China

Hong Kong welcomes with an iconic skyline, a legendary kitchen, and lush, protected nature where rare birds and colorful traditions thrive.

Neighborhoods & Islands

Hong Kong's enchanting neighborhoods and islands offer a sensory feast. You may find yourself swaying along on a historic double-decker tram, cheering with the crowd at the city-center horse races, or simply gazing out at the glorious harbor. What most visitors don't immediately realize is that over 70% of Hong Kong is mountains and sprawling country parks, some also home to geological and historical gems. Escape the city limits on one of the world’s smoothest transport systems and spend your day wandering in a Song dynasty village, hiking on a deserted island or kayaking among volcanic sea arches.

Cuisine

One of the world's top culinary capitals, the city that worships the God of Cookery has many a demon in the kitchen, whether the deliciousness in the pot is Cantonese, Sichuanese, Japanese or French. So deep is the city's love of food and so broad its culinary repertoire that whatever your gastronomic desires, Hong Kong will find a way to sate them. The answer could be a bowl of wonton noodles, freshly steamed dim sum, a warm pineapple bun wedged with butter, a pair of the sweetest prawns, your first-ever stinky tofu, or the creations of the latest celebrity chef.

Shopping

From off-the-rack Chinese gowns to bespoke speciality knives (and vice versa), the sheer variety of products in Hong Kong’s shops is dizzying. Every budget, need and whim is catered for in "can do" spirit by a similarly impressive assortment of venues: glitzy malls where the moneyed shop, chic side-street boutiques and vintage dens where fashionistas find their gems, nerdy gadget bazaars, and a mix of markets where you can haggle to your heart’s content. The city has no sales tax so prices are generally attractive to visitors.

Culture

Underneath the glass and steel of Hong Kong’s commercial persona is a dynamic cultural landscape where its Chinese roots, colonial connections and the contributions of its home-grown talent become intertwined. Here you’re just as likely to find yourself dissecting art in the dizzying number of contemporary galleries as joining in dawn taichi or reading the couplets of a local poet to the drumbeat of a dragon boat. Culture could also mean indie music by the harbor or Chinese opera in a bamboo theater, not to mention the thousands of shows staged year-round at the city's many museums and concert halls.

Hong Kong

Tibet offers fabulous monasteries, breathtaking high-altitude walks, stunning views of the world’s highest mountains and one of the warmest cultures you will ever encounter.

A Higher Plain

For many visitors, the highlights of Tibet will be of a spiritual nature: magnificent monasteries, prayer halls of chanting monks, and remote cliffside meditation retreats. Tibet’s pilgrims – from local grandmothers murmuring mantras in temples heavy with the aromas of juniper incense and yak butter to hard-core professionals walking or prostrating themselves around Mt Kailash – are an essential part of this experience. Tibetans have a level of devotion and faith that seems to belong to an earlier, almost medieval age. It is fascinating, inspiring and endlessly photogenic.

The Roof of the World

Tibet's other big draw is the elemental beauty of the highest plateau on earth. Geography here is on a humbling scale and every view is illuminated with spectacular mountain light. Your trip will take you past glittering turquoise lakes, across huge plains dotted with yaks and nomads’ tents, and over high passes draped with colourful prayer flags. Hike past the ruins of remote hermitages, stare open-mouthed at the north face of Everest or make an epic overland trip along some of the world’s wildest roads. The scope for adventure is limited only by your ability to get permits.

Politics & Permits

There’s no getting away from politics here. Whether you see Tibet as an oppressed, occupied nation or an underdeveloped province of China, the normal rules of Chinese travel simply don’t apply. Restrictions require foreign travelers to pre-arrange a tour with a guide and transport for their time in Tibet, making independent travel impossible. On the plus side, new airports, boutique hotels and paved roads offer a level of comfort unheard of just a few years ago, so if the rigours of Tibetan travel have deterred you in the past, now might be the time to reconsider.

The Tibetan People

Whatever your interests, your lasting memories of Tibet are likely to be of the bottle of Lhasa Beer you shared in a teahouse, the yak-butter tea offered by a monk in a remote monastery or the picnic enjoyed with a herding family on the shores of a remote lake. Always ready with a disarming smile, and with great tolerance and openness of heart despite decades of political turmoil and hardship, the people truly make travelling in Tibet a profound joy. Make sure you budget time away from your pre-planned tour itinerary to enjoy these chance encounters.

Tibet

From ancient walled capital to showpiece megacity in barely a century, Beijing (Běijīng, 北京), spins a breathless yarn of triumph, tragedy, endurance and innovation.

Layers of History

Capital of China since Kublai Khan came a-knocking (with a hundred thousand Mongol horsemen behind him), Beijing has hosted the last three imperial dynasties: the Yuan (Mongols), the Ming (Han Chinese) and the Qing (Manchu). Hutong, the city's residential alleyways, are a Mongolian legacy. The Forbidden City? Hat-tip to the Ming. Summer Palace? The Qing. Nor does it stop there. Chairman Mao slumbers in Tian'anmen Square, hallowed turf for the Communist Party of China. And over it all loom giants like the 528m CITIC Tower, which topped out in 2018. What next for this restive superpower? You're about to find out...

Have You Eaten?

In Beijing, chī le ma? (have you eaten?) is literally how locals greet their neighbours. Food is the glue that binds all Beijingren, no matter their beliefs or bank balance. Whether you're slurping noodles, queuing for jiānbing, or guiltily rolling just one more Peking duck pancake, you're in good company. A mouth-watering melting pot, Beijing hosts exotic regional cuisines from across China, which equates to unbridled adventure for foodies.

State of the Arts

From Peking opera troupes to world-class contemporary art, Beijing draws on a profound well of creativity, and that's despite the vagaries of censorship. To give the government its due, museums are more numerous than ever, curation is less prescriptive and innovation is at an all-time high. China's finest universities feed Zhongguancun, the 'Silicon Valley' of Beijing, which is making seismic waves with its breakthroughs in AI and Big Data. At the humbler end, post-punk bands drone away in divey livehouses, local DJs get the hands in the air, while old folks still warble the revolutionary songs in the city parks.

Party Capital

Undisputed party capital – the Communist Party, that is – Beijing is a uniquely micromanaged megacity, a showpiece where the State's latest schemes are piloted to the populace. 'Xi Jinping Thought' is the guiding mantra (Xi being China's prez for the foreseeable future). When Beijing needs to get things done, it gets things done. Air pollution? Improving year on year. Winter Olympics in a snowless city? No problemo. Country-wide surveillance? Easy-peasy. The world's biggest airport, Daxing, was ready to open at time of research, as ever more bullet trains race outwards to the provinces. All in a day's work for Beijing.

Beijing

Shanghai: few cities in the world evoke so much history, excess, glamour, mystique and exotic promise in name alone.

Architecture

Shanghai is home to the world's second-tallest tower and a host of other neck-craning colossi. But it's not all sky-scraping razzmatazz. Beyond the crisply cool veneer of the modern city typified by Pudong, you can encounter copious architectural styles. The city's period of greatest cosmopolitan excess – the 1920s and 1930s – left the city with splendid examples of art deco buildings, most of which survived the vicissitudes of the 20th century. And there's more: from Jesuit cathedrals, Jewish synagogues and Buddhist temples to home-grown lòngtáng (laneway) and shíkùmén (stone gate) housing, Shanghai’s diverse architectural heritage is like no other city's on earth.

Cuisine

Thirty years ago, Shanghai's dour restaurant scene was all tin trays and scowling wait staff, with international food confined to "exclusive" hotels. Today, the seriously good restaurant scene is varied, exciting and up-to-the-minute. Shanghai got its own Michelin dining guide in 2017, proving just how far the city has come. Food is the hub of Chinese social life, and it's while eating that people catch up, celebrate and clinch business deals. Inevitably, some of your best memories here will be culinary. Do as the Shanghainese do and make a meal of it.

Shopping

Bearing in mind that Chinese shoppers constitute up to 46% of the global luxury-goods market, shopping is rarely done in half-measures in Shanghai. Retail therapy is one way of spending new money and the Shanghainese aren't called 小资 ( xiǎozī – "little capitalists") by the rest of China for nothing, especially at the luxury end of things. But it's not all Prada, Gucci and Burberry. There are pop-up boutiques, bustling markets, cool vintage shops and young designer outlets. Beyond clothing, you're spoiled for choice, whether you're in the market for antiques, ceramics, art, jewelry… whatever is on your shopping list.

Entertainment & the Arts

Beijing often hogs the limelight as China’s cultural nexus, but for a town of wheelers and dealers, Shanghai is surprisingly creative. Many art galleries are exciting, offering a window into contemporary Chinese concerns, while nightlife options have exploded. Acrobatics shows are always a tourist favorite and you might grab the chance to catch some Chinese opera. Shanghai’s music and club scenes are vibrant: from unpretentious jazz and indie venues to all-night hip-hop and electro-dance parties, the city swings with the best of them.

Shanghai

Yunnan (云南, Yúnnán) is the most diverse province in all China, both in its extraordinary mix of peoples and in the splendour of its landscapes. That combination of superlative sights and many different ethnic groups has made Yunnan the trendiest destination for China’s exploding domestic tourist industry.

More than half of the country’s minority groups reside here, providing a glimpse into China’s hugely varied mix of humanity. Then there’s the eye-catching contrasts of the land itself: dense jungle sliced by the Mekong River in the far south; soul-recharging glimpses of the sunset over rice terraces in the southeastern regions; snowcapped mountains as you edge towards Tibet.

Infrastructure development makes travel here easier than ever, but you’ll need time to see it all – whatever time you’ve set aside for Yunnan, double it.

Yunnan

The New Territories offer much cultural and natural interest. Ancient walled villages (Sha Tau Kok, Sheung Shui, Fanling, Yuen Long), wetlands teeming with birds and aquatic life (Yuen Long), temples (Tsuen Wan, Sha Tin, Fanling), a solid museum in Sha Tin, and generous expanses of unspoiled country are just some of its attractions. Notably, Sai Kung Peninsula has fabulous hiking trails, delicious seafood and attractive beaches. And, of course, there's the awe-inspiring Hong Kong Unesco Global Geopark.

New Territories

It's fitting that an ancient form of opera and magic called biànliǎn (face-changing) originated here, for Sichuan (四川, Sìchuān) is a land of many guises. Capital Chengdu shows a modern face, but just beyond its ring roads you'll find a more traditional landscape of mist-shrouded, sacred mountains, and a countryside scattered with ancient villages and cliffs of carved Buddhas.

Central Sichuan is also home to the giant panda, the most famous face in China. In the south, expect a veil of history and a muted beauty that sees far fewer travellers than the rest of the region.

To the north the visage changes again into a fairyland of alpine valleys and blue-green lakes. Sichuan’s Tibetan side appears as you venture west. This is Kham, one of the former Tibetan prefectures: a vast landscape of plateau grasslands and glacial mountains where Tibetan culture still thrives and you’re certain to have your most magical experiences.

Sichuan

From the winding streets and isolated beaches of Cheung Chau and Peng Chau, to the monasteries and hiking trails of Lantau, and the seafood restaurants of Lamma, Hong Kong’s Outlying Islands offer a host of sights and activities.

Outlying Islands

China's largest province, Xīnjiāng (新疆) is the homeland of the Muslim Uyghurs and a fast-changing region where ancient and modern clash against each other in surprising ways. High-speed railways cross the Martian landscapes linking cities in hours rather than days, and the regional capital Ürümqi is a forest of high-rise apartments and glass skyscrapers; while in parts of the Silk Road oases of Kashgar, Hotan and Turpan, life goes as it has for centuries, based around the mosque, the tea house and the bazaar.

Despite the enormous military and police presence here due to several years of unrest, Xīnjiāng is increasingly attracting visitors for its extraordinary natural beauty and fascinating Central Asian history and culture. In short, a visit to Chinese Turkestan makes for an exploration of China's past and its unsettled multicultural present, or simply a journey into some of the most sublime landscapes on earth.

Xinjiang

The centre of the Tibetan Buddhist world for over a millennium, Lhasa (ལྷ་ས་; 拉萨; Lāsà; literally the 'Place of the Gods') remains largely a city of wonders. Your first view of the red-and-white Potala Palace soaring above the Holy City raises goosebumps and the charming whitewashed old Tibetan quarter continues to preserve the essence of traditional Tibetan life. It is here in the Jokhang, an otherworldly mix of flickering butter lamps, wafting incense and prostrating pilgrims, and the encircling Barkhor pilgrim circuit, that most visitors first fall in love with Tibet.

These days the booming boulevards of the modern city threaten to overwhelm the winding alleyways and backstreet temples of the Tibetan old town, but it is in the latter that you should focus your time. If possible, budget a week to acclimatise, see the sights and roam the fascinating backstreets before heading off on a grand overland adventure.

Lhasa

Guǎngdōng’s unique culture and natural beauty fly under the radar and have yet to be discovered by many travelers, so you may have a plethora of sublime sights (not to mention great dim sum) all to yourself.

Northern Guǎngdōng (广东) is home to some wild and wondrous landscapes. In the blue pine forests of Nánlǐng, the music of waterfalls and windswept trees boomerangs in your direction. If it’s Unesco-crowned heritage you’re after, Kāipíng’s flamboyant watchtowers and the stylised poses of Cantonese opera will leave you riveted. What's all the fuss about Hakka and Chiuchow cultures? Well, find out in Méizhōu and Cháozhōu.

Historically Guǎngdōng was the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road and the birthplace of revolution. On the scenic byways of the Pearl River delta, you’ll uncover the glory of China’s revolutionary past. While on the surf-beaten beaches of Hǎilíng Island, an ancient shipwreck and its treasures await.

Guangdong

Ü (དབུས་) is Tibet’s heartland and contains almost all the landscapes you’ll find across the plateau, from sand dunes and meandering rivers to soaring peaks and juniper forests. Due to its proximity to Lhasa, Ü is the first taste of rural Tibet that most visitors experience, and you can get off the beaten track surprisingly easily here. Fine walking opportunities abound, from day hikes and monastery koras (pilgrim circuits) to overnight treks.

Ü is the traditional power centre of Tibet, and home to its oldest buildings and most historic monasteries. The big sights, such as Samye, are unmissable, but consider also heading to lesser-visited places such as the Drigung and Yarlung Valleys, or to smaller monasteries like Dratang and Gongkar Chöde. Make it to these hidden gems and you’ll feel as though you have Tibet all to yourself.