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.
86 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
香港賽馬博物館 The Hong Kong Racing Museum
Hong Kong Racing Museum explores the history and culture of horse racing in Hong Kong. It sits within the Happy Valley Racecourse complex and is operated by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
芳園書室 Fong Yuen Study Hall
Fong Yuen Study Hall, known locally as 芳園書室, is a historic study hall in Hong Kong.
饒宗頤文化館 Jao Tsung-I Academy
Jao Tsung-I Academy is a cultural institution in Hong Kong dedicated to Professor Jao Tsung-I, a major Chinese scholar in the humanities.
天后古廟 Tin Hau Temple
Tin Hau Temple is a traditional Chinese place of worship dedicated to Tin Hau, the Goddess of the Sea. Her presence reflects Hong Kong’s long relationship with fishing, sailing, and coastal communities.
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.
普濟禪院 (觀音堂) Templo Kun Iam
Kun Iam Temple, known locally as 普濟禪院, is one of the oldest and most significant Buddhist temples in Macau. It serves as a major place of worship and cultural heritage site, reflecting the territory's deep-rooted Buddhist traditions.
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.
The Drum Tower of Beijing is a historic timekeeping structure in the Dongcheng district. It originally served as the principal timekeeping tower for the old city, marking the hours with drum beats.
香港藝術館 Hong Kong Museum of Art
The Hong Kong Museum of Art is a public art museum located in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, on the waterfront of Victoria Harbour.
香港故宮文化博物館 Hong Kong Palace Museum
The Hong Kong Palace Museum is a museum dedicated to Chinese art and culture, located in the West Kowloon Cultural District. It displays treasures from the Palace Museum in Beijing alongside Hong Kong collections.
香港文化古蹟資源中心 Hong Kong Resource Centre for Heritage
The Hong Kong Resource Centre for Heritage is a cultural institution dedicated to preserving and promoting Hong Kong's historical and architectural legacy.
旺角花墟 Mong Kok Flower Market
Mong Kok Flower Market is a concentrated trading zone for flowers, plants, and gardening supplies in the Mong Kok district of Kowloon, Hong Kong. The local name 旺角花墟 reflects its identity as a historic flower market area.
北帝宮
Pak Tai Temple, also known locally as 北帝宮, is a Taoist temple in Hong Kong dedicated to Pak Tai, the Northern Emperor. Worshippers honour him as a protective deity associated with the power to subdue evil spirits and safeguard communities.
石澳 Shek O
Shek O is a coastal village and beach area on the southeastern shore of Hong Kong Island. The local name 石澳 reflects its identity in both Chinese characters and romanised form.
嗇色園可名別苑 Sik Sik Yuen Ho Ming Monastery
Sik Sik Yuen Ho Ming Monastery is a Buddhist religious site located within the grounds of Wong Tai Sin Temple complex in Kowloon, Hong Kong.
SoHo East 蘇豪東
SoHo East is a dining and entertainment district on the eastern shore of Hong Kong Island, positioned along the Sai Wan Ho waterfront.
赤柱市集 Stanley Market
Stanley Market is a well-known outdoor shopping destination located in the Stanley district of Hong Kong Island. The local name is 赤柱市集 Stanley Market.
大欖涌水塘紀念碑 Tai Lam Chung Reservoir Memorial Stone
Tai Lam Chung Reservoir Memorial Stone is a commemorative monument located in the vicinity of Tai Lam Chung Reservoir, Hong Kong's first country park reservoir completed in the 1950s.
廟街夜市 Temple Street Night Market
Temple Street Night Market is a well-known open-air market in Hong Kong, located in Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon. The street stretches from Man Ming Lane in the north to Nanking Street in the south.
王府井大街
Wangfujing Street is Beijing's most famous central shopping street and a major pedestrian visitor district. Located in Dongcheng District near the Forbidden City, it stretches as a commercial thoroughfare that has served as a retail hub for over a century.
朱家角古镇旅游区
Zhujiajiao Ancient Town is a historic water town located in the Qingpu District of Shanghai municipality. The settlement dates to the Yuan dynasty period and developed as a trading hub along the Dianshan Lake watershed.
大夫第 Tai Fu Tai
赤柱清真寺 Stanley Mosque
坳背灣 Au Pui Wan
南京博物院
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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