MyMag360: top attractions in china

Thursday, January 26, 2017

West Lake in Hangzhou — Paradise on Earth

Hangzhou is renowned as China's "paradise on earth" owing to its beautifully crafted landscape. West Lake was created after the Chinese love for garden-style parks for recreation. West Lake is a place of tranquility where urbanity becomes a silhouette on the northeast horizon and mountains near and far surround it on the other three sides. The occasional pagoda and Chinese-style arched bridge add atmosphere to the tree-lined walkways, verdant islands, and hills.

To admire the beauty of West Lake, visitors can leisurely bike around the lake, walk around the lake, or take a short cruise on the lake.

Giant Pandas in Chengdu — "National Treasure" of China

The giant panda is not only deeply loved by the Chinese, but by many foreigners too, and not just children. Although there are many zoos in China and elsewhere, where you can see a giant panda, the best place to see them is Chengdu — the giant panda's "hometown".

There are three places you can see pandas close up: Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Center, Dujiangyan Panda Valley, and Bifengxia Panda Base.

Chengdu Panda Center is in the north of the city, and is more established. Bifengxia Panda Base is 2 hours from Chengdu, has more pandas, and you can see pandas more in their natural habitat. You can get even closer to the pandas by taking a volunteer program in Bifengxia or Dujiangyan Panda Valley, an hour outside Chengdu.

The Great Wall of China in Beijing — Ten-Thousand-Li-Long Wall

In the eyes of most travelers, you haven't been to China if you haven't climbed the Great Wall.

One of the iconic symbols of China, the Great Wall is the longest wall in the world, an awe-inspiring feat of ancient defensive architecture. Its winding path over rugged country and steep mountains takes in some great scenery. It deserves its place among "the New Seven Wonders of the World" and the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China.

The wall spans from China's western frontier to the east coast, totaling around 5,000 km (3,100 miles), but the most integrated and best preserved sections are close to Beijing. So this is what people usually mean when mentioning the Great Wall of China.

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