1. The Forbidden City, Beijing The Forbidden City, or Palace Museum, sits at the center of Beijing, directly north of Tiananmen Square. It was the imperial seat for the 24 Ming and Qing dynasty emperors from 1420 until 1912 when the last emperor, Pu Yi, abdicated. As the world’s largest surviving palace complex, the Forbidden City is the ideal place to explore the imperial history and culture of China!

Built from 1406 to 1420, the complex consists of 980 surviving buildings with 8,707 bays of rooms and covers 720,000 square metres (7,800,000 square feet). The Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world.

2. The Great Wall, North China The Great Wall winds its way across North China streching over 4,000 miles (6,700km). Construction of the Great Wall began over 2,000 years ago, while the latest construction occurred after 1368 during the Ming Dynasty when the Great Wall became the world’s largest military structure. In fact, the Great Wall is actually made up of a number of interconnecting walls spanning China that different dynasties and warlords constructed over the years to prevent the penetration of conquerors from the North.

Beijing without a doubt is the best place to experience the Great Wall. In Beijing you can visit many different sections of the wall which is one of the largest allures for visiting Beijing. Different sections of the Great Wall present different features and different scenery. Badaling and Juyong Pass are the most visited and most easily accessible part of the Great Wall. The scenery of the Mutianyu Great Wall is extremely beautiful in autumn while the section between Jinshanling and Simatai require more physical stamina to climb. The Water Great Wall Huanghuacheng as well as the miniature of the Great Wall Huangyaguan is becoming more popular with hikers do to the magnificent scenery surrounding these areas.

3. The Terracotta Warriors, Xian The museum of the Terracotta Army is located in Xi’An, Shanxi province. Discovered in 1974 when a local farmer was digging a well, the terracotta army, buried in 210 BC with the first emporer of the Qin dynasty, astounded the world with their artistry and sheer numbers. It is a breathtaking site. The thousands of life-size figures have individually unique faces and hair and armor styles appropriate to their rank.

The terracotta army was constructed to guard the tomb of Emperor Qin Shihuang, the founding emperor of the Qin Dynasty, and the emperor who united China. It is truly mind boggling to think that this amazing site was built so long ago by such primitive tools and only to guard a tomb. In 1987, this archeological treasure was added to UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage List.

4. Karst Mountains, Yangshuo, Guilin Located in the south of China in Guangxi province,the amazing Karst mountain scenery can best be viewed from Yangshuo, a small town outside Guilin, a major city in Guangxi Province. Illustrating the 20 Renminbi (Chinese currency) note, the karst mountains are famously beautiful in China.

The best way to admire the amazing Karst mountain scener is to take a Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo. It is the centerpiece of r Guilin tour, as well as one of the highlights of any China tour. This section of the Li River appears like a classic Chinese ink painting with its green hills, crystal water, verdant bamboo and clear water reflection. From Guilin to Yangshuo, the Li River gracefully flows over 83 kilometers and the banks of the river offer the most beautiful scenery. The great Tang Dynasty poet Han Yu vividly described the landscape as “the river winds like a green silk ribbon, while the hills are like jade hairpins”.

5. The Yangtze River and the Three Gorges Dam, Central China Rising in the Tanggula Mountains in west-central China, the Yangtze River flows southeast before turning northeast and then generally east across south-central and east-central China to the East China Sea near Shanghai.

The Yangtze River along with the Three Gorges is a splendid scenic spot of unparalleled natural wonder, but this area has more than just natural beauty, it has amazing and ancient folk traditions as well. Best seen by tour boat down the Yangtze River, the Three Gorges Dam is a modern construction marvel. The dam is the world’s largest as well as the world’s biggest hydroelectric power station. The river itself is the world’s third longest and the Three Gorges are the natural highlight of the boat cruise.

6. Jiuzhaigou Valley, Sichuan Jiuzhaigou Valley is a nature reserve located in south western China’s Sichuan province. A beautiful example of China’s varied landscape, Jiuzhaigou is famous for colorful lakes and multi-level waterfalls and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.

It is populated by a number of Tibetan villages so it is also a superb place to see and experience Tibetan local culture.Jiuzhaigou’s landscape is made up of high-altitude karsts shaped by glacial, hydrological and tectonic activity. It lies on major faultlines on the diverging belt between the Qinghai-Tibet Plate and the Yangtze Plate, and earthquakes have also shaped the landscape.

7. Potala Palace, Lhasa The Potala Palace is located in the center of the city of Lhasa, the capital of the Tibetan Autonomous Region. It is the religious center of Tibetan Buddhism and the former residence of the Dalai Lama.

Famous for its imposing white walls surrounding the inner red palace, the Potala Palace is perched on top of Marpo Ri Hill at 3,700 meters or over 12,000 feet. It is the main destination of most visitors to Tibet. Visitors have never failed to be humbled by the amazing structure. It’s simple, but grand exterior hides the exquisite interiors covered with beautiful frescos and priceless works of art. The Potala Palace was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1994.

8. The Bund, Shanghai As a landmark of Shanghai, the Bund is located at the bank of Huangpu River in the Shanghai center. The Bund, meaning embankment, was historically the seat of Shanghai’s most powerful businessmen in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The Bund is a fabulous place to see examples of Shanghai’s rich architectural history, illustrated by the HSBC Building, built in 1923 and at the time said to be the most luxurious building between the Suez Canal and the Bering Strait. There are a lot of buildings of different styles, such as the Gothic building, the Romanesque building, the Baroque building, etc. It is really an extensive architecture group. And the Bund is also called the Oriental Wall Street. The Bund at night is extremely fascinating.

9. Giant Pandas, Sichuan Three hours outside Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, is the Wolong Nature Preserve, the largest panda reserve in China. The giant panda, regarded as one of China’s National Treasures, is on the verge of extinction. The center tries to ensure the Giant Panda species can continue to exist. Tourists can observe pandas in their natural habitat and can also help researchers feed and play with these beautiful and threatened animals.

10. Modernity in Hong Kong See modern China – and Asia – at the cutting edge with a visit to Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region located in Southern China.

This amazing city is bustling and beautiful, glitzy and glamorous. With its beauty and diversity, Hong Kong has something for everyone and is an amazing shopping paradise. Walking down the Kowloon side promenade gives the traveler a view of some of the most beautiful modern architecture in China. Hong Kong is filled with history and beauty as its many museums and parks amply demonstrate. Hong Kong is a beautiful blend of western and eastern, ancient, and modern and no trip to China is complete without a stop Hong Kong.

ChinaTouristMaps.com

http://www.chinatouristmaps.com/top-10s/things-to-see.html

Author: Mandy S Lee
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Natural And Man-Made Wonders

China is a beautiful blend of natural beauty and man-made architecture. Nature here is bountiful with magnificent mountains of Guangxi Zhuang, deserts like Xinjiang and rivers as Yangtze. Man has erected splendid structures like ‘The Great Wall of China,’ beautiful bridges, structurally planned buildings and other monuments. This makes it one of the worlds most sought after tourist spot and the reason for people to travel to China.

Getting and Staying There

While planning to visit China, it would be wise, if you take a tour package for travel to China. However, be sure to do some research of your own, so that you can choose a suitable tour. While in China, you can go around by road, train or even by air. Accommodation is available to suit all budget and taste.

Places to Visit

Beijing, the capital of China is a must-see during your travel to China. Cities of Hangzhou and Suzhou are extremely beautiful. The most popular destinations in China are: The Great Wall of China, which is one of the seven wonders of the world; Tiananmen Square; the Forbidden City of China [http://www.travelto-china.info/forbidden-city-of-china.php], the famous temples of Shibaozhai and Yangtze River, which is a very astounding natural marvel. Boat cruise on River Yangtze is breathtakingly beautiful as it takes you through various exquisite Chinese cities and places of historical importance.

People of China

People of China are very gentle, hardworking and thoughtful. Their main religion is Buddhism and Taoism. Most people speak Chinese and local people do not understand English very well. This can cause a little problem for the tourists. Other languages spoken here are Korean, Tibetan, and Mongolian etc.

China is rich in culture and has vast areas to explore. Your world-tour will never be complete, if you do not visit this oriental country.

Author: Barney Garcia
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Few places on Earth can offer cruise visitors such a
varied and dramatic experience. From the vestiges of
ancient China to the modern day wealth and opulence
of Singapore and Taipei, an Asia cruise encapsulates
thousands of years of history and diverse cultures in a
single voyage…

When choosing an Asia cruise, tourists are presented
with a variety of cruise routes to pick from. Many Asia
cruises offering a taste of the Orient depart from
Beijing in China, taking in Hong Kong and ports of call
in Japan and along the Chinese coastline. The more
exotic Asia cruises may include stops in Korea,
Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand…

Other Asia cruise options include routes around the Bay
of Bengal, and routes that follow in the footsteps of
Marco Polo’s return sea journey from China in 1293.
The typical duration of an Asia cruise is 12-16 nights,
although extended cruise vacations that take in a
voyage through the South China Sea and Bay of Bengal
can be arranged…

Destination highlights:

China: Beijing – the capital of China – is a ‘must see’
destination on every Asia cruise. The fabled Forbidden
City and Temple Of Heaven, both of which are
accessed through the vastness of Tiananmen Square,
reside in Beijing. Only a short distance from the city is
the Beijing section of the Great Wall of China.

Hong Kong:

A city on an island, Hong Kong is the
antithesis of Beijing. Gleaming towers of power exude
a modern wealth that contrasts sharply with the older
districts of the Chinese capital. Hong Kong is one of the
wealthiest places in the world – something that is very
much in evidence as you walk the numerous districts on
this thirty square-mile chunk of rock.

Singapore:

Singapore is the ultimate exotic destination
on an Asia cruise. Situated at the southern tip of the
Malaysian Peninsula, it represents the furthest point
south an Asia cruise is likely to extend to. Here all year
round warmth, stunning architecture and cuisine that is
truly out of this world combine to make it a stop not to
be missed.

Author: John Metcalfe
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