🗺️ Destination Guides
8 handpicked Chinese cities with honest route advice — what to see and how to do it.
🏯 Beijing
3,000 years of history — the face of modern China
Must-See Attractions
- ✦ Forbidden City — the world's largest palace complex
- ✦ Great Wall (recommended: Mutianyu or Badaling section)
- ✦ Tiananmen Square & Temple of Heaven
- ✦ Summer Palace — imperial garden masterpiece
- ✦ Hutong tour — Nanluoguxiang & Shichahai
Practical Advice
Plan at least 3-4 days. Forbidden City and Great Wall each need half a day. Beijing roast duck is a must-try (Quanjude, Dadong, Siji Minfu). Metro covers most sights — get a transport card.
⚔️ Xi'an
Home of the Terracotta Warriors, start of the Silk Road
Must-See Attractions
- ✦ Terracotta Warriors — 8th Wonder of the World
- ✦ Xi'an Ancient City Wall — China's best-preserved
- ✦ Muslim Quarter — halal street food paradise
- ✦ Big Wild Goose Pagoda & Da Ci'en Temple
- ✦ Huaqing Palace — Tang Dynasty hot spring retreat
Practical Advice
Plan 2-3 days. Terracotta Warriors are in Lintong district, ~1 hour from downtown. Rent a bike and ride the full 13.7km city wall. Must-eat in Muslim Quarter: roujiamo (meat sandwich), yangrou paomo (lamb soup with bread), biangbiang noodles.
🏙️ Shanghai
City of the future, where past meets present
Must-See Attractions
- ✦ The Bund — colonial architecture + Pudong skyline
- ✦ Shanghai Disney Resort
- ✦ Yu Garden & Shanghai Old Street
- ✦ French Concession — tree-lined strolls
- ✦ Nanjing Road & Xintiandi
Practical Advice
Plan 2-3 days. The Bund at night is unmissable. The French Concession's cafes and boutiques are perfect for a slow afternoon. Shanghai's metro is excellent — reaches nearly every attraction. Shengjianbao (pan-fried buns) and xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) are essential breakfasts.
🏔️ Guilin
China's most iconic karst landscape — mountains and rivers supreme
Must-See Attractions
- ✦ Li River bamboo raft — 80km Guilin to Yangshuo
- ✦ Yangshuo West Street & Ten-Mile Gallery
- ✦ Longji Rice Terraces — stunning alpine rice fields
- ✦ Elephant Trunk Hill — city landmark
- ✦ Silver Cave — underground stalactite palace
Practical Advice
Plan 2-3 days. Best season: April-October (full rivers, greenest scenery). Li River cruise takes ~4 hours. Rent an e-scooter in Yangshuo to explore the countryside. Guilin rice noodles (mifen) are a daily staple for locals.
🐼 Chengdu
Pandas, hot pot, and the art of slow living
Must-See Attractions
- ✦ Chengdu Panda Base — arrive early morning
- ✦ Jinli Ancient Street & Kuanzhai Alley
- ✦ Wuhou Shrine & Du Fu's Thatched Cottage
- ✦ Dujiangyan — 2,200-year-old irrigation wonder
- ✦ People's Park — authentic Chengdu slow life
Practical Advice
Plan 2-3 days. Panda Base opens 8:00 AM — arrive early, pandas are most active in the morning. Chengdu hot pot is famously spicy — order 'yuanyang guo' (split pot) if you can't handle heat. Chengdu is also the gateway to Jiuzhaigou and western Sichuan.
🎬 Zhangjiajie
The real-life inspiration for Avatar's floating mountains
Must-See Attractions
- ✦ Zhangjiajie National Forest Park — 3,000+ quartzite peaks
- ✦ Tianmen Mountain glass skywalk & 99-bend road
- ✦ Yuanjiajie — Avatar Hallelujah Mountain
- ✦ Golden Whip Stream — classic gorge hiking trail
- ✦ Bailong Elevator — world's tallest outdoor lift
Practical Advice
Plan 2-3 days. Weather changes fast — bring rain gear. The park is huge, plan your route carefully. Tianmen Mountain tickets must be booked in advance. Temperature drops noticeably from city to summit — bring a jacket.
🌙 Dunhuang
Silk Road desert jewel — art and oasis
Must-See Attractions
- ✦ Mogao Caves — world's richest Buddhist art treasury (booking required)
- ✦ Mingsha Mountain & Crescent Moon Spring — desert meets oasis
- ✦ Yadan Ghost City — stunning wind-eroded landforms
- ✦ Yumen Pass & Yang Pass — frontier forts of ancient poetry
Practical Advice
Plan 2 days. Mogao Cave tickets MUST be booked online in advance. Mingsha Mountain sunset is spectacular. Dunhuang is extremely hot in summer (40°C+); spring and autumn are best. Fly to Dunhuang or take a high-speed train from Lanzhou.
🏔️ Lijiang
Naxi ancient town — soft light and highland rhythms
Must-See Attractions
- ✦ Lijiang Old Town (Dayan) — UNESCO World Heritage
- ✦ Jade Dragon Snow Mountain — 4,680m glacier views
- ✦ Shuhe Ancient Town — quieter than Dayan
- ✦ Tiger Leaping Gorge — one of the world's deepest canyons
- ✦ Lugu Lake — highland 'Kingdom of Women'
Practical Advice
Plan 2-4 days. Old town maintenance fee has been removed. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is at high altitude — watch for altitude sickness. Naxi ancient music performances are worth seeing at night. Lijiang sits at 2,400m — stay hydrated and use sunscreen.