China is an enormous country, with a land area greater than that of Brazil and just behind the United States. Across the beautiful country of China are incredible city skylines, breathtaking landscapes and scenery, and countless other must-see destinations.
We’ll explore five places we think all visitors to China have to see. The places that we have on our list may be a specific place (like a building or park) or something more general, like a city.
Hong Kong
If you haven’t decided which cities to visit for sure yet, we highly recommend considering staying in Hong Kong for a few nights. This special administrative region of China is packed full of excitement and things to do. It is one of the most economically independent parts of China as well. In fact, many businesses and businesspeople, such as this person here, have chosen to base themselves in Hong Kong.
If you visit Hong Kong on your trip to China, we recommend taking some time to explore Victoria Peak. Atop this hill are some of the best views in the entire country, and you can see the whole surrounding region. We also recommend visiting Tian Tan Buddha, a 34-meter-high statue on Lantau Island, Hong Kong.
Beijing
China’s capital city is another must-stop for all tourists who want their fill of Chinese history and culture. With historically famous sites such as the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square, Beijing is full of things to do and sites to see.
One location in Beijing that isn’t on many peoples’ radar is the Beijing Ancient Observatory. This ancient site was constructed in 1442, and is considered to be one of the oldest observatories in the world. If you’re interested in learning more about this historical observatory, you can read Atlas Obscura’s information guide on it.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
About a three-hour flight from Beijing is a national park unlike any other on the planet. Scattered across the national park are towering pillars reaching over 1,000 meters. According to countless travel guides about China, it is truly a sight to behold and is one of the most beautiful parks.
The National Museum of China
Located within Tiananmen Square in Beijing, The National Museum of China is the second most visited museum in the world (behind the Louvre in Paris). The museum has artifacts as old as 1.7 million years old up to the Qing Dynasty, which was the last imperial dynasty in Chinese history.
Across all their collections, the museum has 1.3 million items. Their collections include archaeological discoveries, objects of Chinese revolutionary history, modern Chinese history, artifacts handed down from ancient times, ancient currencies, folk art, ancient rare books and stele rubbings, foreign artifacts, and artworks.
The Terracotta Army
In the 1970s, a group of Chinese peasants was digging a well in the outskirts of Xi’an when they made the archaeological discovery of the century: 8,000 life-size human warrior statues, 520 horse statues, and 100 chariots. The site is estimated from 280 B.C. and was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
If you are interested in visiting the site, you should check out their official webpage to learn about hours of operation and admission fees.
Wrapping It Up:
Thanks for reading our article on the top five places to visit in China, and we hope you enjoy your trip to the beautiful country.
