China isn’t a destination for the faint of heart — the crowds, the traffic, and the language are daunting. This can make it tempting to stick to more popular destinations, like Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, and Guilin. However, the rewards are considerable for those willing to be a little adventurous. China is incredibly well connected by an extensive train network, flights, and buses. It is important to note that, though these listed destinations aren’t “world famous,” they are well-known in China. Do yourself a favor and avoid traveling on Chinese national holidays!
1. The Fantastical Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
If you’ve watched the movie Avatar and wondered where its creators got the inspiration for its fanciful landscapes, look no further. The landscape of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, famous for its pillar-like rock formations covered with vegetation, was the inspiration for Avatar’s floating mountains.
This breathtaking park is in Hunan Province, central-eastern China. It is one of several protected areas that make up the Wulingyuan Scenic Area and it covers an area of 18.6 square miles. The quartz-sandstone pillars were formed due to physical erosion caused by ice expanding in the winter and growing plants. In addition to the rocks, the area also has forests, canyons, and caves.
The park was named China’s first national forest park in 1982 and was listed as a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2004. Zhangjiajie gained popularity as a destination following the 2009 release of the movie Avatar, and a 3,540-foot peak in the park was named “Avatar Hallelujah Mountain” in honor of it.
The Bailong Elevator, also known as the “Hundred Dragons sky lift,” is a special feature of the park. It is the world’s tallest outdoor elevator, going up 1,070 feet in under two minutes. It was opened to the public in 2002 and has three glass elevators that can carry 50 passengers each.
Another feature not to miss is the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, which opened in 2016. The bridge is the highest (980 feet) and longest (1,410 feet) pedestrian glass bridge in the world. Just 13 days after the bridge’s August opening, it was closed due to the excessive number of visitors. It was reopened at the end of September after adjustments were made to allow it to safely hold more tourists.
The park also has three gondola lifts and a monorail. This means that visitors can see a good portion of the park in a single day or take their time hiking through its paths and forests.
2. A Gravity-Defying Temple and Ancient Grottoes
The Hanging Temple, also known as the Hanging Monastery, is a temple built into a cliff in Shanxi Province, north China. The temple, around 40 miles away from the city of Datong, was built on one of China’s five sacred mountains, Mount Heng.
Constructed roughly 1,500 years ago, the temple is a feat of engineering, literally perched on a vertical cliff wall. To construct the temple, holes were drilled 7-10 feet into the cliff and beams were inserted. The pavilions were then built using these beams as a foundation. Since then, many vertical pillars have been added for safety and to preserve the temple. The temple sits below an overhang, which protects it from direct sunlight and rainfall.
Local legends say that a monk named Liaoran began building the temple alone in 491 CE, during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534 CE). It sits around 246 feet above the ground, and to those looking at it, it truly looks like it is hanging. The temple has 40 halls split into a northern and southern section. It also holds a collection of around 80 statues in a variety of materials including terracotta, bronze, stone, and iron. A fascinating fact about the Hanging Temple is that it is the only temple to combine three religions: Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. This is demonstrated by side-by-side sculptures of Shakyamuni, Confucius, and Laozi, the founders of the three religions, respectively.
As the temple is in a remote place, it also once served as a lodge for travelers. Because it catered to three religions, people passing by were more likely to feel comfortable staying there.
Also well worth a visit are the nearby Yungang Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This site features 53 major caves containing 5th and 6th-century Buddhist cave art, including 51,000 statues that remain in remarkably good condition. There are also around 1,100 minor caves, and the site covers nearly 200,000 square feet.
3. The Enigmatic Northwest: Xinjiang
Geographically distant from China’s tourist hotspots, China’s northwestern Xinjiang province is nothing short of spectacular. Home to a large population of Uyghur Muslims, along with several other ethnic minority groups, Xinjiang’s culture differs greatly from the rest of China. It accounts for around ¼ of China’s international borderline, neighboring the countries of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia, and Afghanistan.
When planning your Xinjiang itinerary, a good starting point is its capital, Ürümqi. Ürümqi is Xinjiang’s largest city, and the population is very diverse. Visitors can enjoy Islamic architecture, shop for handicrafts at the Grand Bazaar, or go to the Xinjiang Museum. Outside the city, you’ll find the aptly named Heavenly Lake, the Tian Shan Mountains, and the Gobi Desert.
Turpan is another intriguing city, south of Urumqi, and just 10 km (6 miles) away is the ancient city of Jiaohe, or Yarkhto, inhabited between 108 BCE and 450 CE. The city was an important stop on the Silk Road and the capital of the former Tocharian kingdom of Jushi. In the area, you can also visit Mazar Village, the Bezeklik Caves, the Emin Minaret, the Kumtag Desert, and the Flaming Mountain. The Flaming Mountain is the hottest place in China, reaching nearly 122 degrees Fahrenheit in summer. In the summer of 2023, CCTV reported that the Flaming Mountain area hit an astonishing 176 degrees Fahrenheit surface temperature!
Moving south, you’ll find the city of Kashgar, another former Silk Road city that is referred to as the gateway between China and Central Asia. Kashgar sits at the foot of the Pamir Mountains and was once an isolated desert oasis. In the past, caravans passed through Kashgar on their way to India, Central Asia, Pakistan, and ancient Persia (now known as Iran). Highlights include Kashgar’s old city, Id Kah Mosque, Shipton’s Arch, the Sunday Bazaar and Livestock Market, and the Apak Khoja Mausoleum. However, before visiting Xinjiang, it is important to note that Xinjiang’s Uyghur people have been subject to intense surveillance and horrific human rights abuses in recent years. Though the area is safe for tourists, it’s best to exercise caution.
4. Yunnan: A Province With Something for Everyone
Like Xinjiang, Yunnan Province is also quite unknown to international tourists. It is located in Southwestern China and borders the Southeast Asian countries of Myanmar (Burma), Laos, and Vietnam. Yunnan offers stunning cities, villages, and natural scenery, particularly mountains. Yunnan is also home to around 25 ethnic minority groups and has the most diverse plant life of any Chinese province.
When visiting Yunnan, your likely starting point would be Kunming, its charming capital city. Known as “Spring City,” Kunming has a mild climate year-round. Popular attractions in Kunming include the Stone Forest, Dian Lake, and Yuantong Temple.
Lijiang and its Old Town are a popular stop for Chinese tourists, and it is easy to see why. The ancient city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, sits beneath snow-capped mountains and features winding alleys, canals, temples, and bridges. If you’re in the area, take a day trip to Tiger Leaping Gorge or Jade Dragon Snow Mountain to take in more of the scenery. South of Lijiang is Dali City, part of the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture. Visitors can enjoy Dali Old Town, the Three Pagodas, as well as Erhai Lake and the villages that surround it.
North of Lijiang, in the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, is Shangri-La, a fascinating city named after the land in James Hilton’s 1933 novel Lost Horizon.
To experience a totally different side of Yunnan, visit Xishuangbanna in the south, near Myanmar and Laos. Here, you can see temples similar to those in Southeast Asia, rainforests, wildlife, and experience the culture of the Dai Ethnic Group. Lastly, for a quintessential Chinese scene, visit the Yuanyang Rice terraces. These rice terraces cover 17,000 hectares and have been in use for roughly 1,300 years.
While in Yunnan, don’t miss the local food, which features flowers, algae, ferns, a wide variety of mushrooms, and flavors that are altogether different from other Chinese cuisines. The area is renowned for its Pu-er tea, and adventurous eaters can even try dishes that contain insects.
5. History, Nature, and Wildlife Come Together in Sichuan
Most people don’t visit China expecting to enjoy pristine nature, but Jiuzhaigou offers just that. Known formally as the Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area, it is located in the northern part of Sichuan province. Jiuzhaigou Valley covers 180,000 acres and is part of the Min Mountain range on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau. It sits at an altitude of nearly 16,000 feet.
What makes Jiuzhaigou special is the diversity and beauty of its landscapes. It is densely forested and showcases pristine waterfalls, snow-topped mountains, and colorful crystal-clear lakes. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1992, and in 1997, a World Biosphere Reserve.
Jiazhaigou is very remote, but there are many other attractions that will make your visit to Sichuan worthwhile. Sichuan’s capital, Chengdu, is best known for the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
Another breathtaking area that is popular with Chinese tourists but relatively unknown otherwise is Mount Emei, a 10,167-foot mountain. Mount Emei is one of China’s Five Sacred Buddhist Mountains and was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. The mountain is well-known for its Tibetan macaques and Buddhist architecture. Most impressive is the Leshan Giant Buddha, a 233-foot stone statue. The Buddha was built into a sandstone cliff face between 713-803 CE. It faces Mount Emei and is the world’s tallest and largest stone Buddha — its shoulders stretch 92 feet across, and its toenail alone is large enough for a person to sit on.
For those who love big cities, just outside Sichuan province is the Chongqing Municipality. Roughly the size of Austria, Chongqing is the largest city proper in the world. It is a true megacity, with a population of over 30 million people. Chongqing was China’s wartime capital during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) and was formerly known as “Chunking.”
6. Colorful Mountains and a Desert Oasis in Gansu
Gansu is a landlocked province in Northwestern China where the stunning Qilan mountains and part of the Gobi Desert can be found. Though the population is mostly Han Chinese, there are also residents from the Tibetan, Hui Muslim, and Dongxiang ethnic minority groups. The capital city is Lanzhou, but most of the noteworthy sites are elsewhere in the province.
One of the most famous attractions in Gansu is the city of Dunhuang, an important stop along the historical Silk Road. Traders would stop in Dunhuang to exchange their camels and stock up on provisions. Perhaps most charming is that Dunhuang sits on an oasis in the desert, and visitors particularly enjoy Crescent Lake and the “Singing-Sand Mountain.”
Even more impressive, however, are the Mogao Grottoes. The site has 492 intact cave temples, from an original number likely around 1,000, which hold remarkable Buddhist art and statues. In the past, those traveling the Silk Road would stop at the Mogao Grottoes to pray before continuing along their way.
Another important Buddhist site in Gansu, Labrang Monastery, is located in Xiahe County, which is part of the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Labrang Monastery is incredibly important in Tibetan Buddhism and was founded in 1709. It holds over 60,000 religious texts, along with other cultural artifacts.
Another remarkable site in Gansu is the Jiayu Pass, or Jiayuguan, a frontier fortress of the Great Wall of China. It is situated at what was once the westernmost edge of China and was constructed around 1372, during the early Ming dynasty. Jiayu Pass is the most intact and largest entrance to the Great Wall. During the Ming Dynasty, most Silk Road traders coming from West and Central Asia entered China through Jiayu Pass.
Finally, take a look at a natural wonder in Gansu, Zhanye National Geopark, which covers 124 square miles. This park is known for its colorful rock formations, which were formed by deposits over millions of years. The area also has wetlands, grasslands, and deserts.
