Top China Photography Destinations

Yangshuo

1. Xitang Water Town

Xitang is flat and densely filled with rivers, and has a very quiet natural environment. Nine rivers converge in this town, dividing it into eight sections, with many bridges holding this water town together. There are many well-preserved buildings constructed during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and the artistry and workmanship of these buildings has attracted experts in antique architecture both in China and other countries. From a bird's-eye view of the whole town, you would be able to see the canals as green ripples and every family living close to the water. The whole town is like a poem or a picture. In this town, people will feel like they are in an earthly paradise. Read more

2. Xidi and Hongcun Villages

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Xidi and Hongcun Ancient Villages were listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 2000. These two villages are the most representative local-style residences in southern Anhui Province. Xidi Village has a history of over 900 years. The village is famed as being the 'Ming and Qing Dynasty Local Residence Museum'. It has about 124 ancient residences and three ancestral halls. Looking like something right out of a fairy tale, Xidi and Hongcun Villages are almost too picturesque to be real, yet these two ancient Chinese villages are so genuine that it has received protective status as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. Read more on Xidi and Hongcun Villages

3. Tibet

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Tibet Autonomous Region is located in the southwest of China, with a land area of 1.22 million square kilometers and a population of 2.3 million, of which 95% are Tibetan. With an average altitude of over 4,500 meters above the sea level, it is known as “The Roof of the World” and “The Third Pole of the Globe”. The world’s highest mountain range, the Himalayas, straddles the border between Tibet and Nepal, as does Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain at 8,848 meters above sea level. The snow-capped mountains, abundant gemstone-like lakes, countless species of wild life, clear and blue sky excursive hold of imagination of many photographers. Read more on Tibet

Highlights

4. Lijiang

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Lijiang is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Yunnan Province situated on the Jinsha River. Originated from the time of the Yuan Dynasty (CE 1279-1368), Lijiang was later part of the Ancient Tea & Horse Caravan Road. Nahki is the largest ethnic minority in Lijiang. The city of Lijiang will spoil you with its cobblestone streets, its willow-lined canals, its hurly-burly markets and waterside cafés, and its ethnic diversity. Lijiang's harmonious blend of ethnic cultures is in fact one of the chief reasons why UNESCO placed the city on the World Cultural Heritage List. Read on on Lijiang

5. Yangshuo

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Yangshuo, 65 kilometers to the southeast of Guilin, is an internationally acclaimed tourist destination, characterized by crystal clear rivers, limestone crags, lush vegetation, traditional Chinese architecture and customs, which have been immortalized in Chinese classical landscape paintings and poetry. The beautiful natural scenery so admired by painters and poets has made Yangshuo famous throughout China and internationally. Yangshuo County has a good portion of the world’s most impressive Karst landscape. Multi-shaped pinnacles, caves, pristine rivers, and mesas are clustered over the 1,400 square kilometer area. The Karst along the famous Li River is given an extra dimension of beauty by the water. Read more on Yangshuo