Things to Do in China

If you’re planning to see a Chinese acrobatics show while in China -- and you should, since the young acrobats here are wildly talented -- Beijing’s Chaoyang Theatre is one of the best places to do so. Young acrobats from across the country perform in the theater, spinning plates, balancing on precarious stacks of chairs, riding motorcycles upside down in a steel cage and performing other seemingly impossible feats of athleticism and strength.

More than 3 million foreign tourists have seen the performance over the course of its two-decade run in the Chaoyang Theatre. Performances last one hour and are typically held twice daily. Since the performances are largely visual, the language barrier isn’t an issue. Plan to take the metro to and from the show, as getting a taxi after a performance can be quite a feat.

As the tallest structure in China and the fourth tallest freestanding structure in the world, the Canton Tower dominates Guangzhou’s modern skyline. The twisted, tapering tower rising just over 2,000 feet (609.6 meters) is home to the world’s highest and largest outdoor observatory at 1,601 feet (488 meters) above the ground. Sixteen transparent cabins carry passengers around the slanting, elliptical rooftop, offering views that extend as far as Hong Kong and Macau.

Thrill seekers can plummet from a height of 1,600 feet (488 meters) down the side of the tower with the Mega Drop. For a milder thrill, take on the Spider Walk, the world’s longest sky stairs with 1,028 steps, some of which have transparent glass flooring with views of the ground far below.

For the tame of heart, the Canton Tower houses a rotating restaurant on the 106th floor as well as a 4D cinema, wine bar and science exhibition center highlighting the engineering technology behind the tower.

Built in 1984 on the site of a former imperial palace, Beijing’s Chaoyang Park is the largest park in the city and a great place to spend a morning or afternoon relaxing or people watching. The 714-acre (289-hectare) space includes 20 designated scenic spots as well as the venue for the 2008 Beijing Olympics beach volleyball competition.

The park is divided into several themed areas. You’ll find a collection of European-style fountains and sculptures in Art Square, aquatic plants and trees in Ecological Valley and wild ducks on Binshui Island on Lotus Lake. The beach volleyball venue was converted into a bathing beach after the Olympics, complete with white sand imported from Hainan.

Besides the usual park activities, you can rent bicycles and a variety of boats for exploring the 168-acre (68-hectare) lake situated within the park. You’ll also find facilities for basketball and a few amusement park rides geared toward kids.

One of Hong Kong’s many charms is the variety of experiences in the immediate vicinity of a major international metropolis. As you’re wandering through the sleepy fishing villages or lazing the day away on the sandy beaches of Cheung Chau Island, it’s easy to forget you’re in Hong Kong. But the island offers much more than just pretty beaches and fresh seafood.

This small island -- even smaller than nearby Lantau -- was once a hideout of eighteenth-century Chinese pirate Cheung Po Tsai, who legend says plied the waters of the South China Sea pillaging the fishing villages he passed. Cheung Po Tsai Cave, one of his supposed safe houses, is open for exploration. Elsewhere on the island you’ll find waterfront walks and inland hikes winding past local temples, quiet beaches and lookouts with panoramic views over the South China Sea.

Each year during late April or early May, islanders celebrate the Cheung Chau Bun Festival, one of the more unusual cultural festivals in Asia. Thousands of competitors climb three 60-foot (18-meter) towers covered in steamed buns, trying to collect as many of the buns as possible in a quest to become King or Queen of the Buns. The higher up a bun is, the more it’s worth.

The Chen Clan Academy, also called the Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family, is to Guangzhou what the Forbidden City is to Beijing. The complex consists of 19 traditional southern Chinese buildings that were erected by the Chen Family in the late 1800s as a place for the members of all 72 Chen clans in the province to stay as they studied for their provincial exams.

In 1905, the traditional examination system was dissolved and the area became an industry college for the clan. In 1957, the complex was designated as a Guangzhou City preserve, and in 1959 the local government began using the Academy to house local folk arts.

Serving as the Guangzhou Museum of Folk Art, the Chen Clan Academy is the largest and best-preserved clan complex in Guangdong Province and houses an exquisite collection of Cantonese folk art. The structures themselves are works of art, with carvings on nearly every column, ceiling beam and wall. The halls and courtyards of the complex display wood, stone and brick carvings, engraving art, pottery and paintings.

Since its opening in 2000, the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel has become one of Shanghai’s most popular attractions among domestic tourists. Contrary to what the name would have you believe, you won’t be seeing any of the Bund’s sights when you ride the automated subway car from the Bund beneath the Huangpu River to Pudong on the other side.

This rather bewildering by nonetheless entertaining trip takes less than five minutes, and along the way, you’ll experience a bizarre LED light show with menacing sound effects and random flailing blowup dolls to complete the trippy experience. If you need to get across the river, taking a cab might be the cheaper option, but the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel is certainly more entertaining, if not perplexing.