Top 10 Attractions in China

China is a country of culture and nature abundance. No matter you go after the traces of China's long-going history, or get keen on natural wonder explorations, China offers something to see and do for everyone. Hereunder are trip ideas on top 10 most-visited attractions in China.

Conquering the Great Wall is a must-do to your bucket list. As the most symbolic structure of China, the Great Wall is an engineering marvel accomplished through successive imperial dynasties over 2,000 years, which stretches for 13,170 miles from the western Gobi desert to the eastern coast.

The enormous network of fortifications and beacon towers had successively guarded against the northern nomadic people and defended the civilization of central empire. Beijing is the best place to have a lifetime Great Wall experience at the grandest and best-preserved sections like Mutianyu, Badaling and Juyongguan.

Forbidden City, the world's largest wooden structure, is the essence of Chinese traditional architecture, where 24 emperors had resided for over 500 years from the 15th century. The palace complex awes visitors with numerous chambers, halls, pavilions, and marble courtyards.

Over 180 million cultural and historical relics are housed to display the splendor of its glorious past. Despite taking a peek at the luxurious imperial life, a visit to the Forbidden City could also enables you to discover the mysteries the tens of thousands of maids and eunuchs who lived their entire life within the high walls.

Terracotta Army thrilled the whole world in 1974 when found by three farmers digging a well. This accidental discovery unveils one of the world's most spectacular attractions with 8,000 life-sized warriors, chariots, and horses owning their distinctive facial expressions, hairstyles and costumes that suggest different military ranks and arm of the services. This underground army was created to guard the tomb of Qinshihuang, the first emperor of China, in his afterlife, and so far it is still unknown that how much remains unearthed.

Li River is the highlight of a trip to China for every first-time traveler. As a dreamland for photographers, Li River is one of China's most beautiful landscapes carpeted with stunning karst hills that dramatically rise up from embankment.

A relaxing cruise from Guilin down to picturesque Yangshuo is the best way to admire the gorgeous karst peaks of bizarre shapes, rural fishermen fishing on their narrow bamboo rafts and farmers working in the fields with water buffalos.

Everybody loves giant pandas, as they are such an adorable creature with so many fans across the planet. Chengdu, hometown of pandas, provides visitors several bases to have a close interaction with the star mammals.

You cannot only see pandas in their enclosures, but also get a chance to work as a panda keeper, even track the traces of pandas in their natural habitat. Living only in China, the best places to meet giant pandas include Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Center, Dujiangyan Panda Base, and Wolong Panda Base.

Listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, the Potala Palace is the most iconic architecture of Lhasa. Perched on the world's rooftop, it is the symbol of Tibet and the No. 1 must-see attraction. Potala Palace enjoys brilliant Tibetan architectural buildings made up of exquisite halls, towers and chapels, and meanwhile it also a treasure house with an array of splendid artworks and religious relics, such as murals, antiques, sculptures, Buddhist statues and scriptures showing the glory of the high time of Tibet.

Once you have been to Mt. Huangshan, you will have no interest to hike mountains anywhere else. Yellow Mountain is one of the most renowned natural stunners in China, characterized by its gorgeous wonders including breathtaking sunrise, mist-wreathed granite peaks, twisted pines on jutting crags, oddly-shaped rocks and sea of clouds.

The awe-inspiring beauty of Huangshan has been showcased in countless Chinese scroll paintings and movies. Thanks to the convenient highspeed trains, Yellow Mountain can be easily connected to other top destinations like Shanghai and Hangzhou.

The Bund is one of the most visited tourist sights in Shanghai that demonstrates both modern and vintage glamour of this metropolis. The Bund embraces a futuristic skyline formed by multiple buildings of various architectural styles including Gothic, baroque, and neoclassical styles. Through the promenade along the Huangpu River, you could capture the dazzling roaring skyscrapers carefully illuminated with dazzling lights with their reflections shimmering on the water. Alternatively, drinking at a rooftop bar or taking a night cruise are both perfect to catch the spectacular light show.

Victoria Harbour is the soul area of Hong Kong, which is also the best place to catch the beat of this international cosmopolis. Cloud-capped skyscraper skyline and the dazzling Symphony of Lights Show highlight the entire harbor, with bustling water traffic on full display. From the Victoira Peak, you could gaze into the stunning vistas of open sea and island, while a night cruise through the harbor allows you to soak up the serene air of the sea.

As the pride of Hangzhou, the West Lake is a poetic and leisurely attraction for city dwellers. The lake boasts enchanting scenery made up of lots of pagodas, temples, pavilions, gardens, bridges and causeways, as well as artificial islands. For an easier overall sightseeing, riding a boat and taking a battery cart for a round trip are most popular ways to absorb the picturesque vistas and the lively local life along the lakefront of the West Lake. You could also take a paced walk along the causeways lined with weeping willows and water lilies or cycle along the winding paths to discover its endless interest.