China

People’s Republic China is a country in East Asia, the largest country in the world for number of population; it ranked third in the world in terms of area, after Russia and Canada. China shares borders with Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Laos, Vietnam, North Korea, Mongolia, and Myanmar. In the east and south-east, the coast of the country is washed by the waters of the Yellow, Philippine, East Chinese and South Chinese seas. Official language: Chinese. Currency – yuan CNY. China is a huge, economically developed country, the third largest in terms of area and the first in terms of population. In recent decades, tourism industry began to develop by enormous pace in China. The country full of mysteries and contrasts will impress and surprise even the most experienced traveller. Here, you will find the stunning beauty of the natural landscape, the abundance of attractions and, of course, the ancient cultural traditions of ‘celestial’ with roots in the distant past. China is majestic mountains and endless plains, numerous lakes and seas, scenic rivers, dense forests, as well as the holy Tibet, the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the famous ‘Terracotta Army’, numerous palaces, monasteries and churches, the Chinese tea ceremony and then some. Hallmark of China is certainly the Great Wall of China with the total length of around 9,000km. This is the most famous landmark of the country and the most grandiose fortification in the world. Among the main attractions of China, we should also highlight the huge Imperial Palace (also known as the ‘Forbidden City’) in the centre of Beijing and the tomb of Emperor Tsin Shihuandi with its famous Terracotta Army near the city of Xian. However, China’s capital Beijing is known not only for the Imperial Palace. The great interest are also the Temple of Heaven (Tiantan), the summer imperial residence of Summer Palace with the luxurious Park, Tiananmen Square (one of the largest squares in the world), the Beijing Botanical Garden, Beihai Park and the Fragrant Hills, Temple of the Sun and the Lama Temple. Beijing National Museum, the Metropolitan Museum, the Geological Museum of China, as well as the ruined garden and palace complex of Perfect Splendor, Ming Tombs in the vicinity of the capital and much more are no less interesting. The Chinese city of Shanghai, an important cultural and financial centre of the country deserves special attention. Especially popular with tourists are the picturesque Bund (along the Huangpu River), People’s Square and, of course, the famous Nanjing Road – Shanghai’s main shopping street with shopping centres, shops and many excellent restaurants and cafes. The main and perhaps the most interesting sights of Shanghai are Lanhua Pagoda, Yuyuan Garden, Jade Buddha Temple, Confucius Temple, the Cathedral of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Oriental Art Centre and the zoo. Among the abundance of historical, cultural and architectural monuments of China is worth noting the sacred Mount Songshan and the Shaolin Monastery, caves Longmen and the White Horse Temple in Luoyang, Xiaoling Mausoleum in Nanjing, Buddha statue in Leshan, monasteries and temples of Mountains Tianshan and Wudang, Mukden Palace, the Pagoda of Six Harmony in Hangzhou, Rock Carvings near Dazu, the Yungang grottoes and caves in Shanxi. The architecture of the ancient cities of Pingyao and Dayan (modern Lijiang) is of particular interest. In the historic capital of Tibet – Lhasa are the most interesting Norbulingka Palace and Park, the Potala Palace and the Jokhang Temple.

A mass of attractions and diverse cultural activities is waiting for you in Guangzhou. You can enjoy the magnificent natural landscapes and stunning beauty of the Chinese landscape by visiting the National Parks Lushan, Santsin, Jiuzhaigou and Qing Liang Shan, Huanglong Reserve and the famous South China Karst. The mountain range of Huangshan (‘Yellow Mountains’) and Wuyi Mountain Range are famous for extraordinary beauty of nature. Beach lovers should definitely visit the picturesque island of Hainan.