China attractions

Located in Yau Ma Tei, the Jade Market houses hundreds of stalls selling jade in all shapes and sizes, including jewelry, souvenirs, accessories, figurines, knickknacks, and more. In addition to jade, vendors sell pearls and semiprecious stones, as well as calligraphy and letter-writing services.

Step back in time in historic Cuandixia Village, a picturesque town nestled in the mountains. Founded during the Ming Dynasty, the village has 70 well preserved stone courtyard homes. It’s a popular day trip destination from Beijing, offering visitors stunning vistas and a glimpse into traditional village life.

These ruins are all that remains of several grand palaces that made up a summer retreat for Chinese emperors from the 15th to mid-19th centuries. Occupying a space the size of Central Park in New York, the Old Summer Palace (Yuanming Yuan) is now a collection of marble chunks, crumbling statues, and broken columns.

Boasting more than 1,000 years of history, Fengjing Ancient Town is one of Shanghai’s most charming water towns. Black and white houses and scarlet lanterns flank shady canals; ancient bridges, such as Yuan Dynasty Zhihe Bridge, reflect in the water; and folk artists create prized “peasant paintings”. The wedding museum is also charming.

With no cars, a small population, old-fashioned buildings, excellent hikes, hidden beaches, and al fresco seafood restaurants, Lamma Island offers welcome respite from Hong Kong’s bustle. The closest and third-largest island of Hong Kong’s outlying islands, Lamma remains largely undeveloped, with a decidedly bohemian vibe, thanks in part to its youthful expat population.

Xian’s Muslim Quarter, also sometimes known as Muslim Street, is home to the majority of the Muslim Hui minority ethnic group. This community comprises descendants of Silk Road traders who eventually settled in Xian to form a tight-knit community that endures to this day. Visitors will find about 10 mosques in the area, as well as a lively food market and street food scene.

Located inside Chengdu Cultural Park, Shufen Yayun Teahouse (Shufeng Yayun) has been hosting Sichuan Opera performances for over 100 years. It’s one of the city’s most popular venues for this art form, which involves an exciting mix of music, dancing, acrobatics, martial arts, hand shadows, puppet play, comedic theater, sword play, and costume changes (face changing).

A popular side trip on a Three Gorges cruise, the Shennong Stream (Shennong Xi) meets the Yangtze River between Wu Gorge and Xiling Gorge opposite the town of Badong. Trips typically wind through Mianzhu (Bamboo) Gorge, Yingwu (Parrot) Gorge, and Longchang (Thriving Dragon) Gorge, past a number of Tujia minority villages.

Also known as the Dragon Bridge, the 600-year-old Yulong Bridge stands amid hundreds of tall karst peaks, rural mudbrick villages, rice paddies, and grazing water buffalo. The 197-foot-long (60-meter-long) single-arched bridge—the largest of its kind in Guangxi Province—is shaped like a rainbow bending its way over the languid Yulong River.

Learn all about the history and development of tea in China, tea culture, tea ceremonies, tea wares, and different types of tea at the National Tea Museum (Zhongguo Chaye Bowuguan). Nestled within the hills of idyllic Longjing (Dragon Well) Village, the National Tea Museum is the only national museum in China focused entirely on tea.

Situated on Lingyun Mountain, Lingyun Temple is also called Great Buddha Temple because of its location at the head of the Leshan Giant Buddha, the largest stone Buddha in the world. Four monuments flank the entrance to the temple, which contains the Heavenly King Hall, Precious Hall of the Great Hero, and Scripture Collection Hall. .

Built in 1988 to commemorate 2,000 years of Buddhist history in China, Nanshan Temple and the surrounding Buddhism Cultural Zone serve as a window into China’s rich Buddhist heritage. The temple is situated at the foot of Nanshan Mountain, and its architecture was heavily influenced by the Tang Dynasty.

A quintessential Hong Kong experience, the iconic Star Ferry has been transporting locals and visitors between HK Island and Kowloon since 1888. Riding the ferry provides the most scenic views of Victoria Harbour, one of the most photographed waterfront areas in the world.

The picturesque Haoshang Bridge leads travelers visiting the Leshan Giant Buddha across a river to the steps of Wuyou Temple, situated on the slopes of the mountain of the same name. Built in the Tang Dynasty, the site consists of seven Buddhist palaces, including the Arhats Hall with its 500 clay figures of the Buddha’s disciples.

The black rock-topped Mt. Kailash (Kang Rinpoche), in the Himalaya of western Tibet, is sacred to Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and followers of the old Bon religion. Every year, thousands of pilgrims visit to walk around the mountain. Mt. Kailash can also be visited by trekkers as part of a broader tour of Tibet or on a dedicated trip.

Set amid bustling Mongkok, Fa Yuen Street Market is a must-visit Hong Kong street market. It’s best known for sportswear—one stretch with scores of sports shops is known as Sneaker Street—but it’s a mecca for all sorts of goods and clothing. There’s an indoor wet market with stalls selling cooked food and nary a souvenir in sight.

Located in the French Concession, the Shanghai Museum of Arts and Crafts showcases traditional embroidery, paper crafts, lantern making, and carvings in wood, jade, bamboo, and other materials. Visitors can check out the exhibits and watch artisans at work.

Some 4,000 animals representing 230 species, including the iconic giant panda and rare South China tiger, call the Chongqing Zoo (Chongqing Dongwuyuan home. Besides animal exhibits, the zoo also features an outdoor state, teahouse, amusement park, and a roller skating rink, making it a favorite family attraction.

Housed in a futuristic glass structure in Pudong, the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum (SSTM) comprises four theaters and more than a dozen exhibition halls focusing on robotics, space travel, natural history, and more. With hands-on and immersive displays, this museum offers a fun and educational day out for the whole family.

During a 1773 renovation of a northeastern section of the Forbidden City, a Nine Dragon Screen—common in palaces and gardens throughout China—was added to provide privacy and protection from evil spirits for Emperor Qianlong’s retirement villa. The screen depicts nine Chinese dragons, each playing with a pearl amid ocean waves.

This 66-foot-tall (20-meter-tall) statue of Guan Yin, Buddhist goddess of mercy, is one of only a few such statues where the goddess faces inland rather than toward the sea. Designed by Portuguese architect Cristina Rocha, the statue stands atop the lotus-shaped Kun Iam Ecumenical Center, home to a library and museum of religious objects.

China's Chimelong Safari Park—among the largest wild animal parks in the world—is home to some 20,000 animals and is presently the only zoo in the country to be awarded the 5A class tourist attraction level, the highest level attainable. More than 500 species are represented, including giant pandas, black rhinos, and Chinese white tigers.

Tung Chung started out as a small fishing village but today is a thriving town with plenty to offer. On the northern coast of picturesque Lantau Island, Tung Chung has great shopping at Citygate Outlets, access to Ngong Ping 360 and the Big Buddha, and close proximity to the airport and a number of other attractions on the island.

On top of Snake Hill, along the banks of the Yangtze River, the iconic Yellow Crane Tower offers panoramic city and river views, and features artwork on different levels. Considered one of the Four Great Towers of China, it’s one of the most popular attractions in Wuhan, and a symbol of the city.

One of a triptych of UNESCO World Heritage-listed Confucian sites in Qufu, the sage’s home city, the Cemetery of Confucius (Kong Lin) hosts Confucius’ 2,500-year-old tomb, as well as more than 100,000 of his descendants. Tree-filled and tranquil, the 452-acre (183-hectare) park contains pavilions, tombs, and carvings.

Within Beijing's Forbidden City complex—a vast museum in its own right—sits the Treasure Gallery. With a collection of paintings, clocks, pottery, furniture, bronze, and jade statuary, some artifacts date to the days when Qing emperors roamed the halls. A must-visit for anyone interested in the last imperial dynasty in China.

At the top of Luhuitou Mountain, south of Sanya, Luhuitou Park (“deer look back”) was named after a traditional love story. It's the only mountaintop park near Sanya and offers spectacular views over Sanya and the South China Sea, making it a popular destination for sunset.

Laoshan Scenic Area, one of China’s first national parks, has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries. The hills and slopes surrounding the 3,280-foot (1,000-meter) peak of Mount Lao are home to the Taoist Taiqing Palace, built in 140 BC, as well as waterfalls, precipitous gorges, and views across the Yellow Sea.

The Tsingtao Beer Museum commemorates some 100 years of German brewing history and heritage in China. Wander the halls of the two-story structure and learn about the traditions developed and perfected here, and sample cold and crisp beer right from the production line of one of China’s oldest working breweries.

The Capital Museum in Beijing houses a sizable collection of imperial Chinese art and artifacts, as well as Buddhist relics from several Asian countries. Five aboveground levels and two basement floors house more than 200,000 pieces, including bronzes, ceramics, textiles, and sculptures. History lovers will be enthralled during their visit.