14 reasons why you should travel to China right now

Beijing - it is worth coming here at least to understand why this country has made so much noise over the past few decades.  Why is the Celestial Empire so attractive that it makes millions of tourists annually to cross its borders? What locations to pay attention to so that a visa to China will meet all your expectations? what is the population of China? Without what, a trip to the country, which has become home to a fifth of the population of the whole Earth, will be meaningless? The answers to these and other questions - reasons why you should travel to China - in today's article. Let me invite you on a fascinating journey through the breathtaking People's Republic of China!

1. Great Wall of China

Whatever tours to China you are looking at, each of them will undoubtedly offer to visit the pride of all East Asia - the Great Wall of China. Whether you travel alone or with a group led by a guide, don't miss the opportunity to see with your own eyes the incomparable grandeur of this human-made monument to the people who know no fear and despair. According to a Chinese saying, you cannot consider yourself a hero without visiting the Great Wall. And the truth is! Having overcome the bumpy paths in the non-tourist sections of the longest tourist attraction in the world, you understand: all that was before is just a tick in the list of mandatory places to visit. 

2. Forbidden city

The heart of Beijing, the capital of China, its ancient essence, pulsates within the Imperial Palace walls, which was erected in the XV century. During the Qing and Ming Dynasties, no one but privileged members of society were allowed to enter the palace, making the building and the surrounding area long considered unattainable to ordinary people. Fortunately, times have changed, and today, the Forbidden City doors are wide open to everyone who wants to visit it and those who have a valid visa to China! And a day is not enough to leisurely bypass all the beauties of this place: the halls that keep the terrible imperial secrets, the palace museum, which has a unique collection of works of art and artifacts of several ruling dynasties, countless marble statues of unearthly beauty, as well as the great throne of the Emperor.

3. Terracotta army

The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, united most of the Celestial Empire and made an invaluable contribution to the further development of the country's cultural and military potential. Before his death, being grateful to his people for their support, he wanted to take his best helpers with him to continue the good deeds in the other world. By the Emperor's will, thousands of people were buried together with him: courtiers, peasants, concubines - soldiers decided to leave for the world alive. In order to protect the First Emperor, who had left the throne, 8 thousand soldiers were made of clay mixture; the whole underground army was found only in 1986 after extended excavations. Today, the Terracotta Army is the most famous sight in Xi'an city. Looking at it, you unwittingly start waiting for the soldiers to take a step and start a grand military parade.

4. Summer palace

Spread over 700 hectares of unspoiled, lush with natural gifts, the Summer Palace seems to be one of the most peaceful tourist places in the Celestial Empire. Do not waste a minute; go to the charming Hall of Wellbeing and Longevity, and then to the Bolshoi Theater, which since 1891 has been a favorite place for emperors who want to enjoy traditional opera or theatre productions in a family environment. Take a few hours to walk around the picturesque gardens and cozy patios. Do not be afraid to walk along seemingly endless paths. They will take you to a place where the Celestial Empire's majestic nature will appear before the inexperienced eye in all its glory.

5. Chengdu

Tours to China in the most picturesque parts of the country - it is, of course, right. But what kind of trip to China can we talk about if your tourism plan is not Chengdu Research Base? Here, in the southwestern Sichuan Province, you will see how giant pandas are grown with your own eyes! Just imagine this picture: 80 fluffy black and white animals playing with each other, gnawing at bamboo and pretending to ignore you at all. Is there anything even cuter in this world? Also, the research base offers its guests to visit several exhibitions and excursions. At these exhibitions, you will learn more about the organization's activities, the secrets of the life of giant pandas and the secrets of their upbringing.

6. Gui River

China on the world map and across the waterways: rivers, lakes, and small ponds - different widths, depths, and lengths. Surrounded by karst mountains, the Nujiang River could be another wonder of the world if the pyramid of Cheops or the lighthouse of Alexandria gave way to it. Its water surface, which reflects the unique landscapes of Guilin city, sung by hundreds of poets, is depicted on dozens of artists' canvases. The best choice you can make when you arrive here is to rent a boat and go on an unforgettable river cruise. While sailing on the Guilin-Yangshuo route, it is impossible to hold back the exclamations of admiration: the mountain of Unique Beauty, the Elephant trunk hill, and the most extensive karst cave of the Reed Flute - romantic splendor of the Celestial Empire nature is incomparable to anything! 

7. Yangtze River

As the Yangtze is also called, the mighty waters of the "Long River" spilled rapidly from Tibet in the West to Shanghai in the east, gaining fame as the main transport route of Ancient China. The undeniable advantage of this "attraction" - the opportunity to watch it from the coasts, dams, and bridges of eight provinces. Strange as it may seem, one of the best views opens from the observation deck of the hydroelectric power plant in Hubei. Here the river washes with its waters the rocky cliffs of Three Gorges Dam: Quitan, Yu, and Silin. The roaring streams, dangerous  shallows, dramatically beautiful landscapes - all this you can feel and see with your own eyes, becoming part of a breathtaking adventure on the Yangtze River.

8. Classic gardens of Suzhou

The standard of Chinese landscape design, located in Suzhou province - one of the country's most famous garden complexes saw more than many imperial palaces. The first gardens, each of which was a real paradise on Earth, appeared here in the distant XI century. They were destroyed, restored, new territories were added to their number - and so until the XIX century. One of the most famous, which survived all the ups and downs of the gardens - Lingering Garden - was erected on its predecessor's site in 1800. With water, a human-made hillside, a grove of peach trees and several paths along the walls of the magnificent buildings painted in Chinese characters, and you will not regret your visit here for a moment.

9. The Bund

The expression of great wisdom in urban planning is a luxurious embankment along the Huangpu River. Slowly walking along the pedestrian zone, enjoying the noise of troubled water and slightly squinting your eyes at the excess sunlight around you, you unwittingly forget that you are in one of the most prosperous cities of the Celestial Empire. It does not even occur that China on the world map is almost its largest economic center. Stretching along dozens of Gothic and Renaissance buildings, Shanghai's quay is best seen from the TV tower "Eastern Pearl". Once here, do not miss the restaurant, which rotates over the city at an altitude of 267 meters! Just a few more reasons to check out the most relevant tours in China right now and, not for a minute, book a place in one of them.

10. Centuries-old original culture

Collecting the smallest details of its cultural heritage for over 3000 years, today the Chinese people can be proud of their work results. Celestial culture is a symbiosis of simplicity and originality, harmony and contradictions, calmness and expression. What can we say about the Chinese language, which attracts attention from the first sound: it makes some people laugh, and some think it is more melodic than a nightingale trill. Unusual to the European ear intonations, intricate writing has become a separate trend in Chinese art - all this reflects the portrait of an ancient civilization. Martial arts, tea ceremonies, folk medicine, costume theatre, and opera performances - you will have something to do in-between visits to local attractions. Visa to China may be the most successful investment in recent years.

11. A variety of Chinese cuisine

Chinese culinary delights are known, without exaggeration, all over the world. You have probably already tasted Peking duck, sweet and sour pork, and traditional noodles in one of the restaurants in your city. So why travel to China if everything is within a stone's throw from your native apartment? Yes, to please your taste buds with a fantastic variety of ingredients, merging into one unique gastronomic composition, which can be fully felt only by sitting somewhere at the table on the summer terrace in the Celestial Empire. Each region's culinary map has its peculiarities. Native China population recommends getting acquainted with local Chinese cuisine gradually. Of course, you should start with Beijing, the capital of China. Tender duck meat waits when you cut the crispy crust, which absorbed the best of the complex traditional marinade, the original recipe of which the Chinese prefer to keep a secret. Go to the east - to Shanghai - for the most delicate dumplings "Xiao Moon Bao". Southwest Chengdu will meet you with an incredible size "Chinese samovar", which is better not to try to cope with alone - share with a friend. The city of karst landscapes - Guilin - will delight you with real rice noodles, while ultramodern Hong Kong is the best dim sum in the country.

12. Breathtaking traditions

For a tenth of the ethnic minorities, the number of which exceeds half a hundred, China population carefully protects every tradition, every custom, so that the country manages to remain united for many years. To fill up with Chinese people energy, go to Yunnan, Tibet, the already mentioned Guilin or Guzhou. The last matriarchal settlement in the whole world, streets full of devout pilgrims - Tibetan Highland residents and representatives of Yunnan Mosuo people will find something to surprise you! Embarking on the path of ethnic tourism, you will be amazed at how different and at the same time the same can be people who, by the will of fate, have found themselves within the borders of one country.

13. Incredible freedom and ease of travel

Retaining the memory of their four great inventions: paper, gunpowder, the compass, and book printing, the Chinese do not stop there, conquering new heights, but in the modern world. With your smartphone, you will feel like a fish in the water everywhere, except in remote places, not equipped for tourism. Do you want to buy a ticket for a train flying over the rails at a speed of 350 km/h? Maybe you want to have a cup of hot tea (don't spare money - take a pair!), but left your wallet in your room? Do you need to use carsharing services or an overwhelming desire to make a couple of purchases in the online store? China is now proud of its four great Innovations: public car service, high-speed railway, developed mobile communications network, and online shopping. Do you still think that all this came out of nowhere? China is where the progress comes from!

14. The abundant animal world

Contrary to the different stereotypes, the Celestial Empire fauna's diversity doesn't come down to pandas alone. Going to the Gansu province, which is in the extreme West, you are very likely to ride a camel. This kind of entertainment is also available from time to time in the Great Wall of China's most tourist parts. But it seems that you can get the most out of the interaction with the golden-haired symbol of the desert where there are practically no people - like once surrounded by the West's desert landscapes! Amur tigers are what you need to "hunt" properly to bring a truly unforgettable experience from China! You will not be lucky to meet the Ussurians in their habitat, but you can always look at these animals with one eye in the local zoos. The zoological garden in Harbin is an ideal place for first acquaintance!