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
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
421 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.
共青森林公园
Gongqing Forest Park is a large urban park located in Yangpu District, Shanghai. The park occupies substantial green space in northeastern Shanghai and represents one of the city's significant forest park developments.
上海植物园
Shanghai Botanical Garden, known locally as 上海植物园, is a botanical garden in Shanghai, China. It serves as a space for plant conservation, scientific research, and public recreation.
青龙寺
Qinglong Temple, also known as 青龙寺, is a historic Buddhist temple site in Xi’an. Its importance is closely connected with Esoteric Buddhism and the Tang dynasty, when the temple served as a centre for Buddhist learning and scripture translation.
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.
大慈恩寺
Da Ci'en Temple is a Buddhist temple complex in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China. The site is historically significant as the place where the monk Xuanzang translated Buddhist scriptures upon his return from India during the Tang Dynasty.
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.
七娘山
Qiniang Mountain, or 七娘山, is a natural landmark in Shenzhen and a destination for visitors who want a demanding outdoor experience rather than an urban attraction.
潘家园旧货市场
Panjiayuan Antique Market is a sprawling Beijing bazaar filled with secondhand goods, curios and objects connected with Chinese material culture. Known locally as 潘家园旧货市场, it attracts collectors, browsers and travellers searching for distinctive souvenirs.
仙湖植物园
Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, or 仙湖植物园, is a large botanical garden in Shenzhen’s eastern area. Hills, a lake and cultivated plant landscapes shape the visit.
黑沙海灘 Praia de Hác Sá
Hac Sa Beach, or 黑沙海灘, is a coastal beach on the southeastern side of Coloane Island in Macau. Its name means Black Sand Beach and refers to the dark mineral-rich sand that gives the shoreline its distinctive appearance.
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.
聖奧斯定教堂 Igreja de Santo Agostinho
St. Augustine’s Church, 聖奧斯定教堂, is a historic Catholic church in Macau’s Historic Centre. Founded by Augustinian missionaries, it represents the religious architecture that developed during the Portuguese presence in Macau.
香积寺
Xiangji Temple, known locally as 香积寺, is a Buddhist temple in Xi'an, Shaanxi. The temple adds a religious and architectural dimension to a city better known internationally for imperial history and archaeological sites.
上海东方艺术中心
The Shanghai Oriental Art Center is a major performing arts venue in Shanghai, China. Its local name is 上海东方艺术中心. The building is recognized as a distinct visitor destination in Shanghai, noted in breadth-first top rankings of city attractions.
長洲公園 Cheung Chau Park
Cheung Chau Park is a public green space on Cheung Chau, one of Hong Kong's outlying islands. The island's fishing-community character, harbourfront, narrow lanes and lack of motor vehicles give a visit a different rhythm from the dense mainland city.
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.
草堂寺
Caotang Temple, known locally as 草堂寺, is a Buddhist temple in the Xi’an region. Its identity is tied to Buddhist scripture translation and the early development of Buddhist thought in China.
大兴善寺
Daxingshan Temple is a historic Buddhist temple in Xi'an, China, known locally as 大兴善寺. It remains a religious institution and a destination for visitors interested in Buddhist history, Chinese temple culture, and the long cultural history of Xi'an.
广仁寺
Guangren Temple, or 广仁寺, is a Tibetan Buddhist temple in Xi’an. It adds a distinct religious and cultural dimension to a city often introduced through imperial history and Han Chinese heritage.
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.
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
