China is as big as it is diverse, and a vacation to this East Asian nation is guaranteed to be a many-splendored one. Immerse yourself in the buzz of sprawling modern cities, the gentle pace of picturesque rural landscapes, and absorb the rich history of this ancient civilization.
Touristy though they may be, begin your tour with China’s iconic sites: the Forbidden City, Summer Palace, and Tiananmen Square in Beijing; the Bund and Shanghai Museum in Shanghai; the sea of terracotta warriors at the tomb of Qin Shi Huang in Xi’an. If you can, walk a section of one of the great wonders of the world, the Great Wall, which winds some 13,000 miles through mountains.
China’s treasures also include natural wonders and great cultural experiences. Guilin and Yangshuo have ethereal karst mountains and gorgeous countryside. Similarly, the tall sandstone pinnacles of Zhangjiajie National Forest, made famous by the movie Avatar, are extraordinary to witness. Lijiang and Dali in the Yunnan province promise heritage sites and cultural insights into some of China’s ethnic minorities. Take a luxury cruise on the Yangtze River between Chongqing and Yichang, past gorges, pagodas, and the magnificent Three Gorges Dam. In Chengdu, you can meet cuddly, but endangered giant pandas in their natural bamboo forest habitat. Chengdu is also a UNESCO city of gastronomy, birthplace of the ever-popular Szechuan Cuisine.
With at least eight unique regional cuisines, food is undoubtedly at the center of any trip to China. All of it very different from the Chinese food in your home country. Grilled street fare rules in Yunnan, while Jiangsu cuisine is dominated by seafood. For lighter flavors turn to Shandong and Zhejiang cuisine, but if you appreciate bold, spicy food make a beeline for specialties from Hunan and Szechuan. Every city has an unending variety of must-try dishes—Beijing’s famous roasted Peking duck, Shanghai’s hairy crab, various hotpots, steamed buns, century eggs, moon cakes, smoky roasted meats, and a thousand types of noodle dishes and dumplings. Always washed down with the ubiquitous Chinese tea.
There are so many gems in this vast and unique land. From Hangzhou to Pingyao, China’s heritage and culture is staggering. When you need a break, go shopping at omnipresent street markets, boutiques, or upmarket malls. To wind down, end your China trip with a white-sand beach escape in Sanya, in a charming water town like Tongli, or at the hill resort of Moganshan.
Breathtaking as it is, China is not an easy country to navigate. A private, tailor-made tour is the perfect way to discover its range of UNESCO sites, its manmade and natural marvels. With an Enchanting Travels consultant by your side, take heart, every logistical detail will be taken care of, and you’re ensured a journey that is smooth as Chinese silk.
Given that it’s the third-largest country in the world, China’s vast expanse naturally means tremendous diversity in temperatures and weather. From the best time to visit China to month by month highlights, plan your China tour just right with tips from our experts.
Where else can you find a country that has both great lakes and a desert, cutting edge technology and architecture, and towns where life has gone unchanged for centuries? To help you navigate the vast expanse, here is our list of the top things to do in China.
In general, there is very little crime and violence in China. Nevertheless, there are still a few things worth noting down before you jet off on a China vacation. Our destination experts share an overview on the top tips for safe and seamless travel in China.
There is something truly unique about a luxury cruise down Asia’s magnificent and iconic rivers. Discover our top 10 favorites for your cruise of a lifetime!
Most Southeast Asia festivals are an interesting blend of religious beliefs, cultural norms and lifestyles that have often evolved over time, giving you a delightful insight into the lives and cultures of the people of different nations. It’s time to immerse yourself in the local culture on your luxury Asia tour. Festivals in Asia: Thadingyut Festival of Light, Myanmar…
We’ve worked with Enchanting Travels on more than ten trips now………….many have been 3-5 week adventures that require tremendous attention to detail in remote parts of the world. We have never been disappointed–only incredibly delighted! Anita was amazing to work with for Sri Lanka/Southeast Asia. I had a very specific wish list and she made sure I crossed everything off of it! The itinerary was geared to our interests and the pace we prefer. Divya kept a close eye on us throughout to ensure that things went smoothly. Working with Enchanting for so many years has allowed us to build relationships that increase the quality of our experiences as time goes on. Not only do they know the best places to see throughout the world but now the bonus is that they know US! These trips keep getting better. We run out of superlatives in trying to explain just how outstanding our experiences have been since we started working with Enchanting. As long as we can drag our suitcases to an airport, we will continue to plan meaningful, life changing adventures with them. Many thanks to the entire Enchanting Team for all of the efforts in making this trip so memorable!
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Rating 5 out of 5 stars
Carol Susan Larimore
USA
Once again we were delighted to travel with Enchanting Travels. This was our third time and destination and they didn’t disappoint. Our driver/guide was of exceptional standard proudly showing us his country with the combination of the Enchanting team in the background making it a seamless adventure. I would recommend them to one and all.
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Rating 5 out of 5 stars
Pauline Hunter Kleeman
Australia
Enchanting Travels made our trip entirely stress free and easy. This meant we were able to enjoy the beauty of Vietnam and Cambodia. All our guides, drivers, hotel staff, and trip coordinators were so so wonderful and a pleasure to interact with- Can’t speak highly enough about this company.
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Rating 5 out of 5 stars
Edith Isaacs
Australia
Enchanting Travels exquisitely prepared our excursion from top-to-bottom based on our initial discussions regarding our desires for our trip. From cities, sites, tours, hotels, & activities, we were immersed in our favorite style of travel: get involved in activities [culinary class, organic farming, yes – and of course care of the elephants], great knowledgeable guides, local food tasting as one priority, and trying different modes of local transport [from car, boat, bicycle, Cyclo-cross, Tuk-Tuk, Long Boat, gondola, canoe, Vespa scooter, and even a bamboo raft]. The hotels were specifically selected for their local style, and the sites were all well represented and included off-the-beaten path historical and natural treasures. The oversight of our trip via the App as well as 24/7 coordinator involvement made it totally hassle-free.
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Rating 5 out of 5 stars
Marek Mirski
USA
Enchanting Travels and their staff put together a trip of a lifetime. We hadn’t traveled to Asia before and were nervous about what to expect or how to navigate once we were there. We also really didn’t know what we wanted to do other than a few expectations. We went to four countries with multiple hotels, flights and boat excursions. I cannot believe that the 5 week trip went off with out any hitches! Everything was so smooth and effortless. We did not worry about anything the whole time we were there. It was comforting to know that our trip coordinator was there for us if we needed her and she certainly responded quickly if we did have a need or question. The choices for hotels that Enchanting Travels recommended were superb and the guides and driver were knowledgeable and fun. I can not speak more highly of all of their services and plan on using them again for another big trip.
Rating 5/5
Rating 5 out of 5 stars
Candace Morton
USA
Enchanting Travels did an excellent job of planning, coordinating, and executing our trip. This was our first trip with Enchanting Travels and we would definitely recommend them and we will definitely use them again. They have an outstanding staff and listened to our needs and developed a trip within our budget. While I was skeptical about having a coordinator in another country, it worked; when we needed help addressing issues, which were minor, they were on it quickly and efficiently and effectively. This is a first rate operation.
