A vast country that spans an immense 9.6 million square kilometers, and that is home to an astounding 1.3 billion people and backed by a storied 5,000-year-old history, China is as diverse, exotic and complex as one could imagine.
From the cultural powerhouse of Beijing in the north to the cosmopolitan Shanghai in the central Yangtze River basin to the ethnic potpourri of Yunnan in the southwestern hinterlands, this once-isolated kingdom is now a beguiling juxtaposition of ancient wonders and breakneck-speed development.
GREAT FOR: Historical Sites, Culture, Food
WHEN TO GO: Due to its highly diverse geography, China’s climate and weather varies dramatically. China can be visited year-round although spring (March to May) and autumn (September to early November) are the most pleasant times for travel. Major public holidays, such as the Chinese New Year, Labor Day and National Day, are periods to avoid as the masses of vacationing Chinese often make travel difficult.
Meaning “northern capital,” Beijing has been China’s heart and soul for literally ages. The centuries of political and cultural dominance have left their mark on the city’s landscapes, from the ancient Great Wall to opulent palaces to crumbling hutongs...
China’s pulsating financial powerhouse on the Yangtze River delta, Shanghai is cosmopolitan, dynamic and unabashedly forward-looking. Often likened to Beijing’s naughty sister, this ever-morphing metropolis has...
