Hello Beautiful People!

“When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.” -Clifton Fadiman

First of all Happy Chinese New Year or Happy Lunar New Year! To celebrate Chinese New Year I thought I do a little highlight about the cities I have visited in China in 2017.

Beijing
The capital city of China is a playground full of culture mixing traditions and modern architecture together.  From The Great Wall to the Forbidden City to the many temples and cute alleyway, it’s a great transition into the Chinese Culture. One activity I suggest is hiking along The Great Wall, it’s a surreal moment walking along a historical masterpiece.

Check out 5 Things to do in Beijing

Xi’an
Most famous for the terracotta warriors but the former capital city is definitely underrated. Make sure you spent the day in Xi’an and ride a bike along the city wall then head over to Muslim Street for some great food! This street is probably the most exhilarating and exciting food market you would ever see.

Chengdu
Want to see a panda?! Then head over to Chengdu! Over the years Chengdu is becoming more popular due to the cuddly black and white bear! However, there is more to a panda in this city. Chengdu is a gateway to see the Giant Buddha located in the east of Leshan City and many hostels offer short trips to Tibet. Nevertheless, if you like hot spicy food, the Sichuan cuisine is a must. One thing I would definitely recommend is having a vegetarian hotpot at Wenshu Temple. A slightly more local experience with a teahouse in the courtyard to relax in.

Jiuzhaigou 
Within the Sichuan Province, the Jiuzhaigou is one of my favourite areas in China. Mainly because of Jiuzhaigou National Park. This place is one of my favourite “hiking” trips despite the crowds. However, it has some of the most beautiful lakes I’ve seen and it does give Alberta a run for its money! Before heading to Jiuzhaigou, Huanglong is another national park to stop by. It has a unique landscape and colour pools scattered around the park.

Zhangjiajie
AKA the inspiration for the movie Avatar! The unique terrain of Zhangjiajie National Park has a mystical vibe transporting you to a different world with its vertical pillar landscape and lush green forest. The glass bridge is also a popular attraction in the area but Zhangjiajie is also a great place to recharge and relax at Zhangjiajie Maosao Inn.

Shanghai
The bustling city of Shanghai has everything you need. From old traditions to modern skyscrapers, a French Concession area, a shopping escape and everything else in-between. If this bustling city is too much for you take a trip to one of the water towns outside Shanghai. Again if you are looking for something different have dinner at one of the North Korean restaurants in Shanghai and yes real North Koreans work there!

If you ever planning to travel to China, I assure you it’s a worthwhile experience and something very different! Still interested in China? Check out these links below:

8 Unexpected Things About China
101 How To Plan For China?
China Challenge

Till next time, -M