China is an enormous country, full of beautiful and exciting cities, and above all difficult to navigate without a good planning. There are so many things to love China for! We’re asked for travel recommendations nearly every day, and so here’s eTramping’s list of top 3 cities to visit in China.
Lhasa
Lhasa is the capital of Tibet (Autonomous Region) and it’s by far the most beautiful place I have ever seen. Blue sky, the color I’ve never seen anywhere else, and mountain ranges surrounding it are breath-taking. Add to it hospitable people, distinctive architecture, spiritual atmosphere – all influenced by Tibetan Buddhism – and you’ll be dreaming of coming back again.
Zhangjiajie
A little town situated at the feet of beautiful Tianzishan mountain ranges is only a starting point for your journey to the Zhangjiajie National Forrest Park. There, you’ll find pillar-like rocks that shoot to the sky, sometimes more than 1000 meters. It is also claimed that the views from this park inspired the floating Hallelujah Mountains in the famous Hollywood movie “Avatar”.
Not sure if I mentioned, but Zhangjiajie is Cez’s favorite place in the world. If that convinces you to go and check it our for yourself, here you can find some recommendations as to where to stay in Zhangjiajie.
Macau
The most densely populated city in the world – it says something! Firstly, it’s really small, so you can easily walk from one side of the peninsula to the other. Secondly, people from all-over-the-world flock to experience Macau.
However, Macau is not known for the number of people per square kilometer. It is know for it’s deep-rooted Portuguese influence and beautiful architecture, but the main reason why people come to Macau is to gamble.
Honorable Mentions
There’s a number of cities in China that deserve to be mentioned here. Let me list some for you together with some helpful guides:
- Dalang – where I’ve stayed for quite some time and where part of my heart still lingers – check out what to do in Dalang!
- Nanjing – much can be said about the city, and so much should be read – take a look at 10 Incredible Things to Do in Nanjing.
It’s been, for me, 1 year since I left China and although I’m really enjoying my life in Amsterdam, I truly miss the Land of Dragons!
20 thoughts on “Top 3 Cities to Visit in China”
Wow Agness, you’ve done well to narrow it down to just a top 3! Great work.
I think I’d struggle with a top 10 or top 20!
I hear great things about Macau. I’ve only experienced Vegas so to see the Sino side would be fascinating.
I really struggled with top 3, but I made it!! :)
Those all sound like awesome places to visit…maybe even live! Is Macau officially part of China now or are they still part of Portugal? Still a beautiful city!
It’s officially a part of China as far as I am concerned.
Tibet would just be amazing! some great suggestions
Lhasa took my breath away!! :)
what amazing places. I am dying to see Zhangjiajie ever since I first read a post your wrote on it. It looks out of this world!
You should definitely add Zhangjiajie to your bucket list. It’s so worth exploring!
Gosh..finally not Beijing, or Shanghai, or Guangzhou….Lhasa is definitely a must-visit!
I know :-).
I can relate that you miss China. If you stay in a country for such a long time, it’s hard to do not miss it, even though you’re happy with your current life. Sometimes, a memory comes up or you’re listening a song that reminds you of your time there and you’re traveling back in time with your mind. These three places look beautiful and if I ever get to visit China, I’ll make sure to visit them as well.
That’s so true, Stef!!
Great tips thanks for share this with us!! i have china in my list but i am a little afraid i dont know why
I’m happy to hear that :-)!
I have not been to Zhangjiajie and it is definitely on my to do list. Kashgar is an amazing experience to see the cultural diversity of China. Personally I would choose Guangzhou over Macau any day. Guangzhou is not a popular city for western tourists, which makes it an attraction in itself, some of the best preserved traditional culture in China. Possibly my favourite city in the world.
You should definitely make it to Zhangjiajie soon. It’s just stunning and I recommend it to everyone!
Ah Macau! I wanted to visit there when I went to Hong Kong but I just didn’t have enough time. Boo Boo Hoo!
Maybe next time, sweetie!
Zhangjiajie looks amazing!!
I agree!! :)