Top Tourist Attractions in China

With vast territory, China offers so much to visit and explore. Ever since the world discovered China through the writings of adventurer Marco Polo more than 700 years ago, this large country is regarded as the embodiment of all that is mysterious and exotic. Discover fascinating, unusual, and adventurous things to do with our list of the top tourist attractions in China. Top 10 attractions in China include the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, Yangtze River, The Terracotta Warriors, Li River, Li River, Potala Palace, Yellow Mountain, The Bund, West Lake.

1. The Great Wall

The Great Wall is generally recognized as one of the most impressive architectural feats in history. It stretches from Jiayuguan Pass in the west, to Shanhaiguan Pass in the east, with a total length of 8851.8 km that traverses 9 provinces and municipalities. The Great Wall of China is the only monument in the world that is visible from outer space! Badaling Great Wall is a more popular section as it is closer to Beijing, but the Mutianyu section is far less crowded. We can arrange the Great Wall Tour according to your interests and needs.

Recommended Great Wall Tours:
One Day Beijing Gubeikou & Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking Tour
One Day Beijing Huanghuacheng Great Wall Hiking Tour
One Day Beijing Jiankou & Mutianyu Great Wall Hiking Tour
One Day Beijing Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking Tour
Half-Day Beijing Badaling Great Wall Tour

2. The Forbidden City

The Forbidden City is a palace complex in central Beijing of China, constructed in 1420, during the early Ming Dynasty, which served as the home of emperors and their households as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government for almost 500 years. It is also the largest and well-preserved wooden building complex of the world. You can see the imperial living and governing quarters, valuable artworks, traditional gardens, etc. Every year, there are 14 million visitors, a maximum of 80,000 visitors per day.

Recommended Forbidden City Tours:
1 Day Beijing City Tour with Forbidden City, The Temple of Heaven and Tiananmen Square
1 Day Beijing City Group Tour with Tian’an Men Square, Forbidden City and Mutianyu Great Wall
1 Day Beijing City Tour with Forbidden City, The Temple of Heaven and Tiananmen Square

3. Yangtze River

With total length of 6,300 kilometers, the Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia and the third longest river in the world. Its basin area is 180 square kilometers, accounting for about 1/5 of the nation’s total, and its sea outflow is about 1 trillion cubic meters, accounting for more than 1/3 of the nation’s total. Originating from the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau, it flows through 11 provinces and municipalities, and finally into the East Sea. Nowadays, Yangtze River Cruise has become a popular and must-do activity when visiting China.

Recommended Yangtze River Tours:
5 Days Yichang City Tour with Yangtze River Cruise from Yichang to Chongqing
11 Days China Classic Tour with Best Yangtze River Cruise Tour
14 Days China Speed Train Tour with Yangtze Cruise

4. The Terracotta Warriors

The Terracotta Army is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. It is a form of funerary art buried with the emperor in 210–209 BCE with the purpose of protecting the emperor in his afterlife, and features hundreds of life-size model soldiers, horses, and chariots in battle array. It is a must-see of Xian Tours and is considered one of the greatest archaeological sites in the world. No visit to Xi’an, or even China, is complete if you don’t visit the Terracotta Army.

Recommended Terracotta Warriors Tours:
1 Day Xian Terracotta Warriors and Everlasting Sorrow Performance Tour
1 Day Xian Highlights Tour
1 Day Xian Terracotta Warriors and Han Yang Ling Tour

5. Li River

Li River flows 83 kilometres from Guilin to Yangshuo, where the karstmountains and river sights highlight the famous Li River cruise. The Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo is the centerpiece of Guilin Trip. Or you can take a bamboo raft down the Li River. It is renowned as being one of “the world’s top 10 watery wonders” according to National Geographic. It is a relaxing escape of a Guilin tour and you won’t need to hurry from one place to another.

Recommended Li River Tours:
1 Day Guilin Li River Cruise Tour
1-Day Li River Cruise and Yangshuo Highlights Tour
1 Day Guilin Li River Hiking Tour

6. Giant Panda

The giant panda is on the WWF logo and is known as a ‘national treasure’ in China. Many travelers make their trips to China for the giant pandas. Chengdu is famed for being the home of cute giant pandas and you can not only take a close look at them and also take care of them as a panda keeper. There are three panda bases around Chengdu with their unique draws for panda viewing, namely Chengdu Panda Base, Dujiangyan panda center and Wolong Panda Base.

Recommended Giant Panda Tours:
1 Day Dujiangyan Panda Holding Tour from Chengdu
1 Day Chengdu Panda and Leshan Giant Buddha Tour
2 Days Wolong Panda Base & Mount Siguniang Tour from Chengdu

7. Potala Palace

Potala Palace, regarded as landmark and the symbol of Tibet, is a great giant palace consisting of many houses, towers, chapels, etc. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Potala Palace is the highest place in the world. Because of its spectacular architecture style, it is honored as one of the most beautiful architectural building in the world. It is not only a splendid place, but also a treasure house where you can see precious arts and learn Tibetan culture and history.

Recommended Potala Palace Tours:
4 Days Lhasa Impression Small Group Tour
5 Days Lhasa Small Group Tour with Three Major Monasteries
6 Days Central Tibet Culture Small Group Tour

8. Yellow Mountain

The Yellow Mountains was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1990. Its marvelous natural view includes oddly-shaped pines and rocks, hot springs and seas of misty and melancholy clouds. It is one of the most famous and beautiful mountainous areas in China and  a once-in-a-lifetime trek for many Chinese. Watching the sunrise over Huangshan is a very popular and highly recommended activity.

Recommended Yellow Mountain Tours:
1 Day Yellow Mountain Tour
2 Days Mount Huangshan Tour
3 Days Huangshan Tour (Stay at the Summit of Yellow Mountain)

9. The Bund

The Bund or Waitan is a waterfront area in central Shanghai. The area along the river faces the modern skyscrapers of Lujiazui in the Pudong District. The Bund usually refers to the buildings and wharves on this section of the road, as well as some adjacent areas. It is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Shanghai. The architecture along the Bund is a living museum of the colonial history of the 1800s. You’ve never been to Shanghai if you haven’t seen the Bund.

Recommended The Bund Tours:
1 Day Shanghai City Tour with The Bund
1 Day Shanghai City Group Tour with The Bund
3 Days Shanghai Highlights Tour

10. West Lake

West Lake was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011, described as having “influenced garden design in the rest of China as well as Japan and Korea over the centuries” and reflecting “an idealized fusion between humans and nature”. It is divided into five sections by three causeways. There are numerous temples, pagodas, gardens, and artificial islands within the lake, which has influenced poets and painters throughout Chinese history for its natural beauty and historic relics.

Recommended West Lake Tours:
Hangzhou West Lake Night Cruise Tour
1 Day Hangzhou Classic Tour with West Lake
2 Days Hangzhou City Highlights Tour

More Hot Attractions in China.