Inner Mongolia has the lure of open grassy plains, herds of horses and sheep roaming freely while nomadic herdsmen watch over their flock, and a stretch of blue sky that eventually touches the green plains far off in the horizon.

Hohhot, the capital of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, may not immediately stir images of a rough and ready frontier, but what this cosmopolitan city does offer is a gateway to the majesty of the grasslands which lie just beyond the city. The sights within the city shouldn’t be dismissed either. Once a political and cultural center, the relics of the past are strewn throughout. More than 36 ethnic groups live in Hohhot’s confines, with Mongolians making up about 9% of the population.

Bone fragments of early humans who lived in the area as early as 500,000 years ago have been found; these early ancestors are thought to be contemporaries of Peking Man. The first permanent establishment began about 2,300 years ago during the Warring States Period when the King of Zhao built the city – Yunzhong in the area. The merger of a 16th century Mongolian settlement and a city founded by Ming emperor Wanli has become present day Hohhot. (more…)

TAIPEI, ROOTED IN CHINESE CULTURE

From Towering Plazas to Taoist Temples, Taipei has much to offer to visitors of all stripes – from those seeking ultra-modern gadgets to those seeking a respite from the bustle of modern life.

If you’re looking for the juxtaposition of old and new then you won’t want to miss out on Taipei’s many temples, where ancient ways live on beneath the shadows of skyscrapers. If the pursuit of the latest high-tech gadget is your cup of Oolong tea, then a visit to the Kuanghua Computer Market or indeed any one of the many computer markets that are popping up like mushrooms in the city may well be in order. Whether you’re shopping for the latest fashion or just looking to see and be seen, then a trip to the ultra-fashionable Hsimending will be necessary.

From high-tech shopping areas to low-tech night markets to traditional Chinese art, music and culture, today’s Taipei has a lot to offer visitors of all stripes. And being a modern metropolis surrounded on all sides by natural beauty, getting out of Taipei is as simple as catching a bus or train heading in nearly any direction. (more…)

Macau’s mixture of East and West brings together an eclectic mix of Old World Europe and the Orient in one beautiful package.

Portuguese traders leased Macau from the Guangzhou Mandarins in 1557. Portugal governed Macau for more than 440 years until returning it back to China in 1999. Macau still maintains its Portuguese-style and coupled with the numerous Mediterranean buildings, it feels as European as it does Chinese.

Senado Square, surrounded by bright colored Portuguese buildings and cobbled stone alleys; this is the best place to get a feel for what Macau has to offer. Surrounding Senado Square you will find some of the best shopping in Macau, everything from antique Chinese furniture to the latest in designer fashion. The beautiful St. Dominic Church, which has been standing for the past 400 years, east of Senado Square, holds mass on the weekends in Cantonese. Farther down the cobbled stone street is the Ruins of the Church of St. Paul. Built in the 1602 by Jesuit priests, the church was destroyed by fire in 1835, and only the massive stone façade survived. Today the ruins of St. Paul are the official symbol of Macau and offer great photo ops. Next to the ruins is Monte Fortress, the largest fortress remaining from Macau’s imperial past. Inside the fort is the Macau Museum, an interesting museum with artifacts and a detailed history of Macau from the early days to the present. (more…)

Hong Kong will draw you in, dazzle your senses and have you begging for more. It’s fast, vibrant and cutting edge.

Hong Kong is a metropolis in the truest sense of the word. Of the 7 million people inhabiting this city most are Chinese but many Pakistanis, Indians, Filipinos, Europeans and many other nationalities call Hong Kong their home – and they’ve all managed to add their own flavor to the Hong Kong milieu.

In 1997 the British returned Hong Kong to China under the “One Country, Two Systems” framework in which Hong Kong is guaranteed a high level of autonomy for 50 years. As an Oriental city governed by Occidentals, its history has given it a distinctive mix of East and West. The past and the present are side by side in the incense-filled temples, the towering skyscrapers and the densely populated urban areas while in the outlying islands nature continues her hold over a slower pace of life. (more…)

Yinchuan, the capital of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, is an often-overlooked city that is irrigated by the mighty Yellow River amidst the arid landscape of China’s dry northwest.

The thin Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in China’s stark northwest is surrounded by Gansu in the south and Inner Mongolia to the north. 20% of China’s Hui Muslim minority lives in this Region, giving Ningxia the nickname “the Muslim region.” The Hui minority originated from the Silk Road, which brought Central Asian traders to China during the Tang dynasty and succeeding waves of migration enriched and enlarged this population.

Recently Yinchuan has been divided into three quarters linked by a 25km road, though locals refer to the city as if it’s divided into two. The western section is the new city while the eastern quarter is the old city. The new city is where the train station is located, but the majority of sights and hotels are located in the old city in the east. Though most people use Yinchuan as a transit point for further adventures into Inner Mongolia, the city has enough personality and interesting sights to hold its own. (more…)

Situated on the edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and heavily populated by minority groups, Xining has earned a reputation as one of the more myserious and diverse cities in China.Situated on the edge of an inhospitable wilderness, Xining was a historic military garrison town. Those venturing beyond Xining into the frozen Qinghai-Tibet Plateau or the scorching deserts of Xinjiang were virtually guaranteed to never be seen or heard from again. This harsh remoteness made Xining and the surrounding areas perfectly suitable to serve as China’s Siberia. The result is a diverse, open, slightly adventurous local population of Han Chinese as well as a large minority of Muslims and Tibetans.

First impressions upon arrival in Xining will likely be of the stark valley landscape and colorful people. The 30-minute trip from the airport into town take visitors through a handful of small Muslim villages and one begins to realize that this is a part of China that has remained untouched by the mighty hand of commercial tourism. The village homes are made of mud-bricks and wood, and horse drawn carts carrying people or goods are more prevalent than cars. As you get closer to the city you begin to see more urban development and soon enough, you’ve entered Xining. At first glance it appears to be a fairly typical developing Chinese city but scratch the surface, and you’ll discover a thriving center of cultural diversity not found anywhere else in China. (more…)

Heritage: The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor & Terracotta Warriors

Xi’an is a museum city dotted with the historic relics of past dynasties, from the restored city walls to the majesty of the Terracotta Warriors. Xi’an will delight travelers today, as it did centuries ago as the starting point of the famed Silk Road.

Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province, has over 3,000 years of recorded history, with human habitation present here as early as the Neolithic times, as discovered at the Banpo Village. Xi’an has been the capital of 12 dynasties, though it has been known as various names, most notably as Chang’an. It was also the starting point of the Silk Road, where camels were loaded for their long and perilous journey to Central Asia. Xi’an’s links to Central Asia goes beyond trade as Islam continues to have an influence on the local flavor through the Muslim Hui minority.

As dynasty after dynasty added their own mark to Xi’an, the relics of old palaces, temples and tombs abound throughout the city and surrounding countryside.The tyrannical Qin dynasty emperor Qin Shihuang, with his capital at Xianyang, close to present day Xi’an, left his indelible mark through the famed Terracotta Warriors. (more…)

An ancient Silk Road trading post, the Turpan oasis is surrounded by desert and mountains, ruined cities and Buddhist caves.

It’s often said that when hanging clothes out during the summer in Turpan, it’ll have dried before you’re finished. Enjoying numerous consecutive days over 40°C, the dry heat of Turpan’s summer days infuses the city with a languid torpor relegating daytime activities to consist mainly of drinking tea and sleeping.

Such is oasis life. Mountains to the north and west, and arid desert to the south, Turpan lies in the Turpan Depression, 154m below sea level at its lowest point, and is surrounded by the Gobi Desert. It was an important center of commerce and culture on the Silk Road and served as a key staging post on the north silk route. The momentous wash of religious influences over the past 2,000 years; Shamanist, Buddhist and Islam have given the people a sense of tolerance and hospitality that contrasts vibrantly with its harsh desert surroundings. With a population of about 70% Uyghur and the remaining 30% comprised of other ethnicities, Turpan maintains the Silk Road’s romantic identity as a cultural crossroads. (more…)

Stepping into Kashgar is like being transported into one of the thousand and one nights of The Arabian Tales.

This far-flung city in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is a must-see for its beautiful scenery and intoxicating culture. Miraculously, modern China peels away to reveal the arresting sights, sounds, fragrance and atmosphere of a 2,000-year-old Middle Eastern town. Open air markets hum with squawking livestock and the buzz of locals. Every so often, old mosques peep out from a labyrinth of well-worn, humble homes and rouse the neighborhood with calls to prayer.

Perched on the western rim of the world’s largest inland basin, the Tarim Basin, and nestled beside the desolate Taklamakan Desert, which ominously means: “those going in never return”, Kashgar is an oasis carved of sand and stone. (more…)

As the minibus ascends the winding road to Hua Shan, the jagged scenery unfolds like a captivating piece of Chinese calligraphic art.

Overhanging rock and distant precipices wink from above, and clumps of vegetation peek out from mysterious crevices. Hua Shan’s awe-inspiring peaks will take your breath away. Located some 120km from the ancient capital Xi’an in Shaanxi Province, Hua Shan is the result of dramatic tectonic movements millions of years ago, and is one of China’s most perilous mountains. Although covering an area of just 150km – Hua Shan is inundated with over 70 peaks and ridges.

The most outstanding peaks are the North, South, East, West and Central ones – they stand like petals of a lotus flower reaching for the heavens. These five imperious peaks gaze over the Wei and Yellow Rivers in the north and embrace the Qinling Mountains in the south. (more…)