Beijing — The Great Wall at Mutianyu
Skip Badaling (overcrowded). Mutianyu is restored, has a cable car, and is stunning in every season. Go early on a weekday. Walk until the crowds thin — the quieter sections are more powerful.
✨ Must-sees in China
The real must-sees in China go beyond the postcard spots. These are the places locals point visitors toward once the obvious sights are out of the way.
In China, must-sees comes down to a few things: beijing — the great wall at mutianyu, beijing — hutong alleyways, and beijing — temple of heaven at dawn.
Beijing — Hutong alleyways
Ancient lane neighborhoods with courtyard houses. Many are gentrified (cafés, boutiques), but deeper hutongs still have old Beijing life — mahjong, bikes, laundry, and tea.
Beijing — Temple of Heaven at dawn
Locals doing tai chi, playing erhu, and practicing opera singing around the temple complex at 6am. The architecture is imperial perfection. This is not a tourist morning — it's a local one.
Shanghai — The Bund at night
Art Deco buildings on one side, Pudong's neon skyline on the other, the Huangpu River between. Walk it after 8pm when everything is lit. Then take the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel (hilariously weird) or ferry across.
Shanghai — Former French Concession
Plane tree-lined streets, art deco villas, craft cocktail bars, and boutique shops. Wukang Road and Yongkang Road are the best stretches. This is Shanghai at its most charming.
Shanghai — A xiaolongbao crawl
Soup dumplings are Shanghai's gift to humanity. Jia Jia Tang Bao for the classic, Din Tai Fung for consistency, or any neighborhood shop with a queue. Bite, sip, dip in vinegar, repeat.
Chengdu — Giant Panda Base
See pandas in semi-natural habitat. Go at opening (7:30am) when pandas are active and eating. By midday they're sleeping. The red pandas are arguably cuter.
Chengdu — Hot pot on Yulin Road
Chengdu's hot pot is oilier, spicier, and more numbing than anywhere else. Yulin neighborhood has dozens of local joints. The málà numbing on your lips is Sichuan's signature sensation.
Chengdu — Jinli Street and tea houses
Jinli is touristy but atmospheric at night — lanterns, snack stalls, shadow puppet shows. For the real Chengdu, find a tea house in People's Park — locals spend entire afternoons there with bottomless tea.