Recommended Destinations for Secondly Visiting China

Many tourists will travel to China for the second time. China is a vast country with many places that worth visiting. When traveling to China for the second time, which cities or places to choose? Together with Top China Travel, we will find the recommended destinations to visit in China for the second-time visitors.
 

Hangzhou: West Lake and Tea Plantations

Located near Shanghai, Hangzhou is a popular city in China with tea culture, natural scenery and prosperous economy. West Lake is the landmark of Hangzhou with ancient pagodas, causeways and pavilions, which is differently beautiful in different seasons. Lingyin Temple is one of the most famous Buddhist temples in China. Kindly reminder, reservation of tickets of Lingyin Temple is popular and a bit difficult.

Hangzhou is also famous for the water towns nearby. Wuzhen is not far away from Hangzhou, which is a silent and beautiful water town in Tongxiang. There are several tea plantations in Hangzhou, where you can experience the tea leaves picking and taste a cup of tea. Hangzhou also boats the part of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Cancel. If you are interested in the cancel culture in China. Hangzhou is an ideal destination.

Hangzhou is always beautiful in different seasons, while it is a bit hot in summer. If you want to avoid the summer heat, you can choose to visit Hangzhou in other seasons.

Suzhou: Classical Chinese Gardens and Water Towns

Above there is heaven, below there are Suzhou and Hangzhou. Suzhou is as elegant as Hangzhou. Suzhou is located near Shanghai and Hangzhou with convenient transportation. With water towns, classical Chinese gardens and historical temples, Suzhou is a city worth visiting.

Suzhou boasts typical ancient city as well as modern buildings. Strolling around the Shantang Street and Pingjiang Road, you will experience the life of the local people. Suzhou also has many significant classical Chinese gardens, including Humble Administrator's Garden, Lion Grove, Lingering Garden, the Master-of-Nets Garden, and Tiger Hill. You can choose one or two classical Chinese gardens to visit.

There are also typical and famous water towns near Suzhou, including the Zhouzhuang Water Town, Tongli Water Town, Luzhi Water Town, Mudu Water Town, etc. If you want to avoid the crowds, you can choose the water towns that are not so popular.

Suzhou also boasts some famous temples like Hanshan Temple and Xiyuan Temple. And the Suzhou Museum is also worth visiting. Kindly reminder, the reservation of tickets of the Suzhou Museum is very popular.

Yunnan: Snow Mountains, Lakes and Ethic Culture

Yunnan is a beautiful province in the southwest of China. The popular cities in Yunnan include Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La, Puer and Xishuangbana. Kindly reminder, Yunnan is high-altitude area in China, please pay attention to your physical situation while traveling in Yunnan.

Kunming, known as the Spring City, is warm as spring all the time. In Kunming, you can visit the Stone Forest, Dianchi Lake and the Dounan Flower Market. And Yunnan is also the paradise of mushrooms, you should not miss the mushrooms in Yunnan if you love them.

Dali is a romantic city with spectacular Cangshan Mountain and picturesque Erhai Lake. Dali Ancient City itself is a famous ancient city in China. Climbing the Cangshan Mountain and cycling around the Erhai Lake will be impressive experience in Dali. And the Dali Three Pagodas are also the highlights of Dali.

Lijiang is known as the Lijiang Ancient Town, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain(Yulong Snow Mountain) and Lugu Lake. Strolling around the Lijiang Ancient City, you will know more about this city.

Shangri-La is also popular in Yunnan. In Shangri-La, you can hike at the Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the most beautiful gorges in China. The Pudacuo National Park features at encompassing fault cliffs, deep gorges, primeval forests, alpine meadows, and wetland lakes. The Songzanlin Temple is splendid and holy at the light of the sunrise and sunset.

Except for the cities above, Xishuangbanna, Jianshui and Puer are also popular in Yunnan.

Tibet: Sacred Mountains And Holy Lakes

Tibet, a place with sacred mountains and holy lakes, is popular among domestic and foreign visitors. Located on the main part of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, shares borders with India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar to the south and west. With an average altitude of over 4,000 meters, please always pay attention to your physical situation when traveling to Tibet.

Lhasa, the Sunlight City, boasts the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Tibet Museum, and Barkhor Street. Potala Palace is the iconic landmark of Tibet. Jokhang Temple is holiest temple in Tibetan Buddhism. At the Barkhor Street, you can see the believers making pilgrimage.

Tibet’s lakes have the most beautiful blue color. The Yamdrok Lake is not far away from Lhasa. Lake Manasarovar, Namsto Lake and Yamdrok Lake are the Three Holy Lakes in Tibet.

Mount Everest is also one of the highlights of Tibet. Everest Base Camp(EBC) on the Tibetan side is the highest point most visitors can reach on Mount Everest, sitting at an altitude of approximately 5,200 meters in Dingri County, Shigatse, Tibet.

If you want to visit Tibet, you can visit Nyingchi first, whose altitude is lower than most of places of Tibet. Basongcuo Lake and the Lulang are worth visiting in Nyingchi.

Jiuzhai Valley: Wonderland in Autumn

Jiuzhai Valley is one of the most famous and beautiful autumn destinations in China. With surreal turquoise lakes, cascading waterfalls, and Tibetan village culture, Jiuzhai Valley is picturesque and famous.

Jiuzhai Valley is composed of three main valleys: Rize Valley, Zechawa Valley and Shuzheng Valley. There are many famous and tranquil lakes at Jiuzhai Valley. Among them, Five-Flower Lake, Long Lake, and Five-Colour Pool are must-see attractions. The Nuorilang Waterfall is also worth visiting in Jiuzhai Valley.

The best time to visit Jiuzhai Valley is autumn, especially from late October to early November(Please note that the actual situation will depend on the weather.). During this time, the leaves of the forests turn colorful, which are reflected on the crystal water of the lakes, making the Jiuzhai Valley more beautiful and charming. Also, if you like the snow scenery, the landscapes of the Jiuzhai valley covered by snow is also beautiful, making it a pure world.

Huanglong Scenic Area is located near the Jiuzhai Valley. Renowned for its spectacular limestone landscapes, colorful pools, and rich biodiversity, Huanglong Scenic Area has scale-like limestone terraces that resemble a dragon's back.

Qinghai: Salt Lakes and Rape Flowers

Qinghai is one of the most famous regions in northwestern China with beautiful lakes and salt lakes. In Qinghai, you can witness the beautiful salt lakes: Chaka Salt Lake and Qarhan Salt Lake. Chaka Lake is known as the mirror of the sky. And the Qarhan Salt Lake looks like flowers when overlooking it. Qinghai Lake is the largest inland saltwater lake in China. In summer, the rape flowers nearby the Qinghai Lake are blooming, making the Qinghai Lake more beautiful. To enjoy the rape flowers blossoms in Qinghai, you can visit the Menyuan Rape Fields, which is like an oil painting with the houses, golden flowers and the snow-capped Qilian Mountains.

Taer Monastery is one of the most famous attractions in Qinghai, where you can know about this one of the six great monasteries of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Gansu: Diverse Landscapes

Generally speaking, people will visit Gansu together with Qinghai because of their locations. Gansu is an important hub on the Silk Road. Known as the "Golden Section" of the Silk Road, it offers a unique blend of historical heritage and geographical wonders.

Except for ocean and islands, Gansu possesses almost all other types of landscapes, including deserts, Gobi, grasslands, forests, glaciers, snow mountains, canyons, and Danxia landforms.

In Dunhuang, you can see the exquisite murals at the Mogao Caves. And you can also enjoy the vastness of the Singing Sand Dunes and witness the Crescent Spring. The Jiayuguan Pass was strategic in the ancient Silk Road, and the Yangguan Pass often occurred in the poetry in China.

In Zhangye, you can see the rainbow mountains at the Zhanye Colorful Danxia Scenic Spot, National Geopark in China. You can also visit the Mati Temple to see the grottoes and enjoy the scenery of the Qilian mountains.

In Lanzhou, you can enjoy the city view as well as the scene of the Yellow River. Tasting the famous noodles and visiting the Gansu Provincial Museum are recommended in Lanzhou.

Generally speaking, it is recommended that you visit Gansu from April to October with favorable weather. Kindly reminder, it is recommended that you visit Gansu avoiding the public holidays in China.

Qingdao: Paradise for Beer Lovers

With red tiles, green trees, blue sea, and azure sky, Qingdao is a beautiful city in Shandong Province, China. If you like beers, you should not miss Qingdao in China. In Qingdao, you can see the German-influenced buildings, which is also the representative of Qingdao.

There are several places in Qingdao that you can have a panoramic view of the city and the sea. Xinhao Hill and Xiaoyu Hill are both not high, you can climb to the top of these hill in about 15-20 minutes. At the viewing platform of these hills, you can have a panoramic view of the buildings, sea and surrounding landscapes of Qingdao.

Qingdao Beer Museum is another highlight of Qingdao. You can know about the making and history of Qingdao beer at the museum as well as tasting the fresh beer inside the museum. And you can see the beers at many places in Qingdao.

Laoshan Mountain is one of the most beautiful and famous mountains in the coastline of China. Laoshan Mountain is a large scenic area, you can choose which parts you are interested in and visit several attractions in the scenic area. Taiqing Temple at the Laoshan Mountain is one of the most famous Taoist temples in China.

The night view of Qingdao is charming and beautiful. At nights, the lights of the buildings are on, which are wonderful when reflected on the surface of the Sea. And you can see the light show of the May 4th Square of Qingdao at night. Please check the time of the light show in advance.