-
Former Legislative Council Building
The colonnaded and domed building (c 1912) was built of granite quarried on Stonecutters Island, and served as the seat of the Legislative Council from 1985 to 2012. During WWII it was a headquarters of the Gendarmerie, the Japanese version of the Gestapo, and many people were exec
-
Dàjìng Pavilion
Dating from 1815, this pavilion contains the only preserved section of the 5km-long city walls. Also within the pavilion is a small Guandi temple, which found a new calling as a factory during the Cultural Revolution. In the middle sits the fiery-faced Guandi, with an equally fierc
-
Kading Valley Scenic Area
About 27km before Bayi, at the 4257km mark, is this forested park containing a 200m-high waterfall. Its a beautiful fresh area for an hour break. Note that while the Chinese have built pathways around the forest, lined them with bamboo, and created fresh legends out of the many roc
-
Bìlián Peak
Located in the southeastern corner of town, this is Yángshuòs main peak; its also the most accessible (it can be climbed in half an hour). Because it has a flat northern face that is supposed to resemble an ancient bronze mirror, it is also called Bronze Mirror Peak (Tóngjìng Fēng)
-
Línjì Temple
This active monastery is notable for its tall, elegant, carved brick Chénglíng Pagoda (澄灵塔; also called the Green Pagoda), topped with an elaborate lotus plinth plus ball and spire. In the Tang dynasty, the temple was home to one of Chan (Zen) Buddhism’s most eccentric and importan
-
Serkhang Chörten
A few steps east of the Thöling Monastery compound in Zanda is the recently restored Serkhang chörten. A similar chörten stands in total isolation just to the west of the town. To the north, between the monastic compound and the cliff-face that falls away to the Sutlej River below
-
Shi Family Residence
In Yángliǔqīng suburb, 20km west of central Tiānjīn, is the marvellous Shi family residence , a vast warren of courtyards and enclosed gardens. Formerly belonging to a prosperous merchant family, the restored residence (originally built in 1875) contains a theatre and 278 rooms, so
-
Ruìshí Lóu
One of the most marvellous of the towers is located behind Jǐnjiānglǐ Village (锦江里), 20km south of Kāipíng. Built in 1923, the privately owned tower has nine storeys with a Byzantine-style roof and Roman dome supported by elaborately decorated walls and pillars.In nearby Nánxìng Vi
-
Jonang Kumbum
About 6km south of Phuntsoling are the ruins of the once-spectacular Jonang Kumbum. The former 20m-high chörten was built by Dolpopa in the 14th century and was the spiritual centre of the Jonangpas. It was said to be one of the best-preserved monuments in Tibet, resembling the Gya
-
Lǎohǔtān Ocean Park
A very pleasant boardwalk (its really a wooden walkway built alongside the main coastal road) joins Fùjiāzhuāng and Xīnghǎi Sq. From the beach you can continue on this same walkway another 8km to Lǎohǔtān Ocean Park a family-friendly theme park with a Polar Aquarium. At Lǎohǔtān yo
-
Gendun Choephel Memorial Hall
On the south side of the Barkhor Circuit, this dull museum focuses on a fascinating character. Choephel (1903-1951) was a monk, poet, translator, scientist, travel writer, painter, linguist, medic, sexologist, scholar of Sanskrit and all-round nonconformist. The museum suffers from
-
Old Ladies’ House
The Old Ladies’ House was a shelter for Portuguese refugees from Shànghǎi in WWII and later, a home for elderly women. It’s now run by an art organisation, Albergue SCM, which organises cultural events here. The two yellow colonial-style buildings sit in a poetic courtyard with mag
-
Shànghǎi Urban Planning Exhibition Hall
Some cities romanticise their past; others promise good times in the present. Only in China are you expected to visit places that haven’t even been built yet. The highlight here is the 3rd floor, where you’ll find an incredible model layout of the megalopolis-to-be, plus a dizzying
-
Tashi Doka Monastery
Tashi Dhoka is famed as a meditation retreat of Tsongkhapa. You can visit the meditation caves of Tsongkhapa and his student Genden Drup (who later became the first Dalai Lama) before checking out the largest Drölma statue in Tibet. The monastery of 60 monks has a reputation for sc
-
Russian Doll Park
This bizarre park is filled with giant Russian matryoshka dolls, many with portraits of famous historical figures, from Albert Einstein to Michael Jordan. The largest doll is a Russian-style restaurant. Next to the park is a museum of Russian art (admission ¥20). Bus 6 (¥1.50) runs
-
Níngxià Museum
Located halfway between the new and old cities, this cavernous, well-mounted museum contains an extensive collection of rock art, Silk Road–era pottery and ancient Korans as well as the requisite hall of communist propaganda and Mao fun facts. It’s a good starting point if you want
-
Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Overlooking the most beautiful part of the harbour, the aesthetically challenged and windowless Cultural Centre is a world-class venue containing a 2085-seat concert hall, a Grand Theatre that seats 1750, a studio theatre for up to 535, and rehearsal studios. On the building’s sout
-
Tirthapuri Hot Springs
On the banks of the Sutlej, only a few hours’ drive northwest of Darchen, the hot springs at Tirthapuri is the place where pilgrims traditionally bathe after completing their circuit of Mt Kailash. The one-hour kora route around the site is interesting, though most people can safel
-
Pok Fu Lam Village
On a sloping hillside, Pok Fu Lam Village, a settlement full of shacks and makeshift huts, is quite a contrast to the condos behind. You can catch a glimpse of the Hong Kong of yesteryear when refugees from China built their temporary-turned-permanent homes here. There’s a 200-year
-
Former Residence of Mao Zedong
The Great Helmsman Mao Zedong lived here in the latter half of 1924 with his second wife, Yang Kaihui, and their two children at the time, Anying and Anqing. The residence has old photos and newspaper clippings on display, but for many foreigners the real highlight is the building
Total
2381 -travel
FirstPage PreviousPage NextPage LastPage CurrentPage:
72/120 20-travel/Page GoTo Page:
