and has a border with Vietnam to the southwest. It is southwest China’s most convenient access to the sea. Guangxi is like a large basin with higher ground surrounding a lower center. In addition, the region is very mountainous with a few plains. The capital city Nanning is also known as the ‘Green City’ because of its rich lush tropical plants. Scenic Spot under Heaven ‘Guilin’s landscape tops that elsewhere while Yangshuo’s landscape tops that of Guilin’. This famous Chinese saying well stresses the unparalleled beauty of Guilin and Yangshuo, both of which are located in Guangxi and should not be missed when traveling to that region. The town of Guilin in the northeast corner of Guangxi boasts some of China’s most beautiful countryside. It’s famous for the Li River which meanders through the town and surrounding Karst Mountains. While for hundreds of years this unique scenery has attracted poets and artists and has been the subject of countless fairy tales and legends, these days, it’s popular with tourists from around the world wanting to see this natural splendor up close. The best way to enjoy the area is to take a cruise along the Li River. The most popular stretch is from Guilin to Yangshuo, where the river winds peacefully through some 80 kilometers of remarkable rock formations and caves with romantic names such as the Mount of Unique Beauty, Elephant Trunk Hill, and Reed Flute Cave. Yangshuo is a small and peaceful town with stunning countryside scenery. Small villages hiding behind characteristic hills, water buffaloes patrolling green fields, fishermen drifting on clear rivers, all provide a feeling of tranquility far from the hustle and bustle of city life. The town’s West Street, lined with western-style cafes, restaurants and hotels is a gathering place for travelers from both home and abroad. To travel between these two wonderful places, one can cruise along the Li River which provides an excellent viewpoint on the charming scenery. Apart from these two places, many other sites there are worth visiting as well, such as the Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terraces in Longsheng, Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge and Mapang Drum Tower in Sanjiang, Silver Beach in Beihai, Detian Waterfall and Mt. Qingxiu in Nanning, etc.
9.Kunming city, Yunnan Province
Yunnan, which refers to ‘the place south of the colorful clouds’, or ‘the place south of Yunling (cloudy ridge) Mountain’, is the most southwest province of China. Externally, it borders Vietnam, Laos and Burma; internally, it is neighbor to Guizhou, Guangxi, Chongqing, Sichuan and Tibet. Yunnan has always been known as a mysterious land attracting tourists from all over the world. With thousands of years of history, it has bred the marvelous ancient towns and unique minority folk culture; Kunming, Dali and Lijiang stand out most. Its plateau monsoon climate and exceptional topography make what it is now, the criss-cross Mountains and valleys, dotted lakes and running wild rivers, a variety of plants and animals, unusual karst landscape. It is a land of various ethnic groups, landscapes, natural scenery, creatures, etc where one could taste the most aspects of our planet. In the west, the high mountains and valleys are closely spaced, forming a steep, unusual, and dangerous landscape. The famous Three Parallel Rivers is located here. In the east is the plateau area, which mainly consists of undulating low mountains and round hills. Among the plateaus and mountains are scattered many fault basins, which are called ‘Bazi’ by the locals. The ‘Bazi’ are relatively flat with thick soil deposits and flowing rivers, hence fertile and helpful in developing the farming economy. Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan, is located in one of these ‘Bazi’. The diverse topographies harbor the greatest number of plant species (greater than 18,000) as well as an incredible array of animals, including the Asian elephant and the protected golden monkey, making this land the real ‘Plant Kingdom’ and ‘Animal Kingdom’. The province also boasts beautiful and spectacular natural scenery with the changing topographies, like Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Meili Snow Mountain, and the Stone Forest as well as many more.
10.Wuhan City, Hubei Province
Hubei province is situated in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River (Chang Jiang) and to the north of Dongting Lake. It is near to Anhui to the east, Jiangxi and Hunan to the south, Chongqing to the west, Shaanxi to the northwest and Henan to the north. There are many lakes in the territory, so Hubei is also known as the province of thousands of lakes. It is one of the five higher education centers in China, and the level of secondary education also leads the country. Also, all kinds of scenic spots in Hubei including historical ruins, ancient architectural building complex, mysterious primeval forest and majestic mountains will provide visitors with wonderful travel experiences. The present names, based on their location in relation to Dongting Lake; Hubei meaning, “North of the Lake”. Wuhan is capital and major industrial and commercial city of Hubei province. It is located at the confluence of the Han and Yangtze rivers and consists of a conurbation of three adjacent former cities-Hankou (Hankow), Hanyang, and Wuchang. On the south bank of the Yangtze, is the ancient metropolis of Wuchang, which is the seat of the provincial government. The long history and the brilliant Chu culture endow the region with numerous cultural relics. Ancient towers, grottoes, city remains, imperial mausoleums, temples and nobilities’ native places can be found throughout the province. As the heaviest musical instrument in the world, the set of bronze chime bells unearthed from the Tomb of Marquis Yi of the Zeng State can be found in the Hubei Provincial Museum. Wudang Mountain is a sacred Taoist mountain with hundreds of temples and palaces. East Lake, located on the eastern side of Wuchang City, is one of the major tourist attractions in Wuhan. It is the biggest lake within a city in China. Yellow Crane Tower, located on Snake Hill in Wuchang City, is one of the three famous towers south of the Yangtze River. Hubei also boasts impressive natural scenery. The Three Gorges offers an unmatched painting of water and mountains. The World Famous Yangtze Three Gorges Dam Project is just located in this province, just outside of Yichang City. It is not only the largest water conservation project in China, but also the largest water conservation project in the world.
