The sights
One page for every place.
Filter by what the place actually is. Historic sites, cultural landscapes, natural scenery, and hiking are separate on purpose. A tower is not a temple, and a cable car is not a trek.
Beijing
Forbidden City
Historic sites 历史古迹
The palace museum. Real-name tickets open seven days out, and same-day entry is not sold.
Mutianyu Great Wall
Historic sites 历史古迹Hiking and trails 徒步越野
The straightforward Wall day: restored, scenic, and reserved under your passport.
Temple of Heaven
Historic sites 历史古迹
A park and an altar. The Hall of Prayer is the ticket people mean.
Summer Palace
Historic sites 历史古迹
A lake, a long corridor, and a half day in the northwest.
Lama Temple
Historic sites 历史古迹
A working Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the middle of the city.
Shanghai
The Bund
Historic sites 历史古迹
The old riverfront. No ticket, no reservation, best at the end of the day.
Yu Garden
Historic sites 历史古迹
A Ming garden inside a bazaar. The garden is the ticket. The bazaar is not.
Shanghai Tower
City landmarks 城市地标
The twisted tower. The observation deck is real-name and timed.
Shanghai Museum
Museums 博物馆
Bronzes and paintings. The permanent galleries do not need a reservation. Special shows do.
French Concession
Cultural landscapes 人文风光
Plane trees, lanes, and the part of the city that rewards getting lost.
Xi'an
Terracotta Army
Historic sites 历史古迹
The pits east of the city. Everyone, including free-ticket visitors, reserves.
City Wall
Historic sites 历史古迹
A bike ride on top of the Ming wall, best in the late light.
Muslim Quarter
Cultural landscapes 人文风光
The night market under the Drum Tower. Free, crowded, and better one street off the main lane.
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
Historic sites 历史古迹
A Tang pagoda inside Da Ci'en Temple. The grounds and the climb are separate tickets.
Shaanxi History Museum
Museums 博物馆
Free, and still the hardest ticket in the city. Reservation required.
Luoyang
Longmen Grottoes
Historic sites 历史古迹
The Buddhist cliff on the Yi River. Reserve it. Go early.
White Horse Temple
Historic sites 历史古迹
The old Buddhist temple east of the city, traditionally the first in China.
Luoyang Museum
Museums 博物馆
The city’s museum, strong on bronzes and the capitals that stood here.
Luoyi Old Town
Cultural landscapes 人文风光
The rebuilt old-town street. An evening walk, not a Han capital.
Guanlin
Historic sites 历史古迹
The temple and tomb complex for Guan Yu, south of the city.
Pingyao
Pingyao Ancient City
Historic sites 历史古迹
The walls and the streets. The ticket is the monument. The lanes are the night you stayed for.
Rishengchang
Historic sites 历史古迹
The draft bank that stands in for Pingyao’s financial century.
Pingyao County Yamen
Historic sites 历史古迹
The county government courtyard. Courts, a jail, and the everyday architecture of rule.
Shuanglin Temple
Historic sites 历史古迹
Painted sculptures in a temple outside the walls. The art is the reason.
Wang Family Compound
Historic sites 历史古迹
A huge Qing merchant courtyard in Lingshi, a day trip from Pingyao.
Chengdu
Panda Base
Animals 动物
The research base in the northeast of the city. Morning reservations, passport at the gate.
People's Park
Cultural landscapes 人文风光
The teahouse park. Free, and the clearest introduction to the city.
Wuhou Shrine
Historic sites 历史古迹
The Three Kingdoms memorial. A real ticket, sold by the museum.
Kuanzhai Alleys
Cultural landscapes 人文风光
Three restored lanes. Free, walkable, and not where you should eat the best meal.
Leshan Giant Buddha
Historic sites 历史古迹
The cliff Buddha south of Chengdu. A separate day, with a real-name ticket.
Chongqing
Hongya Cave
Cultural landscapes 人文风光
The lit stilt complex on the river. Free, vertical, and rebuilt for the evening.
Ciqikou
Cultural landscapes 人文风光
An old market town on the river. The lanes are free. The snack street knows it.
Dazu Rock Carvings
Historic sites 历史古迹
UNESCO cave carvings, a day trip from Chongqing. Baodingshan is the one to book.
Yangtze River Cableway
City landmarks 城市地标
The gondola across the Yangtze. A city view, and a real way to cross.
Wulong Karst
Natural scenery 自然风景
Natural bridges and a canyon, a day trip. Boardwalks, not a backcountry hike.
Guilin
Li River
Natural scenery 自然风景
The cruise everyone means. Buy the section, the pier, and the hour, not a vague “Li River tour.”
Elephant Trunk Hill
Natural scenery 自然风景
The city’s symbol, a hill that looks like an elephant drinking. Ticketed.
Reed Flute Cave
Natural scenery 自然风景
A lit cave of stalactites in the northwest of the city. Book before a holiday.
Yangshuo
Cultural landscapes 人文风光
The town inside the peaks. The countryside is the sight. West Street is the noise.
Longji Rice Terraces
Cultural landscapes 人文风光Hiking and trails 徒步越野
Rice terraces north of Guilin. A walk through villages, not a roadside lookout.
Guangzhou
Canton Tower
City landmarks 城市地标
The slim tower on the Pearl River. Real-name tickets if you want to go up.
Shamian Island
Historic sites 历史古迹
A shaded island of old consulates. Free, and good for an hour.
Chen Clan Ancestral Hall
Historic sites 历史古迹
Wood, brick, and ceramic figures on every ridge. The folk-art museum.
Pearl River
City landmarks 城市地标
An evening boat under the lights. Buy a marked sailing, not a whisper at the railing.
Baiyun Mountain
Natural scenery 自然风景
The green mountain on the north edge of the city. Trails and a cable car, not a wilderness.
Xiamen
Gulangyu
Historic sites 历史古迹
The car-free island of old villas. The ferry is the ticket across.
Nanputuo Temple
Historic sites 历史古迹
The Buddhist temple under the south hill, next to the university.
Hulishan Fortress
Historic sites 历史古迹
A late-Qing coastal fort with old guns, on the east shore.
Zhongshan Road
Cultural landscapes 人文风光
The arcade street for food and the evening. No ticket.
Xiamen Botanical Garden
Natural scenery 自然风景
A large garden on the hill, rainforest sections and a view of the city.
Hangzhou
West Lake
Cultural landscapes 人文风光
The lake in the middle of the city. The shore is free. A boat is optional.
Lingyin Temple
Historic sites 历史古迹
A working Buddhist temple west of the lake, reached through the Feilai Feng rock.
Leifeng Pagoda
Historic sites 历史古迹
The pagoda on the south shore. You pay to go up and look back at the lake.
Longjing tea village
Cultural landscapes 人文风光
The tea hills west of the lake. Walk the lanes. Buy tea only if you wanted tea.
Xixi Wetland
Natural scenery 自然风景
A wetland of canals and paths in the west of the city. Timed entry.
Suzhou
Humble Administrator’s Garden
Historic sites 历史古迹
The large classical garden. Reserve it. Monday closures and peak-day caps are real.
Lion Grove
Historic sites 历史古迹
The rock garden. Easier to reserve than its famous neighbor, and stranger.
Tiger Hill
Historic sites 历史古迹
A pagoda on a hill at the edge of the old city. The leaning tower is the reason.
Pingjiang Road
Cultural landscapes 人文风光
The canal street that still feels like a place to walk, not only a mall.
Shantang Street
Cultural landscapes 人文风光
The other canal street, more rebuilt and more commercial. Walk it once.
Nanjing
Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum
Historic sites 历史古迹
The blue-tile mausoleum on Purple Mountain. Entry is free and still reserved.
Ming Xiaoling
Historic sites 历史古迹
The Ming founder’s tomb on the same mountain. A sacred way of stone animals, then the mound.
Nanjing City Wall
Historic sites 历史古迹
The longest city wall in the country. You visit a gate, not a single loop.
Fuzimiao and Qinhuai
Cultural landscapes 人文风光
The Confucian temple quarter on the Qinhuai River. The evening river is the visit. The temple is optional.
Nanjing Museum
Museums 博物馆
One of the country’s best museums. Free, and reserved.
Kunming
Stone Forest
Natural scenery 自然风景
The karst forest east of the city. Timed entry, and a real day.
Dianchi Lake
Natural scenery 自然风景
The high lake on the south of the city. Walk Haigeng. The gulls are a winter event.
Western Hills
Natural scenery 自然风景
The cliffs above Dianchi. Dragon Gate is a steep scenic stair, not a wilderness trail.
Yuantong Temple
Historic sites 历史古迹
The old Buddhist temple in the city, with a pond in the courtyard.
Green Lake
Cultural landscapes 人文风光
The city’s walking park. Willows, tea, and gulls in winter.
Lijiang
Dayan Old Town
Historic sites 历史古迹
The Naxi old town. The entry fee is gone. Some courtyards still charge.
Black Dragon Pool
Natural scenery 自然风景
The pool that borrows Jade Dragon Snow Mountain for a backdrop.
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Natural scenery 自然风景
The snow peak north of town. Cable cars, altitude, and a reservation.
Tiger Leaping Gorge
Natural scenery 自然风景Hiking and trails 徒步越野
The deep gorge toward Shangri-La. The high trail is a real hike.
Shuhe
Cultural landscapes 人文风光
The smaller old village north of Dayan. Quieter, still commercial, easier to like.
Zhangjiajie
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
Natural scenery 自然风景Hiking and trails 徒步越野
The sandstone pillars. One park, several gates, real trails, and an elevator that is optional.
Tianmen Mountain
Natural scenery 自然风景
The mountain with the natural arch, reached by a long cable car from the city.
Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon
Natural scenery 自然风景
The glass bridge over a canyon. A separate park from the pillars.
Baofeng Lake
Natural scenery 自然风景
A small lake among peaks near Wulingyuan. The visit is a boat.
Huanglong Cave
Natural scenery 自然风景
The large cave in Wulingyuan. A wet, lit underground hour.
Huangshan
Huangshan
Natural scenery 自然风景Hiking and trails 徒步越野
The granite peaks. Reserve the day, and know which cable car you are using.
Hongcun
Historic sites 历史古迹
The white-walled village with the moon pond. Book it, then walk early.
Xidi
Historic sites 历史古迹
The other Huizhou village. Fewer reflections, more lanes, often calmer than Hongcun.
Tunxi Old Street
Cultural landscapes 人文风光
The old commercial street in Huangshan City. Where you actually eat and sleep.
Emerald Valley
Natural scenery 自然风景
Pools and a gorge near the mountain. The smaller scenic day.
Qingdao
Zhanqiao Pier
Historic sites 历史古迹
The pier that is Qingdao’s symbol. A short walk into the bay.
Badaguan
Cultural landscapes 人文风光
The villa district. Shaded streets, old houses, no ticket.
Laoshan
Natural scenery 自然风景Hiking and trails 徒步越野
The Taoist mountain east of the city. Trails, temples, and a bus if you would rather not climb.
St Michael’s Cathedral
Historic sites 历史古迹
The twin-spired Catholic church in the old town.
Tsingtao Beer Museum
Museums 博物馆
The brewery museum. Industrial history, and a tasting if you want one.
Harbin
Saint Sophia Cathedral
Historic sites 历史古迹
The brick Byzantine cathedral, now a museum of the building.
Central Street
Historic sites 历史古迹
The cobbled commercial street. Pastries, Russian-era facades, no ticket.
Harbin Ice and Snow World
Cultural landscapes 人文风光
The huge ice-sculpture park. It exists in winter. It sells out.
Sun Island
Natural scenery 自然风景
The island park in the Songhua. Open scenery, with a winter snow show that is separate.
Unit 731 Museum
Historic sites 历史古迹Museums 博物馆
The museum on the site of the Japanese biological-warfare unit. A serious visit.
Dunhuang
Mogao Caves
Historic sites 历史古迹
The cave-temple cliff. Reserved, guided, and the reason to be in Dunhuang.
Mingsha and Crescent Lake
Natural scenery 自然风景
The singing dunes and the spring at their foot. Sunset is the hour.
Yumen Pass
Historic sites 历史古迹
A Han-dynasty ruin in open desert, west of town. A day for a small building and a large sky.
Dunhuang Museum
Museums 博物馆
The city museum, for context before or after the caves.
White Horse Pagoda
Historic sites 历史古迹
A small pagoda in town, tied to a monk’s horse and an old story.