For thousands of years China has kept to itself, and foreigners still find it difficult to penetrate the inner depths of this fascinating and enigmatic nation. Since the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing showcased some of its most spectacular attractions however, there has been a major increase in travellers wanting to explore the exotic destination. There is a great deal to discover in this, the world's most populated country, the third largest in the world territorially with more than 1.3 billion citizens.

What makes China attractive as a travel destination for Western tourists is its fascinating culture and valuable antiquities. Ruins and relics from Neolithic settlements and the dynastic reigns of the mighty emperors are there to behold, along with adventures along the legendary ancient trade routes, such as the Silk Road. The Forbidden Palace, Great Wall of China, and Terracotta Army of X'ian are just some of the incredible attractions to be seen in this ancient Eastern empire.

The People's Republic of China has been under communist government since 1949, but is currently undergoing social and economic development. Emphasis is being placed on tourist facilities and infrastructure. Though the country's inconsistent human rights record makes it a somewhat controversial choice, China is opening the doors to its wealth of historical and cultural treasures and visitors are flooding in to be amazed and awed.

Organised tours are still the favoured way to explore China, but independent travel is slowly becoming easier. The major cities, like Beijing and Shanghai, are modern metropolises offering fast food and glitzy stores alongside centuries-old historical buildings and traditional eating houses. Archaeological wonders vie with amazing architecture in the interior, while majestic mountains and remote monasteries crown the northern areas.

Forest of Steles

Address: Shuyuanmen Street Xi'an

Admission: ¥75 March through November, ¥50 December through February Summer 8am-6:45pm, Winter 8am-6pm.

The Bund

Address: Shanghai

Shanghai Museum

Address: 201 Renmin Avenue Shanghai

Admission: Free Daily 9am to 5pm

Telephone: (0)21 6372 5300

Yuyuan Gardens

Address: Shanghai

Hangzhou

Address: Shanghai

Qin Terracotta Army Museum

Address: Xi'an

Admission: ¥110 Daily 8am to 6pm

Telephone: (0)29 8139 9001

Shaanxi Provincial History Museum

Address: Xi'an

Admission: There are 4,000 free tickets available each day upon presentation of a passport 9am to 5pm (November to March); 8:30am to 6pm (April to October); closed Mondays.

Banpo Village Remains

Address: Xi'an

Admission: ¥35 (March to November), ¥25 (December to February) Daily 8am to 5pm.

Huaqing Hot Springs

Address: Xi'an

Admission: ¥70 (March through November), otherwise ¥40. Daily 9am to 5pm

Great Mosque

Address: Huajue Lane Xi'an

Admission: ¥25 March to November, ¥15 December to February. Daily 8am to 7:30pm. Non-Muslims are not allowed entry during times of prayer or into the main prayer hall.

Potala Palace

Address: Moburi (Red) Mountain, Lhasa Tibet

Admission: ¥100 Daily 9:30am-1pm and 3pm-6pm.

Jokhang Temple

Address: Lhasa Tibet

Admission: ¥75 Daily 9am to 6pm.

Tashi Lhunpo Monastery

Address: Shigatse Tibet

Admission: ¥55 Daily 9am to 5pm (closed between 12pm and 2pm).

Mount Everest

Address: Tibet

Palkhor Monastery

Address: Gyangze Tibet

Admission: ¥40 Daily 9am to 4pm

Forbidden City

Address: Beijing

Admission: ¥60 (April to October); ¥40 (November to March) Daily 8:30am to 4:30pm (1 November to 31 March); 8:30am to 5pm (1 April to 31 October).

Tiananmen Square

Address: Beijing

Great Wall of China

Address: Beijing

Summer Palace

Address: Beijing

Admission: ¥20 (November to March), ¥30 (April to October) Daily 7am to 5pm (November to March), 6.30am to 6pm (April to October)

Zhoukoudian Cave

Address: Zhoukoudian, Fangshan Beijing

Admission: ¥30 (adults), concessions available 9am to 5pm

Chime-Long

Address: Panyu Guangzhou

Admission: ¥180 adults, ¥90 seniors and children.

Telephone: Chime-Long Waterpark (020)847 80 333; Chime-Long Paradise (020)399 32 888

Chairman Mao Mausoleum

Address: South end of Tiananmen Square Beijing

Admission: Free

Beihai Park

Address: Wenjin Jie 1 Beijing

Admission: ¥10 April to October, ¥5 November to March Daily 6am to 10pm.

798 Space

Address: 4 Jiuxianqiao Road, Dashanzi Art District, Chaoyang District Beijing

Admission: Free Daily from 10:30am to 7:30pm everyday

Telephone: (0)10 5978 9180

Great Bell Temple

Address: Bei San Huan Xi Lu 31A Beijing

Admission: ¥10; ¥12 to climb the Bell Tower Open Tuesday to Sunday from 8:30am to 4pm

Telephone: (0)10 6255 0819

The Underground City

Address: Xi Damochang Jie 64 Beijing

Admission: ¥20 Open daily from 8:30am to 5pm

Telephone: (0)10 6702 2657

Beijing Aquarium

Address: Gaoliang Qiao Xiejie 18B Beijing

Admission: ¥120 adults, ¥60 children 9am to 5:30pm (October to May); 9am to 6pm (June to September).

Telephone: (0)10 6217 6655

The Beijing National Stadium

Address: Olympic Green, Beijing Beijing

Admission: ¥50 tour and ¥80 skiing on weekdays; ¥140 skiing weekends and public holidays 9am - 6pm weekdays; 9am - 9:30pm weekends and public holidays

Happy Valley Amusement Park (Beijing Huanle Gu)

Address: Xiao Wu Ji Bei Lu, Dong Si Huan (East Fourth Ring Road) Beijing

Admission: ¥160 (adults); ¥80 (children) Open daily from 1 April to 14 November from 9am - 7:30 pm; 15 November to 31 March from 10am - 5pm

Telephone: 010 6738 3333

Milu Park

Address: Nan Haizi Milu Yuan, Daxing Qu Beijing

Admission: Free Open daily from 9am – 4pm

Telephone: 010 8796 2105

Sony ExploraScience

Address: Inside Chaoyang Gongyuan (Chaoyang Park), Chaoyang Qul Beijing

Admission: ¥30 (adults); ¥20 (children) Open Monday to Friday 9:30am-6pm; Saturday and Sunday 9:30am-7:30pm.

Telephone: 010 6501 8800

Beijing World Park

Address: 158 Dabaotai, Huaxiang Township, Fengtai District Beijing

Admission: ¥65 per person Open daily 1 April to 31 October 8am–6pm; 1 November to 31 March 8am–5pm

Fundazzle

Address: Gongti Nan Road Beijing

Admission: Weekdays: ¥35 per child. Weekends: ¥15 per child. Adults free. Open Monday to Friday from 9am-5:30pm, Saturday and Sunday from 9am-7pm.

Telephone: 010 6500 4193

Guangdong Provincial Museum

Address: 215 Wenming Road Guangzhou

Admission: Free. Tuesday to Sunday 9am-5pm.

Telephone: (020) 838 38 432

Temple of the Six Banyan Trees

Address: Guangzhou

Admission: Temple: ¥5, Pagoda ¥10 8:30am to 5pm

South China Botanical Garden

Address: 723 Xingke Road, Tianhe Guangzhou

Admission: 7:30am - 5:30pm

Telephone: (020)372 52 711

Baiyun Mountain

Address: Guangzhou

Admission: Cable cars run 9am-11:45am, and 1:30pm-4:45pm.

Grand Canal

Address: Hangzhou

Reed Flute Cave

Address: Guilin

Admission: ¥90 8am to 5:30pm

Stone Forest

Address: Kunming

Admission: 9am to 6pm

Elephant Trunk Hill

Address: Guilin

Admission: ¥40 8:30am-4:40pm

Jiuxiang Scenic Area

Address: Yiliang County Kunming

Admission: ¥50 8am-6pm

Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Center

Address: Xiongmao Da Dao Chengdu

Admission: ¥58 Daily 8am-6pm.

Telephone: 028 835 10033

1920 Restaurant & Bar

Address: 183 Yuanjiangzhong Lu Guangzhou

Food Type: German

Bei Yuan Jiujia

Address: 202 Xiao Bei Lu Guangzhou

Food Type: Local

Aria

Address: Jianguo Men Wai Dajie, inside the China World Hotel Beijing

Food Type: International

Lily Vegetarian Restaurant

Address: Bei San Huan Jimen Qiao, Jimen Fandian, Xicheng & Haidian Beijing

Food Type: Vegetarian

Otto's Restaurant

Address: Dongdan Dajie 72 Beijing

Food Type: Chinese

Xibei Youmian Cun

Address: Yayun Cun Anyuan 8 Lou Beijing

Food Type: Chinese

Dao Jia Chang

Address: Guangxi Men Beili 20 Beijing

Food Type: Chinese

Café Sambal

Address: Doufu Chi Hutong 43 Beijing

Food Type: Asian

Danny's Bagel

Address: 188 Huangpu Da Dao Xi Guangzhou

Food Type: Italian/American

Quanjude Kaoyadian

Address: 32 Qianmen Xi Dajie, Chongwen District Beijing

Food Type: Chinese

Fangshan

Address: Beihai Gongyuannei , inside Beihai Park's south gate Beijing

Food Type: Chinese

Maison Boulud

Address: Ch'ianmen 23, Qian Men Dong da Jie Beijing

Food Type: French

China Grill

Address: Park Hayatt, 2 Jianguomenwai Street, Chaoyang District Beijing

Food Type: International

Tairyo Japanese Restaurant

Address: 34-38 Huale Lu Guangzhou

Food Type: Japanese

La Seine

Address: 33 Qing Bo Lu, Er Sha Island Guangzhou

Food Type: French

Prime

Address: 122 Liu Hua Road Guangzhou

Food Type: Steakhouse

Tao Tao Ju

Address: 20 Dishipu Lu, Shangxiajiu Guangzhou

Food Type: Chinese

Capital M

Address: 2 Qianmen Street Beijing

Food Type: European

Stiller's Restaurant and Cooking School

Address: 7th floor, Building 13, 505 Zhong Shan Nan Road, The Cool Docks Shanghai

Food Type: European

Lost Heaven

Address: 38 Gaoyou Rd (south of West Fuxing Rd) Shanghai

Food Type: Fusion

Din Tai Fung

Address: Super Brand Mall, Xitiandi Shanghai

Food Type: Chinese

The Camel

Address: 1 Yue Yang Road (near Dong Ping Road) Shanghai

Food Type: Gastropubs