10 Awe-Inspiring Natural Wonders You Can Only See In China

The first thing most tourists think of when they think about China is its Great Wall. However, that is just the tip of the iceberg. There are tons of other wonders around the country that will take your breath away.

For this list, we’re going to name 10 natural wonders. Nothing man-made like the Great Wall, just nature doing its thing. It’s definitely worth a trip across the planet just to see one (or a couple) of these beauties!

10TIGER LEAPING GORGE

Tiger Leaping Gorge is known as one of the deepest river canyons in the world. There are also people who live around the gorge known as the Naxi who have various villages with amazing views.

Hiking the length of the gorge is possible, although it’s not recommended unless you are a bit experienced due to the paths getting narrow. Definitely don’t go during rainy season, either. Your best season for visiting this beautiful place would be spring and autumn.

9MOUNT EVEREST

Obviously, Mount Everest would make it on here. It is the highest mountain in the world and it’s on the border between China and Nepal.

It’s dangerous to hike all the way up due to altitude sickness that you could experience, plus weather-related issues such as wind, not to mention the possibility of avalanches. Many people have died here, so it’s not something to take lightly. So you could be a thrill-seeker, someone seeking a challenge, or you just want to take a peek and tell others that you saw the tallest mountain in the world.

8ZHANGJIAJIE’S “FLOATING” PEAKS

These unique peaks are in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. These natural wonders actually inspired the Hallelujah Mountains from the film Avatar. Due to the height of the peaks, clouds and fog can make the formations appear as though they’re floating. It was also the first national park to be recognized by China.

Getting to this location is more difficult than most, as it is very isolated and will likely take a full day of travel to get there. However, it’s definitely breathtaking and worth the effort.

7LI RIVER KARST SCENERY

Li River is famous because of its uniquely shaped hills. The most thing for tourists to do here is taking a river cruise. To add to the beauty of the hills is their reflection in the water. The best time to visit the river is between April and October.

Besides the amazing hills, there are hidden caves along the river that you can visit such as the Seven-Star Cave and Reed Flute Cave.

6JIUZHAIGOU

This National Park is famous for its many dream-like scenes. There are waterfalls, blue lakes, forests, and snow-covered mountains. Their lakes include Panda Lake, Tiger Lake, and Five-Flower Lake and they look as though the sky has fallen due to their amazing blue hues. Besides the color of the water, the forests sport different colors of gold, green, and orange depending on when you are visiting.

If you want to explore a natural fairyland, this is where to go.

5STONE FOREST

These limestone formations are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and it is believed that they are over 270 million years old. These stone formations cover a lot of ground as well, about 186 miles!

Stone Forest is basically a mystical, natural labyrinth. You can find waterfalls, caves, and there is even an underground river. A famous attraction is the Ashima Stone, which folklore says was made by a girl who couldn’t be with the man she loved.

4LONGSHENG RICE TERRACES

We admit, these fields are man-made. These fields are built into natural hills and mountains though, which is what makes them beautiful. Along with these fields are ancient villages. The best time to visit is in May or October when the terraces are watery or rice-filled for the best views.

Visiting the location is also a great way to learn about minority cultures in China such as the Dong, Miao, Yao, and Jinkeng. Also during your visit you can try some local foods like rice wine, bamboo tube chicken, and bamboo tube rice. These terraces were built as far back as 1271.

3TAKLAMAKAN DESERT

China is so big that it has not just snowy mountains, lush forests, and interesting limestone formations. You can visit the desert. It has actually been used for Chinese films like Painted Skin and Painted Skin: The Resurrection and series like Candle in the Tomb. The desert also showed up in Gundam 00, Queen Seondeok, and Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman.

There are both hotels and camping locations you can use during a trip to this desert. It is one of the worlds largest as well, so there is plenty to explore. It is definitely a place worth experiencing, as it feels a lot like you are on another planet.

2THE QIANTANG TIDAL BORE

That is not a tidal wave or from a hurricane, that is just the Bore Tides of the Qiantang River. It is a popular tourist destination because it is renowned for its surging tide. Tons of people gather to the location on the 18th day of the eight lunar months to see the water surge at its highest. This can range from nine to 30 feet tall.

It’s a thrill, as the water sounds like thunder or thousands of running horses. Obviously, this can get dangerous if you are not careful so be sure to stand a safe distance away.

1HUKOU WATERFALLS

This is the worlds largest yellow waterfall. That’s right, it’s yellow. Some say it is actually the only yellow waterfall in the world. It is also the second biggest waterfall in all of China and part of the Yellow River, which is also the country’s second-largest river.

According to various tourism sites, the best time to visit the falls are either April to May or September to November. The view of the falls does change according to season. In the winter, silver icicles can be seen hanging from the cliffs.