Things to do in China

Escape the crowds and walk the fully restored, forest-flanked Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, where watchtowers unfold over rugged ridgelines.

Step into the heart of imperial China inside the vast 15th-century palace complex that housed 24 emperors.

Come eye-to-eye with thousands of life-sized warriors, each with a unique face, silently guarding the tomb of China’s first emperor for over 2,000 years.

Glide past a dreamscape of emerald limestone karst peaks, bamboo groves, and water buffalo reflected in the mirror-like river.

Watch dawn break over a sea of clouds swirling around jagged granite pinnacles and twisted pine trees perched impossibly on cliffs.

Observe roly-poly cubs tumbling and adults munching bamboo in a carefully recreated natural habitat.

Savour wafer-thin, caramel-crisp skin wrapped in a delicate pancake with sweet bean sauce, cucumber, and scallion at the century‑old restaurant that perfected the dish.

Walk the colonial-era waterfront promenade and gaze across the Huangpu River at the futuristic skyscrapers of Lujiazui—the ultimate juxtaposition of east and west, old and new.

Stand among undulating, candy-striped hills painted in fiery reds, oranges, and yellows by mineral deposits over 24 million years.

Watch in awe as dancers whip brightly coloured silk masks across their faces in a split second, a closely guarded secret skill of Sichuan opera.

Sit on a lakeside veranda with a cup of Dragon Well tea, watching willows sway over misty water and pagodas reflected on the surface.

Step onto stone bridges arching over narrow canals lined with whitewashed, wood-shuttered houses in this impeccably preserved 1,300-year-old town.

Dare to traverse the world’s longest and highest glass-bottomed bridge, suspended 300 metres above a deep canyon in the Avatar-like mountains of Zhangjiajie.

Ascend the iconic red-and-white fortress rising over the Tibetan plateau, the former winter residence of the Dalai Lama.

Pedal atop the 600-year-old fortification that still encircles the inner city, taking in the contrast between old watchtowers and modern high-rises.

Bite into delicate, pleated soup dumplings at the 120-year-old restaurant inside Shanghai’s old City God Temple bazaar.

Hike one of the deepest river canyons on earth, where the Jinsha River thunders between snow-dusted peaks towering 3,790 metres above.

Ride the historic Peak Tram to the highest point on Hong Kong Island and soak in the glittering harbour, tight-packed towers, and green mountains beyond.

Wander a lantern-strung alley lined with Qing‑style wooden buildings selling spicy rabbit heads, sugar‑coated hawthorns, and Sichuan peppercorn delicacies.

Inhale the scent of sandalwood and watch red-robed Tibetan monks chant and debate inside an 18th-century temple that houses an 18-metre sandalwood Buddha.

Stand at the feet of the 71-metre-tall stone Buddha, the largest pre‑modern carved statue of the Maitreya, overlooking the confluence of three rivers.

Float under ancient stone bridges past karst peaks rising dramatically from rice paddies, with only the dip of a pole breaking the silence.

Wander through a frozen city of illuminated, full‑scale buildings carved from blocks of ice, glowing in neon pinks and blues against the -20°C air.

Discover the fortress-like round earthen houses, some up to five storeys tall, built by Hakka communities centuries ago.

Wander through the imperial retreat’s tranquil Long Corridor, painted pavilions, and willow-fringed Kunming Lake.