China Travel Guide to Top Tourist Attractions
Ever since the initial discovery of China via the famous writings of explorer Marco Polo over 700 years ago, the vast Asian nation has earned the reputation of being the true embodiment of everything that's both exotic and mysterious. Even today, after decades of prosperity, this enormous country has never lost any of its attractive fascination. Moreover, the amazing contrast separating between China's oldest customs and now the excessive modernistic state that's developing has just boosted the attraction with a culture that goes back several millennia.
It's a culture which the Chinese themselves celebrate, as proven by the excellent preservation of such significant historical sites like the Summer Palace and the Forbidden City, each reminding of the good old days when China's emperors ruled. And then, one must acknowledge the world-famous Great Wall that winds for thousands of miles covering great distances, while its endless shrines emit the spirit of ancient Eastern religions.
Due to its vast size, China as a superb destination for tourists offers endless scope for exploration. Whether you decide to traverse aboard a luxurious cruise ship along the breathtaking Yangtze gorges, tour through bustling Hong Kong, or search for the perfect tranquility only found in an ancient temple, China is fully packed of amazing experiences, adventures, and sightseeing opportunities.
Discover intriguing, uncommon, and exciting activities to do and what top tourist attractions to see in China with my China travel guide.
1) The Great Wall of China. The stunning Great Wall of China, referred to as "Changcheng," extends over 6,000 kilometers, starting from the Shanhaiguan's fortresses in the east going the distance to Jiayuguan while passing by Hebei, Tientsin, and then Beijing where you can find best preserved sections.
Averaging 6 to 8 meters in height, however sometimes rising as tall as 16 meters, and broad enough in certain places for 10 men or 5 horses to pass, the wall sports many watchtowers and battlements. The wall's most ancient fortifications go back to the seventh century BC, the best known areas getting added about 210 BC when its different sections came together.
Today, the wildly visited part of the wall is close to the Badaling Pass, which is northwest of Beijing and easily reached via organized tours or public transport. Other restored parts worth a tour include the area near Gubeikou, that's 130 kilometers away from Beijing; as well as in Mutian Yu, only 70 kilometers away from northeast of Beijing.
2) The Forbidden City. As China's most important and largest structure, this city, also referred to as the Imperial Palace, lies in the center of Beijing and you must see it while traveling here. Began between 1271 and 1368 in the Yuan Dynasty, a lot of the complex observed now was constructed during 1406 and 1420. Several impressive palaces is really one, and this sprawling complex was home to 24 Qing and Ming Emperors, whose very regal presence prohibited the entry of everyone except the imperial family plus their courtesans.
Encompassing 720,000 square meters as well as defended by a 10-meter-tall wall along with watchtowers and a broad moat, this vast complex comprises sectors set apart for administrative and ceremonial purposes, including a private residence in which the emperor resided.
Highlights worth seeing include the beautiful emperor's banquet hall, the Palace Museum, the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and 5 Golden River Bridges. Museum tours in English are available.
Additional notable attractions nearby include the Temple of Heaven, important religious sites, and of course, the famed Tiananmen Square.
3) The Terracotta Army. In the surrounding areas of Xian when wells were dug in the 1970s, farmers found what became China's greatest archaeological discovery: the Terracotta Army. Distributed along 3 big underground pits and constructed for guarding the tomb of the First Emperor, the find included over 8,000 life-size warriors, 520 horses, and over 100 chariots, together with many other non-military figures dating from about 280 BC.
Despite some were seriously damaged on account of the passage of time, numerous of the statues exhumed have been painstakingly re-constructed and now stand as testimony to the importance conferred on the emperor and even the afterlife. The site, now having turned into Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum Site Park, is China's most significant tourist destination and promises visitors a memorable experience of observing an extraordinary assemblage of life-like soldiers and stallions as though inspecting an ancient parade. Guided tours in English are available.
4) The Summer Palace. Only a quick 15-kilometer trip from Beijing, the resplendent Imperial Summer Palace, or Yihe' Yua'n, which stands amid over 700 acres of lovely parkland, is one of the most visited attractions in China. Although built in 1153, the palace's huge lake appeared in the fourteen-century to supplement the Imperial Gardens.
Highlights to visit range from the impressive Hall of Benevolence and Longevity with its throne; the elegant Great Theatre which is a private three-leveled building constructed in 1891 to please the regal family's passion of opera. Today the historic venue hosts performances like music events, traditional Chinese plays, and is quite worth going here for either a show or performance.
Additional highlights to consider visiting is the Hall of Happiness and Longevity, sporting beautiful courtyards and gardens, plus several miles of stunning walking trails and pathways. If time permits, also try to tour through the Old Summer Palace's ruins, reputed to have been once one of China's most intricate and architecturally charming palaces. But sadly, colonial soldiers destroyed this once magnificent building in the 1800s.
5) Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. No decent tourist trip to China can be complete without one panda experience. Though the nation's top-notched zoos feature several excellent specimens of these intriguing animals, the actual best place to experience pandas in a close likeness to their natural environment is at the first-rate Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding standing in Chengdu, situated in Sichuan province. Here, tourists can observe up to 80 pandas going about their day-to-day routines such as foraging and playing in the big park-like setting.
Besides to watching these wonderful creatures very near, several permanent exhibits will tell you much about them and displays details on what current conservation measures are being taken for safeguarding their future.
If possible, attempt to time your tour for the feeding sessions in the morning when they are most active. Better yet, sign-up for an experiential volunteer program which allows you to participate in the feeding and caring of such cuddly animals, including perhaps holding an infant panda. Now tours in English are available.
