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China

China covers 9.6 million km², third largest of any country, and holds more than 1.4 billion people — about 17 per cent of everyone alive. It is divided into 33...

Photograph · Severin.stalder · CC BY-SA 3.0

39,939 Places
6Cities

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

China covers 9.6 million km², third largest of any country, and holds more than 1.4 billion people — about 17 per cent of everyone alive. It is divided into 33 province-level divisions, two of them special administrative regions.

Beijing is the capital; Shanghai is the most populous city by urban area. Between them the land runs from the Central Plain and the Yangtze and Yellow rivers out to desert, plateau, subtropical and temperate forest, and the Himalayas in the southwest. The first decision a visitor makes here is therefore not which sight to see but which climate to travel in.

Checked 2026-08-25

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information

Language spoken
Standard Chinese; regional languages are widely used
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+86 mainland · +852 Hong Kong · +853 Macao
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Renminbi (CNY); HKD and MOP in the SARs
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
110 police · 120 medical on the mainland
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type A, C and I · 220 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No single verified statement covers mainland China and both SARs

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

Filter the list

421 places match

Category

Historic sites 90 Museums 104 Places of worship 45 Nature sites 87 Viewpoints 18 Food and drink 0 Markets and shopping 18 Entertainment 15 Nightlife 0 Family attractions 11 Art and culture 24 Activities 9

Typical visit duration

Up to 1 hour 267 1 to 2 hours 143 Half a day or more 11

Interests

History 87 Art 20 Museums 45 Nature 39 Sea and beach 32 Viewpoints 7
  1. Victoria Harbour Victoria Harbour
    01 2 hours

    Victoria Harbour

    維多利亞港

    Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Hong Kong
  2. Senado Square Senado Square
    02 45 min

    Senado Square

    議事亭前地

    Senado Square, known locally as 議事亭前地, is a public square in the historic centre of Macau. It forms part of the Historic Centre of Macau UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
    • Macau
  3. Xi'an City Wall Xi'an City Wall
    03 3 hours

    Xi'an City Wall

    Xi'an City Wall is a major military defensive system in Chinese history. The existing structure dates primarily to the early Ming dynasty, built on foundations from earlier periods including Tang dynasty fortifications.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
    • Xi'an
  4. Ping An Finance Centre Ping An Finance Centre
    04 1 hr 30 min

    Ping An Finance Centre

    Ping An Finance Centre is a 599.1-metre skyscraper in Shenzhen's Futian District, with the Free Sky observation deck forming its principal public visitor experience.

    • Must see
    • Viewpoint
    • Shenzhen
  5. Star Ferry Star Ferry
    05 30 min

    Star Ferry

    The Star Ferry is a cross-harbour passenger service between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. Its operator describes the ferry as both a vital transport connection and a must-experience visitor journey across Victoria Harbour.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Hong Kong
  6. Wutong Mountain National Park Wutong Mountain National Park
    06 4 hours

    Wutong Mountain National Park

    Wutong Mountain National Park is a protected natural area in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. Its local name is 梧桐山国家森林公园. The park encompasses Wutong Mountain and provides a substantial green landscape within a densely developed metropolitan region.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Shenzhen
  7. Former French Concession Former French Concession
    07 3 hours

    Former French Concession

    The Former French Concession is a large historic area of central Shanghai rather than a single preserved monument. France obtained the concession in 1849, and its boundaries expanded as Shanghai grew before the administration ended during the Second World War.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
    • Shanghai
  8. OCT-LOFT Creative Culture Park OCT-LOFT Creative Culture Park
    08 2 hours

    OCT-LOFT Creative Culture Park

    OCT-LOFT Creative Culture Park is a former industrial compound in Shenzhen’s Nanshan District, reshaped into a cultural quarter by Overseas Chinese Town. Factory buildings now hold galleries, studios, creative workspaces, shops, cafés, restaurants, and event venues.

    • Must see
    • Art and culture venue
    • Shenzhen
  9. Xi'an Muslim Quarter Xi'an Muslim Quarter
    09 2 hours

    Xi'an Muslim Quarter

    Muslim Quarter

    Xi'an Muslim Quarter is a lived commercial and residential district in the city centre, known for Hui culture, mosques and food streets. It is not one market hall or a single ticketed attraction.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
    • Xi'an
  10. Nanjing Road Nanjing Road
    10 2 hours

    Nanjing Road

    南京路

    Nanjing Road is a major commercial thoroughfare in Shanghai, widely recognised as one of China's premier shopping streets. The road stretches west from the Bund and divides into Nanjing Road East and Nanjing Road West.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Shanghai
  11. Ocean Park Hong Kong Ocean Park Hong Kong
    11 1 hour

    Ocean Park Hong Kong

    香港海洋公園

    Ocean Park Hong Kong is a major marine mammal and amusement park located on the southern side of Hong Kong Island. Established in 1977, it occupies a substantial hillside and coastal site spanning Wong Chuk Hang and Nam Long Shan.

    • Must see
    • Entertainment venue
    • Hong Kong
  12. Oriental Pearl Radio and Television Tower Oriental Pearl Radio and Television Tower
    12 20 min

    Oriental Pearl Radio and Television Tower

    东方明珠广播电视塔

    The Oriental Pearl Radio and Television Tower is a landmark television tower in Shanghai, China. Its local name is 东方明珠广播电视塔. The tower stands in the Lujiazui area of Pudong district, opposite the Bund across the Huangpu River.

    • Must see
    • Viewpoint
    • Shanghai
  13. Taipa Village Taipa Village
    13 2 hours

    Taipa Village

    氹仔舊城區

    Taipa Village is a historic district on Taipa Island, Macau, preserving Portuguese colonial architecture alongside southern Chinese building styles. The area represents a fusion settlement pattern characteristic of Macau's UNESCO World Heritage status.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Macau
  14. The House of Dancing Water The House of Dancing Water
    14 1 hr 30 min

    The House of Dancing Water

    The House of Dancing Water is a large-scale water-based theatrical production at City of Dreams Macau. Created by Franco Dragone, it combines acrobatics, martial arts, diving, and motorcycle stunts in a purpose-built theatre with a transforming pool.

    • Must see
    • Entertainment venue
    • Macau
  15. A Symphony of Lights A Symphony of Lights
    15 30 min

    A Symphony of Lights

    A Symphony of Lights is a nightly multimedia light and sound show in Hong Kong. The event involves more than 40 buildings on both sides of Victoria Harbour, with participating structures on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon.

    • Must see
    • Entertainment venue
    • Hong Kong
  16. Macao Giant Panda Pavilion Macao Giant Panda Pavilion
    16 1 hr 30 min

    Macao Giant Panda Pavilion

    Macao Giant Panda Pavilion is a wildlife attraction dedicated to giant pandas in Macau. It gives visitors a chance to observe these animals in a managed setting while learning about their behaviour and conservation.

    • Must see
    • Family attraction
    • Macau
  17. Ngong Ping 360 Ngong Ping 360
    17 2 hours

    Ngong Ping 360

    昂坪360

    Ngong Ping 360 is a cable-car system on Lantau Island, Hong Kong, connecting Tung Chung to the Ngong Ping highland village area.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Hong Kong
  18. Ming Tombs Ming Tombs
    18 4 hours

    Ming Tombs

    The Ming Tombs form a dispersed imperial necropolis in Changping District rather than a single museum. Thirteen Ming emperors were buried across a valley selected for its landscape and geomantic setting.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
    • Beijing
  19. Dragon's Back Dragon's Back
    19 3 hours

    Dragon's Back

    Dragon's Back is a mountain ridge on Hong Kong Island's southeastern coast, named for its undulating profile resembling a dragon's spine.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Hong Kong
  20. People's Square People's Square
    20 1 hour

    People's Square

    People's Square is a major public plaza in central Shanghai, covering approximately 140,000 square metres in the Huangpu District. Originally the site of the Shanghai racecourse, the area was redeveloped in the 1990s into an open civic space.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Shanghai
  21. Xintiandi Xintiandi
    21 1 hr 30 min

    Xintiandi

    Xintiandi is a pedestrianized entertainment and shopping district in central Shanghai. The area comprises restored traditional shikumen lane houses, a distinctive architectural form combining Western and Chinese elements that was prevalent in the city from the 1860s to the 1930s.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
    • Shanghai
  22. Grand Tang Mall Grand Tang Mall
    22 2 hours

    Grand Tang Mall

    Grand Tang Mall is a large-scale pedestrian cultural and commercial district in Xi'an, developed as a flagship project celebrating Tang dynasty heritage.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Xi'an
  23. Xiaomeisha Beach
    23 3 hours

    Xiaomeisha Beach

    Xiaomeisha Beach is a seaside recreation area in Yantian District on Shenzhen’s eastern coast, known locally as 小梅沙海滨. Its setting combines a sandy shoreline, seawater and the hilly coastal landscape that characterizes this part of the city.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Shenzhen
  24. Leal Senado Building Leal Senado Building
    24 2 hours

    Leal Senado Building

    民政總署大樓

    The Leal Senado Building stands in Senado Square at the heart of Macau’s historic centre. Its name means Loyal Senate in Portuguese, recalling the building’s role in colonial municipal government.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
    • Macau
  25. Qianmen Street Qianmen Street
    25 1 hr 30 min

    Qianmen Street

    Qianmen Street is the historic ceremonial southern approach to Beijing's old inner city and its leading traditional commercial thoroughfare.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
    • Beijing
Show 25 more places

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to China be?

Twelve to eighteen days can link Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai by high-speed rail, with Shenzhen as a southern extension. Hong Kong and Macao need separate border planning and should not be treated as ordinary domestic stops on the same timetable.

What entry documents are needed for China?

Entry rules differ between mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao, even within one journey. Check the official immigration authority for every border segment and match the permission to the passport, purpose, and exact itinerary.

What is the best way to travel around China?

High-speed rail and domestic flights cover mainland distances, while metros handle most urban journeys. Hong Kong uses Octopus and separate border controls, and Macao has its own formalities, so prepare payment and identity requirements for each jurisdiction.

When is a practical time to visit China?

April to May and September to October are only broad mainland planning windows. Beijing, Shanghai, the south, Hong Kong, and Macao have different heat, rain, and holiday pressures; the least flexible regional leg should set the dates.

What money and payment basics apply in China?

Mainland China uses renminbi (CNY), while Hong Kong and Macao use HKD and MOP. Payment systems and card acceptance differ across those jurisdictions, so prepare the appropriate local method before crossing each border.

What practical safety details should I save for China?

On the mainland, save 110 for police and 120 for medical help; Hong Kong and Macao use separate emergency systems. Mainland electricity is recorded as 220 V with Type A, C, and I sockets, while tap-water guidance is not recorded.