Next to Tibet, Inner Mongolia is one of China’s most extraordinary places. You’ll be fascinated by the mystique of its stunning grasslands, the Gobi desert, the energetic Naadam festival and the Mongolian way of li. The province is near Beijing, and you can easily go there and enjoy diverse cultures.

Escaping the city on weekends is part of Beijing life. If you are tired of mountains, hot springs and historic sites, why not head a little further north to Inner Mongolia, where you can enjoy a travel experience not found in …

Songpan County, which is located in the northwest of Sichuan Province, is the gateway to the Jiuzhai Valley fairyland, and also a part of the Aba autonomous region.

Nestling at the foot of the Minshan Mountain, and having the Minjiang River flowing past its gates,the Songpan County was built during Tang Dynasty (618-907), when Prince Wencheng was married to a Tibetan King. The county, which was extended to its largest area during the Ming Emperor Jiajing’s reign nearly 500 years ago, is still a bridge between the …

The Bashang (坝上) Grasslands,the nearest prairie destination from Beijing, have long been one of the ideal sites to escape the city’s summer heat.
The special climate and geographical position at the junction of the North China Plain and the Inner Mongolia Grasslands give Bashang its unique natural landscapes and make it a popular destination for tourists and photographers.

Generally, the Bashang Grasslands include four parts: Fengning Bashang, Zhangbei Bashang, Weichang Bashang and Guyuan Bashang. The four parts are located in four different counties of …

A museum is the ideal place to get a crash course on a country’s history and culture. Last year, 33 museums in town began offering freeadmission to give the public a better understanding of China’s past and present. Most of the museums are located in the suburbs or attached to another tourist site.
China National Film Museum
This museum, opened in 2005 to celebrate the centennial of Chinese cinema, is the world’s largest film museum. Movie aficionados will go gaga over its gigantic movie collecton.
The building’s design, by US-based RTKL International and …

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By Sofia Gronvall
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Travelling from one tourist spot to another sometimes makes you wonder about the real China. What if I’m tired of fighting with representatives from the rest of the world? What if I want some alone time, face to face with the real deal? Today I found this in a village far from the hectic city life, at a place where things are allowed to take their time without causing any devastating consequences.
Zhuge Liang is a well known name to most Chinese in today’s China. It is also the …

The best way to learn about the old days of a historically famous city is to pay its oldest district a visit. In Beijing, the hutong area may be the right place and in Luoyang we found just the place. It’s called the Laocheng area, or the old city proper.
Laocheng is located in the northeast of Luoyang, covering an area of 56.7 square kilometers.
The entrance to the Laocheng area is a magnificent semi-circular shaped building called Lijing gate, literally meaning ‘the gate to beautiful scenery’. Previously the west gate of …

China is launching new tour routes to showcase China’s culture and its tourist treasures in the best way. The nation’s first-batch of 12 officially recommended tour routes were announced on Tuesday by China National Tourism Administration.
China hopes the new designation will attract more domestic and overseas tourists.
The draft plan is now awaiting public comment.
Among others, the 12 tour routes cover the world famous Silk Road, the Three Gorges, the Great Wall and the Yellow River.
Here are the details of the 12 routes:

1. Silk Road tour route
This route, focusing on the …

The Bashang (坝上) Grasslands,the nearest prairie destination from Beijing, have long been one of the ideal sites to escape the city’s summer heat.
The special climate and geographical position at the junction of the North China Plain and the Inner Mongolia Grasslands give Bashang its unique natural landscapes and make it a popular destination for tourists and photographers.

Generally, the Bashang Grasslands include four parts: Fengning Bashang, Zhangbei Bashang, Weichang Bashang and Guyuan Bashang. The four parts are located in four different counties of …

Hohhot, which means the “blue city” in Mongolian, is also known as the city of temples for its dozens of places of worship. A local Hohhot saying goes, “There are eight big temples, seven small temples and 55 simple temples in Hohhot.” But those words offer only a glimpse into the multitude of temples in the city. Here we recommend several temples travelers can hit on a one or two-day stay in the city. The temples offer a chance to learn more about Buddhist culture.
Dazhao Temple, …

At first glance, Shenyang may appear to be just a dusty town at the heart of the rust belt of the northeast. However this large, industrial city was the cradle of the Qing dynasty, and it was here that the Manchus had their capital, Mukden. In just a day, travelers can see sights to rival Beijing’s, but without the crowds.
8am: Start the day with the ample international buffet breakfast at the Traders Hotel. This four-star Shangri-La hotel is centrally located and offers a comfortable base to …