Best places to visit in China

 Hangzhou — Shanghai’s Picturesque Backyard with Rich Culture

When Marco Polo came to Hangzhou in the 13th century, he declared it "the most beautiful and elegant city in the world". There is a popular Chinese saying: "Above there is heaven, below there are Hangzhou and Suzhou."

Hangzhou's "heavenly" beauty and Buddhist, imperial, and tea culture attract millions of travelers yearly. There are convenient 1-hour high-speed trains from/to Shanghai.

Best attractions:

• West Lake, famous for its stunning scenery and various historical sites, can be enjoyed by bike, walking, or boat ride.
• Lingyin Temple, one of the most important and wealthiest Buddhist temples, has many pagodas and Buddhist grottoes.
• The Grand Canal, from Hangzhou to Beijing, is the longest ancient canal in the world. Some parts are over 2,000 years old.
• Wuzhen Water Town is a restored ancient water town looking like a traditional Chinese painting.

Unique experiences:

• On our 1-Day Dragon Well Tea Culture Tour, step into a tea plantation to pick tea leaves and learn the art of tea making.
• Paint your own oiled-paper umbrella at an artisan’s pavilion.
• Enjoy a boat ride on the charismatic water town canals, and even on the Grand Canal itself.

Suggested stay: 1–2 days
Visa-free travel: Hangzhou shares a 144-hour visa-free transit zone with Shanghai.
More tour tips: How to Plan a Hangzhou Tour

Chengdu — Hometown of Giant Pandas

Although there are giant pandas in zoos in various places around the world, the best place to see pandas is in Chengdu.

Chengdu is also famous for delicious Sichuan food like kung pao chicken and spicy hotpot. You can experience cooking the most authentic Sichuan cuisine with a local chef.

Best attractions:

• Dujiangyan Panda Base offers you a rare chance to join a volunteer program to take care of pandas.
• The Leshan Giant Buddha is a 71-metre tall stone statue carved out of a cliff.
• Jinli Old Street is a place to taste some local snacks.

Unique experiences:

• Hold a panda in your arm and take photos.
• Try spicy Sichuan hot pot.
• Enjoy magical face changing.
• Take an onward tour to Jiuzhai Valley.

Suggested stay: 1–4 days
Visa-free travel: Long-haul international flights from Chengdu are increasing, so more travelers can enjoy its 72-hour visa-free policy.

Guilin — China's Top Karst Landscape

Guilin, with its marvelous limestone scenery, is renowned as one of the most beautiful place on earth. On his tour, Former US President Nixon remarked: "I have found that no city can surpass the beauty of Guilin."

Guilin is an hour due west from Hong Kong by air. A tour of Hong Kong can be easily combined with a Guilin tour for visa-free travel.

Best attractions:

• The Li River is one of the most beautiful sights on the planet. It is best experienced with a cruise or a leisurely hike along its banks.
• Yangshuo is a foreigners’ favorite — a great place to experience rural China.
• The Longji Terraced Fields boast fantastic natural scenery with sprawling rice terraces and rich ethnic culture.

Unique experiences:

• Discover the Old Town of Daxu with a local scholar.
• Experience some farming activities in a village near Yangshuo.
• Enjoy a helicopter tour to have a bird’s view of the Li River.
• Taste some Guilin local food, such as rice noodles, bamboo rice and oil tea.

Suggested stay: 1–4 days
Guilin Visa-free travel: 72-hour for 51 countries, and 144-hour for 10 ASEAN countries.
More tour tips: How to Plan a Day in Guilin

 Shanghai — China's Prosperous Largest City

Shanghai, China's biggest city, oozes an atmosphere of vitality, which can rival New York and Paris. As one of the world's leading economic and business cities, Shanghai's modernity is evidenced by its ambitious skyline.

Unlike in Beijing, there are not many famous attractions. However, the beauty of visiting Shanghai lies not in a richness of relics, but in experiencing the city's historic and cutting-edge grandeur.

Best attractions:

• The Bund is a worthy walk by day or night. See the colonial architecture one side and awesome skyline the other.
• Yu Garden is a delightful traditional Chinese garden, in sharp contrast to the busy city surrounding it.
• Zhujiajiao Water Town is the best of the charming ancient canal towns in Shanghai.
• Shanghai Tower, tallest building in China, second globally, offers a great view of Shanghai and China’s future.

Unique experiences:

• Experience the world's fastest train — the Maglev, running at 431 kph (270 mph).
• Take a cruise on the Huangpu River to admire Shanghai's remarkable views.
• Enjoy some leisure time in the French Concession, a Chinese garden, or a water town near Shanghai.

Suggested stay: 1–3 days
Visa-free: The Shanghai area has a 6-day visa-free transit policy.
More tour tips: How to Plan a Shanghai Tour

 Beijing — Historic Capital Full of Cultural Heritage

Beijing, China's capital city for over 700 years, is rich in history, both imperial and modern. There are many well-preserved relics in Beijing, as well as recent landmarks.

It's very easy to get to Beijing by air, and it's the first stop for most first-time travelers to China. Flights and high-speed trains from Beijing to other popular cities are very convenient.

Best attractions:

• The Great Wall is the world's longest wall and greatest ancient architecture. Mutianyu is foreigners’ favorite section.
• The Forbidden City is China's best-preserved imperial palace, and the world’s largest. See our Insider’s Guide.
• The Summer Palace is an ornate imperial garden, where the royals relaxed in the warmer months.
• The Temple of Heaven was where emperors prayed for good harvests. Now locals do morning exercises there.

Unique experiences:

• Discover the hutongs (medieval alleys) by rickshaw and enjoy a home-visit to a traditional courtyard house.
• Enjoy a tasty Peking roast duck.
• Spend an evening watching Beijing opera or a kung fu show.

Suggested stay: 2–4 days
144-hour visa-free transit: Plan Your VISA-FREE Beijing Tour
More tour tips: How to Plan a Beijing Tour