China: 20 places not to be missed

What to do in China? This is not a simple matter as there is much to see and visit in this huge country: temples, archaeological sites, ancient villages, spectacular rice terraces, mountains and other unique geological formation ...

With so many things to do, visit China therefore require some planning but do not worry, it's easy enough to travel there.

To this list I am limited to twenty places to see but you can easily add the dual ... Please leave a comment if there are places that you recommend.
Here are 20 things to see and do absolutely on a trip to China.


1 - The Great Wall

The biggest wall in the world with a total length of about 20,000 km, it is a must to visit China (preferably clear day!). It once served as defense against North invasions. Accessible from Beijing.


2 - The Leshan Giant Buddha


What to do in China - Leshan Buddha
The largest Buddha in the world, carved into the side of a hill in Leshan, west of China. It is 71 meters high.


3 - The Gorge Tiger Leaping


One of the best hikes in China, along an immense canyon 16km along the Yangtze River. Tiger Leaping Gorge is 60km from Lijiang, in Yunnan. The hiking trail goes up Quiaotou Daju.

4 - The army of terracotta soldiers from Xi'an (the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor)

Next to the ancient walled city of Xi'an (also worth a visit), thousands of statues of soldiers on earth sized 2200 years old, and all different, guarding the tomb of one China's first emperor.

5 - Go down the Li River (near Yangshuo)


Down the Li River between Guilin and Yangshuo, bamboo raft, you can admire the fabulous scenery of karst peaks straight out of Chinese paintings. The best way to explore the surrounding countryside is to rent a bike.

6 - Mount Huangshan


The most beautiful mountain of China, emerging from a sea of ​​clouds and has inspired many poets and Chinese painter. You can see a spectacular landscape of towering granite peaks dotted with pine trees (beware there is often fog!).

7 - Ice Sculpture Festival in Harbin

Harbin is located in Heilongjiang Province, where winter temperatures can drop to -35 ° C. This vast ice scupltures festival lasts a month and starts on January 5 of each year. It is an international event with sculptors from different countries.

8 - Take a cruise on the Yangtze River

It is the longest river in the country and Asia with its 6000 km, it is also called Yangtze and Yangtze. The most interesting part is in the section between Chongqing and Yichang. Most cruises last three or four days and depart from Chongqing to go to the Three Gorges Dam.

9 - The Summer Palace (Beijing)


Former shelter of the emperor to escape the summer heat, in gardens, magnificent temples and palaces around the lake Kunming.

10 - The Forbidden City (Beijing)


The impressive palace of the emperors of China, which was the seat of power in the country.

11 - The Mogao Grottoes


Millennia caves carved on the hillside along the Silk Road and containing an impressive collection of Buddhist art (murals and statues). They are located near Dunhuang in Gansu Province.

12 - The suspended Xuan Kong Monastery SI


These wooden monasteries built on the side of a mountain seem maintained by scaffolding that seems shaky, to protect themselves from the rising waters of the river below. They are located 65km southeast of Datong. Do not miss the Yungang Grottoes located in the same province (see No. 20).

13 - The Bund Shanghai

 
Strolling along the Shanghai Bund admire the elegance of a side of the colonial architecture, facing the modern skyscrapers of Pudong (including the second largest in the world).

14 - Zhangjiajie

 
A huge forest karst peaks that form a unique landscape in the park and Wulingyuan Zhangjiajie (Hunan Province). More info here.

15 - The old town of Fenghuang

 
A city with ancient architecture ideal for photographers built along the Tuo River, with stilt houses on each side of the shore. It is located in the northwest of Hunan.

16 - The rice terraces of the back of the dragon in Longsheng


One of the most photographed landscape in China: beautiful rice fields to look different depending on the season. They are located a hundred kilometers northwest of Guilin.

17 - The Longmen Grottoes




Among the finest stone carving China: 2300 caves and niches containing 2800 entries and 100,000 Buddhist statues. They are located in Henan Province, 12 km south of Luoyang. With the Mogao Grottoes (No. 11) and the Yungang Grottoes (No. 20) are the three most important ancient sculptures sites in China.

18 - Jiuzhaigou Valley



Located in northern Sichuan, Jiuzhaigou Valley is home to sites of outstanding natural beauty with lakes with clear water. Autumn is the best season to get there.

19 - The Old Town of Lijiang


An ancient city with authentic architecture in the province of Yunnan, not far from the Tiger Leaping Gorge (No. 3). It is listed as World Heritage by Unesco.

20 - The Yungang Grottoes


 Another ancient site which is a masterpiece of Buddhist art in China, with influences from South Asia and Central Asia. The site includes 252 caves and 51,000 statues. It is located in Shanxi province.