Best Travel Destinations - China
The Great Wall of China spans an impressive 6,400km, and is not only the largest structure built by man in terms of surface but also in terms of mass. Beginning in the east from Shanhaiguan to Lop Nur in the West, this massive defense system cuts the southern edge of Inner Mongolia with stories of dynasties from long ago. It has been speculated that in order to build the Great Wall it took over 2 to 3 million Chinese people over the course of several centuries. Earlier parts of the Great Wall date back to 200BC, and the final sections being added during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) which spanned just over 200 years. For the most part little remains of the most revered sections of ...
Traverse to the time of Xiang’s Terracotta Warriors and roam amongst over 8,099 life sized sculptures of Chinese soldiers, horses, acrobats and other figures. Discovered unexpectedly in 1974 by farmers near Xi’an, Shaanxi province, they unearthed a clay head, unusual for a normal day of farming work. Unaware of the magnitude of this discovery until archeologists began excavation, they later ascertained that these statues were created by China’s first emperor Qin Shihuang, who instructed their creation to ensure the safe keeping of his remains after his death. Each statue of the Terra Cotta Warriors is unique, no two are exactly alike, and range in size from 6ft – 6ft 5inches. These elaborate works are estimated to have taken 11 years to complete. The details on ...
Carved into the cliffs, the enthroned enormity of Leshan Buddha astounds viewers with its overwhelming size as it peers out over the waters of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers. The Leshan Giant Buddha measures 71 meters high making it the worlds largest Buddha statue.
Thanks to numerous appearances in kung fu movies, the Shaolin Temples in the Henan Province are probably the most well-known of all temples in China. Nestled in the peaceful and beautiful Songshan Mountains, they are famed as being the birthplace of both kung fu and Chan Buddhism, aka Zen Buddhism. The "shao" in Shaolin refers to Mount Shaoshi and "lin" means “forest.” The Shaolin temples were built in approximately 497 AD to house an Indian monk named Batuo, who went to the ancient capital of Luoyang to spread Buddhism. The Indian monk most famous for his teachings at Shaolin however is Bodhidharma, who went to Shaolin in 517 AD. Bodhidharma’s teachings formed the basis of Chan Buddhism and the gymnastics regimen he taught the monks ...
In the town of Longsheng in Gaungxi Province, lies one of the most intricate and serene landscapes, where rice terraces scale the slopes of the winding hillsides. Known as the Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces, it is home to four different ethnic minorities Miao, Yao, Dong and Zhuang which offer visitors the amazing opportunity to truly mingle with the local culture by exploring their traditions first hand.
The whimsical cliffs of Wulingyuan jut up from a carpet of lush green forest and flow with the cool waters of countless beautiful rivers and waterfalls. Over 3000 spectacular sandstone peaks stretch upwards of over 800 meters high in some cases at Wulingyuan, and are scattered amongst several intriguing ravines and caves. The most famous cave to visit is the Yellow Dragons Cave, as it is lined with several impressive stalactites. Housed in north west mountains of Hunan Province, Wulingyuan has remained untouched due to its remoteness. Savoring the scenery is easily done as your eyes sway from intricate mountain slopes to the spectacular clinging trees, creating the ultimate tranquil retreat.
Rooted deep in the center of Beijing, the Forbidden City dates back to an era where the Ming and Quing dynasties ruled for centuries, and functioned as the epicenter of both religion and politics. Built between 1406 and 1420 the Forbidden City architecture culminated with a mix between classical Chinese and East Asian flair, having proved to by quite influential for later structures both locally and nationally. Surrounded by a 10 meter high outer wall and encircled by a 6 meter deep moat, the Forbidden City boasts over 980 surviving buildings with over 8,707 bays of rooms and spans some 720,000 square metres. The Forbidden City complex can be divided into two sections, the southern part also known as the Outer Court where political power ...
The giant panda lives in a few secluded mountain ranges in Sichuan China, but due to forest clearing and farming, it is a conservation-reliant endangered species. The Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries are home to 30% of the species remaining world population and is the prime location to catch the giant pandas in their natural habitat. Made up of 7 Nature Reserves and 9 Scenic Parks, this habitat is not only integral for the preservation of the endangered giant pandas, but it also serves to protect many other species such as the snow leopard, red pandas, and clouded leopards. Spanning over 9245 km², the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries is the largest remaining contiguous habitat for the giant panda bear. The most popular parks to see the ...
A hiss of steam from the kettle accompanies the fragrance of Oolong tea leaves, as our host scoops a small green mound of tea into a bowl. After a quick rinse and refill, the young woman pours the tea into a small jug with a flourish, and portions out the tea into our tiny, delicately painted teacups. The first whiff is delicious, but the first sip, even more so. This is not your average Lipton brew, but whole Oolong tea leaves of the finest local quality. A perfect blend of full tea flavour with a hint of sweetness, infused with natural spring water. If China is a tea-obsessed country, Gulangyu Island, a short ferry ride from the city of Xiamen in Southern Fujian province, is ...
The classical Chinese landscape of the West Lake has drawn visitors to Hangzhou for the past thousand years, and we were no exception. Strolling along the Su Causeway and its six bridges, built by the famous Song Dynasty poet-governor, Su Dongpo, we drank in the sight of restored classical pagodas, lakeside pavilions, and newly opened lotuses swaying in the breeze. Willow trees gracefully draped their branches towards the water, and wooden pleasure boats floated peacefully on the lake. Although we had been to Hangzhou before, this visit was a new revelation in enjoyment as we walked through gardens we had not seen before, filled with lush greenery, and wandered through stands of towering bamboo. The highlight of our visit, however, was our afternoon hike among ...
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