Travel Tips

For the benefit of mankind, Confucius benevolently presents "China at a Glance" for help with China trip planning. Each province is broken down into "Must See" destinations, "Extra Time" excursions, as well as any tourist traps to avoid. Not on my list? Give it a miss!

BEIJING
Must see: Great Wall, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace
Extra time: Hutongs around Houhai and Qianmen areas, Yonghegong/Confucius Temple, Panjiayuan Antique Market (weekends), Liulichang culture street
Avoid: Ming Tombs, Beijing Zoo

TIANJIN
Must see: (none)
Extra time: Huang Ya Guan Great Wall, Yangliuqing artisan village, Antique Market (Sunday)

HEBEI
Must see: Shanhaiguan Great Wall
Extra time: Chengde, Wuqiao acrobatic village

HENAN
Must see: Shao Lin Temple, Luoyang
Extra time: Kaifeng

SHANXI
Must see: Datong, Pingyao
Extra time: Hukou waterfall (can also be reached from Yan'an in Shaanxi province)

SHAANXI
Must see: Xi'an (Terra Cotta Warriors, Muslim Quarter)
Extra time: Xianyang museum, Hu County artisan village (SW of Xi'an)
Avoid: Hua Qing Hot Springs, Banpo Neolithic Village

NINGXIA
Must see: (none)
Extra time: West Xia tombs near Yinchuan

GANSU
Must see: Dunhuang, Xiahe (Labrang monastery)
Extra time: Jiayuguan Great Wall

XINJIANG
Must see: Kashgar, Turpan
Extra time: Karakuli Lake, Hanasi Lake, Hetian (Hotan)
Avoid: More than 1 day in Urumqi, group tours to Tian Chi

INNER MONGOLIA
Must see: Hohhot
Extra time: Grasslands (Hailaer, Manzhouli, and Chifeng areas have best grasslands)
Avoid: Baotou

HEILONGJIANG
Must see: Harbin Ice Festival (Jan-Feb.)
Extra time: Yabuli ski area (Dec.-March)

JILIN
Must see: Chang Bai Shan Nature Reserve
Extra time: Yanji border excursions to North Korea and Russia

LIAONING
Must see: Dandong/Hushan
Extra time: Dalian, Benxi Water Caves
Avoid: Shenyang (left armpit of China)

SHANDONG
Must see: Qufu (Hometown of Confucius)
Extra time: Taishan, Weifang Kite Festival

JIANGSU
Must see: Suzhou (silk embroidery) , Tongli
Extra time: Nanjing, Yangzhou, Xuzhou
Avoid: Changzhou, Wuxi, and Zhouzhuang

SHANGHAI
Must see: Shanghai Museum
Extra time: (See Jiangsu must see)
Avoid: Spending more than 2 days touring Shanghai

ANHUI
Must see: Huangshan
Extra time: Ancient villages of Xidi and Hongcun, Tunxi antique street
Avoid: Hefei

ZHEJIANG
Must see: Hangzhou, Xitang water village
Extra time: Anji, Shaoxing, Putuoshan, Nanxi River villages near Wenzhou
Avoid: Thousand Island Lake

FUJIAN
Must see: Xiamen, Quanzhou
Extra time: Yongding County tulou villages, Hui'an villages

JIANGXI
Must see: (none)
Extra time: Jingdezhen, Wuyuan
Avoid: Fireworks factories

GUANGDONG
Must see: Hong Kong, Macau
Extra time: Chaozhou, Danxia, Zhaoqing, and also Genzi but only during lychee season (May-June)
Avoid: Shenzhen (China's right armpit)

GUANGXI
Must see: Li River cruise, Yangshuo
Extra time: Guilin, Longsheng, and Sanjiang area Dong villages
Avoid: Spending more time in Guilin instead of Yangshuo

HUNAN
Must see: Zhangjiajie/Mengdong River/Tujia and Miao villages
Extra time: Fenghuang village
Avoid: Mao Zedong's hometown (Shaoshan)

GUIZHOU
Must see: Minority villages between Kaili and Congjiang (including Zengchong)
Extra time: Huangguoshu waterfall/Anshun batik village, Chishui County Nature Reserve

YUNNAN
Must see: Kunming/Stone Forest, Dali/Lijiang, Zhongdian
Extra time: Xishuangbanna, Deqin

SICHUAN
Must see: Chengdu, Leshan,
Jiuzhaigou/Huanglong/Songpan
Extra time: Emei Shan, Zigong (Lantern Festival/Dinosaur Museum)

CHONGQING
Must see: Dazu
Avoid: Chongqing during July/August

HUBEI
Must see: Three Gorges
Extra time: Wuhan's Yellow Crane Tower
Avoid: Wuhan during July/August

QINGHAI
Must see: Qinghai-Tibet railway from Golmud to Lhasa via Tanggula Pass
Extra time: Qinghai Lake, Yushu Horse Festival (July), Ta Er Monastery

TIBET
Must see: Lhasa (at least 3 days), Gyangtse (spelled as "Gyangze" on VT)
Extra time: Dingri monastery/Everest Base Camp, Yadong county
Avoid: Trouble!

HAINAN ISLAND
Must see: Only if you have never been to southern Thailand's beaches or Hawaii

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