From the gorgeous lakeside city of Hangzhou to the Silk Road jewels of Luoyang and Xian, tropical Sanya, and of course, Beijing, China is home to some fascinating places. Today we’re covering some of the most unique places to visit in China. China is also a vast land of mountains, deserts, frozen wastelands, and tropical paradise with some of the most impressive national parks in the world. Our guide to the most unique places to visit in China covers the unique places to visit in Chinese cities and some of the most stunning National Parks in China. We introduce the best ways to visit these unique places in China and how to get there too.
THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS MORE INFORMATION IN OUR DISCLAIMER
The Top Unique Places to Visit in China
China is a vast, busy, and incredible country to visit. Some of the most unique places in the world are here. And while there are great distances between many of these places, you’ll want to put them on your China bucket list. Ready?
EASIEST WAY TO VISIT
Visit the Great Wall on an EASY Day Trip
This easy small group English speaking day trip leave from Central Beijing and takes you to the Mutianyu part of the great wall. It’s a great and easy way to see the Great Wall of China.
1. The Great Wall of China
No visit to China is complete without visiting the Great Wall of China. The Great Wall actually consists of many individual walls built over two millennia across northern China and southern Mongolia. Most people visit the great wall from Beijing with some of the most popular sections being Mutianyu, Jinshanling and Badaling.
2. Visit China’s Capital City, Beijing
Top Beijing Attractions
- The Great Wall of China
- Forbidden Palace
- Temple of Heaven
- Summer Palace
- Lama Temple
China’s capital Beijing is packed to bursting with culture. From the small hutongs (alleys) around Tiananmen Square to the giant Forbidden City complex, temples, museums, galleries, and restaurants, there is something for everyone here. I wrote about some of the places we explored in Beijing here.
Although the city is massive, there are innumerable parks and green spaces such as the Summer Palace, Beihai Park, Baiwang Mountain Park, and Jingshan Park to name but a few! Beijing is close to some of the best-restored sections of the Great Wall such as Mutianyu and Badaling and therefore makes an easy day trip to see one of the ancient wonders of the world!
3. Chengdu
Top Chengdu Attractions
- Chengdu Panda Research Base
- Chengdu Old Town
- Wuhou Temple
- Lishan Giant Buddha
- Sichuan Hot Pot
Chengdu in China’s southern Sichuan Province is famous around the world as the home of the giant panda. Here you can get up close and personal with these lovable creatures at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The research base has been instrumental in recovering pandas from the brink of extinction! There’s more on visiting Chengdu’s most famous residents here. The city is also famous for its Sichuan cuisine. No trip to Chengdu is complete without sampling one of the many hot pot restaurants!
Chengdu is also a great base for exploring the wild Tibetan autonomous regions to the west. Unlike Tibet proper, you do not need a permit to visit, but the area is steeped in Tibetan culture.
4. Dunhuang
Top Dunhuang Attractions
- Crescent Moon Lake
- Singing Sand Dunes
- Mogao Caves
- White Horse Pagoda
Dunhuang is a small town in far western Gansu Province and an oasis in the Gobi Desert. Not only will you find one of China’s three famous grottoes here, the Mogao Caves, but also some unique natural phenomena such as Crescent Moon Lake and the Singing Sand Dunes (echoing sand mountain).
The Gobi Desert outpost of Dunhuang is definitely one of the top places to visit in China!
5. Guilin
Top Guilin Attractions
- Karst Mountains
- West Hill Park
- Pagoda Hill
Guilin is home to some of the most famous landscapes in China. The city is surrounded by limestone karst mountains that rise from the earth like cylindrical beasts! The area is also home to many of the country’s rice terraces. Our guide to the best things to do in Guilin is here.
There are many national parks and gardens dotted in and around the city making it the perfect destination for nature lovers!
6. Guangzhou
Top Guangzhou Attractions
- Shamian Island
- Canton Tower
- Guangzhou Museum
- Yuexiu Park
Guangzhou, formerly known as Canton, is one of the largest cities in Southern China. With its tropical climate and palm tree-lined streets it has a relaxed feel. Guangzhou has traditionally been one of the most liberal parts of China and it’s easy to see why.
One of the most famous exports from the city is the Cantonese style of cooking. No trip to Guangzhou is complete without trying some local Dim Sum, a ritual for most people here!
7. Hangzhou
Top Hangzhou Attractions
- West Lake
- Liefeng Pagoda
- Wushan Mountain
- Longjing Tea Plantation
Hangzhou is arguably one of the prettiest cities in China thanks to West Lake and the surrounding mountains. Hangzhou has been synonymous with rest and relaxation for centuries, and the Emperors used to come here to relax.
The city is home to a vast array of cultural sights, temples, parks, and gardens. There is a path around the entire circumference of the lake and you can walk the whole thing in a couple of hours.
Don’t miss the nearby Longjing Tea Terraces which has been home to China’s Dragon Well Tea for centuries. One of the most impressive landscapes in China!
8. Harbin
Top Harbin Attractions
- Harbin Ice and Snow World (Dec to Mar)
- St Sophia Cathedral
- Central (Walking) Street
- Unit 731 Museum
China’s frozen northern City of Harbin has a distinctly Russian feel thanks to its close proximity to nearby Siberia. The city was actually built by the Russians working on the Trans Siberian Railway and you will find a lot of Russian architecture across the city.
Harbin is famed around the world for its annual ice and snow festival where landmarks from around the world are recreated entirely from ice. In winter, the frozen Songhua River turns into a theme park with skiing, skating, snowmobiling, and much more.
9. Luoyang
Top Luoyang Attractions
- Longmen Grottoes
- White Horse Temple
- Luoyang Old Town
- Museum of Ancient Art and Tombs
- The Shaolin Temple
China’s ancient capital Luoyang is one of the country’s hidden gems and home to some of the country’s most important cultural sites. The Longmen Grottoes house a collection of thousands of carvings of the Buddha, ranging in size from a couple of centimeters to upwards of 17 meters!
Luoyang has an impressive Old Town with ancient buildings, craft stalls, and restaurants specializing in the famous water banquet; a meal of 24 soups served to emperors! Luoyang’s other attractions include the White Horse Temple, the birthplace of Buddhism in China, and the nearby Shaolin Temple which is where the martial art of Kung Fu (Wushu) originated.
10. Sanya
Top Sanya Attractions
- Sanya Bay
- Dadonghai
- Linchunling Forest Park
- Yalong Bay
- West Island
- Sanya
The city of Sanya on Hainan Island is a tropical holiday resort with miles of sandy beaches, mountains, and rainforests. Here you will find China’s fledgling surfing scene at Houhai and Riyue Bay plus many other waterborne activities such as scuba diving, snorkeling, boating, and more.
Sanya is also home to some of the best restaurants in China from Gordon Ramsey’s kitchen at the Hotel Atlantis, to Italian, Indian, Nepalese, and more, which is a rarity for China outside of Beijing or Shanghai. The perfect destination for a winter getaway thanks to its year-round warm weather!
11. Shanghai
Top Shanghai Attractions
- The Bund
- Oriental Pearl Tower
- Shanghai Museum
- River Cruise
Although somewhat lacking in the culture of say Beijing or nearby Hangzhou, Shanghai is China’s “World City” and business hub. Here you can find some of the best dining in the country (with a price tag to match) as well as European architecture dating to the 1800s.
The area around the Bund and promenade is one of China’s most recognizable city-scapes and is well worth a look! Go up to the top of the Pearl TV Tower for even better views of the city!
12. Xian
Top Xian Attractions
- Xian Walled City
- Terracotta Warriors
- Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
- Bell and Drum Towers
- Muslim Quarter
Xian was once the capital of China and also the starting point of the ancient Silk Road. The city is packed with culture from the Bell and Drum Towers in the center, to the city walls stretching some 14km around the old city. Xian is also famous for its Muslim Quarter and the food prepared by the city’s Uighur inhabitants. Here is our guide to the best things to do in Xian.
Of course, Xian is most famous for the Terracotta Army of Warriors and Horses, one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th Century. No trip to China is complete without a trip to see the excavation pits full of lifesize warriors and horses constructed to protect the first Emperor of China in the afterlife!
13. Yangshuo
Top Yangshuo Attractions
- Karst Mountains
- Li River
- Xingping
Like nearby Guilin, Yangshuo is also home to some of China’s most famous views. Here you will find the Li River running through a beautiful landscape of limestone karst mountains. It is here you can still see the locals fishing with cormorants (although now likely just to please the tourists).
The small settlement of Xingping is the location of the scene on the 20 Yuan note and is definitely worth a visit! Yangshuo and the surrounding areas are one of the best places to visit in China thanks to the stunning natural landscapes!
14. Tibet
Tibet is an enchanting land of temples and snow-capped peaks spread across one of the highest places on Earth. Discover the magical city of Lhasa or the staggering Himalaya mountains and you will find that Tibet is one of the most incredible places to visit in China!
5 Top China National Parks
1. Huashan
Do you have the stomach for the famous “plank walk”, one of China’s most dangerous walkways? Huashan is one of China’s five holy mountains and can be climbed or visited by cable car. Some sections of the mountain are very dangerous, such as the aforementioned plank walk, and therefore visitors must be clipped into a safety harness. And yes, we did walk the plank walk.
2. Siguniangshan
Siguniangshan, or Four Sisters Mountain, is a series of peaks and valleys in the western Sichuan Tibetan Autonomous Region. You can base yourself in the small village of Rilong, which is easily reachable by bus from Chengdu (four hours). From here you can spend days exploring each of the three main valleys.
3. Zhangjiajie
Made famous by the science fiction movie Avatar, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is home to some of China’s most impressive Karst mountains. Zhangjiajie was the first national park to be opened in China and is one of the best places to visit on any trip to China. Our full guide to Zhangjiajie is here.
4. Zhangye Danxia
The Rainbow Mountains in Gansu Province are one of the best places to visit in China in terms of scenery. The nearby Bingguo Danxia landform is also worth discovering thanks to its unique rock formations formed over millennia.
5. Yuntaishan Geopark
Yuntaishan geological park is home to a large sandstone gorge complete with large waterfalls, mountain scenery, temples, and look out for the wild monkeys!
Travel Tips for Exploring China
- Read our China Travel Check List here
- Get Travel Insurance: Civitatis includes medical expenses, repatriation, theft, luggage delays. No deductibles or upfront payments. Get a quote here.
- Get online immediately with an eSIM for China here.
- Download and install a VPN BEFORE you travel to China > discount coupon here
- Book Transport and Airport Transfers in China here
- Book the best China tours and guides on Trip
- Save money in China with a Wise debit card
- Book Trains in China with Trip
- Book accommodation in China with Trip
Final Words on Unique Places to Visit in China
There are too many incredible places to visit in China for even a lifetime of exploring, but I hope you have found this article useful and have added a few of these attractions to your bucket list!
ASocialNomad is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, and amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
