10 Hidden Spots in China!

buddda facing the water

Are you one of these travellers who are curious about exploring hidden places that not every tourist knows about? Awesome! Agness and Cez of eTramping, fellow travel bloggers, will introduce you to their top ten hidden adventures across their favourite travel destination – the Land of Dragons.

10: Dixia Cheng- The Underground City of Beijing

Located a few blocks away from Tiananmen Square in the middle of Beijing, the entrance to this underground world allows you to enter the lives of Chinese in the 1970’s and the fears that they held of the risk of nuclear attack. It is both fascinating and sad to see the work these locals went to in order to provide a place to live that spans 33 square miles and includes restaurants, a skating rink, classrooms, and more.

9: Hanging Temple of Hengshan

Xuankong Si Hanging Temple

About 60 kilometers Southwest of Datong, in the Shanxi province, you will find this death-defying edifice built into the side of a cliff. These 40 rooms connected by twisting passageways were apparently built during the Wei Dynasty, and the site is uniquely dedicated to three religions: Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.

8: Red Seabeach

Reeds by water

This unique landscape nestled into the fascinating area of Tibet is a beautiful marshland that is covered in red plants. Although it seems a bit out of this world, the incredible scenery creates a lovely home for many endangered birds. This delicate ecosystem is a beautiful site to see.

7: Guoliang Tunnel

Located in the Hunan District, just north of Changsha, this incredible tunnel was dug by hand in the 1970’s by thirteen villagers from Guoliang. Apparently they decided that the desperately needed road to their incredibly remote village would not be provided by the government. This terrifying and incredible feat of engineering (which was done without any actual engineers) has given this tiny village a place on the map.

6: Honghe Hani Rice Terraces

Tied rice paddies in China

Covering over a million acres among the slopes of the Ailao Mountains and downward to the river in the Yunnan province, these incredibly beautiful rice terraces were built over 1,200 years ago and are still used today. They are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a beautiful place to visit.

5: Dragon Escalator

About 85 kilometers north of Beijing lies the beautiful Longqing Gorge, but its most outstanding attraction is the incredible beast that provides you transport. As the longest (and possibly most elaborate) outdoor escalator in the world, entering the mouth of this bright yellow dragon transports you in a most creative way to the top of the largest dam in China. At the top of the dam there are other adventures to be had as well, such as boat rides and bungee jumping.

4: The FuShan Tunnels

Looking down on the seaside city of Qingdao, this one-time German settlement creates an incredible Bavarian atmosphere in stark contrast to its surroundings. The tunnels look out over the East China Sea, a labyrinth of ancient passageways dating back to the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Today the tunnels are abandoned and little known, but the culture that the Germans left in FuShan is still visible today, including a cathedral and a brewery.

3: The Central Perk, Beijing

For a great nostalgic time, travel back to the 90’s and enjoy this incredible re-creation of the favorite hangout portrayed in the hit TV show ‘Friends’. Located in the Chaoyang District of Beijing, this fantastic coffee house serves a great cup of joe for a good price and plays reruns of the classic show nonstop!

2: Yungang Grottoes

Buddha statue in China

Built around Datong, this incredible network of 45 caves was lined with over 51,000 sculptures and shrines. This amazing construction was done around 400-500 AD, and features intricate Buddhist sculptures and shrines that line the walls and entranceways of the caves.

1: Underwater Great Wall

You thought you knew the best way to see the Great Wall? Think again! Talk to a diving company in nearby Beijing and head to the Panjiakou Reservoir to see the only part of the Wall that is completely submerged in this man-made body of water. The dive is rather difficult, more than 30 meters deep, but you are rewarded with some incredible views of the Wall and a tower.

These beautiful and little-known sites in China are just waiting for you to come and make your own memories so don’t wait, pack your backpack and head to the Land of Dragons!


Agness and Cez from Etramping

Agness and Cez are the best friends from Poland who have been exploring China, on and off, since 2011. If you want to find out more about their incredible and wondrous adventures in China, check out eTramping, where they are inviting you to teach, live and travel across the Land of Dragons.

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