In my time in China I have been privileged to visit countless places of beauty and cultural interest. Here are my five most stunning places that i have been to in the Middle Kingdom.
1. The Summit of Emei Shan. Sichuan province
Emei Shan is a mountain is Sichuan province and one of the four sacred holy mountains of China. The climb is over a series of dominating peaks and there is a 40km short route, or a 60 km long route, both of which involve trekking through dense mountain forest paths and endless stone steps, along with not so friendly monkeys that ambush you on bridges in attempt to steal any food and drink exposed on your person. Along the way are numerous Buddhist monasteries and temples and the solitude given from the remote location makes there something extremely spiritual about this place. After one or two long days hike to the summit base camp. There is a further 2 hour ascent up stone steps or a cable car that enables you to short cut this final step to the summit. Once arriving at the very top after all that hard work. The sunrise rising over the serene sea of clouds below you leaves you silent. All the effort of getting to the top suddenly becomes obviously worthwhile.
2. The stunning Li River, Guilin to Yangshuo, Guanxi province.
According to an old Chinese proverb Guilin scenery is the best in the world, and Yangshuo scenery is the best in Guilin. The Limestone Karst landscape creates an unparalleled scene of triangular shaped sharp peaks rising up from the ground and reflecting the sun into the clear river water. The small rafts that you can take typically last 4 hours and during this time you can relax and swim in the pristine river. Such a place for any natural world lover is an absolute paradise and is some of the most photogenic scenery in the entire world.
3. The mountain ascent of Hua Shan, Shanxi province.
‘Splendid Mountain’. Close by the old capital of Xian and the Terracotta army is famous for its dangerous looking chain walkways and 2km sheer drops. The mountain has 4 peaks, a North, East, South and Western peak and in the four are connected by a complex multitude of different mountain paths, making it easy to lose your way on the trail. Along the wider, better travelled stretches of mountain paths and steps you will see endless padlocks and red bands symbolising good luck and prosperity. Many of the smaller paths are surrounded by sudden drops and Chains are anchored into the rock to prevent you from falling to the bottom. On one stretch of the mountain there is just a 30cm outcrop with no chain posts. I love Hua Shan because this mountain gives you a feel for the insignificance of man and the great power of nature, along with some stunning views from the peaks.
4. The Great Wall of China, Beijing.
The place everyone knows, it wasn’t until 9 months after I started teaching English in China that I finally went to see for myself the great wall. Take the time and pay a little extra to go to a less touristy spot. The wall stretching across endless mountains makes it hard to believe that building such a thing is within human capability. Although the recreated and renovated tourist stretches are great for showing what the wall looked like at its peak, I believe it is important to see the real, actual wall which was standing there at the time of the Invading Mongolian tribes obstructing their path and protecting China. Travelling further West from Beijing to as far as Xian there are numerous stretches of original, old wall, in some places now barely visible. Seeing both old and new gives you and appreciation for the history and reasons behind this great world structure.
5. The Giant Pandas, Chengdu, Sichuan province.
The Giant Panda is such a beautiful creature and that they are almost impossible to see in the wild. Sichuan province’s provincial capital Chengdu is home to the only Giant Panda breeding research centre in the world, inexpensive to enter and home to a large number of both giant and red pandas, it is no surprise that this station is so popular. The first time you peak around the corner of the simulated natural bamboo forest enclosure to see these cute gentle giants is enough to captivate any traveller.
