In the city of <a data-destination-id="85" data-internal-link="destination">Xi’an</a> <a data-destination-id="85" data-internal-link="destination">, in north-western China,</a> visitors will be enthused by the archeological treasures. These inconceivable statues were buried here eons ago. They make Xi'an into an essential destination that you absolutely must see during any trip to the region! ﻿

Xi'an and the must-see terracotta army

China presents such a variety of landscapes that I'd find it difficult to talk about the different aspects of its geography. With over 5,000 kilometers separating its borders, there are a number of different environments for its inhabitants to experience without leaving the country. In the east, there are mainly fertile plains, mountains, and the coast. In the west, rolling plateaux, mountains, deserts and steppes. ﻿

The spectrum of Chinese landscapes: such diversity!

Truly an embodiment of their era, temples show us the customs of the populace over the centuries and enable us to understand how society was organized, what people believed, and how they lived.

Temples or the source of religion in China

It's not easy to be a responsible tourist in China! The environment here suffers like nowhere else; historic buildings are destroyed to make way for pale, concrete imitations; and the Chinese love the kind of guided tours that involve large groups of tourists being dragged from one point to another by a guide yelling into a microphone. Oh dear! Adopt a sensible approach, and make yourselves ambassadors for a different kind of tourism!

Yunnan, for sustainable travel in China

Asia

China is a country of excess: on a continental scale, its geography is the most varied in the world and its people make up a fifth of humanity. Limitless stretches of land where anything is possible, China is also a country of fantasies: during your visit to China, surpass the clichés and make up your own mind on the Middle Kingdom! A custom-made holiday in China can mean discovering the biggest metropolis in the world: Shanghai, Beijing or Hong-Kong… Your holiday will also give you the chance to see magnificent and surprising landscapes: from the Himalayan mountain range to the paddy fields of the South, via the desert of Taklamahan. Your holiday in China will also allow you to meet an outstanding populace: the Chinese have five thousand years of history. But this population is also very varied, with up to 56 different ethnic minorities! Your English guide, carefully selected by your local agency, will act as a bridge between the two cultures. Modern or authentic, unchanging or moving: up to you to decide which China you want to see with Evaneos Travel.

China

Beijing

The small town of Gyantse, 260 km southwest of Lhasa and 90 km southeast of Shigatse, is without question a beautiful place to go and visit when touring Tibet . 

Gyangze

Capital of Yunnan and a major tourist destination and transit point, Kunming serves as the gateway to the wonderful regions to be found in both the province and the whole of southeast China.

Kunming

Dali

Standing in a magnificent natural setting at the heart of the Shaxi Valley, Shibaoshan Mountain, or Stone Treasure Mountain, is one of the must-see places to visit when staying in Yunnan.

Shaxi

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Accessible by car or on foot (for the more daring) from the town of Shaxi lying below, it is the site of a vast collection of temples and grottoes of startling beauty. Considered by some to be the pearl of Yunnan, the impressive cave grottoes are testament not only to the influence and spread of Buddhism in Yunnan Province, but also to life at the king's court during the time of the Nanzhao kingdom. The mountain is also the site of the wonderful, Yuan dynasty Baoxiang Temple, which is built onto the side of the cliff. It is reached via a climb up 1000 stone steps, an experience enhanced by the wonderful spectacle provided by the pavilions built onto the rock and the presence of a number of colorful Buddha statues.

Standing in a magnificent natural setting at the heart of the Shaxi Valley, Shibaoshan Mountain, or Stone Treasure Mountain, is one of the must-see places to visit when staying in Yunnan.

This ancient caravan path was an important staging post on the Tea Horse Road (a Silk Road trade link between Yunnan and Tibet) and has not lost its charm or distinctive, erstwhile ambiance. Each Friday, locals including people from the Bai et Yi minorities, gather together for the huge Shaxi market. You can admire women in traditional dress and tour ancient streets, lined with wooden facades from another era. Around Shaxi you'll find numerous paths that lead from village to village, as well as mountain trails that you can follow by foot, bike or on horseback. Two must-sees are the amazing Buddhist frescoes in the Shibaoshan Mountain caves and the source of the Bailong Tan.

Mid-way between Dali and Lijiang, nestled between the fields and mountains of Yunnan, you'll find the wonderful village of Shaxi. Be prepared to step back in time.

Shaxi Vacations

Shaxi: What to see nearby?

China: our articles for your vacations