By Qingyang Palace, Chengdu Culture Park (Wenhua Gongyuan is an oasis of green in downtown Chengdu. Lotus ponds, ginkgo trees, and shady teahouses create an old-time feel. Other attractions include mass exercise classes, a sculpture wall, rides for small children, the ancient Zhiji Rock, and a mausoleum of Communist martyrs.
A large Buddhist temple in Jizhou, northern China, the Dule Temple (Temple of Solitary Joy) traces its origins to the 7th century and includes some of China’s oldest wooden buildings. The front gate and towering Guanyin Pavilion date back more than 1,000 years. Murals and statues, including a gigantic clay Goddess of Mercy (Guanyin), add life and color.
Built in the 17th century as a fortification against foreign aggression, Guia Fortress is located at the highest point on the Macau Peninsula, the 300-foot (91-meter) Guia Hill. Guia Fortress also includes a lighthouse and a chapel. It offers panoramic views of Macau, and forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Macau Historic Centre.
Opened in 1970, Kowloon Park’s Chinese-style gardens provide an escape from the bustling streets in Tsim Sha Tsui. Once a military base, the 32.8-acre (13.3-hectare) green space now hosts playgrounds, sculptures, and fitness facilities, as well as a range of flora and fauna, including several protected trees.
Located at the foot of Lantau Peak, Wisdom Path is a landscaped installation made of 38 wooden columns inscribed with the complete verses from the centuries-old Heart Sutra. Walk the Wisdom Path—a short distance away from the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery—to experience art and philosophy in a peaceful environment with lovely views.
Red Carp Pond, or “Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor,” is one of the classic “Ten Scenes of West Lake” in Hangzhou. Formerly the garden of a Southern Song dynasty official, the stunning pond and flower views have been inspiring artists for more than 800 years and continue to draw visitors of all ages today.
It’s hard to miss St. Dominic's Church (Igreja de São Domingos), with its pastel yellow façade. The church was established by three Dominican priests in 1587, though the current building dates from the 17th century. A popular attraction with a colorful past, the church forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Historic Centre of Macau.
Some 485 granite and marble lions—each slightly different—stand guard along Beijing’s Marco Polo Bridge (Lugou Qiao), built in 1192 and the oldest in the Chinese capital. Italian explorer Marco Polo supposedly wrote about the bridge, with its 11 arches spanning the Yongding River southwest of central Beijing.
Wuzhizhou Coral Island, a former fishing village, ranks among Sanya’s most scenic beach destinations. The tiny butterfly-shaped island, ringed by soft, white sand beaches, gets its name from the colorful coral reefs just off the beach, where divers and snorkelers head to spot conchs, sea urchins, and a host of tropical fish.
For over 100 years, the Victoria Peak Tram has been inclining its way up Victoria Peak on Hong Kong Island. The service began as a coal-fired tramway in 1888 and was electrically powered starting in 1926. Today, some 7 million people take a ride on the funicular railway every year for its spectacular panoramic views. At the top, you’ll find the ultramodern Peak Tower with its restaurants and Sky Terrace 428 viewing platform, nature trails, and the Victoria Peak Garden.
Wangjiang Tower Park fringes Chengdu’s Jinjiang River and is centered around the ornate Wangjiang Tower, which rises 130 feet (39 meters). The park honors the ninth-century female poet Xue Tao. You'll walk by 200 different types of bamboo, which create shady walkways and scenic avenues, and pass pavilions and a sculpture of Tao.
Located west of Dali Ancient City, Cangshan Mountain stretches for 31 miles (50 kilometers) and encompasses 19 peaks, with the highest at 13,523 feet (4,122 meters). There’s also 18 streams, numerous waterfalls, alpine lakes, pools, and temples. Accessible by hiking or cable cars, a scenic paved path winds its way around six mountains.
Ganden Monastery on the slopes of Wangbur Mountain is one of the oldest and largest Buddhist monasteries in Tibet. Together with Sera and Drepung Monasteries, Ganden is part of the three great university temples of Tibet, with a history dating back to the 15th century, when it became the main temple for the Yellow Hat Buddhists.
Located in Shatin, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum is built as a traditional siheyuan house. The museum focuses on the art, history, and culture of the New Territories and Hong Kong, with a particular focus on art, Cantonese opera, popular culture, and cultural heritage.
A massive multilevel complex devoted to all things tea, Tianshan Tea City (Tianshan Cha Cheng) is a tea-lover’s paradise. With over 150 shops and stalls selling thousands of varieties of Chinese tea and tea wares, it’s the largest concentration of tea shops in Shanghai and a must-visit for tea enthusiasts and those who wish to learn more about tea.
Once an imperial residence, the palace of the Forbidden City had an inner and an outer court. While the outer court was for official business, the inner court held the royal family’s personal living quarters and gardens. Visitors can now enter these once-private areas, to see how emperors lived until the 1720s.
A historic town with a rich Hakka culture, Luodai Ancient Town sits on the outskirts of Chengdu. Attractions include four guildhalls built for Hakka people from other provinces of China, a Hakka Museum, gardens, parks, temples, and a wealth of food stalls. The town hosts dragon dance festivals twice a year.
Rising 217 feet (66 meters), Solitary Beauty Peak (Duxiu Feng) has been a famous scenic spot in Guilin since ancient times. Also known as the “Pillar of the Southern Sky,” it’s one of the area’s highest peaks. Climb to the pavilion at the peak to take in sweeping views over the city.
A pretty little park lined with flowers and trees, Little Fish Hill Park (Xiaoyushan Park) stands atop a low hill with views of Qingdao, Little Qingdao, and the maple-forest-surrounded ocean. The tallest of its three pavilions, the 3-story Lanchao Pavilion, has the best views; the two smaller pavilions are the Bibo Pavilion and Yong Cui Pavilion.
While the Yulong Bridge is the largest single-arch bridge in the province and the Xiangui Bridge is the oldest passage across the Yulong River, the Fuli Bridge is the tallest span. When seen from a distance, the bridge’s high arched back and the reflection it creates in the water form a perfect circle, called a full moon by locals.
Located within the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark, Sharp Island (Kiu Tsui Chau) packs a lot into a small area, with two popular beaches, barbecue areas, hiking trails, stunning scenery, and interesting geological formations. Sharp Island is easily accessible, and is one of the most popular islands in the Sai Kung area.
Step back in time at Shanghai Chedun Film Park, which covers a whopping 4,305,565 square feet (400,000 square meters). The park is an active film set and features historically-accurate sets. See where hundreds of Chinese movies and TV shows were shot, explore the sets, and enjoy varied exhibits, experiences, and shows.
Built in 1777, the Prince Gong Mansion (Gong Wang Fu) is one of the best preserved imperial mansions in Beijing, and it has been turned into an excellent museum. Be sure to visit the ornamental gardens, featuring pavilions, ponds, and winding paths. A central stage hosts Beijing opera and orchestral performances throughout the day.
Lake Manasarovar was once surrounded by eight Buddhist monasteries that represented the Wheel of Life. While many of these holy structures have now crumbled to the ground, the lake’s religious significance has not been lost, and Buddhists from across the globe still travel to this sky-high freshwater lake each year.
Boasting an impressive 70 rides and attractions, Chimelong Paradise is China’s largest amusement park and holds numerous world records, with many of its rides imported from abroad and made with the latest amusement park technologies. Daily live performances and a 4D theater round out the entertainment offerings.
Located in northeast New Territories, Sai Kung East Country Park is one of the most scenic parks in the city. A popular day trip destination, the park offers stunning scenery, numerous hiking trails, rugged peaks, unique rock formations, secluded beaches, pristine islands, and the largest reservoir in the city.
Jingjiang Wangcheng City, also called the Jingjiang Mansion, was the seat of the Jingjiang Family, who reigned in this part of China between 1368 and 1644. The mansion was designed to function as the inner city of Guilin, with extensive halls, pavilions, and more than 40 secondary buildings surrounding the main mansion.
Song Xian Qiao Antique Market is the country's second-largest antiques market and an excellent place to shop for souvenirs. With more than 500 separate stalls selling exquisite watercolor paintings, fake Buddha statues, and everything in between, it’s a treasure trove for shoppers and people watchers alike.
Set along the coast southeast of Qingdao, the Badaguan Scenic Area (Eight Passes) is a historic neighborhood with a colonial past. More than 200 buildings and villas representing the architectural styles of more than 20 different countries can be found here, amid charming tree- and flower-lined streets and several beaches.
The China Aviation Museum (Datangshan Museum is the largest of its kind in Asia. This huge facility, located in an old air force base north of Beijing, displays hundreds of aircraft and missile launchers of various makes, including various Russian and Chinese crafts, two British Spitfires, and a US Starfighter.
