China Tourism Overview:
It is one of the most popular travel and tourism destination of East Asia. It
is the largest country in Asia with a land area of 9.6 million square km and is
the most populous country in the world. China is full of tourist attractions
drawing tourists from all around the world, more than thirty of its attractions
are listed in the World Culture and Natural Heritage Category. Towering
mountains and dramatic landscapes make up China's wealth. It is a country of
diverse cultures and a rich heritage. It's a land of cultural and geographic
schisms with deserts, sacred peaks, astounding caves, and imperial
ruins.
Currently, there are approximately 15,000 natural, cultural and man-made places
which contribute to China attractions.
The growth in international tourism to China is primarily due to the country’s
process of opening up that has taken place since the seventies. Its policies of
reform and openness have allowed increasing number of people to vacation in
China. Now, China is fast on its way to becoming a country with developed
tourism, and constantly improving tourism facilities and services. It is
estimated that China will replace the United States as the world's third most
popular tourism destination next year, and by 2020, China will be the world’s
No. 1 tourism destination of the world. China is slightly larger than the U.S.A, therefore
keep in mind the vast distances between destinations when planning your trip.
China is also famous for Cycling, hiking, caving, white water rafting, horseback riding and other outdoor activities. Beijing has some of the most renowned sights including the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven Park, the Lama Temple and the Great Wall of China. It is also a land of breathtaking rice terraces, unspoiled rural villages and placid lakes to soothe the soul. And yet, it is also a land of skyscraping cities, luxury hotels and wonderful restaurants. While China is a year-round destination, the months of May, September, and October are ideal months for travel anywhere in the country. Mandarin is the main language, even though English is becoming more and more popular in China, most Chinese people do not understand English. Along with The Great Wall Of China, Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong, some of the other popular tourist attractions of China have been listed below.
1. China Attractions - Guilin
:
It is one of the most picturesque cities of China. It is an area of unsurpassed
beauty where emerald green limestone karsts seemingly float on the Li River
making it magical landscape. The strangely shaped hills, wonderful caves, the
scenic views and historic treasures make Guilin a popular attraction of
China.
2. China Attractions - Dali
:
It is famous for its amazing natural beauty, history, culture and comfortable
climate, attracting tourists from all over the world. As a result, the area is
known as the "Pearl of the Yunan Plateau". The unique attractions of Dali are
Diancang Mountains and Erhai Lake, a bright pearl on the plateau.
3. China Attractions - Lijiang
:
It is located at the hub of Tibet, Yunan and Sichuan and is no less than a
fairyland with snow-capped mountains, fresh air, clear water and widespread
landscape. The climate of Lijiang is pleasant all year long making it a popular
travel and tourism destination in China.
4. China Attractions - Huang long Valley Park
:
It Literally means "the yellow dragon park" and is considered to be "The
fairyland on Earth". It is well known for its colorful lakes, snow clad
mountains, valleys and virgin forests.
5. China Attractions - Pingyao
:
Also known as "The Tortoise City' is an ancient small city of China, about 90 km
away from Taiyuan and is well known for its well preserved city wall as well as
the nearby Wang and Qiao family compounds. It is located at the banks of the
Yellow River, enabling it to serve as an important communications and commercial
hub. Pingyao city is the only city in China that has been completely reserved as
the way it initially was.
6. China Attractions - Mogao caves
:
They are also known as Mogao Grottoes and are located at the rock side of the
Singing Sand Mountain in Dunhuang city of Gansu Province. Containing more than
1,000 years of Buddhist art, they have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage
Site since 1987. With the spread of Buddhism, the Mogao caves or the Mogao
Grottoes have become a pilgrimage site with tourists from all over the world,
making it a popular travel and tourism destination in China. The site consists
of 492 caves famous for their statues and wall paintings.
7. China Attractions - Lushan National Park
:
Mount Lushan, in Jiangxi, China is one of the spiritual centres of Chinese
civilization. The mountain consists of 99 peaks, the tallest being Dahanyang,
rising to the height of 1474 meters (4836 feet) above sea level. Lushan National
Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Geopark in the north of Jiangxi
Province, centered around Mt Lushan.
8. China Attractions - Wolong Nature Reserve
:
It is located in Wenchuan County of Sichuan Province, and covers an area of 200
thousand hectares. It is best known for its efforts to protect and reproduce the
endangered giant panda. Wolong National Nature Reserve has become China's
largest and certainly the most important sanctuary for giant pandas and other
rare and precious animals and plants.
