1. Wulingyuan Scenic Area (Zhangjiajie)
Known as “Nature’s Maze” and “China’s Most Fantastic Mountain,” Wulingyuan is a national 5A-level scenic area and a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site (since 1992). Located in northwestern Hunan Province, it covers 500 square kilometers, combining Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Suoxi Valley Nature Reserve, Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve, and the newly discovered Yangjiajie Scenic Area.
With a 67% forest coverage rate, it’s home to over 400 wildlife species (including 3 first-class national protected animals like leopards and Cabot’s tragopans) and 850 woody plant species. It also earned the title of “China’s First UNESCO Global Geopark” in 2004, making it a paradise for nature photographers.
2. Summer Palace (Beijing)
A masterpiece of imperial gardens, the Summer Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of China’s “Four Great Classical Gardens.” Originally built in the Qing Dynasty as “Qingyi Garden,” it sits 15 km west of downtown Beijing, covering 290 hectares adjacent to the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan).
Modeled after Hangzhou’s West Lake, it blends Jiangnan (south Yangtze River) garden design with grand imperial architecture, centered around Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill. As the best-preserved imperial garden in China, it’s often called the “Museum of Imperial Gardens”—perfect for capturing historical and scenic beauty in one frame.
3. Huangshan Scenic Area (Anhui)
“Huangshan’s beauty outshines all other mountains”—this ancient saying sums up Huangshan’s reputation as a UNESCO Dual World Heritage Site (culture & nature) and national 5A scenic area. Situated in southern Anhui, it has 72 peaks, with the highest being Lotus Peak (1,864 meters), joined by Bright Summit and Heavenly Capital Peak as the “Three Main Peaks.”
Huangshan is iconic for its “four wonders”: strange pines, grotesque rocks, sea of clouds, and hot springs. The “Guest-Greeting Pine” here is a symbol of Anhui’s hospitality, and the mountain’s ever-changing light (especially at sunrise/sunset) makes it a top choice for landscape photographers.
4. Sanqing Mountain Scenic Area (Jiangxi)
A sacred mountain for Taoism, Sanqing Mountain is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site and Global Geopark. Located in northeastern Jiangxi, it gets its name from its three main peaks—Yujing, Yuxu, and Yuhua—which resemble the “Three Pure Ones” (Taoism’s highest deities) sitting atop the mountain.
Covering 756.6 square kilometers (230 km² core area), its highest peak Yujing stands at 1,819.9 meters. With 10 major scenic zones (e.g., Nanqing Garden, West Coast, Sanqing Palace) and over 1,500 scenic spots, it’s famous for its unique granite landforms and mist-shrouded valleys—ideal for ethereal photos.
5. Badaling Great Wall (Beijing)
“No visit to China is complete without seeing the Great Wall”—and Badaling is its most iconic section. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and national 5A scenic area, it lies in Yanqing District, Beijing, at the north entrance of Jundu Mountain Pass.
As a key outpost of Juyong Pass in ancient times, Badaling’s Ming Dynasty section was once hailed as “the Natural Fortress of Jade Gate.” Today, its well-preserved walls, watchtowers, and panoramic views of rolling mountains make it a must-shoot for capturing the grandeur of China’s ancient defense engineering.
6. Suzhou Classical Gardens (Jiangsu)
Suzhou’s gardens are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the pinnacle of Chinese landscape gardening. Known as “the Garden City,” Suzhou boasts the reputation: “Gardens in Jiangnan are the best in China; Suzhou’s gardens are the best in Jiangnan.”
Key highlights include Humble Administrator’s Garden (the largest), Tiger Hill (with a 1,000-year-old leaning pagoda), and Lingering Garden (famous for its rock formations). These gardens use “borrowed scenery” techniques to create “a world within a 咫尺 (small space),” blending nature, architecture, and poetry—perfect for shooting delicate, tranquil scenes.
7. Huashan Mountain Scenic Area (Shaanxi)
Called “the Most Dangerous Mountain Under Heaven,” Huashan is a national scenic area and one of China’s “Five Great Mountains.” Located 5 km south of Huayin City (120 km from Xi’an), it stands at 2,154.9 meters, with steep cliffs and narrow plank roads (e.g., the “Thousand-Foot Precipice”) that challenge adventurers.
Its core attractions include Huashan itself, Yuquan Courtyard, and Xiyue Temple. Connected to nearby historical sites (e.g., Wei Dynasty Great Wall, Tongguan Pass), it’s a great spot for combining adventure shots with ancient Chinese history.
8. Jiuzhaigou Valley (Sichuan)
“After visiting Jiuzhaigou, no other water scenic spot compares”—this is Jiuzhaigou’s well-deserved fame. A UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site and national 5A scenic area, it’s located in Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan, 400 km from Chengdu.
A 50-km-long valley with nine Tibetan villages, it’s renowned as the “Fairy Tale World” and “King of Water Scenery.” Its crystal-clear lakes (e.g., Five-Color Lake, Long Lake), waterfalls, and autumn foliage (golden larches) create a rainbow of colors—ideal for vibrant, nature-focused photos.
9. The Palace Museum (Beijing)
Also known as the Forbidden City, this former imperial palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the “Five Greatest Palaces in the World.” Established in 1925, it sits in the heart of Beijing, based on the imperial palaces of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
As China’s largest museum of ancient art, it houses over 1.8 million cultural relics (mostly from the Qing imperial collection). Its red walls, yellow glazed roofs, and symmetrical courtyards (e.g., Hall of Supreme Harmony) are iconic symbols of Chinese imperial architecture—perfect for historical and architectural photography. Note: It’s closed most Mondays.
10. Yalong Bay (Sanya, Hainan)
Known as “China’s No.1 Bay” and the “Oriental Hawaii,” Yalong Bay is a national 4A scenic area and a top winter resort. Located in Sanya, Hainan, it offers year-round pleasant weather—warm in winter, cool in summer.
With calm blue waters, white sandy beaches, and rolling green hills, it lives up to the praise: “After Sanya, no other sea impresses; except Yalong, no other bay satisfies.” It’s a hotspot for beach, sunset, and tropical scenery photos.
11. Potala Palace (Lhasa, Tibet)
Perched on Red Hill in Lhasa, Tibet, the Potala Palace is the world’s highest palace (3,700 meters above sea level) and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Combining palace, fortress, and monastery, it’s the largest and best-preserved ancient Tibetan fortress complex.
In front of it lies the world’s highest urban square—the Potala Palace Square. A sacred site for Tibetan Buddhism, it attracts countless pilgrims and photographers yearly. Its white walls, red roofs, and backdrop of snow-capped mountains create a majestic, spiritual atmosphere.
12. Huanglong Scenic Area (Sichuan)
A UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site and “Global 21 Green Globe” certified area, Huanglong is China’s only well-preserved alpine wetland. Located in Songpan County, Sichuan (100 km from Jiuzhaigou), it ranges in altitude from 1,700 to 5,588 meters.
Famous for its “four wonders”—colorful pools (calcium carbonate pools), snow-capped mountains, canyons, and forests—plus streams, ancient temples, and local customs (the “seven highlights”), its multicolored pools (e.g., Five-Color Pool) are a unique photo subject.
13. Guifeng Scenic Area (Jiangxi)
Part of the UNESCO Global Geopark (Longhu-Guifeng) and World Natural Heritage “China Danxia,” Guifeng is a national 5A scenic area. Located 10 km southwest of Yiyang County, Jiangxi, it covers 136 square kilometers.
Named for its countless turtle-shaped rock formations (the whole area looks like a giant turtle from a distance), it’s known as “the Rarest Turtle-Shaped Scenery Under Heaven” and a “Natural Bonsai.” Its 36 peaks and 72 scenic spots offer diverse shooting angles for Danxia landform photos.
14. West Lake (Hangzhou, Zhejiang)
Known as “Paradise on Earth,” West Lake is a world-famous scenic spot in central Hangzhou. Covering 49 square kilometers (6.5 km² lake area), it’s divided into five zones: Lakeside, Central Lake, North Hill, South Hill, and Qiantang.
Surrounded by low hills (under 400 meters) like Wushan and Baoshi Mountain, it’s famous for its poetic scenery—especially the “Ten Scenes of West Lake” (e.g., “Spring Dawn on Su Causeway,” “Moonlit Night on Three Pools”). It’s perfect for capturing serene lake views, bridges, and seasonal beauty (cherry blossoms in spring, lotus in summer).
15. Qinghai Lake Scenic Area (Qinghai)
China’s largest saltwater lake, Qinghai Lake is a national 5A scenic area located in northeastern Qinghai, surrounded by Datong, Riyue, and Qinghai South Mountains. Known as “West Lake” in ancient times, it blends alpine lake, grassland, snow-capped mountains, and desert landscapes.
Its five islands (e.g., Bird Island, Haixin Mountain) are ecological hotspots—Bird Island is famous for migrating birds in spring. The surrounding grasslands, where yaks and sheep graze, embody the classic Chinese pastoral scene: “When the wind blows, grass bends to reveal cattle and sheep.”
16. Fenghuang Scenic Area (Hunan)
Beyond the famous Fenghuang Ancient Town, this scenic area includes Tengliang Mountain and Tianxing Mountain. Tianxing Mountain—35 km north of Fenghuang—was a base for the Miao people’s uprising in the Qing Dynasty. Standing 500 meters tall with a 2,500-meter circumference, it has a narrow zigzag path to the top, offering breathtaking views.
Fenghuang is celebrated for its unspoiled natural beauty and Miao ethnic culture. Its misty mountains and ancient villages are great for shooting rustic, cultural landscapes.
17. Lijiang Ancient Town (Yunnan)
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and China’s historical and cultural city, Lijiang Ancient Town (Dayan Town) sits in central Lijiang Basin, Yunnan, dating back to the late Song and early Yuan dynasties.
Its streets are paved with red breccia stones, winding along rivers and streams. Key spots include Sifang Street (the town center), Mufu Palace, and Wufeng Tower. It’s also famous for Naxi ethnic culture—Naxi ancient music, Dongba rituals, and Torch Festival—offering rich cultural photography opportunities.
18. Mount Tai (Shandong)
A UNESCO Dual World Heritage Site (culture & nature) and China’s “National Mountain,” Mount Tai is a national 5A scenic area in central Shandong. Revered since ancient times as a “gateway to heaven,” it was where emperors held sacrificial ceremonies, with the saying: “When Mount Tai is stable, the whole country is stable.”
It’s a sacred site for Taoism and Buddhism, with numerous temples and inscriptions (e.g., the “Diamond Sutra” stone carvings at Jingshi Valley). Its sunrise views from the summit (Jade Emperor Peak) and ancient stone steps are iconic subjects for combining natural and cultural photography.
19. Putuo Mountain (Zhejiang)
One of China’s “Four Great Buddhist Mountains” (dedicated to Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy), Putuo Mountain is a small island (13 km²) among Zhoushan Archipelago’s 1,390 islands. Known as the “Buddhist Kingdom on the Sea” and “Holy Land of the South China Sea,” it’s a national key scenic area.
Home to numerous temples (all dedicated to Guanyin), it blends Buddhist culture with island scenery—misty seas, sandy beaches, and lush forests. It’s a top choice for spiritual and coastal landscape photos.
