Places you have to go before leaving China

[Loriquero]

Hi there!

holidays are coming and I'm not sure about what places/regions/cities, are worthy to go in the time I'm living in China.

So far I have been in Shanghai, Beijing, Suzhou, Hangzhou... yeah, typical destinies, obviously, you have to be in Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou... nice places ^^

Now I'm looking for some advice for my next trip, I've heard about Xian, Macau, Chengdu Harbin... I would like your help with a "top ten China's touristic places" or top 5, 15... whatever...

Thanks in advance

[imron]

Yunnan province. Xishuangbanna and tiger-leaping gorge.

Edited September 4, 2008 at 04:31 PM by imron
spelling

[skylee]

You could try your destiny in Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan, or Pingyao in Shanxi, or Lijiang and Dali in Yunnan, or Yangshuo in Guangxi.

[Shadowdh]

Xian is good for the warriors and is probably a must see... but one really good place to visit but is not often on the tourist list is Datong... they have the Yungang grottos which are really worth seeing but even better (at least in my ever so humble opinion is the Hanging Monastery... awesome place but a bit of a drive from Datong itself...

[simonlaing]

Some of this depends what you're into.

since it sounds like you're based on the east coast some spectacular scenery closer to you would be HaungShan (Yellow Mountain) in Anhui, and harder to get to but more impressive and less know to western tourist Zhang Jia Jie in Hunan Provice.

If you're interested in Culture/history Hunan has some Mao historical places like his parents large peasant house, museum, lei feng etc. Also Shaolin Si kung fu temple is pretty cool and has lot , temples, kung fu demos, statues, shrines, mountain range, circular cinema. It is near Luoyang which has a big Buddha grotto area as well.

Haven't been but heard good things about pu tuo shan , a mountain island off ningbo south of Shanghai.

If you don't mind spending the dough for the flight the place that took my breath away was Tianchi Heaven lake just north of Urumuqi in Xinjiang province. Riding horses up a mountian beside a massive lake with Kazak yurts for yogurt pit stops. Mind blowing scenery. Yunnan and Guilin are quality as well though they are more known. Mountain biking around rice fields in the midst of pretty mountains with friendly minorities people waving and selling really cheap food and beer. Guilin/Yangshuo has a river to float down and caves and mountains to explore as well.

Face it there are some incredible places to see in China. Best choice don't go back.

have fun,

Simon:)

[Loriquero]

Thank you very much guys for the input I really appreciate it....

Actually I'm trying to find something about Yellow river cruises... 听说 is a really nice trip.

But definitelly I will dig about your recommendations

[A life of study]

I wouldn't bother with Chengdu. I am not sure why it is on your list.

You got some good recommendations. I could add Sanjiang in Guangxi, Zhongdian in Yunnan or Deqin next to it would be better. In general, the smaller places can be much more interesting. Your list of places you have been to started with Beijing, Shanghai. I suppose the capital has sights that must be seen, but it is a good idea to get out of the capital a.s.a.p. Shanghai? Shanghai? Shanghai? There is nothing to see in Shanghai unless you like seeing shops. If you've been to China and just saw Shanghai, that is tantamount to not having been to China. As people said Pingyao, Dali, Lijiang, Yangshuo and nearby areas, possibly Xiahe if foreigners are allowed, Kashgar, the grasslands of Mongolia, maybe Qingdao, Qufu, Lhasa, Sanya, you could be adventure and try to get to Changbaishan.

[skylee]

I wouldn't bother with Chengdu. I am not sure why it is on your list.

I spent a few days in Chengdu a few years ago and I liked it a lot. The people their have such a strong love for mahjong. Not sure if the earthquake has affected the city, though.

[Lugubert]

It really all depends on what your preferences are. Do you want to experience nature from its different appearances, like the Yunnan stone forests or what's left of the Three Gorges, or the climbing some of the some few of the 200 of 365 days of rain at the Mt. Huangshan, or live the grass plains etc of Inner Mongolia like its nomads, or do you prefer to spend a couple of weeks on the ubiquitous Buddhist caves and/or monastries, or engage in some white water rafting?

China has it all.

If you're prepared to survive by diving into streetside food places with menus non-existent or only in Chinese (my fluent Cantonese travel partner sometimes found it difficult enough to get what she (and we, wished, in her educated Standard Chinese) thought was possible to enjoy), wishing you success. If you survive, you'll like me be planning your next China trip by now.