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Top 10 Attractions in China

Written by Sally Guo Updated Oct. 25, 2021

Chinatravel.com recommends the top 10 China attractions based on the rich experience of our travel writers, and the feedback from our customers. The attractions cover some great world heritage sites, mountains, rivers, and the Giant Panda site, which are all the must-see destinations in China.

1. Forbidden City

The Forbidden City, also known as Palace Museum, is the largest royal palace in the world. It was home to 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is the largest scale architectural development of its kind on this planet. Its typical Chinese architectural style and tradition make it one of the bright pearls in the treasure house of Chinese cultural heritage.

2. Temple of Heaven

The Temple of Heaven is a holy imperial temple where the emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties worshiped heaven and praised it as one of the masterpieces of architecture and landscape design. It was inscribed on the List of World Cultural Heritage Site in 1998.

3. Summer Palace

The Summer Palace, on the other hand, boasts an elegance that was imported from southern China and a grandeur that is typically seen in architecture in northern China. The clear water and green hills of the Summer Palace make this great garden deserving of an international reputation. UNESCO has this to say of the Summer Palace: "…a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design. The natural landscape of hills and open water is combined with artificial features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples, and bridges to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value."

4. Mutianyu Section of the Great Wall

The imposing Great Wall is the largest military defense project in human history. It is famous for its long history of construction and battles, and the hardship of building such a mighty barrier over such unrelenting topography. Nominated by UNESCO as a world heritage site, the Great wall is often quoted as the Eighth Wonder of the World.

5. Terracotta Warriors and Horses

The Terracotta Army figures are detailed lifesize models with a history of more than 2000 years. Every figure differs from those around in facial features and expressions, clothing, hairstyle, gestures. The excavation of the Terracotta Army was regarded as one of the greatest discoveries in the 20th century. The UNESCO inscribed the Tomb of the First Emperor (including the Terracotta Army Vaults) into the list of World Cultural Heritages in 1987.

6. Potala Palace

The Potala Palace, which is now on the list of Chinese national key protected cultural relics, is the most valuable storehouse in Tibet. It is a huge treasure house for materials and articles of Tibetan history, religion, culture, and arts. The Palace is widely known for the precious sculptures, murals, scripture, Buddha figures, murals, antiques, and religious jewelry treasured up, they are of great cultural and artistic value.

7. Yungang Grottoes

The unique beauty of the Yungang Grottoes was recognized almost immediately upon their completion. Li Dao-Yuan (CE 466-527), a renowned geographer in China during the Northern Wei Dynasty, once said, "The 53 grottoes, carved out of cliffs, are vivid, grand and rarely seen elsewhere; the mountain shrines and waterside palaces co-exist so harmoniously here". In 2001, UNESCO recognized the cultural importance of the Yungang Grottoes by including them on the World Cultural Heritage List.

8. Giant Panda Breeding and Research Center

Among panda fans, it’s viewed as a holy land. The Giant Panda Breeding and Research Center is a great joy to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and spend some time in the company of calm and casual pandas. On stepping into the Panda Base, one may immediately start envying these adorable fluffy bears-- the base imitates their natural environment, full of green plants and pleasant fresh air.

9. Li River

Li River was selected as one of the world's top 10 watery wonders by America's National Geographic magazine, who quoted on their official website: "China's Li River snakes through a fairy-tale landscape of conical limestone peaks, its smooth waters exquisitely mirroring the magical scenery."

10. Yellow Mountain

Yellow Mountain is famous for four wonders: its gnarled old pine trees, many of which are believed to be over 1500 years old; its oddly-shaped granite rock outcroppings; the "sea of clouds" that often enshroud the mountain, though the peaks are only enshrouded in clouds and mists about 200 days a year. In fact, it is often said that whereas other mountains are best observed from their base, Yellow Mountain, because of the ring of clouds and mists that surround the mountain about 3/4 the way up, is best viewed from the top down; and lastly, its thermal springs.

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