With the number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites it contains (53 in total), China is remarkable.
From extreme roads to fairtyale landscapes, China's diverse natural beauty is as impressive as its splendid culture.
You might need to update your bucket list with these impressive places:
1. Temple of Heaven, Beijing
The name of the Temple of Heaven is a little misleading because it is more than just a temple, but it is a huge park as well.
The three-tiered Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the most iconic and recognizable section in the Temple of Heaven. The three main parts are Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Imperial Vault of Heaven and Circular Mound Altar.
Located in the Dongcheng District, Beijing, it is the largest and most representative existing masterpiece among China's ancient sacrificial buildings.
Get there about 6-7:30 AM when you will see local people, most of them are middle-aged or older people doing various kinds of light physical activity you can imagine, like singing, dancing, playing instruments, playing chess, practicing kung fu and tai chi. Acquaint yourself with the historical buildings in the park by hiring a Beijing Tour Guide for your life-long trip to the temple complex.
2. West Lake, Hangzhou
Marco Polo described Hangzhou as "the city of heaven" and "the finest and most splendid city in the world".
West Lake is Hangzhou's most famous sight. West Lake is utterly mesmerising: pagoda-topped hills rise over willow-lined waters as boats drift slowly through a vignette of leisurely charm.
Because of the legend of the moving love story between Bai Suzhen and Xu Xi'an, the lake becomes an ideal place for dating.
You'll feel the peaceful ethos of the city and better understand its time-honored fame as 'Heaven on Earth' once you visit.
3. Giant Buddha Temple, Zhangye
The Great Buddha Temple is home to an enormous sleeping Buddha that's the largest in China and one of the biggest in Asia. It is home to a 35-meter-long reclining Buddha and up to eight people can stand on the ear of the reclining Buddha. The gold-plated and painted Giant Buddha lies in the Nirvana situation.
With 10 disciples wearing vivid expressions and standing behind the monk named Sineng Weimie, the massive clay and wooden statue depicts the Gautama Buddha's reaching nirvana. In two side halls stand 18 Saintly Warriors.
Established in Western Xia Dynasty, it was rebuilt during the Qing Dynasty.
4. Grand Canal, Beijing
The Grand Canal is the longest and oldest artificial waterway in the world. It is far longer than either Suez or Panama.
Suzhou, a picturesque town in the Jiangsu Province that has such a dense network of narrow canals that it's sometimes called the Venice of the East. The canals were once the main arteries of the city.
Kublai Khan ordered the completion of the seventh and final section of the Grand Canal, straightening the route to make it more efficient, and enabling all of China to communicate with the new center of political and cultural life, Dadu/Beijing.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
