Radiant Holidays

China

Places of China

Eagerly assuming its place among the world's top travel destinations, even more so since Beijing took centre stage at the 2008 Olympics, China is an epic adventure. From the wide open and empty panoramas of Tibet to the push and shove of Shànghai, from the volcanic dishes of Sìchuan to beer by the bag in seaside Qingdao, a journey through this colossus of a country is a mesmerising encounter with the most populous, perhaps most culturally idiosyncratic nation on earth.

The sheer diversity of China's terrain takes you from noisy cities fizzing with energy to isolated mountain-top Ming-Dynasty villages where you can hear a pin drop. Pudong's ambitious skyline is a triumphant statement, but it couldn't be further from the worldly renunciation acted out in Tibet's distant monasteries.

Curator of the world's oldest continuous civilisation, China will have you bumping into history at every turn. But it's not just a museum of imperial relics: the frisson of development that has left China's coastline glittering with some of the world's most up-to-the-minute cities propels the land on with a forward-thinking dynamism.

And it's the people - unavoidable in their immense numbers - who provide the ceaseless drama and entertainment. Loud, garrulous and quick thinking, you'll see the Chinese squeezing onto dangerous-looking buses, walking in pyjamas around Shànghai or inviting each other to sit down to some of the most varied cuisine in the world. Animated by a palpable sense of pride, the Chinese are revelling in their country's ascendency. Everyone is talking about China, so why not find out what all the fuss is about?

Make it happen
Check out our complete range of China guides

Discover and book Radiant reviewed and recommended hotels in China

Get specialist independent travel safety advice for China

Ready to go? These recommended tours make it easy:

take a trip from Beijing to Hong Kong
journey from Beijing to Shanghai
find things to do in Beijing
trek the Great Wall
Travel Alert: The security situation in Xinjiang is under control but the potential for further violence remains; travellers are advised to exercise caution. Check the Thorn Tree for advice from other travellers. For information on the Radiant guidebook/border crossing issue, see the Getting there & away page.