China is proving to be a most attractive destination to visit today for tourists and investors alike.
Listed below are 10 of the most attractive destinations to visit in China, including the three main cities of Beijing, Xian and Shanghai. The smaller cities and towns are mostly rural country areas with magnificent scenery featuring the Karst mountains, flowing rivers and rice terraces. They offer a wonderful contrast to the major cities, and you will find these destinations more relaxing after the cities. Small group tours are usually planned this way, so after the bustle of the city sites you can relax and enjoy the country areas.
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The City of Beijing, Capital of China. The five most attractive destinations within that city are – The Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, The Great Wall of China, Lama Temple and Summer Palace.
China Beijing-Lama Temple or Yonghe Lamasery- Hall of Everlasting Protection
- Xian, China’s oldest Capital. Home to China’s greatest emperor, Emperor Qin Shi Huang (221BC). Explore the Ming City Walls, The Wild Goose Pagoda, and don’t miss the ancient Xian Mosque.
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Mount Li, 35 kilometers east of Xian City – The Army of Terracotta Warriors. A most important destination on your itinerary. Thousands of terracotta warriors and horses unearthed after the most important archaeological discovery of the 20thcentury.
TerraCotta-Warriors unearthed at Mt Li outside Xian City
- Guilin on the banks of the Li River. Famous for its Karst mountains, a pretty city Guilin has a population 600,000. Nearby the hidden Reed Flute Caves where the locals hid during the Japanese invasion. At night a fantasy of lights and fountains on the river.
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Longsheng and the Dragon’s Backbone rice terraces. Explore beautiful countryside with flowing streams and winding mountain roads where various ethnic minority groups live. Hike further up the mountain to view some of China’s most spectacular rice terraces, known as the Dragon’s Backbone.
Dragons-Backbone-Rice-Terraces Longsheng China
- Li River Cruise to Yangshuo – Karst mountain peaks and cliff faces, waterfalls, hidden caves, ancient ruins, and cormorant fisherman.
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Yangshuo- lush green rice paddies and meandering streams; in the evening an outdoor theatre performance on the river, with the Karst Cliffs as the theatre backdrop. Stunning!
Li-River-&-Karst-Mountains Yangshuo China
- Shanghai- A visit to the historical Bund area along the waterfront with a view of Shanghai harbor. The old Chinese quarter with it traditional architecture, and a stroll through the famous Yu Garden.
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Zhujaijaio-from Shanghai go back in time and visit the ancient old world of Zhujaijaio, a traditional water canal town dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. Ancient arch stone bridges, narrow paved lane ways, and peaceful canals.
Peaceful-Canal-Ancient-Water Town of Zhujaijaio
China is a most attractive destination for tourist and investors alike. China is very aware of the tourist dollar to their economy as well as direct investments. China is geared up to meet the challenges this brings to their country. The Chinese have invested a great deal in time and money in making China accessible and attractive for tourist with new highways, roads, infrastructure and beautification. You can notice the latter particularly in the pretty city of Guilin where it is obvious a lot of money has been spent, to make this stopping off point particularly attractive for tourists.
It is a very safe country to travel in, if you follow the usual safety measures for traveling in a foreign country. In the main China is a very clean country. If your on a small group tour you are assured of clean comfortable accommodation, and clean toilets as you travel around the countryside.
An important job in China is keeping the road and footpaths clean. You will notice in cities and towns the Chinese workers with their brooms and long-handled dustpans sweeping up the rubbish, using their bikes as transport. Even the highways, where the workers are supplied with a much larger broom to carry out their work.
About Lyn
What an amazing post! You have really traveled well across China! I love those water canal towns to bits – I’ve been to one called Xi Tang near Shanghai, it’s absolutely breathtaking…
Hi! thanks for your comments. I loved what I saw of China in 14 days. I saw so much, but there is so much more to see. I hope to go back one day.
I have been to several of the places on the list. Beijing and Yangshuo are my favorite. Beijing has so many interesting historical places to see and Yangshuo has so much natural beauty. I have never made to Xian yet, but hope to one day. That is the near the top of next places in China to visit.