Country guide
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
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
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · N509FZ · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photograph · King of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photograph · Mustang Joe · CC0
Photograph · Charlie fong · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photograph · ScareCriterion12 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photograph · Charlie fong · CC BY-SA 4.0
Seasonal closures come from recorded opening hours.
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
143 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
澳門茶文化館
Macao Tea Culture House is a cultural venue devoted to tea heritage in Macao. It stands within the Historic Centre of Macao, the UNESCO-listed urban area inscribed in 2005.
深圳市当代艺术与城市规划馆
The Museum of Contemporary Art and Planning Exhibition occupies a prominent position in Shenzhen’s Civic Center area. Designed by Coop Himmelb(l)au, its metallic exterior and angular volumes make the building a landmark in their own right.
上海邮政博物馆
The Shanghai Postal Museum occupies a historic building in the Hongkou district along the Suzhou Creek.
上海汽车博物馆
The Shanghai Auto Museum, known locally as 上海汽车博物馆, is a museum dedicated to automotive history and culture in Shanghai, China. It stands as a recognized visitor destination within the city's broader tourism landscape, noted among Shanghai's places of interest.
上海市历史博物馆
Shanghai History Museum presents the city’s story through the objects, documents and civic history gathered under the identity 上海市历史博物馆. Its focus is Shanghai itself: how the settlement, port, streets, institutions and communities changed over time.
八路军西安办事处纪念馆
The Eighth Route Army Xi'an Office Memorial Hall preserves the wartime office associated with the Eighth Route Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War. It presents Xi'an as an important setting for liaison, organization, and supply work.
上海动物园
Shanghai Zoo is a large zoological garden in Shanghai, known locally as 上海动物园. The grounds combine animal viewing, landscaped walking routes and public education across a substantial urban site.
上海迪士尼乐园
Shanghai Disney Resort is a major theme park destination in Pudong, Shanghai, operated by a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and Shanghai Shendi Group.
北京汽车博物馆
Beijing Auto Museum is a purpose-built museum in Fengtai devoted to automobile history, engineering, design and the social effects of motor transport.
消防博物館 Museu dos Bombeiros
Fire Services Museum explores the history and development of Macao’s firefighting service.
典當業展示館 Espaço Patrimonial uma Casa de Penhores Tradicional
The Heritage Exhibition of a Traditional Pawnshop Business is a museum dedicated to preserving Macau's historical pawnshop culture. Pawnshops played a significant role in the territory's commercial and social history, serving as vital financial institutions for residents.
上海铁路博物馆
The Shanghai Railway Museum is a museum dedicated to the history of rail transport in Shanghai and China.
深圳科学技术馆
The Shenzhen Science and Technology Museum is a cultural and educational institution dedicated to science popularisation and technological demonstration. Located in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, it serves as a venue where visitors can engage with scientific principles and technological developments.
世界之窗
Window of the World is a large theme park in Shenzhen’s Nanshan District, known for reduced-scale replicas of famous landmarks from around the globe. Its Chinese name is 世界之窗.
北京警察博物馆
Beijing Police Museum is a municipal museum in central Beijing devoted to the history and development of policing in China’s capital. The museum presents policing as an institution shaped by changing governments, technologies, and urban needs.
关山月美术馆
Guan Shanyue Art Museum is a public art museum in Shenzhen’s Futian district, devoted to the legacy of Guan Shanyue, a major modern Chinese painter.
西安碑林博物馆
Xi'an Beilin Museum, known locally as 西安碑林博物馆, houses one of China's most significant collections of stone steles and epigraphic art.
昆蟲屋
Insect House, also known locally as 昆蟲屋, is a Hong Kong attraction centred on insects. The name gives the visit a clear entomological focus, making it a natural choice for travellers who enjoy small creatures, natural history, and close observation.
北京环球度假区
Universal Beijing Resort is a major theme park and entertainment complex located in Beijing, China. It represents the first Universal Studios-branded destination in mainland China and one of the largest of its kind in Asia.
上海海洋水族馆
Shanghai Ocean Aquarium is a major public aquarium located in Shanghai, China. Its local name is 上海海洋水族馆. The facility stands as one of the city's notable visitor attractions, recognized in broader assessments of Shanghai's tourism offerings.
招商局历史博物馆
China Merchants History Museum is a museum dedicated to the history of China Merchants Group, one of China's oldest and most significant state-owned enterprises.
上海玻璃博物馆
The Shanghai Museum of Glass is a museum dedicated to glass art and craft, located in Shanghai, China. It occupies a converted former glass factory site, repurposing industrial heritage into a cultural venue.
火山探知館 Volcano Discovery Centre
The Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark Volcano Discovery Centre serves as the primary visitor gateway to Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark. Located in Sai Kung, the centre introduces visitors to the territory's remarkable volcanic geology and hexagonal rock columns.
锦绣中华民俗村
Splendid China Folk Village combines two Shenzhen attractions: Splendid China, a miniature presentation of celebrated Chinese landmarks, and China Folk Culture Village, which focuses on ethnic traditions and reconstructed environments.
水上樂園 Water World
Water World is Ocean Park Hong Kong’s water park on the southern side of Hong Kong Island. It is a major aquatic leisure attraction within the wider Ocean Park resort, combining water-based entertainment with a hillside setting.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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