Mapping China

If you wonder what is the main attraction of the ancient country of China, then you are on a wrong path. The thing is that China has it all: the highest mountains and scorching deserts, excellent beaches and resorts with world-famous, the greatest monuments of ancient architecture and ultra-modern skyscrapers of Shanghai, rice fields and factories producing more than half the world’s electronics. And the rest is so different and varying that having visited China, you might avoid go anywhere else.

In recent years, the most popular tourism reason is shopping in China, attracting foreigners from all over the world. The most famous markets for shopping in Beijing – the Silk Market (mainly selling clothes, shoes, carpets, bags, suitcases and other related as well as articles of silk); Pearl Market (upper floor which really sells pearls for every taste and purse and where there are parts of jade and other stones) and Market Yabolu. If you want to buy a piece, for yourself, for children, it is better to go to a new Yabolu. Here the real prices of the products will impress you with the. The maximum price that can be reset  is only 1-2 yuan. By visiting these three markets in Beijing, you can no leave the commercial establishments, and focus on more spiritual matters.

Well, the main tourist attraction in China  is, of course, pretentious monument to land architecture-Great Wall of China, extending for 4000 km along the northern China, and passing about 90 km from Beijing. Its construction began in the III century BC and was completed in the III century BC. The wall is a rampart of earth and 10 meters in height, every 200 meters there are watchtowers.

Best destination points

Beijing attracts a purely metropolitan attraction designated exclusively for shopping and leisure time. Imperial and the administrative part of the city is located in the center and released in the walled Forbidden City (Palace), and all the important buildings are located along the main highway that runs from the southern gateway to the north. Location and height of the building is entirely determined by its function and social status of the owner.

In Beijing, the famous Temple of Heaven – a huge complex of buildings for worship and imperial sacrifice is remarkable, among other things, for its acoustic turbulence. There are, for example, wall echos, where the number of echo responses increases with each step and whispering at the beginning of the wall can be heard at the end. There is a platform for speeches, in which soft voice is being amplified.

Shanghai – the largest city in the country has never been an important cultural center, but anyways has its own charm. No wonder that Western businessmen over the 20 years call it  “Paris of the East”. Nanjing Road – the most famous street of the city, which stretches for 14 km, is concentrating the best shops and restaurants of the city. Among the attractions of Shanghai  is Jade Buddha Temple. This is a major Buddhist center, attracting two bejeweled statues of Buddha, carved out of white jade, brought from Burma. In Shanghai, tourists also get attracted by Royal Mausoleum in Nanyue – real underground palace, which exhibits more than a thousand items from the royal tombs, and the Shanghai Opera.

Hong Kong is the largest port, industrial, financial and foreign trade center, the city-star in the Asia-Pacific region. In this dynamic, prosperous, cheerful, multi-faceted, multi-ethnic city the population is around 6.6 million people. Hong Kong affects a cascade of golden skyscrapers. From July 1 1997 Hong Kong turned into a special administrative region of China. Among the attractions of Hong Kong we can distinguish Aberdeen – a fishing village, consisting of numerous junks, in which hereditary fishermen and their families reside up to now.

Suzhou is another beautiful place, the city, also called the “Venice of China”. It is  lined with canals, like a chessboard. In the Ch’ing period (1644 – 1911) in Suzhou, there were nearly a thousand bridges, 300 of them inside the city walls. Beautiful gardens and pagodas create a truly unique spectacle.

Hangzhou – the old city, located 180 km south-west of Shanghai – one of the most beautiful places of China. Its history spans over 2000 years. The town stands on the shore of West Lake, which, according to legend, was formed of pearls, which dropped to the ground Phoenix and Dragon.

Tibet is considered one of the most mysterious places on earth. “Roof of the World” is separated from the outside world by high mountain ranges. A stay in Tibet is a dream, perhaps, for anyone who is interested in Eastern philosophy. The most interesting of its attractions is the Potala Palace, Jokhang Monastery, Sera Monastery, Norgbulink.

What to avoid doing while in China

• In China it is not recommended to drink unboiled water from the tap. In every hotel room  there will be either a thermos of hot water or electric kettle. Most hotels also provided mineral water free of charge (principally the Chinese do not consume carbonated “mineral water”).

• Do not try exotic dishes, such as, for example, monkey brains. Dishes like these are often infected with rare parasites to get rid of which is quite difficult.

• Do not wear bright clothes, preparing for a tour of the temples. Bright colors are not very welcomed by local residents, and most people will be reluctant to communicate with a clear outsider, who does not even bother to get acquainted with the etiquette. Around the temple is not made to go counterclockwise. The Chinese decided to bypass their temples strictly in a clockwise direction, and some small groups of tourists walking counterclockwise attract unnecessary attention.

• Do not attempt to visit Tibet. This requires a special additional permit, issued by the host in advance. Tibet can be visited only with a group of pre-and agreed-upon route.

• Do not jump out of the taxi without paying, or in some way yet to violate public order and law. Police in China are strictly applicable to violators, and the embassy can not always help their citizens who violate any rules as it is being done pretty well in other countries.