The third-largest country on Earth contains some enormous urban areas and seemingly endless grasslands, with caves, temples and enormous monuments from the days of the Dynasties. China is not simply a country, it could be regarded as a world within its own right. With a population of a billion people and enormous plains, a trip to China is a true adventure. Because of the huge expanse of land, the temperatures can range from very cold to very hot depending on season and location. In the North, in the Beijing region, the winter lasts from December to March. The most pleasant season for visiting could be the spring and autumn, when the temperature normally varies between 20 and 30 Celsius, and there is less chance of rain. Shanghai and the region in the middle of the country have a long summer which is hot and damp, with a short yet cold winter. In the south, around Kanton and Hiong Kong, the warm and rainy season lasts from April to September.

China's mega-cities

Beijing is the capital city of China. It directs the nature of the whole country, and it is decisions made here that affect others thousands of miles away.  The rest of the country must know the time in Beijing and speak the same dialect in addition to local variations. The most famous sights are Tianemnan Square, the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace. Shanghai is a 15-hour train ride from Beijing, and the one of the more European of China's cities. Xian was the centre of world culture in the days of the Dynasties, when China's empire was comparable to the Roman Empire in size and influence. From 1997, Hong Kong has once again become a Chinese territory, the world's busiest harbour and possibly the most important financial centre on the planet. There are many reminders of the colonial period to be found in the buildings and culture of Hong Kong, and many old traditions pre-dating this, such as the Dragon Boat Festival. It has Disneyland and a marine exhibition, called Ocean Park. Find out more about prices of flights to China!

From the Great Wall to Tibet

Hainan is a Chinese island which is a tourist paradise, with fine sands, palm trees and clear blue water. On this island are the luxury hotels, golf courses and parks which make for a relaxing holiday.
Tibet is in the south-west of China and has been Chinese since 1951. The capital, Lhasa, is particularly famous for its Buddhist monasteries. However, Tibet has historically been an area of different religious denominations. The Potala Palace has 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and about 200,000 statues, towering on the Red Hill above Lhasa. Traditionally the home of the Dalai Lama, it is now a museum open to the public.
The Great Wall of China is man's biggest construction project, as seen from space. It marks the border of the old empire and the desire to protect China from outside enemies. It took generations of workers to build the Great Wall.