PLACES OF INTEREST - China

Beijing

The capital of China with its millions of inhabitants is home to numerous highlights. Number one is ofcourse the  Forbidden City, the magical house of the Chinese Emperors for centuries. But the Great Wall just outside the city shouldn’t be missed. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2001 | Places of Interest | City

Chengdu

Chengdu is the capital of the province Sichuan in the central part of the country. Of course is the city famous and world known about his conservation and shelter center for the endangered great panda bears. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2009 | Places of Interest | City

Dali

Old city walls, streets with cobblestones and authentic Chinese architecture, temples and beautiful city gates situated next to a holy lake. Dali is one of the biggest tourist attraction in this part of China together with Lijang.  Read more >>>

China | Travel 2002 | Places of Interest | City

Datong

Near the North-Chinese city Datong you will find the still unknown but very spectacular hanging temples. You can also visit the ancient caves of Yungang where you can over 50.000 carved statues and beautiful fresco’s. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2001 | Places of Interest | City

Dunhuang

In the North-west part of China you find the city of Dunhuang, which is an old Silkroad place. You find just outside the city the caves of Mogao which are possibly the most impressive pieces of Buddhist art in the world. But Dunhuang has also sand dunes. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2009 | Places of Interest | City

Gyantse - TIBET

In the South of Tibet is the city of Gyantse. The biggest attraction of the city is the beautiful monastery Pelkhor Chode. It was built in the 9th century as a mountain fortress while it was in the 14th century converted into the monastery you see now. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2004 | Travel Story | City

Hangzhou

The historic Chinese city Hangzhou with its beautiful city lake is also sometimes called the city of Marco Polo because this traveler wrote very positive about the West Lake in the city. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2009 | Places of Interest | City

Hongkong

The old British colony of Hong Kong has been part of China since a few years but is still an autonomous region. One of the biggest tourist attraction in this metropole is the ride with a cable car to the Victoria Peak where you have an unique panorama. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2002 | Places of Interest | City

Hotan

Hotan is also a Chinese town, situated in the far west of the country, that was once on the magical Silk-route. Now is it a chaotic town where more Uigur people live than Han Chinese with a very impressive market. Read More >>>

China | Travel 2009 | Travel Story | City

Huang Shan

Once you should walk the mighty walk to the top of the Holy mountain of Huang Shan in the south-east of China. With reason the filmmakers of Avatar choose this scene for the fantasy film for inspiration. Granite peaks between the fog will be you’re share. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2009 | Travel Story | Sight

Jiayuguan

The end of civilization; well that’s what the Chinese thought when they built the Chinese wall to protect the Empire from invading hordes of the North. In Jiayuguan stands the last (or first) fort of this mighty defensive wall and you can see parts of the wall. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2009 | Travel Story | Sight

Jiuzhaigou National Park

Because of minerals in the water grow the trees further on the water surface. This is the reason why the National Park of Jiuzhaigou in the central part of China is so unique and amazing to see. Waterfalls, snowy mountain peaks and home of the panda-bear. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2009 | Travel Story | National Park

Kashgar

Located on the very western border of China is the old Silk Road and oasis city Kashgar with its old mud houses and ancient market. Walking in the historical city you feel like you’re back in the Middle Age city where nothing has changed in hundreds of years. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2009 | Places of Interest | City

Langmusi

Not many people know that in the heart of China there is another little Tibet; Langmusi has got a Tibetan monastery which you can visit. The area is beautiful with mountains, rivers, lakes and amazing panorama’s. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2009 | Travel Story | City

Leshan

Not very far from the big city of Chengdu you can visit the biggest Buddha statue in the world. The sculpture standing firm next to the river is 70 meters high and you can walk down by some steep stairs to admire the very big toes from Buddha. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2009 | Travel Story | Sight

Lhasa - TIBET

The dream of many people - a visit to Tibet and especially to the capital of this autonomous region, Lhasa. Highlights of you’re visit to Lhasa should be the Jokhang temple and of course the spectacular Potala palace, former home of the Dalai Lama. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2004 | Places of Interest | City

Medro Gongkar trip day 2 - TIBET

With the five of us we rented a jeep including driver in Tibet and drove the second day to the monastery of Medro Gongkar. Before we entered we ate at a kind of Medieval Tavern which could have been a filmset with big chopping boards and wooden furniture. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2004 | Travel Story | Trip

Mount-Everest-Basecamp - TIBET

We rented a jeep in Lhasa to take us back to Kathmandu, Nepal. Because we had one day left on our visa we arranged that on our return we could visit the basecamp of the highest mountain in the world – the Mount Everest. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2004 | Travel Story | Sight

Pingyao

Pinyao is the Chinese dream; a little village in the center of China as you see it in the film and series. This is comes up in you’re mind when you think of China; an impressive city-wall, cobbled streets, temples, old men with Mao hats on their pulling old wooden carts. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2001 | Places of Interest | City

Shanghai

One of the largest metropoles in the world has a surprisingly small attractive European swing called The Bund with European architecture and a 1920’s atmosphere. But you can also enjoy the dazzling sky-line and/or typical Chinese shopping streets. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2009 | Places of Interest | City

Shigatse - TIBET

Shigatse is the second city of Tibet and is the highest city in China. Biggest tourist attraction is the amazing Tashilhunpo temple wat was previously the seat of the Panchen lama, one of the most important authorities in Tibetan Buddhism. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2004 | Places of Interest | City

Turpan

Turpan is situated on the ancient northern part of the famous Silk-route and has got a turbulent history. Closeby you can visit the Jiaohe Ruins which is a natural fortress located atop a steep cliff on a leaf-shaped plateau between two deep river valleys. Read More >>>

China | Travel 2009 | Travel Story | Sight

Turpan – tour

I made a tour around Turpan where we visited the flaming mountains, the famous irrigation-system Karez but for me the highlight was the visit the tiny local idyllic village of Tuyoq where lots of local Uigur pilgrims are coming. Read More >>>

China | Travel 2009 | Travel Story | Tour

Xian

The Terracotta army is one of the world's most important and interesting archaeological finds ever and unique in its kind. Next to the tomb of the first emperor of China Xian is also one of the few Chinese cities with an ancient city wall with several gates. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2001 | Places of Interest | City

Yangshuo

The area in and around in Yangshao is like the calender you see entering a Chinese restaurant. With high chalk cliffs rising from the green ground with rice-fields is this one of the highlights in the south-east of China. Read More >>>

China | Travel 2002 | Places of Interest | Sight

Yangpachen trip day 1 - TIBET

With the five of us we rented a jeep including driver in Tibet and drove the first day to the Nam Tso lake and the beautiful monastery of Yangpachen. We put butter into the candle stands, threw white Tibetan shawls around statues and made a donation. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2004 | Travel Story | Trip

Yangtse river

A river cruise on this impressive river with its majestic ravines like the amazing Wu-gorge and views is an unforgettable adventure. The Yangtze River is the longest river in China, and after the Nile and the Amazon the longest in the world. Read more >>>>

China | Travel 2009 | Travel Story | River

Zoige

Zoige is a village in the mountains in the central part of China where very little tourist come; a very strange mix of people live here like Mongols, Tibetan, Han Chinese but also Ugur-Muslims. This part of China looks more like Central Asia then China. Read more >>>

China | Travel 2009 | Travel Story | City