Top 10 Places to Take Photos in China
China has a long history and rich natural scenery, so you can enjoy a photography feast including beautiful Jiuzhaigou, karst hills along the Li River, and the magnificent Great Wall. Wuyuan Rape Flowers Fields in spring and Beijing Fragrance Hill Park in autumn have attracted a lot of photography lovers. You can not only enjoy the beautiful scenery but also have fun taking great photos. Where to take wonderful photos in China? Here we list the best photography destinations for your unforgettable photographic journey in China.
1. Beijing
You can enjoy the different scenery of Beijing in autumn. The Great Wall, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, is decorated by numerous colorful trees in autumn. And the snowy Great Wall is also beautiful in winter. Photography lovers like to head to Fragrance Hill Park which is famous as an autumn destination because of its colorful leaves.
You can take some photos of imperial palaces including the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, and Tiananmen Square. Beijing Hutongs are great choices to experience local life and culture. If you are an art lover, 798 Art Zone is the absolutely right choice for you. Bird's Nest and Sanlitun Bar Street are great choices to take some photos of night scenes and enjoy the nightlife.
2. Zhangjiajie
The exotic peaks and stone forests in Zhangjiajie are on a lot of travelers' must-visit lists. Due to its great natural scenery, it became one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. Located in Northwest Hunan Province, Wulingyuan Scenic Area consists of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Suoxi Valley, and Tianzishan Mountain.
You can get some great photos of sunrise with the landscape of Zhangjiajie in the morning. You can also see wonderful natural rocks and underground cataracts in Huanglong Cave and Longwang Cave. Spring and autumn are the best time to visit Zhangjiajie.
3. Guilin
Guilin's karst landscape is impressive to a lot of travelers from the whole world. Clearwater, blue sky, karst hills are the highlights of Guilin's beautiful scenery. You can take a cruise along the Li River or a small boat along the Yulong River to photography the classical karst landscape in Guilin.
There is a saying that the landscape in Guilin is the best in China, but the landscape in Yangshuo is the best in Guilin. You should explore more natural scenery and local Zhuang People's life in Yangshuo. And you can get some marvelous rice fields photos of large-scale Longsheng Terraced Rice Fields in Guilin.
4. Xian
Xi'an, known as Chang'an in ancient times, is the top 1 ancient capital of China. You can take photos of historical and cultural relics in Xi'an. As the capitals for more than 1200 years, it was the capitals for 13 dynasties such as the Qin, Han, and Tang Dynasties. The Terracotta Warrior and Horses of the Qin Dynasty are the most exciting photos when you show your friends.
Great Wild Goose Pagoda, Tang Paradise, and Xi'an Ancient City Wall are the most popular attractions in Xi'an. The music fountain near the Great Wild Goose Pagoda has attracted a lot of travelers at night. The night scenery of the ancient capital is worth photographing.
5. Tibet
Tibet's holy Buddhism culture influences people's life there. Deeply blue skies, snowy mountains, and mysterious original local customs attract hundreds of travelers from home and abroad. You can not only get some photos of wonderful plateau scenery but also photograph some local people and festivals. But you need to ask people and temples before you photograph.
You can get some great photos of the magnificent Potala Palace, a landmark in Tibet. And Shigatse, Nyingchi, and Nagqu are worth visiting photography in Tibet. July, August, and September are the best time to make the trip to Tibet.
6. Kanas
Kanas in north Xinjiang is a marvelous nature reserve consisting of beautiful lakes, rivers, glaciers, forests, and grasslands. In autumn, there are colorful trees around Kanas Lake which has picturesque scenery. Located in Burqin County in Altay City, it is a wonderful destination for photography in Xijiang. With a crescent shape, Kanas Lake has formed 200,000 years ago during the Quaternary Period. It has rich plant and animal categories. You can see some birds playing in the lake or flying in the sky when you visit Kanas Lake.
The best time to visit Kanas Lake is from June to September. The color of Kanas Lake is so changeable that you may see the green, grey, white or blue lake in one day. A lot of travelers head to Xijiang to photography the beautiful autumn scenery.
7. Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong Valleys
The breathtaking natural scenery in Jiuzhaigou Valley and Huanglong are the first choices to take photos in China. Emerald water, alpine lakes, colorful forest, snowy mountains, and Tibetan villages are the highlights of Jiuzhaigou. You can also see waterfalls and tranquil grasslands in Jiuzhaigou Valley. Multi-Color Pond in Huanglong Valley is another beautiful natural wonder to photography.
Due to its natural beauty, Jiuzhaigou has been one of the hottest places to take wedding photos in China. Jiuzhaigou in autumn is a paradise composed of emerald water and colorful trees. You can get some marvelous natural photos there.
8. Lijiang
Lijiang in Yunnan Province is the right place to explore beautiful natural scenery and experience local ethnic minorities' life and culture. Lijiang Ancient Town and Shuhe Ancient Town are places to experience local people's unique culture with your cameras such as Dongba culture, Mosuo customs, and Naxi people's life. The night of the ancient towns is great scenery not to miss.
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Black Dragon Pool are places to photography beautiful natural scenery. Lashi Lake is a migratory birds' paradise after August 15th in the Chinese lunar calendar. You can also enjoy original Naxi villages along Lashi Lake.
9. Xitang Water Town
As one of the top six water towns in China, Xitang is the place to enjoy clear water, small bridges, and ancient houses with your camera. With a long history, there are many well-preserved houses of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Covered corridors, lanes, bridges, and houses are the highlights of the water town. Located in Jiaxing City in Zhejiang Province, it's convenient to reach from Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Suzhou.
In the morning, you can try to photography the foggy water town. At the same time, you should not miss the night of Xitang Water Town. The night scenery in Xitang is excited and wonderful, and it's a completely different sight from a modern city.
10. Wuyuan County
Wuyuan County in Jiangxi Province boosts its Huizhou architecture and rape flower fields. It is known as one of the most beautiful villages in China. The county is one of the birthplaces of Huizhou culture and Huizhou architecture. It is a golden flower sea from mid-March to mid-April. You can get some great village photos during the period. With more than 1200 years of history, you can take photos of unique Huizhou architectures in Wuyuan.
You can also visit the Rainbow Bridge, Shangxia Xiaoqi, and Stone City in Wuyuan County. Rice Terraced fields, rivers, and local villages make up the beautiful scenery. The morning scenery of Stone City in autumn is a marvelous and colorful picture.