Marco Polo introduced China to the world, and since then, our fascination with this enigmatic land has only grown. Despite decades of economic development and modernization, China still retains its exotic allure, with its ancient traditions and rich culture seamlessly blending into contemporary life.
One of the best ways to explore China is by visiting its iconic natural wonders, historic landmarks, ancient ruins, and magnificent palaces. While this list is far from exhaustive, Bookmundi has curated a selection of top attractions to experience in China (in no particular order).
Reed Flute Cave (above image)
Known as the “Palace of Natural Arts,” Reed Flute Cave gets its name from the reeds found at the cave’s entrance, which legend says can be used to make flutes. Today, it’s a popular tourist destination thanks to its stunning display of stone formations, including stone curtains, stalagmites, stalactites, and vibrant representations of plants, birds, and animals. Among the most admired formations are the Crystal Palace and Rose Dawn over Lion Peaks.
Terracotta Warriors and Horses
What started as an effort to dig new wells ended up uncovering one of China’s most remarkable archaeological discoveries! The Terracotta Army consists of around 8,000 life-sized warriors, nearly 100 chariots, and about 520 horses, all created in 280 BC to protect the tomb of China’s First Emperor. Visiting the site feels like stepping into an ancient procession, and even though many of the weapons have been looted, the fact that each face is unique highlights the extraordinary skill and grandeur of Chinese craftsmanship and architecture.
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Li River
For generations, the Li River has captivated photographers, poets, artists, writers, and nature enthusiasts alike. If you’re considering exploring China’s natural beauty, the Li River is likely one of the first places that comes to mind. Its landscape is dotted with rolling hills, bamboo forests, dramatic cliffs, and tranquil villages, all often shrouded in a peaceful mist. The river’s stunning beauty has even drawn notable figures like Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, and George Bush.
Longji Rice Terraces
Longji Rice Terrace, also called the Dragon’s Backbone, was constructed under the rule of the Ming Dynasty approximately 500 years ago. The best time to visit the terrace is during the growing season when the terraces resemble lush green cables scattered around the hillside. Tourists can also explore the surrounding villages and experience rural China at its beautiful best. The most popular terraces are the Ping’an Zhuang and Jinkeng Red Yao. Ping’an Zhuang is the older and more beautiful of the two, but Jinkeng Red Yao is usually free of crowds and therefore, feels more serene and spectacular.
Yellow Mountains
Yellow Mountains, also called Huangshan, is a scenic wonder that attracts visitors with its odd-shaped rocks, skin-loving hot springs, beautiful pine trees and jaw-dropping sunrise vistas. The area is usually covered in mist, and this makes those peaks seem like they’re floating on the clouds. Better yet, you don’t need to climb those 60000-odd steps to enjoy all that natural beauty. Thankfully, modern-day travelers can make use of cable cars to travel from the base of the mountains to one of the summits. And since Yellow Mountain is one of the most accessible national parks in China, it is almost always busy.
Zhou Zhuang Water Village
With a history of more than 900 years, this is perhaps the best water town to see in China. Popularly called the Venice of the East, Zhou Zhuang presents a network of rivers and streams that are dotted with ancient houses to create beautiful vistas and present a fairytale-like atmosphere. The Shide and Yongan bridges are the most popular attractions of the village, and those Chinese gondolas are perfect for your explorations.
Chengdu
No trip to China is ever complete without meeting one its most popular inhabitants – the Giant Panda. You can see these pandas in a number of zoos around the world, but the best place to meet them is in their own backyard. The best place to see these pandas is the Bifengxia Panda Center, located at a distance of 2 hours from Chengdu. The center has a larger population of pandas and feels more natural. You can also visit the Chengdu Panda Center located much closer to the city.
Hani Rice Terraces
Hani Rice Terraces have been cultivated for more than 1000 years. The Hani people carved these terraces by hand and transformed a vast barren hillside into a breathtaking paradise. The hilltop forests are used to save water, which is then channeled down to terraces for irrigation purposes. The best time to visit the Hani Rice Terraces is between the months of December to March, when the rice terraces are flooded, and offer magnificent views of the area.
Forbidden City
A palace city where ordinary citizens were once denied entry is the perfect example of Chinese architecture at its beautiful best. Famous as the most important building of China as well as the largest palatial complex on the planet, the Forbidden City was home to emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. It may be impossible to cover the entire city in a day, so you’d be better off sticking to popular attractions such as the Imperial Throne, Golden River Bridges, Hall of Supreme Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony.
Temple of Heaven
One of the most famous sights in Beijing, the blue domed Temple of Heaven is an architectural masterpiece that has been attracting countless visitors to the city for decades. The temple is located in a pine forest and it consists of 92 buildings which were once used by emperors to offer prayers to the gods of heaven for promising harvests. Today, it is also popular as one of the top kite-flying destinations in the city. The best time to visit the Temple of Heaven is early in the morning and the local scenes on display are worth waking up for.
Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is by far the most popular attraction to visit in China. Famous as the longest wall on the planet, this magnificent feat of defensive architecture winds its way through steep mountains and the rugged countryside and leaves you speechless with its serpentine designs and breathtaking scenery. The wall stretches for a distance of 6000 kms. and averages a height of 6 – 8 meters. The Great Wall was built in the 7th century BC and some of the best-known areas were added in the year 210 BC. The most popular sections include the Badaling Pass, Mutianyu and Gubeikou. See the Great Wall of China, one of the greatest wonders of the world and a must visit site for your China trip.
Potala Palace
The crown jewel of Tibet, also famous as the winter palace of Dalai Lama until the Chinese invasion in the year 1959, has played an integral role as the center of Tibetan Buddhism over the years. The palace consists of 1000 rooms, including the living quarters of the Dalai Lamas and their golden tombs. It also showcases beautiful relics such as gifts from Chinese emperors and hand-written Buddhist scriptures. Don’t forget to visit the Jewel Gardens, a 90-acre garden that is a part of the palace and offers everything you could possibly dream of, right from pavilions and palaces to enchanting lakes.
Yangtze River
The Yangtze River, also known as Chang Jiang, runs for 6000 kms, making it the third longest river in the world. The Yangtze has been a source of life, transportation and civilization for the Chinese for more than 2000 years and it also encompasses roughly 1/4th of the total agricultural land in the country. The most popular part of the Yangtze is the Three Gorges, a stunning 200 km. stretch that winds its way through mesmerizing mountain peaks and majestic cliffs to offer dramatic sceneries. The river is also home to some of the most endangered species of China, such as the river dolphin and the Chinese alligator.
Ming Tombs
Located at the foot of the Tianshou Mountains, the Ming Tombs present mausoleums of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty which ruled China between 1386 and 1644. The tombs cover an area of 120 sq. km. and represent the best-preserved tomb area having the most number of emperors buried. What makes the Ming Tombs so unique is that a great deal of effort was placed during construction to ensure that they were in harmony with nature and reflected the principles of unifying heaven and humanity. The few tombs that are currently open to the public include the Sacred Way, Zhaoling Tomb, Dingling Tomb and Changling Tomb.
Longmen Grottoes
Located along the Longmenshan and Xiangshan mountains, the Longmen Grottoes are another popular attraction in Central China. The grottoes consist of 40 pagodas, 2100 niches, 3600 tablets and more than 100,000 Buddhist statues ensuring that the photographer in you is sure to have a field day at the site. The Statue of Vairocana located in the Fengxian Temple rises to a height of 56 feet, and is by far the most popular attraction here.
Most people visiting China tend to get stuck to exploring popular sites such as the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China, without ever realizing that this magnificent country has so much more to offer. Throwing in an attraction or two from this list into your itineraries could add so much more value to your journeys and make your Chinese adventure even more memorable. From ancient cities to majestic mountains, from historic temples to breathtaking rice fields, China is full of all kinds of attractions, and for the most part, Bookmundi has you covered!