China is officially is known as the People's Republic of China. With coasts on the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and the South China Sea, it borders 14 nations. This number of neighbouring states is equalled only by China's vast neighbour to the north, Russia. China has wide variations in culture, language, customs and economic levels. The economic landscape is particularly diverse. The major cities such as Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai are modern and comparatively wealthy. 
There is a top 10 list of some of those most important to travellers in  China.

1.Beijing WHERE TO STAY






Beijing is the capital of the People's Republic of China, the most populous country in the world. Beijing is the political, educational and cultural centre of the country and as such it is rich in historical sites and important government and cultural institutions. The centre of the city and the most important landmark is Tiananmen Square. The square is surrounded by grand buildings including the Great Hall of the People, the Museum of Chinese History, the Museum of the Chinese Revolution, the Qianmen Gate and the Forbidden City. the Forbidden City, The Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple, Zhongshan Park, Summer Palace, Beijing Botanical Garden and The Great Wall of China is the most visited places.



2.The Great Wall of China WHERE TO STAY



The Great Wall, as we know it, is actually a series of several walls built at different times by different emperors. The geography of Northern China ranges from mountainous in northeast Liaoning and Hebei provinces, through the grasslands of Ningxia, a semi-arid desert of China's loess plateau, and borders the sand dunes of the Tengger desert of Inner Mongolia. It is the area around Hebei and Beijing that most people associate with the Great Wall, but most of the Great Wall lies in the desert regions of the country. The Great Wall of China can be visited at many places along its length of several thousand kilometres. Its condition ranges from excellent to ruined, and ease of accessibility varies straightforward to quite difficult. Note that different sections also each have their own admission fees



3.The Forbidden City WHERE TO STAY



The Forbidden City is also known as the Palace Museum. Passport or China ID card required for entry. This is truly the spot to appreciate the might and grandeur of the Imperial Chinese court during the height of its power in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Wandering to the right or left can yield some beautiful secluded courtyards and, of course, padlocked dead ends.



4.Zhangjiajie National  Park WHERE TO STAY



The Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is a unique national forest park located in Zhangjiajie City in Hunan Province in China. In 2004, Zhangjiajie Geopark was listed as a UNESCO global geopark. The most notable geographic features of the park are the pillar-like formations that are seen throughout the park. Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon opened the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, the longest (430 m (1,410 ft)) and highest (300 m (980 ft)) glass bridge in the world


5.The Terracotta Army WHERE TO STAY



The Terracotta Army is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. It is a form of funerary art buried with the emperor in 210–209 BCE with the purpose of protecting the emperor in his afterlife. Terracotta Army held more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which remained buried in the pits near Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum.


6.Shanghai WHERE TO STAY


Shanghai is the largest and traditionally the most developed metropolis in Mainland China.here to go in Shanghai depends largely on your time period and interests. Yuyuan Gardens, Classic (Western) architecture, Modern architecture, Shanghai Museum, Jade Buddha Temple, Oriental Pearl Tower, and Zhujiajiao Water Town are the most visited places.



7.The Summer Palace WHERE TO STAY



The Summer Palace is a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens, and palaces in Beijing. It was an imperial garden in the Qing Dynasty. Mainly dominated by Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake., UNESCO included the Summer Palace on its World Heritage List. It declared the Summer Palace "a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design. The central Kunming Lake, covering 2.2 square kilometres (540 acres), was entirely man-made and the excavated soil was used to build Longevity Hill.



8.Chengdu WHERE TO STAY



Chengdu is located in central Sichuan. The surrounding Chengdu Plain is known as the "Country of Heaven". The site of Dujiangyan, an ancient irrigation system, is designated as a World Heritage Site. The Jin River flows through the city. The Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries are the most well-known of their kind in the world. It is the largest remaining continuous habitat for giant pandas and home to more than 80 per cent of the world's wild giant pandas.


 
9.Cruising the Li River WHERE TO STAY


The Li River originates in the Mao's Mountains in Xing'an County and flows in the general southern direction through Guilin, Yangshuo, and Pingle.
The Li River Cruise ranges 83 kilometres from Guilin to Yangshuo and is famous for the Karst mountain and river sights. It was selected as one of the world's top 10 watery wonders by America's National Geographic magazine.



10.Leshan Giant Buddha WHERE TO STAY



The Leshan Giant Buddha is a 233 ft tall stone statue, built during the Tang dynasty. The stone sculpture faces Mount Emei, with the rivers flowing below its feet. It is the largest and tallest stone Buddha statue in the world. In addition to the Grand Buddha, there are also numerous smaller carvings of various Buddhas on the Grand Buddha Cliff Road. there are also various temples and shrines scattered about, the beautiful Haoshang bridge, and some wonderful small waterfalls.






QUICK FACTS AND TRAVEL TIPS




QUICK FACTS ABOUT  China?


  • Capital City? Beijing

  • Currency? renminbi
  • Languages? Mandarin

  • Where is this place? East Asia

  • Best time to visit China?  March to May and from September to early November 


  • What is  China famous for?  inventions, teas, economy, army, history, art and sports

  • How to get there?  China has several international airports throughout the country thus you can come to fly over from all over the world.

Neighboring countries?   India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, North Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Bhutan and Nepal.

DO YOU NEED A VISA FOR  China?

In order to enter China, U.S. citizens planning to visit China's mainland must apply for an entry visa through the Chinese Embassy. Visitors must apply approximately one month before their trip; they will not be granted a visa at the port of entry.



Which destination do you consider the best place to visit in China?