Travel ideas for China - unique sights, worth Guinness records

Yarlung Zangbo Daxiagu located in Tibet is more than 6,000 meters deep, that makes it an undisputed leader among canyons. The gorge is approximately 500 kilometers long; it has a very unusual shape of a horseshoe. Mountains surrounding the canyon are incredibly high; their snow-capped peaks are lost on the background of the light blue sky. They attract fans of climbing. Only professionals can conquer mountain tops around the canyon. The unique ecosystem is among main distinctive features of the Yarlung Zangbo Daxiagu; depending on the altitude, its climate ranges from subtropical to arctic.
On the southern slope of the canyon there is Namjag Barwa, the main peak of the Eastern Himalayas, soaring to 7,782 meters. At the bottom of the gorge swift Tsangpo River is still flowing. Its minimum width is 80 meters, but from a bird's-eye view it seems a subtle line lost in the mighty mountains. Last major study of the canyon, in which it was recognized as the deepest in the world, took place in 1994. Results of the study have become one of the most significant geographical achievements of the 20th century. ... Complete sights collection

Travelers who will have an opportunity to visit Guilin are recommended to see one of the most mysterious attractions of these places, the Reed Flute Cave. It's situated on the southern slope of Guanminshan. It has been discovered quite a long time ago, in the 8th century. Unique formations of stalactites, stalagmites and limestone forming together an amazing landscape make this site special.
Currently, the cave is decorated with neon lights, thanks to which the underworld seems to be a decoration to a fairy-tale. Age of the cave is more than 180 million years. Scientists have found that these places were occupied by the ocean millions of years ago. Over time, the water receded revealing some amazing caves; the most interesting and unique among them is Reed Flute Cave.
In addition to the unique natural formations, you can see more than 70 rock carvings in the cave, which were probably deposited over 1200 years ago. It's also worth noting that the cave has a rather impressive scale; its length is about 240 meters. During the tour, visitors will have an opportunity to see the most incredible structures with poetic names like Wildwood, Crystal Palace, Dragon Pagoda. For the convenience of visitors the cave is equipped with comfortable walking paths and bridges. It's noteworthy that the world-famous cave was discovered relatively recently; it became available in 1962. ... Complete sights collection

Fans of natural harmony and beauty appreciate Shilin or Stone Forest situated in China. It’s an incredibly picturesque and charming area of more than 350 kilometers covered with amazing rock formations of bizarre shapes. Interspersed with wild vegetation, the stone forest looks fantastic. Numerous scientific studies show that once these places were absorbed by the ocean.
Millions of years ago water has formed incredible stone sculptures: graceful turrets, huge boulders and deep gorges that appeared on the surface after the water was gone. Shilin is divided into several separate areas; there are particularly interesting formations on its territory. Among the latter, Kvifeng cave, Zhiyun cave, Moon Lake and beautiful Da Die Shui waterfalls are of particular interest. All of them are little less than 300 million years old.
In 1931, the territory of stone forest was declared a nature reserve. Hundreds of hiking trails are laid along its lands; the final stage of many of them is the Lotus Top that is the highest point in the national park. Experienced travelers certainly try to visit these places at sunset, as sculptures look even more impressive in sun-down. It’s important to notice that it’s allowed to walk through the reserve only with a guide as stone pillars form a very complicated maze, where it’s very easy to get lost. ... Complete sights collection

The name of the temple located on Mount Heng in China fully describes its main distinguishing feature. This amazing temple was founded more than 1500 years ago. It’s located on the steep slope of the mountain and literally hangs over a gorge at a height of about 75 meters. According to one of the beautiful legends, a Buddhist hermit has begun its construction. Hundreds of years later, his work was continued by other admirers of Buddhism and Taoism, but the scope of primary work seems simply unbelievable. The modern Hanging Heng mountain temple is an impressive architectural complex comprising of more than 40 halls and rooms connected by paved stairs and tunnels in the rock.
Many contemporary architects are confused about features of this architectural complex, as, from their point of view, even the modern builders with a full arsenal of techniques can’t afford a deed of Buddhist monks. The unique temple attracts not only numerous pilgrims, but also curious tourists looking for thrills and extreme entertainment. Climbing old wooden stairs will certainly bring a lot of excitement, as at first glance, the design seems incredibly fragile. However, the mere fact that this graceful wooden structure has experienced many natural disasters during fifteen hundred years and has maintained its perfect appearance is reassuring. ... Complete sights collection

One of the most exciting and world's longest cable cars is situated in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in China. Its length is 7455 meters. The cable car brings travelers to one of the main attractions of the park, Tianmen Mountain. The unique cave called Heaven Gate can be found on the mountain’s top; it’s the highest natural cave on the planet.
The ropeway winding amidst the majestic rocks has a bright informal name, ‘The Road to Heaven,’ and that’s not an empty allegory. In some areas the angle of elevation of the funicular is 70 degrees. The closer to the top, the more you have to overcome the thick veil of clouds. It takes about 40 minutes to go up to the top of the mountain. Experienced travelers recommend taking warm clothes with you as the temperature decreases rapidly when lifting.
During lifting, passengers will have an opportunity to enjoy luxurious panoramic cliffs and lush tropical forests. Fog that is usual for these places doesn’t spoil a panoramic view of neighborhoods, but makes it even more mysterious. The cable car originates in the heart of the city of Zhangjiajie, near the train station, which makes it even more attractive to tourists. ... Complete sights collection

China also has an area that is unique in terms of high temperature. Famous Flame Mountain is a part of Tien Shan; this place is distinguished by a number of unique features. Beautiful mountains of red sandstone cut by deep ravines really resemble flames. They are scorching in the truest sense of the word - in 2008, temperature record of 66.8°C was placed in mountains.
Massif is rather large, its length is about 98 km, while the width is about 9 km. Given this fact, it’s easy to understand why the detailed meteorological study of these places hasn’t been held for many years. Currently this mountainous area is monitored with satellite. In 2008 Flame Mountain became the hottest place on the planet.
The maximum height of the ridge is 832 m above sea level; according to scientists, it was formed about 50 million years ago. The average temperature in the mountains is about 49°C, but this land can heat to 82°C, which completely eliminates formation of any plant life. For locals, beautiful Flame Mountain has become one of the most important national symbols, so it appears in many ancient legends and myths. According to one legend, a ridge has formed from a huge coal that fell from heaven furnaces. Another legend relates the formation of the Flame Mountain to the death of a huge dragon who lived in these places. After his death, dragon's blood had turned into scarlet mountains, and the lost children of the dragon became mountain valleys. ... Complete sights collection

Jin Mao Tower deserves special attention among modern architectural symbols of Shanghai. The building is 421 meters high. Skyscraper construction was completed in 1998; it owes its spectacular appearance to the strict observance of proportions. In Asian culture, the number 8 is a symbol of prosperity and harmony, and this ‘magic’ number was laid in the heart of proportional calculations of the construction.
The skyscraper has 88 floors and is built on a frame that has the shape of an octagonal star. The building is supported by 8 columns, and each of its floors is divided into 16 segments. Date of opening of the skyscraper - August 28, 1998 – was also chosen intentionally. Travelers have particular interest to Jin Mao Tower as its last 38 floors are occupied by the luxury hotel Grand Hyatt that is one of the best in Shanghai. There is a magnificent lookout at an altitude of 340 meters; visitors of the skyscraper also can diversify their leisure with various shops and restaurants.
Speaking about features of Jin Mao Tower, it’s certainly worth to note its high durability. The building was designed with local climate in mind, so it can withstand hurricane winds at 200 m/s, as well as earthquakes and other natural disasters. A panoramic lift that can reach speeds of more than 9 m/s and can raise visitors to the observation deck of a skyscraper in just 45 seconds will provide colorful impressions. ... Complete sights collection

Qiandao Lake situated in Chinese province of Zhejiang is also of great interest from the archaeological point of view. The lake is man-made; it was formed in 1959 during construction of another large-scale power plant. After formation, the lake safely concealed unique historical artifacts from prying eyes. Those were ruins of ancient cities Shi Chen and Cheng Ho. According to scientists, the age of these cities is more than 1,500 years. A lot of amazing buildings could be found there.
Today, the only way to enjoy them is to dive to the bottom of the lake using diving equipment. It’s worth noting that the most ancient cities are not the only objects that have suffered during construction of the reservoir. In addition to the ancient settlements, 27 major cities end up under water, as well as a little less than 1,400 small villages. In total, about 300,000 inhabitants were evacuated from the flooded area. The extent of the flooding was so great that no one paid much attention to historical monuments gone under water.
In 2001, the modern diving center was opened in the reservoir area, where ancient cities have been submerged. Everyone can learn the basics of scuba diving and enjoy the hidden underwater fortifications of ancient cities, beautiful temples and buildings, where people have lived a few decades ago. It is noteworthy that many buildings of Shi Chen and Cheng Ho had been made of wood, and therefore have managed to retain their amazing appearance for many years. ... Complete sights collection

One of the most prominent of China’s "road" attractions is the mountain serpentine Heaven-Linking Avenue, which the locals often call the "Great Race". The road passes through the Tianmen Mountains and is considered the most dangerous one in the country, it has 99 sharp turns. It is important to note that the number of steep turns on the road is not casual - the number "9" in China is a symbol of good luck. The track starts at an altitude of 200 meters above sea level, then climbs gradually to the mountains and in a particular area reaches a height of 1300 meters.
The route is very narrow, even on straight stretches of the path an oncoming car can be very dangerous, not to mention the tight turns. The lack of reliable barriers promotes the rush of adrenaline. Even experienced drivers try to stay as far away from the edge of the road followed by a steep cliff while driving. The construction of the dangerous road began in 1998 and was completed only eight years later. Hundreds of cars whose drivers are in a hurry to get to the southern district of the city of Zhangjiajie pass along the way every day.
They have “to hurry” very slowly because fast driving on such a difficult track inevitably ends with an accident. Travelers who do not take the risk to drive in such a precarious situation are offered no less than fascinating and interesting attraction. They can admire the unique serpentine and the surrounding scenery while walking on the rope-way the terminal of which is located on the top of Mount Tianmen. ... Complete sights collection

Guolyan road tunnel built in the Tai Hang Shang Mountains is the real China’s national attraction. The history of its construction is unusual and very interesting. The tunnel is a part of a complex serpentine rock. 13 ordinary locals worked at its construction. Many of those who participated in the construction of the road died in accidents. The official opening of the new section of the mountain highway was held on May 1, 1977.
The length of the tunnel is about 1200 meters, while the length of the mountain route is much longer. The average width of the road is just 4 meters which makes it extremely difficult and dangerous to overcome. Mountain tunnel is partially opened. To provide illumination on the pathway the huge holes were made in the rocks. Currently, the mountain road with the tunnel is the only way to ensure access to the mountain village of Guolyan. A few decades ago local residents had to travel a long and tedious journey on foot.
These were the villagers who built a mountain road, which in a few years has become a landmark of world importance. Driving on the difficult track, when massive stones crumble from its sides into the abyss becomes a matter of honour for many motorists. Some tourists prefer walking through the man-made mountain tunnel on foot. It is important to note that originally it was a lane. Nowadays some parts of the tunnel allow two oncoming cars to pass each other. ... Complete sights collection