With a beautiful landscape and ancient culture going side by side, the place is a total blend of the old and the new. On exploring this country, you will definitely fall in love with the local food, the streets, the small Chinese houses and of course the Chinese language. Therefore, let's find out what else can be explored and acknowledged about China other than the world-famous Great Wall.
When planning a tourist trip through China there are cities or areas of the great Asian country that you may not consider as essential visits, contrary to what happens with Beijing, Xinjiang or Shanghai. However, they should be taken into account as alternatives because they have enough attractions to be included in a route through China.
China stands out to be a perfect host for all the tourists and is very welcoming. Therefore, no one gets bored here with so much to hunt and travel. Thus, some of the best places that must be seen in China are as follows.1. Shanghai
Want to be a part of the exciting Chinese history? The Forbidden City if the perfect place to start the tour with. Shanghai is termed to be one of the most culturally active spots and this part of Shanghai consists of numerous palaces, temples that showcase the vibrancy and rich status of the country.
Apart from that, the Forbidden City has beautiful gardens that contain some of the best plants species too. Therefore, do not miss out on this hotspot!
The Huangpu River is one of the largest rivers in China and one can certainly take notice of the Bund in Shanghai, which is an upfront area that must not be missed. The location is spectacular and offers a majestic view of the whole skyline of the city of Shanghai. Witnessing the Bund can be one of the best experiences ever incurred while visiting China.
2. Xi'an
First built in 582 AD and expanded in 14th century, Xi'an's City Wall is the most complete in China. Xi'an Symphony Orchestra once held a symphony performance at Yongning Gate. You didn't need to specifically visit the City Wall. As long as you pass by old downtown, you will see it. The City Wall is a huge part that surroundings the old city.
If you want to walk on the Wall and touch some 1420 years old bricks, you can just go to the park from any direction. Xiao Yan Tower is smaller. And it's not as famous as Da Yan Tower. But it's still worth visiting if you have enough time. Considered as the Eighth Wonder of the World, Terracotta Warriors is necessary for any tourists who visited Xi'an.
Witnessing to be one of the best-preserved artifacts, the Terracotta Army is one of the best things to be seen while in China. This army is actually a replica of the first battle that was fought for the emperor of China named Qin Shi Huang. Consisting of armed warriors and different horsemen, the army is to be witnessed truly when in China.
Except for the excitement of dangerous terrain, Hua Mountain is also famous for its culture and history. There are several religious temples on it. In Louis Cha's martial arts novels, kung fu masters usually duel on the peak of Hua Mountain.
3. Beijing
Ever wondered what the temples of China would actually look like? The Temple of Heaven is the perfect spot for spiritualism and nature to mingle together. The whole land of the temple is exquisite enough to attract thousands of tourists and stunning pictures can be taken off the pagoda shaped temple where homage to the Gods can be paid.
The Palace Museum in Forbidden City of Beijing covers an area of 720000 square meters (961 meters long and 753 meters wide), a building area of about 150000 square meters, an area of 720000 square meters, and a total of 1 million migrant workers. It has been built for 14 years, with 9999.5 houses. The world's largest "Palace Museum" contains the history of China.
The Palace Museum is not only the largest and most complete wood structure palace complex in the world, but also has a large number of unique collections. According to the statistics of the Palace Museum, there are 1807558 collections (sets), of which 93.2% are precious cultural relics.
This kind of inverted pyramid collection structure, with precious cultural relics as the main part and common cultural relics as the auxiliary, is rare in museums all over the country and even in the world. You can not only see the pottery pot of Hongshan culture more than 4000 years ago. You can also see the bronze treasure of more than 3000 years ago—— the XuYa square bottle.
Pingfu calligraphy, which has a history of more than 1700 years, is a work handed down by Lu Ji, a calligrapher of Jin Dynasty. With a free and easy style, it has written this work which occupies an important position in the history of Chinese calligraphy.
Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival is one of the ten famous paintings handed down in China. It is the only surviving masterpiece of Zhang Zeduan, a painter of the Northern Song Dynasty. It belongs to national treasure level cultural relics and is now stored in the Palace Museum in Beijing.
In the Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival picture was 24.8 cm wide and 528.7 cm long. In the form of a long scroll, the work vividly recorded the city appearance of DongJing, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty (also known as Bianjing, now Kaifeng, Henan Province) in the 12th century, the living conditions of people of all walks of life at that time, a large number of people and rich activities.
It was a witness to the prosperity of Bianjing, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, and also a witness to the prosperity of the Northern Song Dynasty The economic situation of song city. The axis of the painting of plum and magpie by Shen Zifan is a representative work of weaving and embroidery in the imperial palace. The warp density of the silk thread used is 20 pieces/cm, and the weft density is 44-46 pieces/cm.
This tapestry is a good representation of the original painting, which is sparse and simple, vivid, clear and elegant. Using embroidery to embroider the vivid magpie and bird on the silk is the crystallization of the art of tapestry.
Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty liked the technology of clocks and watches. This "automatic clock" came to China from the West in the 18th century. You can see a European gentleman in the clock writing the calligraphy works of "people in eight directions submit to the Qing Dynasty, envoys from nine countries come to see the emperor".
Of course, there are countless treasures of the most beautiful art. They come from different countries, different times, and gather in the Forbidden City to tell about their past and present lives. The vast history of China is perfectly reflected in the Forbidden City, the largest palace museum. It is ancient, profound, as long as thousands of years of accumulation makes it charming and thick.
Forbidden City only reveals its multifaceted side. Behind the distant time and space, there are still countless miracles waiting for modern people to explore.
The Great Wall of China has stood since 700 BC. It’s sheer length is almost unfathomable! Some parts are a little touristy, but then there are to some of the more rural sections, and those are incredible! The greatest and most iconic wall on earth, the Great Wall of China was built in over two centuries.
Being only about 2.5 hours northeast of Beijing, this wall is easily accessible for visitors from across the world. All you need is to find a reputable travel company to handle your travel logistics and you will be good to go. Like the Grand Canyon, but man-made, some sights are a real marvel to take in, without extending to other levels. If you hiked a lot of the Great Wall, or saw different parts of it (or into the Grand Canyon) then you could experience extra dimensions, but in general it’s the scope that does it.
The best time for visiting the parks are spring and autumn when the weather is neither too hot nor too cold. You can take long strolls and feel closer to nature. But what about other interesting places in Beijing? The 798 Arts District has many other galleries that display contemporary Chinese art and it’s kind of a cool scene.
Another interesting place is the silk market right next to Qianmen Subway Station. The location has the look and feel of ancient China with its architectural facades and cobble-stone streets. The vendors are mainly outdoor markets selling collectibles, silk merchandise, as well as arts and crafts. You can haggle for bargains too.
And if you appreciate the theater, opera and Chinese Opera, there’s a place for you. The NCPA (National Center for the Performing Arts) is where you can watch both Western-style and Chinese operas on stage.
4. Zhejiang
Ever seen a lake that is something that's come directly from heaven? The west lake in Hangzhou, surrounded by beautiful pagodas and other artistic features is a sure shot visit that attracts the tourists for its enchanting experience. Thousands of years ago, this place was termed to be paradise on earth since it was so mesmerizing and magical.
Various legends are associated with the lake and therefore, one can completely sit here and meditate and think about life as well. There is a mystical charm, a sense of well being developed while this place is being visited.
5. Jiangsu
Looking for a serene place amidst all of the hustle and bustle of the city side? The Yangzhou country is one of the best places that can bring in all of the natural beauty that is required. Totally surrounded by greenery all around, the country hosts people in the lap of nature and an extraordinary sense of living in the country is developed.
Tourists can stay in the countryside for at least a day and experience the greatest adventure of all times.
6. Hunan
Mountains are considered to be a source of bliss for all and in consideration to the several mountain ranges that spin across the whole of China, the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is considered to be a lush green that has the mountains shaped in the form of a cone. Sounds interesting right? Apparently, tourists do not believe in this natural wonder until and unless the place is visited and therefore, it is totally worth to be visited.
Most of the travelers can feel the exploration and thus, get into contact with the splendid beauty of the mountains.
7. Sichuan
Chengdu, a city that is perhaps not too well known, is located in the province of Sichuan, southwest of China. Chengdu is a good option if you consider including the visit to Lhasa, in Tibet in your trip to China. On the one hand, in the vicinity of this great Chinese city you can visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
Likewise, in the vicinity of Chengdu you can also get close to the Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve, where you will find characteristic landscapes of lakes and mountains. And also in the vicinity is Mount Qingcheng, in whose landscapes that are known as the paradisaical view, they get to concentrate up to 40 historical buildings of the Taoist culture.
Two hours by road from Chengdu you have the possibility to visit the Leshan Great Buddha, the biggest statue of a Buddha carved in stone at 70 meters high in the natural environment of Mount Emei, one of the four sacred mountains of Buddhism in China.
One of the biggest Buddha statues in China, Leshan Giant Buddha is of 200 feet tall and sits on one of the provinces of China. There are classic beautiful mountains surrounding the statue and this is what attracts thousands of tourists all year round. You can definitely offer your prayers and seek your blessings from this age-old statue of Lord Buddha.
8. Guangdong
Nansha Wetland Park is one of the most beautiful natural environments while traveling china, and the best place to observe the different species of birds that inhabit this area of Guangdong. The Nansha Wetland Park is 60 km away from the city of Guangzhou, in the estuary of the Pearl River. It is a protected area where activities such as agriculture and fishing are still taking place. In winter thousands of migratory birds cross the sky, granting a rare beauty to the landscape.
9. Yunnan
Yunnan is a journey through time to discover traditional villages and markets, endless rice fields and breathtaking mountain scenery. Visit the ancient city of Lijiang. Go to the Baisha village and the beautiful Heilongtan park. Three Parallel Rivers National Park is a mountainous area where three rivers of great caliber like the Yangtze, Mekóng and Salwin come together in one of the most important sanctuaries of biodiversity of China and the entire Asian continent.
Kunming is divided into two large Jinma Biji and Dongfeng squares that are linked by pedestrian streets where the flower and bird market is organized and shops and restaurants abound. Nailed by Lake Dian, its silhouette, although changing as everything in China, shows a large number of temples, all surrounded by gardens. Its origin dates back to 2,400 years and was one of the stops of the Silk Road.
Located in the Diqing prefecture, the landscapes of Shangri la will leave you speechless. Do not miss the visit to the monasteries of Gandan-Songzanlin and Gandan-Dongzhulin and the Pudacuo National Park.
10. Guangzhou
One of first tier city in mainland China, the city is close to Shenzhen, the tech hub in the eastern hemisphere, Hong Kong, the financial center and anglophone city in East Asia, and Macau, the gambling capital of the eastern hemisphere. Also Guangzhou is the center of Cantonese culture.
Cheese is part of at least one Chinese cuisine. But there are also dishes from other parts of China not known for eating dairy that feature cheese. One example is the Cantonese dish that features lobster with cheese, sometimes also accompanied by noodles. And there is a fried version, too.
Best Time to Visit China
Travelers planning a trip to China can pack their bags during the months of October to December, and from February to March, as the weather remains favorable.
Hotels in China
Also while booking hotels; you must certainly stay in one of the boutique hotels in China, as it offers a whole new taste of the Chinese way of living.
Eat in China
If you happen to you to enter a restaurant in China, ask for the menu and not understand anything since it is written in Mandarin. But do not despair. There are many restaurants in China that have pictures of the dishes on the menu or even hung on the walls of the entire restaurant. But beware, they sometimes cheat.
Something that never fails is to ask for fried rice or fried noodles, this would be rice or sautéed noodles with vegetables, chicken, pork or shrimp. They are what we know as chow fun or chow mien. There are some restaurants that has refrigerators full of noodles, vegetables, meats, sausages, mushrooms, where people choose several things in a metal bowl, give it to the cook and it is returned in the form of delicious soup.
And finally another type of restaurant that you discover is a buffet type. The good thing is that it is super varied, that you see what you are going to eat and that you have divided the dishes for prices. In the restaurants of China they usually serve you a free tea kettle. In some restaurants the tables are specially adapted with a hole for the pot where the fire comes from.
Best Way to See China
The best way to experience any country, be it China or Japan, is to spend enough time in the country. Now, who has a month to spare in a country. So the best possible way to experience different countries is the work there or get an education. China is also great in terms of its learning atmosphere. With its economy growing faster day by day, most of the Chinese schools offer huge benefits in terms of taking a course there.
If you are planning to enroll yourself in one of the universities in China for higher studies, then surely courses like MBA, fashion designing and even Computer engineering can be taken up. MBBS in China is also possible as the prospects have developed over the years and you can certainly land with favorable jobs both abroad as well as in your own country.
