Top 10 China Destinations for First-Time Visitors
1. Beijing — Imperial Capital
Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Great Wall at Mutianyu. 3-4 days. Peking duck dinner in a hutong courtyard.
2. Xi'an — Ancient Silk Road Start
Terracotta Warriors — 8,000 life-sized soldiers. 600-year-old City Wall bike ride. Muslim Quarter food crawl.
3. Shanghai — Past Meets Future
The Bund at dusk, Shanghai Tower (632m), French Concession cafes, Yu Garden tea ceremony.
4. Guilin & Yangshuo
Li River cruise through karst peaks. Yangshuo countryside cycling. The scene on the 20 RMB note.
5. Chengdu — Pandas & Spice
Giant Panda Base at 8am feeding time. Sichuan hot pot. Jinli Ancient Street teahouses.
6. Zhangjiajie — Avatar Mountains
3,000ft sandstone pillars. Bailong Elevator through cliff face. Tianmen Mountain glass walkway.
7. Tibet — Roof of the World
Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Yamdrok Lake. Monks debating at Sera Monastery at 3pm.
8. Yunnan — Eternal Spring
Dali Old Town, Lijiang cobblestone lanes, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Shangri-La monasteries.
9. Silk Road — Ancient Trade Routes
Mogao Caves, Zhangye Rainbow Mountains, camel ride at Mingsha Dunes. From Xi'an to Kashgar.
10. Hangzhou & Suzhou
West Lake boat ride. Longjing tea village. Suzhou classical gardens — UNESCO since 1997.