City guide · Henan

Luoyang travel guide: Longmen Grottoes, the White Horse Temple and the peony season

Thirteen dynasties, 100,000 Buddhas carved into a river cliff, China's first Buddhist temple — and a whole city that turns peony-pink every April.

  • Known forGrottoes & ancient capitals
  • Typical spend¥500–1,000 / day
  • Ideal length2–3 days
  • PaceUnhurried, museum-heavy
Plan this trip Luoyang tours

Reviewed by our Beijing team Updated 2026-10-10

The short version

Luoyang needs 2 to 3 days: one for the Longmen Grottoes and its 100,000 statues, one for the White Horse Temple, Guanlin and the old town, and a third for the mountains at Laojun or White Cloud. Come in mid-April for the peony festival, or in autumn for clear skies and smaller crowds. High-speed rail puts Xi'an 1.5 hours away and Zhengzhou 40 minutes, so it slots easily into any central-China route.

  • Longmen Grottoes is a half-day — a ¥120 combined ticket covers the caves, Bai Garden and Xiangshan Temple.
  • The White Horse Temple, ¥50, is China's first Buddhist temple, founded in 68 AD.
  • Mid-April is peony season: the whole city blooms, and hotel prices double — book early.
  • The old town around Lijing Gate is where to eat the Luoyang Water Banquet and graze the night stalls.
  • The Shaolin Temple at Dengfeng is an easy 80 km day trip by coach or car.

City guide

First impressions

Photographs from the coast, and what other travellers wrote afterwards.

The Vairocana Buddha at Longmen's Fengxian Temple.
The Vairocana Buddha at Longmen's Fengxian Temple.
Peonies in full spring bloom across the city.
Peonies in full spring bloom across the city.
The White Horse Temple, China's first Buddhist temple.
The White Horse Temple, China's first Buddhist temple.
The old town around Lijing Gate, alive after dark.
The old town around Lijing Gate, alive after dark.

Years ago I came to Luoyang as a boy, tagging along on my father's business trip. I don't remember much — only that on the way to the Longmen Grottoes he told me the whole story of Tarzan. So thinking of Luoyang has always felt to me like being loved by a father.

Traveller's note, Luoyang: Longmen and the Old Street

Longmen, also called Yique, was built along the Yi River. Emperor Sui Yangdi moved his capital to Luoyang, and because the Yique gate faced the palace's main entrance, it took the name 'Dragon Gate'. You can also take a boat on the Yi River to enjoy the cliffs from the water.

Traveller's note, A Cultural DIY Trip to Luoyang

Luoyang is the city that keeps turning up at the start of Chinese history. Thirteen dynasties made it their capital across some 1,500 years, from the Eastern Zhou to the Tang, and it sits in western Henan on the middle Yellow River, at the heart of the Heluo region that tradition calls the cradle of the nation. When the very first Chinese histories were written, this was the centre of the map.

The reason most people come is underground. The Longmen Grottoes stretch for a kilometre along the Yi River, two limestone hills facing each other, carved over four centuries from the Northern Wei into the Tang. There are around 100,000 figures in some 2,300 caves and niches, and the masterpiece — the giant Vairocana Buddha at Fengxian Temple — is said, in legend, to wear the face of Empress Wu Zetian herself.

And then there is the softer side of Luoyang: the old town of wood-fronted lanes and snack stalls, the temple where Buddhism first landed in China, and the spring ritual of the peony. For a fortnight every April the city decorates itself in its 'king of flowers', and there is nothing else in China quite like it.

Luoyang

Don't leave without

Seven things that are worth rearranging a day for.

  1. Stand below the Vairocana Buddha at Longmen and try to read its expression.
  2. Walk the courtyards of the White Horse Temple, China's first Buddhist temple.
  3. Eat a full Luoyang Water Banquet, all 24 soup-borne dishes.
  4. See the peonies at Wangcheng Park or the National Peony Garden in mid-April.
  5. Wander the old town around Lijing Gate after dark.
  6. Take a day trip to Laojun Mountain for cloud seas over the golden temples.

Highlights

What not to miss in Luoyang

Longmen Grottoes

The UNESCO-listed cliffs along the Yi River, with 2,300 caves and 100,000 Buddhist figures carved from the 5th to the 8th century. The giant Vairocana Buddha is the masterpiece.

White Horse Temple

Founded in 68 AD, China's first official Buddhist temple and the place where Buddhism is said to have taken root. Quiet halls 12 km east of the city.

Guanlin Temple

The tomb and shrine of Guan Yu, the three-kingdoms general turned god of loyalty, said to hold his head. Ancient cypresses and carved eaves at their finest.

The peony festival

From early April to mid-May, peaking around 15 April, Luoyang becomes a city of flowers — the 'king of flowers' shown in thousands of cultivars across its parks.

The old town & Lijing Gate

Wood-fronted shops, snack stalls and the century-old Zhenbutong restaurant around the cross-street market, all behind a rebuilt gate. The city's best evening walk.

Laojun & White Cloud Mountains

The Funiu range south of the city, with cloud-wrapped Taoist golden temples on Laojun Mountain and cool forest air on White Cloud Mountain — a full day out.

Routes

Suggested itineraries

One day: the cultural core

1 day days

Temple, tomb, museum and caves in a single well-ordered loop.

  1. Day 1

    White Horse Temple · Guanlin · Tianzi Jialiu · Longmen

    Start at the White Horse Temple for the oldest Buddhist halls in China, then Guanlin to see Guan Yu's tomb and its cypress-lined courtyards.

    After lunch, the Tianzi Jialiu museum on the Zhou royal chariot pits, then a late-afternoon run at the Longmen Grottoes — the light on the river cliffs is best as it softens toward evening.

    Stops: White Horse TempleGuanlin TempleTianzi Jialiu MuseumLongmen Grottoes

Three days: old town and mountains

3 days days

Add the parks, the old town and a mountain day to the core.

  1. Day 1

    Peonies and the old town

    Spend the morning at Wangcheng Park, where the peony beds open with the season and spring brings costume shows and painting displays.

    In the afternoon take bus 9 to Lijing Gate for the old streets and the antique stalls, then finish at the new-district water-and-music fountain in the evening.

    Stops: Wangcheng ParkLijing GateOld townWater-music fountain

  2. Day 2

    Mangshan and the tombs

    Head out to the Mangshan ridge for the Luoyang Ancient Art Museum and its reconstructed tombs, including a domed imperial tomb with guardian beasts.

    Return to the city in the afternoon, shop at Xinduhui, then walk or boat along the 16 km Luopu Park on the Luo River.

    Stops: MangshanLuoyang Ancient Art MuseumXinduhuiLuopu Park

  3. Day 3

    Longmen, White Horse Temple and the barbecue quarter

    An early start at the Longmen Grottoes with a guide, so the stories behind the niches come alive; buy hand-made ginger sweets on the way out.

    After lunch, the White Horse Temple for a blessing, then on to the Taixi barbecue quarter for a Muslim-cooked evening meal before returning to the city.

    Stops: Longmen GrottoesWhite Horse TempleTaixi barbecue quarter

Sights

The sights worth your time

Longmen Grottoes

Must-see

Longmen Grottoes

Two hills face each other across the Yi River, carved over 400 years into roughly 2,300 caves and niches holding some 100,000 Buddhist figures. The Vairocana Buddha at Fengxian Temple, 17 m tall, is the summit of the art — serene, faintly feminine, said to be modelled on Empress Wu Zetian.

Ticket
¥120 combined (caves, Bai Garden, Xiangshan Temple)
Hours
7:30–18:00
Getting there
Bus 81, 53 or 60

Tip Go with a guide — the inscriptions and the politics behind each cave are the whole story, and the labels do not tell it.

White Horse Temple

Pilgrimage

White Horse Temple

Founded in 68 AD in the Eastern Han, this is the first official Buddhist temple in China, named for the horses that carried the scriptures from the west. The old halls sit beside newer ones donated by Thailand, India and Myanmar, and prayers here are considered especially potent.

Ticket
¥50
Hours
7:30–17:30
Getting there
Bus 56 from Xiguan

Tip Take incense if you want to make an offering — the temple's long bell-ringing welcomes the New Year each 31 December.

Three Kingdoms

Guanlin Temple

The tomb and shrine of Guan Yu, the general deified as the god of loyalty, whose head is said to be buried here. Begun in the Ming Wanli era and enlarged under the Qing, its hundred mu of ancient cypresses, carved eaves and great tomb mound make it the finest old complex in the city.

Ticket
¥40
Hours
8:00–17:00
Address
Guanlin town, Luolong district

Tip Tie a wish on the trees at the front shrine — a local custom for good fortune and safety.

Royal chariots

Tianzi Jialiu Museum

Built over the Eastern Zhou chariot pits, where the excavation proved the old ritual claim that only the Son of Heaven could ride behind six horses. Small, sharp and genuinely surprising, right under a city square.

Ticket
¥30
Hours
8:00–22:00
Address
East Zhou Royal City Square, Xigong district

Tip It is open late, so it makes a good filler between the temples and dinner.

Museums

Luoyang Museum & the ancient-tombs museum

The city museum, free and airy on Naitai Road, holds Yangshao pottery, Shang and Zhou bronzes, Tang sancai and Song porcelain. Out at Mangshan, the Luoyang Ancient Art Museum displays relocated tombs, including a domed imperial one with its guardian beasts.

City museum
Free · 9:00–17:00, closed Mondays
Tombs museum
Free · 9:00–16:00
Getting there
Bus 101/102/103/40/77 (city) · 83 (tombs)

Tip The city museum is the best single primer on Luoyang's 1,500 years of dynasties — go before the grottoes if you can.

Wangcheng Park & the peonies

Spring

Wangcheng Park & the peonies

Luoyang's biggest park, straddling the Jian River, with a peony garden that is the centre of the April festival. Tickets scale with the bloom — ¥40 early, ¥50 at peak, ¥25 as it fades — and in festival weeks the park adds costume shows and painting displays.

Ticket
¥25–50 by bloom stage
Hours
8:00–18:00
Getting there
Buses 101, 102, 103 and more

Tip Come first thing for the freshest flowers and, if you want dew on the petals, a light spray of water does the trick for photos.

Day trip

Laojun Mountain

The main peak of the 800-li Funiu range and a Taoist holy mountain at 2,200 m, renamed for Laozi, who is said to have retired here. Golden temples ride the ridge above seas of cloud, and lifts and walkways carry you up.

Ticket
¥80
Hours
8:00–17:30
Getting there
Coach to Luanchuan, then local transport

Tip Go for sunrise or after rain, when the cloud sea is most likely — and take a jacket, it is much colder than the city.

Food

What to eat in Luoyang

Luoyang Water Banquet

The city's signature feast: 24 dishes served in waves, hot ones all swimming in broth, cleared and replaced like flowing water. Mixed meat and vegetable, sour, hot, sweet and salty in turn.

Mudan Yancai

The 'peony' dish of the Water Banquet — shredded radish and egg arranged to look like a yellow peony floating in soup. The one to order and photograph first.

Bufan soup

A 120-year-old Luoyang original, tangy and peppery with the 'un-flipped' pancake cooked in the broth. Best at a plain old-town shop around Jiuye Yuan.

Pepper soup (hulatang)

Beef broth with peanuts, gluten, tofu skin and noodles, spiced with pepper and finished with vinegar and sesame oil — the local breakfast.

Oil tea (youcha)

Roasted flour stirred into a savoury broth, topped with sesame paste and fried dough — warm, filling and a Luoyang morning habit.

Donkey-meat soup

One of the great Luoyang soup bowls, alongside tofu and meatball soups — cheap, hot and best in winter.

Where to eat

Restaurants and food streets

The classic

Zhenbutong Restaurant

Luoyang's most famous Water Banquet house, serving the full 24-dish spread from cold plates to mains. The peony dish arrives looking like a flower floating in its bowl.

Signature
Mudan Yancai, sliced pork in soup, fried meatballs
Address
369 Zhongzhou East Road, old town
Phone
0379-63952609

Street food

Cross-street snack market (Shizijie)

The old-town market where the city's snacks gather — skewers, grilled gluten and squid, meatballs, fried rice cakes — the easy way to eat across Luoyang in one evening.

Best for
Cheap street snacks
Address
Bajiaolou, Zhongzhou Road at Xinghua Street
Cost
Most bites under ¥10

Local breakfast

Baiwan Mutton Soup

The old town's go-to for a bowl of mutton soup — good, cheap and busy from early morning, and easy to pair with a walk through Lijing Gate.

Signature
Mutton soup
Where
Old town, near Lijing Gate
Cost
About ¥10–20

Evening

Taixi Garden Barbecue City

A Muslim-quarter barbecue quarter where the grills are halal and the tables spill into the street. Reach it by bus, then eat skewer after skewer.

Best for
Halal barbecue
Getting there
Bus 58/56 then 41 to Qiming South Road
Atmosphere
Loud, local, cheap

Modern

Xinduhui & Times Food Plaza

The city's main modern shopping-and-dining complex, near Wangcheng Park, with restaurants, a cinema and the local favourite Baiwan Mutton Soup under one roof.

Where
Zhongzhou Middle Road at Jiefang Road
Getting there
Bus 11 from the station
Best for
Rainy days and variety

Where to stay

Hotels and hostels

Central comfort

Luoyang Quanjude Hotel

A full-service hotel in the CBD on Jiudu Road, close to the shopping centres and within easy reach of Tianzi Jialiu, Longmen, Guanlin and the White Horse Temple. The peony festival's main venues are a short walk away.

Price
From ¥270
Address
69 Jiudu Road, Xigong district
Phone
0379-65221166

Budget

Heping International Youth Hostel

A riverside hostel on Jiudu Road, close to the Luopu Park and the Peony Bridge. Simple, cheap and well placed for both the station and the old town.

Price
From ¥50 a bed
Address
66 Jiudu Road, Xigong district
Phone
0379-64813888

Old town

Yijia International Youth Hostel

The oldest and best-known hostel in Luoyang, opposite the Youth Palace square in the heart of the old town — a ten-minute walk from the cross-street food market and close to every sight.

Price
From ¥50 a bed
Address
Opposite Youth Palace, Zhongzhou East Road
Phone
0379-63512311

Mid-range

Bohemia Hotel

A modern hotel on the central shopping strip, opposite the old museum and near Wangcheng Park, with good transport links to every direction of the city.

Price
From ¥368
Address
Zhongzhou Middle Rd at Fanglin Rd
Phone
0379-60696666

Near the grottoes

Longmen International Youth Hostel

Built on the Sui-Tang ruins, 15 minutes' drive from the Longmen Grottoes and on the city's tourist circuit. Bus 33 runs direct from the high-speed station, buses link everywhere else.

Price
From ¥50 a bed
Address
347 Longmen Avenue, Zhaocun, Luolong district
Phone
0379-65907206

Getting there

How to reach Luoyang and get around

By plane

Luoyang Beijiao Airport (LYA) sits on Mangshan, 10 km north of the centre, with routes to Guangzhou, Chengdu, Dalian and others. For long-haul, use Zhengzhou Xinzheng (CGO), about 1.5 hours by road.

Airport
Luoyang Beijiao (LYA), 10 km north
To town
Taxi about ¥20 · bus 83 or 27
Long-haul
Zhengzhou Xinzheng (CGO)

By high-speed rail

Luoyang Longmen Station is on the main high-speed line — Xi'an in about 1.5 hours, Zhengzhou in 40 minutes, Beijing in roughly 4. The quickest way in and out.

Station
Luoyang Longmen (about 5 km south of town)
From Xi'an
About 1.5 hours
From Beijing
About 4 hours

By train

Luoyang Station downtown is where the Longhai and Jiaozhi trunk lines meet, with slow services across the country. Buses 2, 5, 6, 10, 81 and more reach it.

Station
Luoyang Station, 60 Daonan Road
Phone
0379-62561442
Note
For high-speed, use Luoyang Longmen instead

By coach

Three bus stations fan out to the region: the main terminal east of the station, Jinyuan for nearby sights and counties, and Guanlin for the broader county routes. Daily tourist coaches run to the mountains in summer.

Main terminal
200 m east of the railway station
Jinyuan station
West of the station square
Guanlin station
For smaller sights and counties

Local buses & taxis

Buses cost ¥1 or ¥1.5 and reach every sight — 81 and 53 to Longmen, 56 to the White Horse Temple. Taxis start at ¥5 for 2 km then ¥1.5/km, rising after 10pm; watch the odd-even plate rule on Zhongzhou Road by day.

Bus fare
¥1–1.5
Taxi flag
¥5 (2 km), then ¥1.5/km; ¥6.5 after 10pm
To Longmen
About 30 min · ¥35–40

Shopping

What to take home from Luoyang

Tang sancai (tri-colour pottery)

The glazed yellow-green-and-white pottery the Tang is known for, dug up mostly around Luoyang — hence 'Luoyang sancai'. Buy at Sancaiyi by Lijing Gate or the studios near the old town.

Antique-style bronzes

Cast copies of Western Zhou and Han bronzes — horses, vessels, figures — made by the city's craft workshops and good as desk pieces.

Mengjin pears

A Luoyang specialty grown for a thousand years, sweet and crisp and once sent to the emperor. Best in autumn.

Luoyang cherries

Big, red and juicy, from the Baimang cherry valley north of the city — a late-April to May treat to eat on the spot.

Practical

Tickets, hours and good to know

The peony season is the busiest fortnight of the year — everything from hotels to train tickets is tighter and dearer, so plan and book early.

Longmen Grottoes¥120 combined; 7:30–18:00
White Horse Temple¥50; 7:30–17:30
Guanlin Temple¥40; 8:00–17:00
Tianzi Jialiu Museum¥30; open until 22:00
Peony festivalEarly April – mid-May; book hotels weeks ahead
Tourist helpline12301; complaints 0379-64310882
HospitalLuoyang Central Hospital, 288 Zhongzhou Middle Rd · 0379-63892130
CashCarry some — ATMs are scarce at the sights

Tips

Things that make Luoyang easier

Book early in April

The peony festival lifts hotel prices across the board and fills rooms — reserve weeks ahead, and buy long-distance tickets the moment they go on sale.

Take a guide at Longmen

The caves make little sense without context — a guide turns a walk past stone into the politics, faith and art of four centuries.

Mind the taxi plate rule

On Zhongzhou Road, taxis run on an odd-even plate system by day. Flag one on the correct side, or use the metro and buses.

Go early or late at Longmen

Midday brings the coaches. An early start or a late-afternoon visit gives you softer light and space on the walkways.

Stay central

The old town around Lijing Gate or the CBD on Jiudu Road puts the food, the sights and transport within easy reach.

Carry cash

Small shops and street stalls work easiest with cash, and withdrawing at the sights is not convenient.

Background

The story of the ancient capital

The centre of the map

Luoyang sits in western Henan on the south bank of the Yellow River, named for its position on the north side of the old Luo River. It calls itself the 'first royal capital of China' and the city that was 'built as a capital from the day it was founded' — thirteen dynasties ruled from here, and the words 'Zhongzhou', 'Zhongyuan' and 'China' itself are said to trace back to this region.

In the summer of 770 BC the Zhou moved east to Luoyang, and the city became the stage for 515 years of Eastern Zhou rule. It was capital again under the Eastern Han, the Northern Wei, the Sui and the Tang; by Tang times its population passed a million. Even after the capitals moved away, its place as the birthplace of the Heluo culture — and of the 'He Tu Luo Shu' diagrams at the root of Chinese cosmology — kept it central to the national story.

The religion and the flower

Luoyang is where Chinese Buddhism begins. The White Horse Temple, founded in 68 AD, is the first official Buddhist temple in the country, and it was from here that the faith spread and the great cave complexes were carved. The Longmen Grottoes, begun under the Northern Wei and carried on through the Tang, are the visible proof — 400 years of imperial devotion cut into the limestone.

The city's other enduring symbol is the peony. Luoyang's soil and climate suit it perfectly, and by the Tang the city had become the empire's peony capital — the flower is still called 'the king of flowers'. The modern festival began in 1983 and became a national event in 2011, and every spring it turns the whole city, parks and roadsides alike, into a blaze of colour.

Travel with them

Watch and read before you go

Documentary

Luoyang of Heaven and Earth (天地洛阳)

CCTV

A sweeping survey of the city's place at the centre of Chinese history — the dynasties, the water, the culture and the people that shaped it.

Book

Record of the Buddhist Monasteries of Luoyang (洛阳伽蓝记)

Yang Xuanzhi (Northern Wei)

A Northern Wei classic describing the city's temples that doubles as a portrait of its politics, customs and geography. The best way to imagine Luoyang in its Buddhist heyday.

Music

Luoyang Peony (洛阳牡丹)

Tian Hua

A song by a Luoyang-born singer that has become a local anthem for the city and its flower — the soundtrack for an April visit.

The questions visitors ask us most about Luoyang, answered plainly.

Frequently asked questions

Prices and practical details are reviewed every month by our Beijing team and updated the day a rule changes.

How many days do I need in Luoyang?

Two days for the city: Longmen Grottoes and the Luoyang Museum on day one, the White Horse Temple, Guanlin and the old town on day two. A third day adds Laojun Mountain or the ancient-tombs museum at Mangshan. Add half a day in mid-April for the peonies.

When is the best time to visit Luoyang?

Mid-April for the peony festival, which peaks around 15 April, or September to November for clear, dry weather and fewer crowds. Summer is hot and wet, winter dry and cold, and the peony fortnight is by far the busiest and most expensive time of year.

Is the Longmen Grottoes ticket worth it?

Yes. The combined ticket of about ¥120 also covers Bai Garden and Xiangshan Temple, so plan a half-day. Go early or late for soft light and thinner crowds; the caves face the river, and the evening illumination makes the cliffs glow.

How do I get to Luoyang?

High-speed rail is easiest — Luoyang Longmen Station links Xi'an in about 1.5 hours, Zhengzhou in 40 minutes and Beijing in roughly 4. Regional flights use Luoyang Beijiao (LYA), 10 km north of town; for long-haul, fly into Zhengzhou Xinzheng (CGO) and connect.

What should I eat in Luoyang?

The Luoyang Water Banquet — 24 dishes served in waves, every one swimming in broth. Order the peony dish (Mudan Yancai), sliced pork in soup and fried meatballs. The old town around Lijing Gate and the cross-street market are the best places to try it, and street food is cheap.

Can I visit the Shaolin Temple from Luoyang?

Yes, and it is a popular day trip. The Shaolin Temple at Songshan in Dengfeng is about 80 km away, roughly 90 minutes by coach from Luoyang's long-distance bus station or by car on the expressway. The temple ticket is about ¥100; a private tour can pair it with the grottoes.

Do I need to book hotels ahead for the peony festival?

Yes, definitely. During the peony festival hotel prices across the city spike — even a standard three-star room can top ¥400 — and rooms sell out. Book your hotel, train and any flights several weeks ahead if you are coming in April.

Plan this trip

Prefer it arranged for you?

The same places, with a driver, an English-speaking guide and the tickets already bought.

Luoyang Luoyang Henan · 0 tours Luoyang is the ancient capital of thirteen dynasties in western Henan, and it holds three of the great sights of central China — the Longmen Grottoes
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Mount Heng (Hengshan, Hunan) Mount Heng (Hengshan, Hunan) City guide · 12 tours The South Great Peak: a pilgrimage mountain of 72 summits where the temples run all the way to the top, and the sunrise over the cloud sea is the whole point. Huangshan Huangshan City guide · 12 tours Yellow Mountain: 82 granite peaks of twisted pines and grotesque rock, a sea of cloud that changes by the hour, and hot springs at the foot. Wudang Mountain Wudang Mountain City guide · 12 tours The Taoist first mountain of China — a gilded bronze hall on a 1,612 m summit, temples hung off cliff faces, and the birthplace of tai chi. Yuntai Mountain Yuntai Mountain City guide · 12 tours A UNESCO geopark in Henan where red-stone gorges squeeze a river to a slot, a 314 m waterfall drops in one plunge, and every path leads to another pool. Rizhao Rizhao City guide · 12 tours A low-key Shandong beach town where the sun rises straight out of the Yellow Sea, the sand runs 60 km and a seafood dinner costs less than a coffee in Shanghai. Yantai Yantai City guide · 12 tours A northern Shandong port of fairy-tale cliffs, wine cellars and long golden beaches — where emperors once hunted the elixir of life and China's wine industry still begins. Lianyungang Lianyungang City guide · 12 tours A working Jiangsu port with a myth in the middle of it — the Flower-Fruit Mountain of Journey to the West, a sea causeway to a big island beach, and some of the cheapest seafood on the coast. Sanqing Mountain Sanqing Mountain City guide · 12 tours A vertical forest of granite pillars in Jiangxi — the Python Out of the Mountain, the Goddess of the East Sea, two cable cars and a cliff-hugging walkway at 1,660 metres. Tianjin Tianjin City guide · 12 tours Beijing's port city next door — a river of 24 bridges, 2,000 colonial villas, and the best street breakfast in northern China. Datong Datong City guide · 12 tours A frontier capital of carved Buddhas — the Yungang Grottoes, a temple pinned to a cliff, and the oldest wooden tower in China. Taiyuan Taiyuan City guide · 12 tours Shanxi's provincial capital and noodle heartland — the spring of Jinci, two Ming pagodas, and a museum that explains the whole province. Pingyao Pingyao City guide · 12 tours China's best-preserved ancient walled town — a Ming wall, the first Chinese bank, and two temples of painted clay just outside the gates. Wutai Mountain Wutai Mountain City guide · 12 tours China's foremost Buddhist mountain — fifty-plus temples in one valley, crowned by five flat-topped peaks up to 3,058 m. Hulunbuir Hulunbuir City guide · 12 tours China's finest grassland — a 263,000 km² sweep of steppe, birch forest and border river, best driven with the windows down. The Forbidden City The Forbidden City City guide · 12 tours Beijing's 600-year imperial palace — 8,700 rooms behind a 72-hectare wall, and the largest surviving wooden palace complex on earth. Sanya Sanya City guide · 12 tours China's only true winter-sun coast — four very different bays, a coral island and a 108 m sea Buddha, all at 18° north. Haikou Haikou City guide · 12 tours Hainan's capital is the island's living city — 600-year-old arcade streets, a volcanic village, and a morning-tea-to-midnight food culture. Beihai Beihai City guide · 12 tours 24 km of fine white sand on one side, a volcanic island of coral and lava on the other — plus a 19th-century arcade old street in between. Nanning Nanning City guide · 12 tours Guangxi's green capital is a gateway to Detian Falls, Beihai and Vietnam — and a genuinely excellent food city if you let it slow you down. Guangxi Guangxi City guide · 12 tours One autonomous region, a dozen landscapes — limestone peaks and rice terraces in the north, a Vietnam border and a warm gulf coast in the south. Huizhou Huizhou City guide · 12 tours A free West Lake, a Taoist mountain and 200 km of white-sand coast — the Pearl River Delta's most underrated weekend. Beidaihe Beidaihe City guide · 12 tours Northern China's classic beach escape — one sunrise headland, 10 km of calm swimming water, and a bird flyway overhead twice a year. Shanhaiguan Shanhaiguan City guide · 12 tours The town where the Great Wall stops being a rumour of mountains and walks into the Bohai Sea. Baiyangdian Baiyangdian City guide · 12 tours The biggest freshwater lake on the North China Plain — and almost none of it can be reached except by boat. Qinhuangdao Qinhuangdao City guide · 12 tours 126 km of Bohai coast in one municipality — a working port, two famous resorts, and the only desert dunes that meet this sea. Yesanpo Yesanpo City guide · 12 tours Gorge country where the Taihang and Yan ranges collide — 52.5 km of canyon walls, a cave that spits fish, and a river to fall off. Zhuhai Zhuhai City guide · 12 tours The delta's slow city: a 28 km promenade, 146 islands, oysters fattened where the river meets the sea. Wuyi Mountain Wuyi Mountain City guide · 12 tours Nine bends of clear water, red sandstone cliffs, and the tea that made a mountain's name. Jiuzhaigou Jiuzhaigou City guide · 12 tours 108 mineral-blue lakes in one 55 km valley — the place that ruins water everywhere else for you. Mount Siguniang Mount Siguniang City guide · 12 tours Four snow peaks, three valleys, and the friendliest 5,000 m mountain in China to stand on top of. Hailuogou Hailuogou City guide · 12 tours A glacier that comes down to 2,850 m, hot springs in the forest, and Gongga Shan filling the sky above both. Daocheng Yading Daocheng Yading City guide · 12 tours Three 6,000 m sacred peaks, glacial lakes at 4,600 m and twenty hours of road — the hardest, highest payoff in Sichuan. Shunan Bamboo Sea Shunan Bamboo Sea City guide · 12 tours Seventy thousand mu of bamboo over twenty-eight hills, a red sandstone corridor under a closed green roof, and a banquet made entirely of bamboo. Dujiangyan Dujiangyan City guide · 12 tours Not a monument but a machine: three pieces of engineering with no dam, still doing their job after 2,270 years. Qingcheng Mountain Qingcheng Mountain City guide · 12 tours The mountain where Daoism was organised, and the one Chengdu escapes to when the basin turns into an oven. Qingdao Qingdao City guide · 12 tours Red-tiled roofs, cold beer and a granite mountain that walks straight into the sea — the easiest good time on the Yellow Sea. Mount Tai Mount Tai City guide · 12 tours 1,545 metres, 6,290 stone steps and three thousand years of emperors — the one mountain in China that is also a document. Jinan Jinan City guide · 12 tours A provincial capital with 700 springs under the pavement — people still queue at the spouts to fill their kettles. Weihai Weihai City guide · 12 tours 1,000 km of clean coast, a free bathing beach, the island where the Beiyang Fleet died — and thousands of wild swans every winter. Qufu Qufu City guide · 12 tours One family, two thousand years of steles, and a ¥150 pass that covers the lot — the easiest serious day trip in Shandong. Penglai Penglai City guide · 12 tours China's immortals' coast — a Song-dynasty naval harbour you can walk for free, a mythology nobody ever found, and the ferry to 32 islands. Changdao Changdao City guide · 12 tours 32 islands, one causeway, a ¥150 land pass, tens of thousands of gulls and nowhere you can drive — the place where everything happens by boat. Nanjing Nanjing City guide · 12 tours Capital of six dynasties, capital of the Republic, and the city that eats more duck than anywhere else on earth. Suzhou Suzhou City guide · 12 tours Two thousand five hundred years of canals, sixty surviving gardens, and a city that shuts its gates at half past five. Zhouzhuang Zhouzhuang City guide · 12 tours Nine hundred years, fourteen bridges, one ticket — and a town that only makes sense before eight in the morning. Tongli Tongli City guide · 12 tours Fifteen canals, seven islets, forty-nine bridges — and a town that still gets up at dawn because it lives here. Wuxi Wuxi City guide · 12 tours Taihu on one side, a Grand Buddha on the next hill, and ribs sweet enough to argue about — the most underrated city on the Yangtze delta. Yangzhou Yangzhou City guide · 12 tours A city built by salt merchants who had more money than restraint — gardens, a narrow lake, and the best breakfast in China. Zhenjiang Zhenjiang City guide · 12 tours Three hills, one ferry landing, and an unreasonable share of Chinese literature — the Yangtze city people drive past. Changzhou Changzhou City guide · 12 tours A 2,500-year-old canal city that built a dinosaur park and refuses to apologise for it. Wuzhen Wuzhen City guide · 12 tours A town that is two towns: the older, quieter East Zone and the lit-up West Zone you sleep inside. Xitang Xitang City guide · 12 tours Nine canals, 122 lanes, one long roofed corridor — and a town that still works for a living. Hangzhou Hangzhou City guide · 12 tours A lake in the middle of a city, a tea village in the hills, and two thousand years of getting the mood right. Xixi Wetland Xixi Wetland City guide · 12 tours Ten square kilometres of marsh inside Hangzhou, and the only way into half of it is a boat. Ningbo Ningbo City guide · 12 tours A 7,000-year-old port with Asia's oldest private library, a free waterfront 20 years older than Shanghai's, and the best seafood before the islands. Mount Putuo Mount Putuo City guide · 12 tours A Buddhist island with no cars, three great temples and a ¥10 lunch that is the point of the place. Qiandao Lake Qiandao Lake City guide · 12 tours A thousand islands that did not exist sixty years ago, and the cleanest big-lake water in China. Shaoxing Shaoxing City guide · 12 tours Two and a half thousand years of water-town China, and Lu Xun's house is free. Zhoushan Zhoushan City guide · 12 tours 1,390 islands, one road bridge in, and a harbour that lands more fish than almost anywhere on earth. Hengdian Hengdian City guide · 12 tours A backlot the size of a town, where the palaces are copies and the film crews are real. Yandang Mountain Yandang Mountain City guide · 12 tours A volcano that weathering turned into scenery — 500-odd sights of peak, cave and waterfall across eight scenic areas. Zhejiang Zhejiang City guide · 12 tours One small, mountainous, absurdly rich province that holds a lake, two canal towns, a Buddhist island and a dead volcano. Hong Kong Outlying Islands Hong Kong Outlying Islands City guide · 12 tours Two hundred-odd islands, half an hour of ferry from the financial district, and not a car on three of them. Hong Kong Shopping Hong Kong Shopping City guide · 12 tours A duty-free port where the tag starts lower, two citywide sale seasons knock a third off, and every mall sits on an MTR exit. Macao Macao City guide · 12 tours Four hundred years of Portuguese streets, a fake Venice under a painted sky, and the best egg tart in Asia. Urumqi Urumqi City guide · 12 tours The city furthest from the sea, with a snow range on its doorstep and dinner starting at nine. Hong Kong SAR, China Hong Kong SAR, China City guide · 11 tours A harbour skyline you already know by heart, dim sum trolleys at dawn, and 260 islands an hour from the neon. Taiwan, China Taiwan, China City guide · 11 tours Night-market alleys, high-mountain railways, and a coastline that changes character every hundred kilometres. Qinghai Lake Qinghai Lake City guide · 12 tours A 4,400 sq km inland sea at 3,200 m, ringed by rapeseed gold, prayer flags and the best cycling road in China. Mount Emei Mount Emei City guide · 11 tours A 3,099-metre Buddhist summit you can reach by cable car before lunch — and a mountain full of monkeys that will absolutely rob you. Beijing Beijing City guide · 11 tours Six centuries of imperial red walls, a Great Wall you can climb before lunch, and the best roast duck on earth. Taipei Taipei City guide · 11 tours A 24-hour bookstore, a night market that never stops sizzling, and a city that apologises when you bump into it. North Xinjiang North Xinjiang City guide · 11 tours Alpine lakes the colour of poured enamel, a village of log cabins under birch trees, and the last tear the Atlantic ever sheds. Lanzhou Lanzhou City guide · 11 tours A city split in half by the Yellow River, where beef noodles are a breakfast ritual and the Silk Road still runs through the streets. Mount Hua Mount Hua City guide · 11 tours Five granite peaks, one plank road bolted to a cliff face, and a sunrise that justifies the 2am start. Dunhuang Dunhuang City guide · 11 tours A desert oasis where Buddhist cave art survived a thousand years and a crescent lake refused to dry up. Gannan Gannan City guide · 11 tours 433 kilometres of the Yellow River's first bend, a 3.5 km prayer-wheel circuit, and Tibetan grasslands almost nobody has commercialised yet. Sichuan–Tibet Highway Sichuan–Tibet Highway City guide · 11 tours 2,142 kilometres of cliff-edge switchbacks, four of China's most beautiful mountains, and a road the Tibetans walk on their knees. Kangding Kangding City guide · 11 tours The town that gave Asia its most famous love song, a 7,556m sacred peak on its doorstep, and the last real Tibetan town before the road climbs to Lhasa. Lhasa Lhasa City guide · 12 tours A city of prayer wheels and butter lamps at 3,700 metres, where the sun shines 3,000 hours a year and the world's highest palace watches over it all. Nyingchi Nyingchi City guide · 11 tours Tibet's greenest corner — peach blossom valleys, a 7,782 m peak that hides from almost everyone, and the world's deepest canyon. Namtso Namtso City guide · 11 tours A 1,920-square-kilometre sheet of impossible blue at 4,718 metres, ringed by snow peaks and prayer flags. Chongqing Chongqing City guide · 12 tours A vertical city of fog, cable cars and cliff-side stilt houses, where the火锅 never stops boiling and the night skyline outshines Hong Kong. Qiandongnan Qiandongnan City guide · 11 tours A thousand Miao households stacked up a mountainside, drum towers and wind-rain bridges in Dong villages, and a 600-year-old Ming garrison town on the road to Guiyang. Libo Libo City guide · 11 tours Emerald rivers threading through karst peaks, a 600-metre forest growing out of a riverbed, and China's largest wild plum grove. Guiyang Guiyang City guide · 11 tours China's summer capital at 1,100 metres, where the nights run on sour fish soup, street-side barbecue and mahjong that never quite stops. Zhenyuan Zhenyuan City guide · 11 tours A 2,000-year-old river town where the Wuyang River carves an S through the mountains and every lane hides a story. Huangguoshu Huangguoshu City guide · 11 tours Asia's biggest waterfall, and the only one on earth you can walk behind, above and around — plus 600-year-old Ming dynasty villages a short drive away. Harbin Harbin City guide · 11 tours Minus 30 degrees, a frozen river you can walk across, and a cathedral built by Russians who never went home. Yunnan Yunnan City guide · 11 tours Snow mountains, tropical rainforest, twenty-five minorities and a plate of rice noodles — all in one province. Shanghai Shanghai City guide · 11 tours A 1920s waterfront of colonial banks facing a science-fiction skyline, soup dumplings you eat with a straw, and 20 million people moving like clockwork. Zhangjiajie Zhangjiajie City guide · 11 tours Three thousand sandstone pillars straight out of Avatar, a glass skywalk bolted to a cliff, and a cable car that leaves from downtown. Guangzhou Guangzhou City guide · 11 tours A 2,200-year-old trading port where dim sum is a religion, colonial islands sit beside 600-metre towers, and the food never stops. Guilin Guilin City guide · 11 tours Karst peaks rising straight out of a green river, rice terraces carved into mountainsides, and the best bowl of noodles you'll eat in China. Shenzhen Shenzhen City guide · 11 tours A fishing village that became a megacity in forty years — and it still has 500-year-old banyans, empty beaches and dim sum worth the border crossing. Chengdu Chengdu City guide · 11 tours A 3,000-year-old city where the schedule is tea, mahjong and hotpot — and the pandas are just the opening act. Xinjiang Xinjiang City guide · 11 tours Snow peaks, grassland, desert and oasis — one-sixth of China, and the longest road you will ever ride. Xi'an Xi'an City guide · 14 tours Thirteen dynasties of emperors, a terracotta army buried for 2,200 years, and a walled city you can cycle in 100 minutes. Qinghai Qinghai City guide · 11 tours China's high-altitude blue heart: a salt lake you can walk on, a 3,200-metre sea, and yak butter tea at the roof of the world. Tibet Tibet City guide · 11 tours A plateau the size of Western Europe where the sky starts at your feet, prayer flags carry the wind, and the roads run past 8,000-metre peaks.

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  • Longmen Grottoes is a half-day — a ¥120 combined ticket covers the caves, Bai Garden and Xiangshan Temple.
  • The White Horse Temple, ¥50, is China's first Buddhist temple, founded in 68 AD.
  • Mid-April is peony season: the whole city blooms, and hotel prices double — book early.

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