China is such a vast nation that visiting it all would take a lifetime. However, with even a short visit, you can get a taste for the majesty of China.

Every corner of China is different. From the wealthier urban areas to the more poor rural areas, from the sea to the farmland to the mountains, each and every location in China is unique. Every corner has a distinctive dialect too, and a different style of living and cooking. What brings all of these groups together? Well, the answer is quite simple. All of these vastly different groups exist under the umbrella of the ancient and wondrous nation of China.

If you are looking to visit a tropical forest, China has that for you on Hainan Island. If you are missing snow, you can visit Harbin in the north. How about a major bustling city? Visit Hong Kong or Beijing. For beautiful mountain views, Guilin is an excellent option. Suzhou is considered to be the Venice of the East and Shanghai is one of the best cities for shopping in the world.

Getting between these destinations is generally possible with either a train or a bus, however the distances are long. Do not expect a trip from Southern to Northern China to only take a few hours! China has installed an excellent fast train system in the past few years which does cut down on travel time.

Of course, there are must see places in China. You cannot miss a trip to the Great Wall of China. Visiting without seeing a panda would be a travesty and the Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve is the best place in the world for giant pandas. How about visiting the enormous cliff-carving of the Buddha at Leshan? The Yungang Grottoes are another fantastic place to view Buddhist sculptures. A visit to the Terracotta Army of the Forbidden City might be nice too.

If mountains are your interest, you can always take a peek at (or climb!) Mount Everest and Mount Tai. Perhaps you could check out Tibet if you have the time.

Despite being such an ancient country with an exceptional amount of contact with the Western world, the Chinese people are fantastically curious in their nature. When travelling though China, do not be surprised if people come up to look at you or ask questions. They are terribly friendly while doing this however, so do not be alarmed or concerned.

China in generally is loud and pushy. Do not be meek though, be sure to push back! Feel free to jump a queue; it is actually a bit thrilling to do something so naughty.

The entire country is exciting and exotic. China is not just a destination. China is an experience unto itself.