At a time of economic recession, we fully appreciate that you are mindful of the costs associated with your vacation this year, and we are confident that you would not wish to waste your precious vacation time on a marginal destination. We have therefore selected for your consideration some of China's most popular destinations as follows.
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1. Guilin — China's Top Karst Landscape
Guilin, with its marvelous limestone scenery, is renowned as one of the most beautiful places on earth. During his visit, former US President Nixon was inspired by Guilin's picturesque natural scenery and remarked: "I have visited more than eighty countries and over a hundred cities. I have found that no city can surpass the beauty of Guilin."
- Most recommended attractions: the Li River, Yangshuo, Longji Terraced Fields, the Two Rivers and the Four Lakes
- Unique experience: relaxing Li River cruise, challenging yourself to an SUP (stand-up paddleboard, i.e. a mini raft), riding an all-terrain vehicle, cycling in rural countryside, ethnic rice terraces, bamboo rafting, taste some Guilin rice noodles
- Days suggested: 1-4 days
Guilin is 72-hour visa free for 51 countries, and 144-hour visa free for 10 ASEAN countries. Guilin is due west from Hong Kong, from which it can be reached by air in an hour. A tour of Hong Kong can be easily combined with a Guilin tour. It's popular to visit Guilin and then head to Hong Kong with these visa-free policies.
Tour Inspiration
- Recommended tours: 4-Day Guilin Scenic and Ethnic Discovery, 5-Day Dynamic Guilin and Yangshuo Tour
2. Chengdu — Hometown of Giant Pandas
Chengdu is the hometown of Giant Pandas. Although there are giant pandas in zoos in various places around China, the best place to see pandas is in Chengdu.
- Most recommended attractions: Dujiangyan Panda Valley, Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding and Research Center, Leshan Giant Buddha, Jinli Old Street
- Unique experience: take care of pandas and see panda babies, try spicy Sichuan hot pot, enjoy magical face changing, visit the Leshan Giant Buddha, take an onward tour to Jiuzhai Valley
- Days suggested: 1-4 days; see more on Ultimate Chengdu Itineraries: How Long to Spend in Chengdu
Besides giant panda, Chengdu is also famous for delicious Sichuan food like kung pao chicken and spicy hotpot. You can experience cooking the most authentic Sichuan cuisine with a local chef. And travelers can also enjoy the 144-hour visa-free policy in Chengdu.
Tour Inspiration
- How to Plan a Chengdu Tour
- Recommended tour: 3-Day Chengdu Giant Panda, Giant Buddha, and Ancient Town Tour, 1-Day Pandas and Sanxingdui Museum Tour
All our tours can be customized. The itinerary can be adjusted according to your group size, time, budget, interests, and other requirements. Just contact us.
3. Beijing — Ancient and Modern Capital
Beijing, China's capital city for over 700 years, is rich in history, both ancient and modern. There are many palace complexes in Beijing, as well as super-modern buildings.
- Most recommended attractions: the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Bird's Nest
- Unique experience: hike on the Great Wall, discover the hutongs by rickshaw, enjoy a tasty Peking roast duck, watch the Beijing opera and a kung fu show, Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics
- Days suggested: 2–4 days; see Ultimate Beijing Itinerary: How Many Days to Spend
It's very easy to get to Beijing, and it's one of the first choices for many first-time travelers to China. Flights and high-speed trains from Beijing to other popular cities are very convenient.
Beijing also offers a 144-hour transit visa-free policy for travelers from 51 countries. You can take a 3-day trip in Beijing if you have an onward flight ticket to a third country or area.
Tour Inspiration
- How to Plan a Beijing Tour
- Top 10 Unique Experience in China
- Recommended tour: 4-Day Emperor's Tour of Beijing, 1-Day Jiankou Wild Great Wall Hiking
4. Xi'an — a Window on China's Ancient Civilization
As the second most famous of China's ancient national capitals (after Beijing), Xi'an was the first capital of a united China in 221 BC (the Qin Dynasty). Thus Xi'an is blessed with a great number of precious relics and historical sites.
- Most recommended attractions: the Terracotta Army, Ancient City Wall, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Great Mosque
- Unique experience: visit the Terracotta Army and make your own warriors, cycle on the Ancient City Wall, try snacks in Muslim Quarter
- Days suggested: 1-3 days; see How Long to Spend in Xi'an
Xi'an was also the starting point of the Silk Road, an ancient trade route that extended from Asia to Europe and played an important role in economic and cultural exchange between the East and the West in ancient times.
Xi'an also has a 144-hour transit visa-free policy.
Tour Inspiration
- How to Plan a Tour of Xi'an
- Recommended tour: 3-Day Terracotta Warriors Tour
5. Lhasa — Gateway to Transcendent Tibet
Lhasa, capital of Tibet, is the center of Tibetan cultural and religious life. Most tourists enter Tibet via Lhasa. Outside the city is Tibet's wealth of natural wonders and holy sites, from Lake Namtso to Mt. Everest, to Mount Kailash.
- Most recommended attractions: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Mount Everest, Barkhor Street, Sera Monastery, Yamdrok Lake
- Unique experience: explore the highest palace, see pilgrims, camp at Mount Everest's base, watch monks debate, visit picturesque holy lakes, trekking and camping
- Days suggested: 4-8 days
"Lhasa" is Tibetan for "place of the gods", and is revered as such. There are many sites and religious sites in the city proper and its suburbs. At Barkhor Street, visitors can go souvenir hunting, rub shoulders with locals, and experience the sacred "one step one bow" way to religion.
Tour Inspiration
Recommended tour:
- 8-Day Lhasa-EBC-Lhasa Roof of the World Adventure
- 7-Day Tibet Tour including Trekking and Camping
- 5-DayLhasa Classics and Lake Yamdrok Tour
All our tours can be customized. Contact us to create a trip according to your group size, time, budget, interests, and other requirements.
6. Shanghai — China's Prosperous Largest City
Shanghai, China's biggest city, oozes an atmosphere of vitality which can rival New York and Paris in terms of modernity. As one of the world's leading economic and business cities, Shanghai's modernity is evidenced by the ambitious skyline.
- Most recommended attractions: the Bund, Yu Garden, Zhujiajiao Water Town, Disneyland Park, Shanghai World Financial Center
- Unique experience: experience the world's fastest train, enjoy some leisure time in Chinese gardens and water towns, visit Disneyland, have a bird's-eye view of the financial center
- Days suggested: 1-3 days (see more on How Long to Spend in Shanghai)
Unlike Beijing, there are not many famous tourist attractions in Shanghai. However, the beauty of visiting Shanghai lies not in scurrying from site to site but in the feel of the city's modern atmosphere.
Shanghai has a 144-hour (6 days) transit visa-free policy, and you can extend your trip to Hangzhou, Suzhou, and Nanjing. What's more, the policy is valid for travelers who reach Shanghai by boat, train, or flight.
Tour Inspiration
- How to Plan a Shanghai Tour
- Recommended tour: 2-Day Shanghai's Old and New Collision, 2-Day A Journey to the Future
7. Hangzhou — Next Best Place to Heaven
When Marco Polo came to Hangzhou in the 13th century, he declared it "the most beautiful and elegant city in the world". There is a popular Chinese saying: "Above there is heaven, below there are Hangzhou and Suzhou."
- Most recommended attractions: West Lake, Lingyin Temple, National Tea Museum, Wuzhen Water Town
- Unique experience: cycle around West Lake, enjoy a spectacular live performance on the lake, relax in the water towns, experience the Chinese tea culture
- Days suggested: 1-2 days
Hangzhou's "heavenly" beauty attracts hundreds of thousands of travelers, and it has a 144-hour visa-free policy. There are also convenient high-speed trains from/to Shanghai.
Tour Inspiration
- How to Plan a Hangzhou Tour
- Recommended tour: 2-Day Hangzhou West Lake and Dragon Well Tea Tour
8. Huangshan — Majestic Beauty
Huangshan is steeped in picturesque natural landscapes and history. Marvel at the peculiarly-shaped rocks and pines on the Yellow Mountains, appreciate the ancient-styled dwellings in Xidi and Hongcun villages.
- Most recommended attractions: the Yellow Mountains, Xidi Village, Hongcun Village
- Unique experience: spectacular mountain views, sea of clouds, photography tour, enjoy a hot spring, visit ancient villages
- Days suggested: 3-4 days
The Yellow Mountains give people a stunning mountain views, and ancient villages present ancient China's elegance and tranquility with well-preserved ancient folk houses and flowing rivers.
The villages, for example Hongcun, around the Yellow Mountains were once considered to be the utopia of ancient China.
Tour Inspiration
- How to Plan a Huangshan Tour
- Recommended tour: 3-Day Ancient Villages and Yellow Mountains Tour, 3-Day Escape to Huangshan from Shanghai or Hangzhou
All our tours can be customized. Contact us to create a trip according to your group size, time, budget, interests, and other requirements.
9. Suzhou — Elegant Water Towns and Gardens
Suzhou is famous for the water towns around it and its traditional Chinese gardens. The gardens harmoniously mix man-made landscapes with natural scenery: architecture, painting, calligraphy, and horticulture are combined, and enclosed like pearls by walls. China's water towns hold the quintessential image of traditional Chinese villages.
- Most recommended attractions: Humble Administrator's Garden, Lingering Garden, Tongli Ancient Town, the Grand Canal
- Unique experience: visit classic gardens, relax in quiet water towns, enjoy boating on the Grand Canal
- Days suggested: 1-2 days
30 minutes by high-speed train from Shanghai, 5 hours from Beijing, it is very convenient to combine Beijing, Shanghai, and Suzhou in a tour.
Tour Inspiration
- How to Plan a Suzhou Tour
- Recommended tour: 1-Day Suzhou Highlights Tour, 5-Day Yangtze River Delta Bullet Train Tour
10. Hong Kong — Like Nowhere Else on Earth
Hong Kong is a fusion of cultures. Remnants of its colonial past, British culture, share space with Chinese tradition. It is also a world-renowned shopping paradise, known for its tourist-friendly atmosphere and numerous options.
- Most recommended attractions: Victoria Peak, Victoria Harbor, Disneyland
- Unique experience: bird's-eye view from Victoria Peak, shopping at street markets, enjoy authentic dim sum, family time in Disneyland
- Days suggested: 1-3 days
The huge shopping malls of Central and Admiralty and the street fashion factory in Causeway Bay are reasons for many travelers to make their Hong Kong trips. And if you have to transfer via Hong Kong, here are 5 things to do to make the most of your stopover time.
Tour Inspiration
Look for Some Unusual Destinations?
If you have been to the destinations above or you prefer to the off-the-beaten places, you could take the following destinations into consideration.
Rainbow Mountains in Zhangye- The Silk Road (Dunhuang, Zhangye, Urumqi, Kashgar): see specail landscape — rainbow mountains; splendid Dunhuang Mogao Caves; Uyghur culture; desert activities...
- Ningxia (Zhongwei): wonderful desert experiences; one of China's best wine producing areas; desert camping, luxury desert hotel experience...
- Inner Mongolia: vast grassland scenery; splendid golden euphrates poplar forests; Nadam Festival...
Qinghai Lake- Qinghai: fantastic lake views — Qinghai Lake and Chaka Salt Lake; experience Buddhist culture on the Ancient Silk Road...
- Gansu: discover Tibetan culture outside Tibet; stunning plateau scenery...
- Sanya: sunshine, happy beach time, various water sports...
Recommended Tours
- 11-Day Along the Great Silk Road
- 8-Day Miraculous Qinghai and Legendary Silk Road Tour
- 3-Day Zhongwei Desert Tour with Winery Experience
- 6-Day Gannan Pure Land Tour
- 7-Day When Silk Road Culture Meets Fabulous Fall Colors
All our tours can be customized. Contact us to create a trip according to your group size, time, budget, interests, and other requirements.
Visit China with China Highlights
It is not easy to organize an itinerary to all these attractions on your own. For a first trip to China, most choose to visit the Great Wall and Forbidden City in Beijing, view the Terracotta Army in Xi'an, and see the Shanghai skyline and enjoy stunning scenery in Guilin
These are our bestsellers, featuring the best cities to visit in China:
- The Golden Triangle — See Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai with their highlights and no rush thanks to our 8-day, time-smart itinerary.
- China's Classic Wonders — The most popular destinations in China with all the highlights
There are many options for return trips to China, you can get inspirations from these top places provided on this page, or tell your interests to our travel advisor, and they will help you tailor make a China trip!