China Trips, Tours & Holidays 2023 / 2024

Great Wall Of China

Undoubtedly one of the world's most famous monuments, the Great Wall of China is a triumph of ancient Chinese engineering that dates back to the early 7th century and stretches over 5,500 miles. There are many locations to visit but the Mutianyu section is a good bet, being reasonably accessible from Beijing and relatively uncrowded.

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Summer Palace

This huge and stunningly beautiful lakeside network of palaces, temples and gardens is one of the most essential things to do in Beijing. Situated a few miles from the city centre and surrounded by hills, it's a popular recreational spot for locals, who take advantage of the cooling effect of the Kunming Lake to escape the worst of the summer heat. We rate it as one of the most essential things to do in Beijing.

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Forbidden City

You'll need a full day to explore even a fraction of the 980 buildings and several thousand chambers of this sprawling palace complex. Located in central Beijing, it was constructed in the 15th century and was the centre of Chinese government for over 500 years. It's also known as the Imperial Palace but its popular nickname arose because no one was allowed in or out without the Emperor's permission, on pain of death.

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Terracotta Army

This underground mausoleum of terracotta figures was discovered in 1974, completely by chance. It's since gone on to become one of the world's most famous archaeological sights and one of the biggest China attractions. The figures depict the armies of Qin Shi Huang, China's first Emperor, and over 8000 horses, chariots and warriors.
Temple Of Heaven

Situated in Beijing's Dongcheng District, this Daoist temple complex was constructed in the early 15th century during the reign of the Yongle Emperor. It consists of three main collections of buildings, including the show-stopping Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, constructed entirely from wood without the use of a single nail.
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Things to do in China

There's so much to see and do in China that the real problem can be deciding where to start. Our top 5 will help get you going.

Chinese New Year
Also known as Spring Festival, Chinese New Year is one of the big attractions in China and is celebrated on a huge scale throughout the country. It takes place over a 2-week period in January or February, with dates determined by the lunar calendar. Expect traditional foods, festivities and more fireworks than you can shake a stick at.

For more information on Chinese New Year, click here.
Dragon Boat Festival
This traditional festival commemorates the suicide of Qu Yuan, a well-loved Chinese poet who drowned himself in 278BC. It takes place on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, and see locals race traditional dragon boats and chow down on zòngzi, rice dumplings steamed in bamboo leaves.

For more information on Dragon Boat Festival, click here.
Harbin Ice & Snow Sculpture Festival
Beloved of ‘And finally…’ newsreaders the world over, the chilly northern city of Harbin (‘Ice City’) is the host of this annual ice sculpture festival, one of the world's largest. It takes place in January and lasts for a month, during which enormous and elaborate ice and snow sculptures are exhibited throughout the town.

For more information on Harbin Ice & Snow Festival, click here.
Qingdao International Beer Festival
This 2-week throw down takes place during August in Qingdao, China's 'Sailing City' and home of the beloved Tsingtao beer. Asia's biggest beer festival, it's attended by brands and beer-lovers from all over the world. Need a break from the booze? Walk off some of those calories on nearby Shi Lao Ren beach.

For more information on Qingdao International Beer Festival, click here.
Royal Ploughing Ceremony
This traditional festival marks the beginning of the rice-growing season and involves a pair of royal oxen ceremonially ploughing a field. Cambodian farmers use the ceremony to predict the coming harvest. How? By observing which trough of food the regal (and presumably hungry) beasts tuck into afterwards.

Top 5 Festivals in China

China's dizzying array of festivals means there's likely to be something going on wherever and whenever you visit the country. We've put together a top 5.

Museum Of The Mausoleum Of The Nanyue King
Guangzhou
The colossal tomb of King Zhao Mo Guangzhou was discovered in 1983. Amongst the many items discovered here was a unique burial gown (made of 2291 individual pieces of jade), along with the remains of 15 courtiers who were buried alive with the King in order to serve him in the afterlife. Tough gig.

For more information on the the Museum of the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King, click here.
Shanghai Museum
This museum of ancient Chinese art is located in a distinctive building in the People's Square, and is one of the best known in the country. It's home to over 120,000 exhibits in varying media, including sculptures, bronzes, ceramics, jades, paintings and calligraphy.

For more information on the Shanghai Museum, click here.
National Museum Of China
Beijing
This gigantic museum of art and history is located on Tiananmen Square and is one of the big Beijing attractions. It's over 300m in length and home to over a million exhibits dating from prehistoric China through to the Quing Dynasty, with highlights including the Simuwu Ding, the heaviest piece of ancient bronzeware in existence.

For more information on the National Museum of China, click here.

Top 3 Museums & Galleries in China

China's rich history and culture means there are many excellent museums and galleries to be explored here. We've compiled a top 5 to get you started.

Peking Duck
The undisputed China food heavyweight champion. Slivers of succulent roast duck with thinly sliced cucumber and spring onions, wrapped up in small pancakes then dipped in hoisin sauce.

_{Best eaten at}
_{Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant, Dongsi 10th Alley, Dongcheng, Beijing}
Dumplings
Consisting of minced meat or shrimp with vegetables wrapped up in a thin skin of dough, these bite-sized mouthfuls of joy are served all over the country, but Xi'an is their spiritual home. There are more varieties than you could possibly sample in one sitting, but you'll have fun trying!

_{Best eaten at}
_{Defachang, 3 West St, Lianhu, Xi'an}
Fu Ling Bing
These wafer thin pancakes are a very popular Beijing street food. Also known as 'Tuckahoe Pie', they're made from flour, sugar and a powdered edible fungus said to have health-giving properties, with various fillings including nuts, honey and crushed pine kernels.

_{Best eaten at}
_{Wangfujing Night Market, 186 Wangfujing St, Dongcheng, Beijing}
Shanghai Hairy Crab
A highly popular Shanghai food, Hairy Crabs are enthusiastically consumed in autumn, when they're in season. Cooked in bamboo steamers, they're slightly sweet, with tender meat and tasty roe. Delicious eaten with vinegar and washed down with some Shaoxing rice wine, foodies rate them amongst the top Shanghai attractions!

_{Best eaten at}
_{Wang Bao He, 603 Fuzhou Rd, Huangpu, Shanghai}
Jing Jiang Rou Si
This dish of shredded pork sautéed in sweet bean sauce is a Beijing food classic. Served with shredded leek and soya bean wraps, it's a China travel 2015 must-try.

_{Best eaten at}
_{Jin Ding Xuan, 77 Hepinglixi Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing}

Food in China

Chinese cuisine is well known - and well-loved - all over the world, but there's more to Chinese food than rice, noodles and dumplings. Thanks to its huge size and diversity there are enormous variations from region to region, each of which has its own particular delicacy. China makes use of many weird and wonderful ingredients, some of which can be challenging to Western palates, but that's all part of the fun of a China travel experience.