China Destinations
Every place I recommend is somewhere I've been myself — many of them multiple times. Here's my honest take on 35 cities across China.
Beijing北京
History, culture, and food that'll change how you think about China
Tianjin天津
Beijing's elegant neighbour — European architecture, street food, and a relaxed riverside vibe
Pingyao平遥
China's best-preserved ancient walled city — step back into the Ming Dynasty
Harbin哈尔滨
China's winter wonderland — ice festivals, Russian architecture, and the best cold-weather food
Dalian大连
A seaside escape in northern China — Russian architecture, beaches, and fresh seafood
Shenyang沈阳
The Manchurian capital — imperial palaces, vibrant street food, and Northeast China's beating heart
Shanghai上海
China's most dynamic city — futuristic skyline meets old-world charm
Hangzhou杭州
The legendary city of West Lake — tea plantations, classical gardens, and poetic beauty
Suzhou苏州
The Venice of the East — classical gardens, silk heritage, and ancient canals
Nanjing南京
Where Chinese history breathes — six dynasties, Ming grandeur, and leafy boulevards
Huangshan黄山
The mountain that inspired a thousand paintings — China's most beautiful peak
Shaoxing绍兴
Where China's literary giants were born — canals, rice wine, and scholars' heritage
Xi'an西安
Home of the Terracotta Warriors and some of China's best street food
Luoyang洛阳
The ancient capital of 13 dynasties — Longmen Grottoes and peonies in spring
Wuhan武汉
The crossroads of China — Yangtze river views, breakfast culture, and resilient spirit
Changsha长沙
China's most flavour-obsessed city — spicy food, fiery energy, and a night that never ends
Fenghuang凤凰
The ancient town straight out of a Chinese painting — stilted houses, misty rivers, and Miao magic
Guangzhou广州
The birthplace of dim sum and China's window to the world for 2,000 years
Shenzhen深圳
China's future, today — a tech metropolis built from nothing in 40 years
Guilin桂林
The landscape that inspired Chinese paintings — rice paddies and karst mountains
Yangshuo阳朔
The postcard landscape you can climb, cycle, and raft through
Xiamen厦门
China's most laid-back coastal city — colonial charm, island escapes, and sea breezes
Chengdu成都
Pandas, hotpot, and the most laid-back city in China
Chongqing重庆
The mountain city — futuristic skyline, spicy hotpot, and Yangtze river nights
Kunming昆明
The Spring City — year-round perfect weather, ancient stone forests, and the gateway to Yunnan
Lijiang丽江
A UNESCO Old Town, Naxi culture, and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain — the soul of Yunnan
Dali大理
Ancient town by Erhai Lake — Bai culture, cycling paths, and Yunnan's slowest pace of life
Guiyang贵阳
Gateway to Guizhou — mountain scenery, Miao and Dong cultures, and one of China's most underrated food scenes
Dunhuang敦煌
Where the Silk Road met the desert — 1,000 years of cave art carved into sand
Zhangye张掖
China's rainbow mountains — a landscape painted by nature over 24 million years
Turpan吐鲁番
China's hottest city — where grapes, Uyghur culture, and ancient ruins meet the desert
Kashgar喀什
The most 'Central Asia' city in China — a living Silk Road bazaar at the foot of the Pamir Mountains
Zhangjiajie张家界
The real-life Avatar mountains — China's most surreal landscape
Jiuzhaigou九寨沟
China's most beautiful fairyland — turquoise lakes, waterfall cascades, and autumn colours that defy belief
Lhasa拉萨
The roof of the world — Tibet, China's spiritual heart at 3,650 metres above the sea