Posts Tagged ‘world heritage site’

Culturally, China has one of the most rich histories of all civilizations that encompasses over 5,000 years. This is rich stuff for a traveler. A vast and extraordinary country spanning thousands of miles from the deserts in the west to the ocean on the east, China is also rich in breathtaking natural scenery. The following top 10 things are strongly recommended. Map showing the locationsof the following attractions can be found at ChinaTouristMaps.com.

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
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Canada duty tariff

One can get a taste of old Europe right in North America when visiting Qubec City in Canada. Qubec City is the capital of the province of Qubec. It can be easily reached by a short flight from points in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada. It is a three hour drive from Montreal. The high season is the summer when visitors from all over the world visit. Recently, the number of tourists from the United States and Europe has increased dramatically. This may be partly due to the fact that even some cruise ships originating from eastern US ports are now including Qubec City as a port of call.

Back in 1608, explorer Samuel de Champlain saw the potential of the natural citadel here and founded a fur trading post. With the fortifications of the Upper Town of Qubec City became the area where government and religious institutions set up. Meanwhile, merchants and craftsmen settled in the Lower Town along the St. Lawrence River. Qubec City was fought over by the English and the French many times during wars in the 17th and 18th centuries. The English finally took the city over in 1759 resulting with New France becoming a British colony. Qubec City is still considered as the cradle of French civilization in North America. The old quarter of the city was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1985 and is the only fortified city in North America.

Today, the winding streets and alleys of the old quarter of Qubec City is filled with elegant restaurants, bistros, cafes, museums, art galleries and retail shops. There are artists selling their artwork in some of the alleys. Most of the restaurants in the old quarter are smaller, independent business rather than large chains and they fill up quickly during busy periods so advance reservations are recommended. One of the landmarks of Qubec City is the huge medieval looking hotel, the Chteau Frontenac which along with the adjacent Terrasse Dufferin, overlooks the St. Lawrence River. A one of a kind funicular connects the Upper Town with the Lower Town. There are also several smaller hotels right in the old quarter. The old quarter can be visited by car and there are parking areas strategically located.

Just outside the walls of the old quarter is the rest of downtown Qubec City where newer high rise hotels such as the Hilton and Loews are located. Along the main street of Grand Alle is another section of restaurants and cafes, many of them priced a bit lower than the ones within the old quarter which gives visitors more dining choices. It is a very easy walk from Grand Alle to the old quarter.

Still another alternative for both accommodation and dining is in the Sainte Foy area which is a 10 minute drive west of downtown Qubec City. In fact, Sainte Foy is actually closer to the airport and is well represented by lower priced hotels such as Best Western, Travelodge, Comfort Inn and Days Inn. During the high season, some of the hotels in Sainte Foy offer free shuttle bus service to the old quarter of Qubec City. Sainte Foy also has two shopping malls side by side along the main street of Laurier Boulevard.

Visitors may also want to drive 30 minutes east of Qubec City to the small village of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupr which has one of the most famous churches in North America, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupr Basilica. This site was built in the mid 17th century and receives 1.5 million visitors per year. Along the way is a 272 foot high water falls visible from the highway called the Chute Montmorency.

Although the summer is the high season, Qubec City gets a fair number of visitors to its Carnaval festival in February and the major ski resort Mont Sainte-Anne is busy with the ski and snowboard crowds all winter. Most skiers and snowboarders going to Mont Sainte-Anne use Qubec City as the base for accommodations and dining. An added winter attraction during the last few years has been the Ice Hotel near Lac Sainte-Joseph which was modeled after the one in Europe.

Qubec City has become one of Canada’s top tourist destinations with attractions all year round catering to both summer and winter visitors. With the added old European charm, it is the closest thing to being in Europe without actually leaving North America.

Author: Clint Leung
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Latest trends in mobile phone