5 stops in China - The young and the restless traveling China

Backpacking in China is something everyone should have on their bucket list. It is an extraordinary experience. You will hate it and love it. But most importantly... You will remember it for the rest of your life. 

There are hundreds of places worth a stop in China but I will give you five stops I think everyone should make. Be enchanted by this mayhem. You will get the best, and the worst stories to tell. 

Panda in Chengdu

1. Beijing, China

With its thousand temples, Beijing sounds like a city for archaeology students. But along with historical buildings, the city has modern new architecture. As it hosted the Olympics in 2008, the streets of Beijing were cleaned up and the city built lots of brand new malls and neighborhoods. But if you are looking for old China, it can be found all around, by visiting the old Hutton areas places all over the city.

The Great Wall

3. Places to Go 

The Great Wall: Beijing is home to (a piece of) one of the seven wonders of the world, the great wall. A massive wall built along an east-to-west line across the historical northern borders of China, in part to protect the Chinese Empire against intrusions. This wall is an awe-striking piece of building that continues as far as the eye can see in both directions.

The Forbidden City was the home of the Ming and Qing dynasties and is a magnificent piece of architecture. The Palace park is located in the center of Beijing and was home to the royal family. 

Insider tip, after visiting the city, run across the road and into Jingshan park and walk up the tallest hill. Here you will find the most amazing views of The Forbidden City.

Summer Palace located just outside Beijing. Here you could easily spend a day in beautiful nature and historical exciting surroundings.

The Summer Palace, Beijing

3. Markets to Visit 

If you like markets, Panjiayuan is an antique market where you can find things in every price-class. The Silk market is also a place worth a visit in the hunt for treasures.

Must-Eats 

The most famous dish, which you must try while visiting Beijing, is Peking duck. There are thousands of restaurants serving it around the city, but Bianyifang is the oldest place in the city to serve it. 

The Night market is a definite must. Here you can have every kind of food from insects and seahorses to “normal” meals.

The Forbidden City, Beijing

2. Xi’an, Ancient Capital of China

Jump on a train from Beijing and head towards China’s old heart, Xi’an. (Bullet trains takes 6 hours). Xi’an was the home of 12 mighty dynasties and many of the magnificent treasures from ancient times are still well preserved and hidden here. Experience the home of Emperors, greatness, merchants, warriors, dreams and the oriental mystic that lured so many Europeans to travel all the way from Venice through desert and mountains on the Silk Road to end up here in the wondrous ancient center of the world. This is a chance to experience the old Chinese civilization. The end of the Silk Road, the beginning of dreams where so many westerns traveled to trade with the exotic and mysterious oriental China.

The City Wall, Xi'an

3. Places to Go

The Terracotta Warriors. Most tourists travel the long way to Xi’an to see the famous Terracotta Warriors. Getting here is pretty easy. Whether you want to do a tour or do your own. You can take a local bus or taxi there. The entry is 150 yuan and you can wander around with your own book as your guide. This army of beautifully created sculptures was built to resemble the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang’s army. They were buried with the emperor in 210 BC to protect him in the afterlife. They are spectacular and a sight not to be missed. When you wander around in the huge halls you will be overwhelmed with the warriors, chariots, and horses counting around 9.000 sculptures. They are primarily located in three different pits that can be visited when entering the attraction. 

The City Wall. This surrounds the old quarters of the city and was built in the 14th century to protect the inhabitants from the outside enemies by Emperor Zhy Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty. You can access it and walk all around the inner city from the top of it. We rented biked and cycled around the wall. The trip gives you a great view of the city and some exercise after a long train ride.

Big Wild Goose Pagoda, an old Buddhist temple built by the Tang Dynasty. You will find it in Da Ci’en a bit outside the city in peaceful surroundings. The entire temple-site is worth a visit to take your time and walk around. 

Terracotta Warriors, Xi'an

Markets to visit

The Muslim quarter is where you want to go to haggle for your hidden treasures of China. Vendors crowd the narrow lanes and offer everything you can desire. The next-door vendor offers similar things so if you can’t get the right price you can always move on to one of the next places.

Must Eat:

Cold Noodles. It is said that people, who eat long cold noodles at noon of the Fourth day of the first lunar month, can be expected with many happy returns. So why not give it a go? It is inspired by Korean traditions and the vinegar should benefit your body. 

Dumplings in Sour Soup. The dumplings are placed in a special sour soup before serving to the customers which give it the special taste. You can order these dumplings with many different fillings, so even if you do not eat meat there is an option to taste this.

3. Chengdu, The Home of Panda’s.

When backpacking through China do not miss the City Chengdu. Chengdu is a cheap provisional big city. Chengdu offers plenty of nightlife but it gives you a much more mellow atmosphere than Beijing or Shanghai. Drop by the Qingyang District for a good night out or visit a traditional tea-house to experience an old fashion tea-ceremony with jasmine, long jing and biluochun tea performed by experts. The reason most people wants to visit is, of course … They have Pandas. 80% of the pandas in the world live in the Sichuan Province. China considers the Giant Panda a national treasure and they are putting a lot of money and PR into preserving it. The estimated number of pandas is 1.500 so if you want a chance to see them Chengdu is the place to be. 

Panda, Chengdu

3 places to go

Just outside Chengdu you’ll find the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base where scientists work with the adorable Panda, the cutest bear in the world. This is primarily a breeding facility for the black and white giant pandas and the red panda. Research is conducted on how to improve breeding in Pandas. As a tourist, you have the option of walking around the park and watch the pandas. To be fair this bundle of joy primarily do two things. Eat and Sleep. To my surprise, it looks like it can do both simultaneously. You get to watch the old, the teenagers and if you are lucky the babies. Pandas are, no matter their age or size, like unicorns. Perfect!

The Giant Buddha. Visit the world’s tallest Buddha in Leshan. You will find it along the river carved into the red sandstone cliff. Here it rises from the river-bend mighty and tall. The area itself is beautiful for spending a day exploring and enjoying the nature. The Buddha itself measures 71 meters and you descend from the top of the cliff slowly down towards the bottom and experience the actual size of this huge relic. 

Old Traditional Areas. Chengdu has a beautiful and ancient city center where you can walk about looking at old traditional houses and buildings. Visit the park Wuhou Ci where you will find the Wenshu Temple. Browse around for plenty of chances to take a peek into Buddhist and Taoist cultures in forms of temples, pagodas, and monasteries. 

The Giant Buddha, Chengdu

Must eat

The distinct characteristic of Sichuan cuisine is the use of spicy chilies and peppercorns. Chengdu is the home of the famous Hot Pot. It is spicy, and for me, it is completely unfit for humans. It is an experience and a social one. Personally, it isn’t for me. I threw up after eating the food. Not because the food was bad in any way, but simply because my body couldn’t process the spiciness of the food. My lips and mouth were numb for hours after the meal. 

Mapo tofu and Dan Dan Mien are other popular dishes from Sichuan province. Like the Hot Pot they are spicy.

4. Dazai, the magnificent rice fields. 

Want to experience something outside of the ordinary? Then make Dazai terraces, or Jinkeng Rice Terraces a stop on your trip. This is a chance to encounter a different part of Chinese culture. Here you will find the Pingan Village housing the Zhuang Minority. One of many minorities you can find in China. Why are they special? The Zhuang women are famous for not cutting their hair. We have some insider knowledge that most of the women wear hair extensions underneath their natural hair to make it that long, smooth and rich, but it is an impressive sight nonetheless. As a tourist attraction, they will take down their hair and display it for a few yuan. Another tourist attraction is to watch these women wash their hair in the ice-cold river. Besides the Zhuang women, you will experience breathtaking awe-inspiring nature.

Riceterraces, Dazai

The rice terraces are a beautiful sight. When the sun hits them just right the flooded terraces reflect the sunlight and creates the most beautiful piece of art. As you all know photos can never reflect the amazement experienced in real life. But I do believe it will work as a teaser to get you to put Dazai on your trip throughout China.  

Inside these rice fields and plateaus, you will sleep, wander and live. There are two villages. The first village at the foot of the mountain is Dazai. The housing and hosting here is simple but quaint. The people do not speak English but with sign-language and a lot of laughter you can get your messages through. Importantly, expect no luxury. You have traveled into a minority in China. They do not have the luxury you can buy in big cities. You will not find an AC, and you are lucky if the power can be switch on at night. You will not have internet, but what on earth would you need internet for here. 

From here you can set out exploring the rice terraces and walk the gorgeous countryside. For the hardcore traveler, you can continue around an hour uphill to the Tiantouzai Village.  This location gives you a panoramic view over the valley. Spent a few days here doing soul searching or just enjoy the awe-inspired nature and find your perfect spot for happiness. 

You can trek around here for a few days. Most people do the 7-hour trek through the rice terraces to Ping’an where you can either stay the night before trekking back, you can take a car or simply do a 180 degree and walk back. 

5. Hong Kong

Enjoy big pulsating city-life along with oriental beauty? Hong Kong is worth a visit because of its unique combination of east and west, blending Chinese heritage, British colonial influences, high-tech modernity, and Cantonese gusto. 

Hong Kong

3. places to go 

Hong Kong Skyline is one of the city’s main attractions, viewing this amazing skyline is an absolute must, and not only once, but in the daylight, at sunset, at night, and for the Harbour show; every night introducing a light show featuring the tall and beautiful buildings of Hong Kong.

Victoria Peak that gives a breath-taking view of the skyscrapers, the glittering harbor and the hills of the new territories. It is beautiful any time of day, but for a special experience, you can watch the sunset over the city’s skyline.

Wong Tai Sin Temple. Home to three religions (Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism) it's natural setting and beautifully ornamented buildings make it as much a scenic attraction as an important religious center.

Hong Kong Skyline

2. Markets to visit

Mong Kok Ladies’ Market, a one-kilometer stretch containing over 100 stalls of bargain clothing, accessories, and souvenirs. This is the place to buy all the fake brands.

Temple Street Night Market, where you can bargain for just about everything as soon as the sun sets every night. Not in the mood for clothes? Then get your fortune read, buy an authentic tea set, or get a clay pot of rice to consume while watching the theatre that is a Chinese night market. 

Must-eats: 

Dim Sum is a specialty, and there are tons of restaurants that offer this as a brunch option which is used by most Cantonese families on the weekend. 

Sui mei, (‘fork burned’) is Chinese Barbecue and an absolute must for at least one meal while you stay on the island.

Shanghainese Dumplings.

* All photos are private and taken by me.