Suzhou
This quiet part of Suzhou is lovely, with a section of the city wall straddling the outer moat in the southwest corner of the city. Dating from 1355, the…
Must-see attractions in China
Lhasa
If you’re here in the afternoon, save some time to watch the monk debating (lots of shouting, hand slapping and gesticulation) between 2.30pm and 4pm in…
Beijing
A grand sweep of willow-lined waterways enclosed by invitingly maze-like hutong lanes, this trio of lakes is one of Beijing's best-loved outdoor spots,…
Xi'an
This tomb, also referred to as the Han Jing Mausoleum, Liu Qi Mausoleum and Yangling Mausoleum, is the burial place of the Han-dynasty emperor Jingdi (188…
Dunhuang
Six kilometres south of Dunhuang at Singing Sands Dune, the desert meets the oasis in most spectacular fashion. From the sheer scale of the dunes, it’s…
Nanjing
Zhu Yuanzhang (1328–1398), the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty (also known as the Hongwu Emperor), was buried in the tomb of Ming Xiaoling; he was…
Shanghai
If you tire of Shanghai's incessant quest for modernity, this tiny town is only a hop, skip and metro ride away. An ancient settlement that prospered…
Shanghai World Financial Center
Shanghai
Although trumped by the adjacent Shanghai Tower as the city’s most stratospheric building, the awe-inspiring 492m-high Shanghai World Financial Center is…
Macau
As the highest point on the peninsula, Guia Fortress affords panoramic views of the city. At the top is the small but stunning Chapel of Our Lady of Guia,…
Guangzhou
Designed by Zaha Hadid, southern China's premier performance venue has transformed the area with its typically commanding, otherworldly aspect. Futuristic…
Anhui
Designed around the bāguà, the eight trigrams of the I Ching, which match up with eight surrounding hills, Chengkan is a highly photogenic village that…
Nanjing
This sacred site on Qixia Mountain (栖霞山, Qīxiá Shān), 22km northeast of Nanjing, was founded by the Buddhist monk Ming Sengshao during the Southern Qi…
Liaoning
The Tiger Mountain stretch of the Great Wall, about 20km northeast of Dandong, is an excellent location to get your wall fix, far from the madding crowds…
Shenzhen
China's first dedicated museum of design, this architectural landmark opened with media fanfare in 2017 on the Shekou shore with its famous founding…
Macau
This charming building, founded in the 19th century, was the country retreat of the late tycoon Robert Ho Tung, who purchased it in 1918. The colonial…
Qinghai
This enormous, gold-plated Tibetan prayer wheel is turned with the aid of rushing water from the Yellow River. The prayer wheel is 27m tall, 10m in…
Liaoning
This walled city dates back to 1430 and is the principal reason to visit Xingcheng. Under renovation, it's nonetheless an atmospheric place to spend a few…
Milarepa Palace Buddhist Temple
Gansu
A towering nine-storey layer cake of a temple, the Milarepa Palace is both deeply steeped in mystery and unusual in the Tibetan world as different…
Suzhou
In the far northwest of town, Tiger Hill is a major drawcard for Chinese tourists, and the beacon that draws them is the leaning Cloud Rock Pagoda (云岩塔,…
Inner Mongolia
Rising up at the rear of the Five Pagoda Temple, this striking, Indian-influenced, five-tiered pagoda was completed in 1732. Its main claim to fame is the…
Inner Mongolia
This superb museum affords a fascinating insight into Alashan and Mongolian culture. English captions are sporadic, which is a shame, but there's a wealth…
Ká Hó Church of Our Lady of Sorrows
Macau
Tent-like with a long, slanting roof, like hands in prayer, this church was raised in the Ká Hó leper colony in 1966. It was built for use by the female…
Sichuan
Comparatively remote Zhonglu, 13km from Danba, is less a village and more a collection of grand, traditional stone houses spread across a lush, green…
Anhui
The Tang-dynasty Buddhists who determined Jiuhua Shan to be the earthly abode of the Bodhisattva Dizang (Ksitigarbha), Lord of the Underworld, chose well…
Shanxi
This well-preserved, magnificent Ming dynasty castle is the former residence of Chen Tingjing, prime minister under Emperor Kangxi in the late 17th…
Dunhuang
On the road to Singing Sands Dune is this sparkling museum that takes you on an artefact-rich journey through the Dunhuang area (from prehistoric to Qing…
Shanxi
Xiantong Temple – the largest temple in town – was erected in AD 68 and was the first Buddhist temple in the area. It comprises more than 100 halls and…
Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders
Nanjing
In the city’s southwestern suburbs, the disturbing exhibits in the Memorial Hall of the Nanjing Massacre document the atrocities committed by Japanese…
Garden of the Master of the Nets
Suzhou
Off Shiquan Jie, this pocket-sized garden is considered one of Suzhou's best preserved. Laid out in the 12th century, it went to seed and was later…
Suzhou
This stunning museum, one of only two in mainland China designed by IM Pei, is a modern interpretation of Suzhou architecture, with its confluence of…
Macau
This graceful chapel atop Penha Hill was raised as a place of pilgrimage for Portuguese sailors in the 17th century, purportedly by survivors of a ship…
Guilin
Rong Lake (literally, Banyan Lake), named for an ancient Chinese banyan on its shore, and its adjoining Shan Lake are an oasis of calm in the urban hub of…
Jyekundo Dondrubling Monastery
Qinghai
First built in 1398, the Jyekundo Dondrubling Monastery suffered heavy damage from the 2010 earthquake (the main prayer hall was completely destroyed and…
Xinjiang
Hotan’s most popular attraction is its weekly Sunday market. The covered market bustles every day of the week, but on Sundays it swamps the northeast part…
Guangxi
Quite an incredible sight, this church was built in 1880 with coral and volcanic rocks from the seabed in a neo-Gothic style. Rather formidable despite…
Kashgar
Kashgar’s main bazaar is open every day but really kicks it up a gear on Sunday. Step through the jam-packed entrance and allow your five senses to guide…
Shenzhen
It's 'Around the World in 80 Minutes' (OK, more like half a day) at this endearingly kitsch theme park set in well-tended gardens. From the Houses of…
Twin Pagoda Temple/Yongzuo Temple
Shanxi
These gorgeous twin brick pagodas rise photogenically south of the Nansha River in Taiyuan’s southeast; they're lovely with the wind in their tinkling…
Guizhou
A strenuous 30-minute climb up this mountain above town takes you through quiet forest to the remains of the Miaojiang Great Wall and the Four Officials…
Macau
Northeast of Largo do Senado, the 17th-century baroque Church of St Dominic contains the Treasure of Sacred Art, an Aladdin’s cave of ecclesiastical art…
