592 Best Sights in China

This garden employs countless craggy rock formations from nearby Lake Taihu to create a surreal moonscape. A labyrinth of caves surrounds a small lake; they're great fun for kids to explore, but watch for sharp edges. There's a popular local saying that if you talk to rocks, you won't need a psychologist, making this garden a good place to spend a 50-minute hour. A tearoom on the second floor of the main pavilion has nice views over the lake.

Founded by a National Geographic writer and staffed by local foodies, these private tours are customized for your personal tastes and interests. Highlights include kitchen visits and insider access to some of Hong Kong's best-kept secrets.

In the far northern New Territories—just south of Shenzhen—a small unmarked path in the village of Sheung Shui leads to this ancestral hall. It was built in 1751 for the rich and prosperous Liu clan, and was one of few such halls that survived the Cultural Revolution. A restoration preserved the spectacular original roof and ornamentation, but substituted concrete walls to take the weight off rickety pillars—at some cost to the site's aesthetic unity. Take the East Rail Line to Sheung Shui, then Bus 70X, and alight at the Sheung Shui Bus Terminus on Jockey Club Road.

This quaint old street is best known for its antiques, books, and paintings. The street has been completely restored and a multitude of small shops, many privately owned, make it a fun place to explore, even if you're just window-shopping. Liulichang, often referred to as "Antiques Street," was built more than 500 years ago during the Ming Dynasty. It was the site of a large factory that made glazed tiles for the Imperial Palace. Gradually other smaller tradesmen began to cluster around, and at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, booksellers began to move in. The area became a meeting place for intellectuals and a prime shopping district for art objects, books, handicrafts, and antiques. In 1949, Liulichang still had over 170 shops, but many were taken over by the state; the street was badly ransacked during the Cultural Revolution. Following large-scale renovation of the traditional architecture, the street reopened in 1984 under the policy that shops could only sell arts, crafts, and cultural objects. Today the street is a mixture of state-run and privately owned stores.

Billionaire art collectors Liu Yiqian and Wang Wei don't do anything halfway; their Long Museum, designed by Shanghai-based firm Atelier Deshaus, is a testament to the money flowing into supporting contemporary Chinese art. The museum hosts rotating exhibitions, from Qing Dynasty paintings to a show on the past, present, and future of silver in Mexico. Long Museum is also walking distance from Yuz Museum. On the first Tuesday of every month, Long Museum offers free entry. Note that the museum is in the up-and-coming West Bund gallery and arts district to the south. Although you can easily reach the West Bund by taxi from anywhere in central Shanghai, the Former French Concession provides the best public-transit access via metro Lines 7 and 12.

It may seem tranquil now, but Longhua Martyrs Cemetery was the execution site of many Communists, particularly during the Guomingdang crackdown in 1927. The small, unkempt, grassy execution area—accessed by a tunnel—is chilling. In the 1950s, the remains of murdered Communists were found here still wearing leg irons. A glass, pyramid-shape museum in the center of the grounds contains paintings and other items. Elsewhere, Soviet-style sculptures dot immaculate lawns.

Shanghai's largest and most active temple has as its centerpiece a seven-story, eight-sided pagoda. While the temple, which made a cameo in Spielberg's Empire of the Sun, is thought to have been built in the 3rd century, the pagoda dates from the 10th century; it's not open to visitors. Near the front entrance stands a three-story bell tower, where a 3.3-ton bronze bell is rung at midnight every Lunar New Year's Eve. Along the side corridors you'll find a room filled seven rows deep with small golden statues. The third hall is the most impressive. Its three giant Buddhas sit beneath a swirled red and gold dome.

These terraced rice fields cut into the hills make a mesmerizing pattern of undulating color. Amazing for their scale as well as their beauty, they're called the "Dragon's Backbone" because the peaks of the mountain range resemble the backbone of the dragon, and the water-filled terraces shimmer like a dragon's scales. They've been worked for generations, by rice farmers from the local Yao, Dong, Zhuang, and Miao communities, who build their houses in villages on the hills.

The 804-foot Loquat Hill has great views of the river below. At night, enjoy the city lights. There's also a small park with no entrance fee.

These beautiful gardens were built in the 19th century by a Chinese merchant named Lou Kau, who considered every last detail, from the rock formations and angle of the sunlight to the placement of the ponds and pavilions. The balanced landscapes bear the hallmark of Suzhou’s gardening style. The government took possession and restored the grounds in the mid-1970s, opening up this space for tranquil walks among delicate flowering bushes framed by bamboo groves. A large auditorium frequently hosts concerts and other events, most notably recitals during the annual Macau International Music Festival. Adjacent to the gardens, a yellow, European-style building houses the Macau Tea Culture House, a small museum with exhibits on Chinese tea culture.

High above Wan Chai sits the suggestively shaped monolith known as Lovers' Rock, or Yan Yuen Shek. It's often visited by local single women, who burn joss sticks and make offerings in hope of finding a husband. Not in the market? The walk along Bowen Road offers excellent views over the city, particularly at dusk. The easiest way up is on Minibus 24A from the Admiralty MTR station.

As its name implies, Lu Xun Native Place is devoted to the literary giant and social critic Lu Xun. In this historic quarter, visit the Lu Xun Family Home (241 Luxun Zhong Lu, 0575/8513–2084; free entry, passport required), where the writer was born. His extended family lived around him in a series of courtyards, and today, you can tour this traditional Shaoxing home and see some beautiful antique furniture.

To avoid the crowds, visit in the morning or early evenings.

Down the street is the local school where Lu honed his writing skills, as well as a large square and a memorial that's dedicated to the famed writer.

Built in 1929, this park named for the distinguished Chinese writer and revolutionary sits on the rocky coastline of Huiquan Bay. It's a lovely park, with tree-shaded paths, elegant pavilions, and rugged reefs, making for attractive sea vistas.

If you have a few days to spare, Lugu Lake is a great getaway from Lijiang. The lake straddles the border of Sichuan and Yunnan provinces and is dotted with dreamy little towns belonging mostly to the Mosuo, a matriarchal subgroup of the ubiquitous Naxi. Exploring the Lake's 80 km (50 miles) of stunning lake and mountain scenery is possible by bus, but biking and hiking provide better views.

Buses taking about five hours depart each morning from Lijiang. Tickets that grant entrance to the area are Y80, and a car ticket can set you back another Y30 for one day. There's an airport with flights from Chengdu and Kunming.

Originally built about 1,000 years ago, then rebuilt in 1752 and again in 1945, the Luohan Temple is a popular place of worship, and a small community of monks is still active here. One of the main attractions is the 500 lifelike painted clay arhats—Buddhist disciples who have succeeded in freeing themselves from the earthly chains of delusion and material greed. At the back of the temple you can order tea, get a massage, and enjoy a vegetarian lunch.

Even farther off the beaten path than Zhouzhuang or Tongli is the water village Luzhi, roughly half an hour from Suzhou. Though it's a popular tourist destination, it remains one of the more peaceful communities in the area. Described as a "museum of bridges," the village has more than 40 in all shapes and styles. Many of the older women in the village preserve traditional customs, wearing folk headdresses and skirts.

Luzhi-bound buses leave from Suzhou's North Bus Station every 30 minutes between 6:30 am and 6:30 pm. The 40-minute ride costs Y10.

In the days of Old Shanghai, the Lyceum Theatre was the home of the British Amateur Drama Club. The old stage is still in use as a concert hall. On the third floor is Candor, an intimate cocktail bar and stage outfitted in plush red velvet. The atmosphere draws on the 1920s era, with cabaret and burlesque-style shows.

This cluster of art galleries and artist studios, inside a sprawling former textile mill and slated for even more renovation and development in the near future, sits beside Suzhou Creek. The galleries are filled almost exclusively with work by Chinese artists, but a few showcase foreign work. There are also a few shops selling music and art supplies and a couple coffee shops. Don't be shy about nosing around—occasionally artists will be up for a chat.

Mind the weather, as some galleries lack heating and cooling systems.

The Macao Museum of Art (MAM), the city’s only dedicated art museum, spans five floors and houses over 16,000 artifacts. Opened in 1999, it showcases Chinese calligraphy, paintings, ceramics, photography, and Western works, with highlights from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Its striking, curved-roof design is as distinctive as its exhibitions, which include collaborations with Beijing’s Palace Museum and the Shanghai Museum.

This sprawling complex of rides, games, and attractions mimics foreign heritage sites with a Disney-esque flair. While the Roman Amphitheatre, Czech Baroque-inspired Harborview Hotel, and kitschy themed shops and karaoke bars won’t impress world travelers, some of the restaurants offer reason to visit. Vic’s Restaurante, for one, stands out for its rich Portuguese seafood rice and harbor views, and Jin Yue Xuan nails Cantonese classics and dim sum, adding a touch of authenticity to an otherwise artificial setting.

After Dr. Stanley Ho bought the Macau Jockey Club (MJC) in 1991, he transformed what was a quiet trotting track into a lucrative high-stakes racing facility. However, horse racing is now a more retro gambling option in Asia's rising casino hotspot of Macau, and the local MJC pales in comparison to the truly world-class Hong Kong Jockey Club. Nonetheless the MJC continues to operate year-round, hosting more than 100 races and entertaining a majority of local middle-aged men, along with some younger spectators who come to see the horses close up in between races. If you're game, you can place bets at a number of stations throughout Macau and Hong Kong, as well as by phone and online.

Rising above Sai Van Lake, this 338-meter (1,109-foot) freestanding tower recalls Sky Tower, a similar structure in New Zealand—and it should, as both were designed by New Zealand architect Gordon Moller. The Macau Tower offers a variety of thrills, including the Tower Climb, which challenges the strong of heart and body with a two-hour ascent on steel rungs 100 meters (328 feet) up the tower's mast for incomparable views of Macau and the mainland. Other thrills include the Skywalk, an open-air stroll around the tower’s exterior—without handrails; SkyJump, an assisted, decelerated 233-meter (765-foot) descent; and what was until recently the world’s highest bungee jump. More subdued attractions inside the tower include a revolving restaurant (the 360° Café) serving lunch, high tea, and a dinner buffet.

Close to Tai Po Market, this temple was built in 1892 to commemorate the establishment of the town of Tai Po. As you draw near, you'll feel the incense offered by worshipers. The name comes from the Cantonese words for the Taoist gods of literature, Man Cheong, and martial arts, Mo Tai.

On the southeastern edge of Jinghong is Manting Park, where you can have a closer look at some of the area's indigenous plants. Also worth exploring is the large peacock aviary. The park is especially lively around mid-April, when people gather to celebrate the Water Splashing Festival.

Sentries here will assure that your communion with the Great Helmsman is brief. First, check your bag and camera at the designated point to the east of the hall. Then, join the long and winding line that leads first to a spacious lobby dominated by a marble Mao statue and then to the Hall of Reverence, where his embalmed body lies in state, wrapped in the red flag of the Communist Party of China and inside a crystal coffin that's lowered each night into a subterranean freezer. In a bid to limit Mao's deification, a second-story museum was added in 1983; it's dedicated to the former Premier Zhou Enlai, former general Zhu De, and China's president before the Cultural Revolution, Liu Shaoqi (who was persecuted to death during the Cultural Revolution). The hall's builders willfully ignored Tiananmen Square's geomancy: the mausoleum faces north, contradicting centuries of imperial ritual. Note that the hall is only open in the mornings.

Built in 1192 and reconstructed after severe flooding during the Qing Dynasty, this impressive span—known as Marco Polo Bridge because it was allegedly praised by the Italian wayfarer—is Beijing's oldest bridge. Its 11 segmented-stone arches cross the Yongding River 16 km (10 miles) southwest of Beijing's Guanganmen Gate on what was once the Imperial Highway that linked Beijing with central China. The bridge's marble balustrades support nearly 485 carved-stone lions that decorate elaborate handrails. Note the giant stone slabs that comprise the bridge's original roadbed. Carved imperial stelae at either end of the span commemorate the bridge and surrounding scenery.

The Marco Polo Bridge is best remembered in modern times as the spot where invading Japanese armies clashed with Chinese soldiers on June 7, 1937. The assault began Japan's brutal eight-year occupation of eastern China, which ended with Tokyo's surrender at the end of World War II. The bridge has become a popular field-trip destination for Beijing students. On the Beijing side of the span is the Memorial Hall of the War of Resistance Against Japan. Below the bridge on the opposite shore, local entrepreneurs rent horses (the asking price is Y120 per hour, but you should bargain) and lead tours of the often-dry grassy riverbed.

Looking like a ship, with jutting white slats and porthole windows, and set on the site where the first Portuguese explorers landed on Macau in 1553, this handsome building across from the A-Ma Temple is a great place to spend an hour brushing up on seafaring history. Multimedia exhibits cover fishermen, merchants, and explorers from Portugal, China, and Japan, displaying compasses, telescopes, and sections of ships. There’s even a small aquarium gallery with local sea life and a replica dragon boat outside. Try your hand at astronomic navigation, which sailors have used for thousands of years, by looking up at the top floor’s celestial dome ceiling.

In a prelude to the successful revolution of 1911, a group of revolutionaries staged the Guangzhou armed uprising, only to be defeated and executed by the authorities. Of those killed, 72 were buried here. Their memorial, finished in 1921, incorporates a mixture of international symbols of freedom and democracy, including replicas of the Statue of Liberty.

About 8 km (5 miles) or 10 minutes in a taxi up the coast from Old Dragon Head is this shrine commemorating a local legend. As the story goes, a woman's husband died while building the Great Wall. She wept as she searched for his body, and in sympathy the wall split open before her, revealing the bones of her husband and others buried within. Overcome with grief, she threw herself into the sea.

This stylish part of Macau’s gambling scene offers lavish lounges, Dale Chihuly glass sculptures, Portuguese-inspired architecture, and fine dining. The gambling floor itself is popular with high rollers from Hong Kong, including business tycoons who are just in for a few days. One of the owners, Pansy Ho, is the daughter of Macau’s “gambling godfather,” Dr. Stanley Ho. She is a high-octane business professional in her own right, and her discerning touch shows up in the property’s glitz-and-glam energy and high-society appeal.