Top Five Favorite Attractions in China

I need to rectify the bitterness from my previous tourism rant with something a little more positive. Granted, I may be jumping the gun on this post, but the majority of my traveling is over. I don’t think I’ll be seeing any other big attractions in the next four months. As you read through these (or skip straight to the bottom), keep in mind that my picks are based on favorable weather conditions, crowds, and timeliness. The Li River, for instance, probably would have ranked higher (or at all) if it had come at the beginning of my summer vacation instead of the end.

5. Lingshan Buddha in Wuxi
Despite everything else I’ve recently seen, one of my favorite sightseeing moments is still the Lingshan Buddha in nearby Wuxi. Maybe I’m a little biased, because it was the first trip I went on alone, but it really is a nice park. And the closer you get to the 88-meter high Buddha, the more impressive it becomes, until you’re standing right next to its big, bronze toe.

4. Great Wall of China
In 2005, I hadn’t yet seen a lot of great places in China and was beginning to lose faith in the tourism scene. Then I went to the Great Wall, and it actually exceeded my expectations and restored my love for the country. Even after going a third time this last summer, I still highly recommend it and still believe it deserves its place as the most iconic attraction of China.

3. Yellow Mountains (Huangshan)
I had tried twice before to go to Huangshan and got rained out both times. When I finally did go in 2006, it was an overcast day. The clouds obstructed every great view and didn’t allow any of my pictures to turn out, but I still enjoyed it more than the Great Wall. Natural scenery simply appeals to me more. Huangshan is such an interesting area, too, looking like an enormous pile of leftovers from other mountains.

2. Ice and Snow World in Harbin
Every time I see pictures of Harbin, I have a hard time believing I was actually there. The whole city felt like stepping into the ice world of a video game, where shady taxi drivers and slippery sidewalks were the enemies. The snow and ice sculpture venues were particularly surreal, because they’re so different from all the other tourist spots in China. It’s damn cold, but this seasonal festival is well worth the visit.

1. Jiuzhaigou Valley / Huanglong
I have to put Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong together. Otherwise, they’d take up the first and second slots. They’re in the same vicinity, though, so it’s fair. And is this any surprise? I haven’t been able to shut up about them since I got back. Jiuzhaigou is, by far, the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. I know water like that exists in other parts of the world, but after seeing Jiuzhaigou, I don’t even care.

23 September 2009 | China | Comments | Home
tags: attractions, lists

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