Destinations
China is a land of endless discovery, where ancient history meets modern innovation, and natural beauty blends seamlessly with vibrant city life. Whether you’re captivated by the Great Wall in Beijing, the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an, or the breathtaking karst landscapes of Guilin, each destination has its own unique charm. Explore the bustling streets of Shanghai, experience Chengdu’s laid-back tea culture and adorable pandas, or dive into the fast-paced energy of Hong Kong .From iconic landmarks to hidden gems, Travel with Janelle is here to guide you through authentic experiences across China.
“What kind of Traveler are you? Pick a category below to start planning your next adventure.”
Iconic China
One of the Seven Wonders of the World, this ancient fortification stretches over 13,000 miles
Wild & Remote
Remote villages like Ngari offer surreal views of snow-covered peaks and sacred lakes like Lake Manasarovar.
Cultural Deep Dives
Focus on family, ethics, education, and governance — the moral backbone of Chinese society.
Foodie Adventures
Try the famous Roujiamo (Chinese burger), biang biang noodles, and skewers sizzling in chili oil.
Iconic China
Beijing
China’s imperial heart pulses through the Forbidden City’s vermilion gates and along the Great Wall’s dragon-back ridges. At dawn, watch mist rise from Houhai Lake as elderly locals perform tai chi beside converted courtyard cocktail bars. The hutongs whisper history – follow the scent of roasting chestnuts to hidden siheyuan homes where artisans practice cloisonné and peking opera makeup.
- Must See: Hall of Clocks in the Forbidden City
- Must Eat: Imperial-style beggar’s chicken
- Must Do: Nighttime rickshaw tour of illuminated hutongs
Hong Kong
Neon-kanji dreams cascade down Nathan Road as double-decker trams rattle past dai pai dongs serving perfect wonton noodle soup. Escape to Lantau’s fishing villages where stilt houses perch above turquoise waters, their wooden sampans bobbing beside the Tian Tan Buddha’s serene gaze.
- Must See: PMQ creative hub’s designer studios
- Must Eat: Pineapple buns with butter at Kam Wah Cafe
- Must Do: Night market bargaining in Temple Street
Shanghai
Where 1920s jazz age glamour collides with 22nd-century ambition beneath
the Oriental Pearl Tower’s cosmic glow. The French Concession’s plane-tree
avenues hide speakeasies in converted opium dens, while down by the Bund,
art deco facades mirror in rain-slicked streets like liquid mercury.
- Must See: Propaganda Poster Art Centre
- Must Eat: Crab roe xiaolongbao at Jia Jia Tang Bao
- Must Do: Huangpu River dinner cruise
Nanjing
Willow-draped canals and the Ming Tombs’ stone elephants speak of
dynasties past, while the Presidential Palace’s clocks remain frozen at the
moment of revolution. At night, Qinhuai River lanterns reflect in duck blood soup bowls at 24-hour eateries.
- Must See: Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall
- Must Eat: Salted duck at Jinling Restaurant
- Must Do: City wall bike ride at sunset
Shenzhen
From fishing village to megacity in 40 years, where Huaqiangbei’s electronics markets sell robot dogs beside stalls steaming river snails with chili. The Ping An Finance Centre’s knife-edge silhouette pierces clouds above Dapeng Fortress’s crumbling Ming-era walls.
- Must See: OCT Loft creative park
- Must Eat: Chaoshan beef hotpot
- Must Do: Light show at Shenzhen Bay
Macau
Portuguese azulejos meet gilded dragon gates in this former colonial outpost turned gaming mecca. Follow the scent of pasteis de nata to family-run bakeries, then lose an afternoon in the Moorish barracks’ shadow playing fan tan with elderly locals.
- Must See: Mandarin’s House complex
- Must Eat: Portuguese-style African chicken
- Must Do: Taipa Village food crawl
Chongqing
Skyscrapers erupt from cliff faces in this 8D city where elevators open to
streets in the sky. Mist swirls around Hongya Cave’s stilted houses as nine-grid hotpots bubble with tongue-numbing peppercorns beside the Yangtze’s inky waters.
- Must See: Three Gorges Museum
- Must Eat: Chongqing small noodles
- Must Do: Yangtze River night cruise
Wild & Remote
Xinjiang
Golden dunes meet snow-capped Pamirs in this Silk Road crossroads.
Kashgar’s Sunday bazaar overflows with spice sacks and hand-forged knives, while yurt camps near Heavenly Lake serve cumin-crusted lamb beneath star flooded skies.
- Must See: Id Kah Mosque courtyard
- Must Eat: Polo (lamb pilaf)
- Must Do: Karakul Lake horseback ride
Tibet (Lhasa)
Thin air carries the murmur of prayer wheels and butter lamps flicker in Jokhang Temple’s golden gloom. Pilgrims prostrate themselves along Barkhor Street as monks debate philosophy in Sera Monastery’s sun-drenched courtyard.
- Must See: Potala Palace rooftop
- Must Eat: Thenthuk noodle soup
- Must Do: Yamdrok Lake pilgrimage circuit
Yunnan
From Yuanyang’s liquid-gold rice terraces to Shangri-La’s prayer wheel-lined lanes. Trek Tiger Leaping Gorge’s vertiginous trails, then sip Pu’er in a Naxi courtyard where matriarchs practice ancient Dongba script.
- Must See: Stone Forest geological park
- Must Eat: Erkuai rice cakes
- Must Do: Three Parallel Rivers hike
Guizhou
Terraced fields cascade down to Miao villages where silver-headed women
sing ancient ballads. Huangguoshu Falls’ thunder echoes through caverns hung with stalactites like dragon teeth.
- Must See: Qingyan Ancient Town
- Must Eat: Sour fish soup
- Must Do: Minority festival homestay
Jiuzhaigou
A symphony of turquoise and jade cascades through emerald forests, where mirrored lakes hold the sky captive. Waterfalls plunge like liquid silk, their mist painting rainbows over ancient Tibetan villages.
- Must See: Nuorilang Waterfall’s thunderous curtain
- Must Eat: Yak yogurt with wild honey
- Must Do: Sunrise at Five-Color Pond
Qingha
Turquoise lakes mirror snow peaks where nomads herd yaks across flower
strewn grasslands. At dawn, Chaka Salt Lake becomes a mirror-world where sky and earth dissolve into infinity.
- Must See: Kumbum Monastery
- Must Eat: Yak meat momo dumplings
- Must Do: Birdwatching at Qinghai Lake
Scenic Escapes
Nanjing
Willow-draped canals and the Ming Tombs’ stone elephants speak of
dynasties past, while the Presidential Palace’s clocks remain frozen at the
moment of revolution. At night, Qinhuai River lanterns reflect in duck blood soup bowls at 24-hour eateries.
- Must See: Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall
- Must Eat: Salted duck at Jinling Restaurant
- Must Do: City wall bike ride at sunset
Zhangjiajie
Avatar’s floating mountains emerge from sea-like clouds, their quartzite pillars draped in vines. Glass-bottomed bridges span dizzying chasms where macaques chatter in the mist.
- Must See: Yuanjiajie’s pillar forest
- Must Eat: Tujia smoked pork
- Must Do: Bailong Elevator ride
Huangshan
Dawn transforms granite peaks into an ink-wash painting as pines twist from crevices like calligraphy strokes. Hongcun’s Ming-era canals reflect moon gates and arched bridges in perfect symmetry.
- Must See: Bright Summit sunrise
- Must Eat: Bamboo shoot dishes
- Must Do: Overnight at summit hotel
Guilin/Yangshuo
Jade-green Li River winds through karst peaks where cormorant fishermen cast nets in the golden dawn. Yangshuo’s countryside unfolds in a watercolor of rice paddies and kumquat orchards beneath Moon Hill’s natural arch.
- Must See: Must See: Reed Flute Cave
- Must Eat: Beer Fish
- Must Do: Bamboo rafting at sunrise
Cultural Deep Dives
Xi’an
Terracotta warriors stand eternal guard while Muslim Quarter grill masters char cumin-dusted lamb skewers over roaring fires. Cyclists cruise the Ming City walls as calligraphers paint poetry in temple courtyards.
- Must See: Small Goose Pagoda
- Must Eat: Roujiamo burgers
- Must Do: Tang Dynasty show
Pingyao
Ming-era banking hub where red lanterns glow above vaults storing silver sycees. Shadow puppet masters perform in Qing Dynasty theaters while locals snack on pingyao beef in cobbled alleys.
- Must See: Rishengchang Exchange Museum
- Must Eat: Fried oat noodles
- Must Do: Courtyard homestay
Luoyang
Longmen Grottoes’ 100,000 Buddhas gaze serenely across the Yi River. Peony blossoms drown the city in fragrance each April, when Shaolin monks demonstrate kung fu moves honed over centuries.
- Must See: White Horse Temple
- Must Eat: Water banquet
- Must Do: Kung fu lesson
Foodie Adventures
Chengdu
Fiery hotpot cauldrons bubble beside tranquil teahouses where locals play
mahjong. At dawn, pandas munch bamboo while chefs prepare mouth-numbing mapo tofu with 20-year-old peppercorns.
- Must See: Jinli Ancient Street
- Must Eat: Dandan noodles
- Must Do: Sichuan cooking class
Guangzhou
Dim sum carts clatter past lychee wood roast geese hanging in shop windows. The Pearl River reflects Canton Tower’s kaleidoscopic light show as night markets fry oyster omelets on every corner.
- Must See: Chen Clan Ancestral Hall
- Must Eat: Wonton noodle soup
- Must Do: Morning tea ceremony
Harbin
Ice palaces glow beneath the winter sun while fur-clad vendors sell caramelized sweet potatoes. Russian onion domes rise above Central Street’s bakeries perfuming the air with sourdough black bread.
- Must See: Snow and Ice World
- Must Eat: Russian stews
- Must Do: Ice sculpture workshop
Ready to Explore
China Like a Local?
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