A country of exciting contradictions, history and fascinating curiosities. China was not high on the list of places to visit however a unique opportunity (which is a great story) presented itself and we tagged it on to the final leg of our 4-month 2017 European trip... and fell in love.
This huge country brims with culture, natural beauty, incredible (sometimes frightening) food and some of the kindest, most respectful people you will ever meet. The contrast between ancient world and modern technology from north to south, east to west is astounding and only experiencing it firsthand will truly do it justice. We have since returned and hope to visit again.

Four exceptional locations to visit are Zhangjiajie (Pandora Mountains), Feng Huang Ancient Town (UNESCO), Guilin for its stunning landscapes and of course the jaw dropping Great Wall of China.

UNESCO sites visited; Summer Palace, Great Wall, Feng Huang, Silk Road, Terracotta Warriors, Dujiangyan System, Mount Emei (Leshan Buddha) and Wulingyuan (Zhangjiajie).

If, like us, you're not a fan of group tours, then the best way to navigate each area in China is to hire a local English-speaking guide. We had great success with Private guides and guided tours in China (private-guides.com) though there are plenty of other sites to be found on the internet.

As an idea on cost, in 2019 we hired a private car and driver for a full day, the driver purchased our Great Wall tickets and took us to a local families shop for lunch and a tour around the countryside for $100 AUD (50 euro).

An all-time favourite!