16 Best Tourist Attractions to Wear Modern Chinese Clothing 

Intro

Many people travel to explore, experience and embrace different cultures. Efforts have been increased to preserve and showcase cultural heritage sites. With this, many individuals are increasingly embracing traditional styles throughout the history, the elegance and their meaningful expression of identity. Selecting the right setting to showcase such attire can enhance both the visual impact and cultural resonance. This article highlights 15 of the most remarkable tourist attractions to wear modern Chinese clothing; offering a unique and enriching travelling experience.

Disclaimer: Ticket prices and opening hours are subject to change at any point. 

15 Best Tourist Attractions 

Wangxian Valley (Wangxiangu 望仙谷)

Reputed as a real-life version of a fantasy world, Wangxian Valley (Wangxiangu 望仙谷) or Fairy Valley offers a profound journey through the harmonious trio of natural landscapes and legendary tales. This tourist attraction invites all who wander its paths to step into a story where every nook is a verse.

Recommended Visiting Time: 1- 2 days.
Open Hours: 08:00 -22:00 (last entry 20:30).
Tickets: Adults: Around CNY 240 (Ticket sales and park entry cease at 20:30).
Address: Guangxin District, Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province.

Three Natural Bridges

Chongqing known for its mixture of modern skyline and traditional architecture, hotpot culture, and misty mountain landscapes, has a deep and complex history that many people overlook. One tourist attraction to take note of is The Three Natural Bridges, also known as Wulong Three Bridges (天生三桥), a series of natural limestone bridges located in Xiannüshan Town, Wulong District, Chongqing Municipality, China. They lie within the Wulong Karst National Geology Park, itself a part of the South China Karst-Wulong Karst UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site has gained cinematic attention as the backdrop for movies like "Curse of the Golden Flower" and "Transformers: Age of Extinction".

Recommended Visiting Time: 3 - 4 hours. 
Open Hours: 08:00 - 17:00 (Mar to Oct) 09:00 - 16:00 (Nov to Feb). 
Tickets: Adults: Around RMB 135 per person . 
Address: Wulong District, Chongqing Municipality.

Hongcun Ancient Village ( Huizhou 徽州宏村) – Yi county, Huangshan City

Hongcun, the ancient village often described as a "village in a painting", is a best example of typical Anhui-style architecture. Together with Xidi, Hongcun was listed as World Heritage Site in 2000. The famous Oscar film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon framed several scenes in this 900 years old village.

Type: World Heritage Site, Historic Site, Ancient Villages.
Recommended Visiting Time: About half a day.
Open Hours: 7:30am - 17:30pm.
Tickets: 104 CNY per person, valid for 3 days.
Address: Northwest Corner, Yi County, Huangshan City 245500, Anhui Province.

Fenghuang (Pheonix) Ancient City 

Situated in Hunan province, Fenghuang Ancient Town is one of the most famous old towns in China going as far back as 300 years. With a rich culture of 28 minority ethnic groups, Fenghuang has traces of the famous historical figures and great writers

Type: World Heritage Site, Historic Site, Ancient Villages.
Recommended Visiting Time: 1-2 days. 
Open Hours: All day long. 
Tickets: RMB 138 per person (Valid for 2 days) for only Fenghuan Ancient Town only. 
Address: Southwest of Tujia-miao Autonomous Prefecture of Xiangxi, Hunan, China. 

The Forbidden City Beijing

The Forbidden City was once the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The name, Forbidden City (紫禁城), reflects its exclusivity as only the emperor, his family, and court officials were allowed to enter. The Forbidden City is a must-visit tourist attraction for any traveller exploring Beijing.

Type: World Heritage Site, Historic Site, Ancient Villages.
Recommended Visiting Time: Full day. 
Open Hours: 08:30 - 17:00 (Apr to Oct) 8:30 - 16:30 (Nov to Mar). Closed every Monday. 
Tickets: Adults: CNY 60 during peak season (Apr to Oct CNY 40 during off peak season (Nov to Mar). 
Address: 4 Jingshan Front St, Dongcheng, Beijing, China. 

Yu Garden

Yu Garden, built in the Ming Dynasty (1368AD - 1644AD), is a pleasant and well contained classical Chinese garden. The adjacent Yuyuan Bazaar is good for a browse for the antiques, arts, crafts, souvenirs, etc.

Type: Gardens, Nature Parks, Bazaar. 
Recommended Visiting Time: About 2 hours.
Open Hours: 08:30-16:30, No entry after 16:00, closed on Monday.
Tickets: CNY 40 (Apr to Jun & Sep to Nov);  CNY 30 (Jul to Aug & Dec to Mar).
Address: No. 168 Fuyou Street, Huangpu District, Shanghai 上海市黄浦区福佑路168号279 Yu Yuan Lao Jie, 四牌楼 Huangpu, Shanghai, China, 200000. 

Old Town of Lijiang

Lijiang Old Town, also known as Dayan Old Town is a well-preserved Naxi ancient town, listed as UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997. It is one of the four best-preserved ancient cities in China. Visiting Lijiang Old Town, you can not only fully enjoy the leisure and romantic atmosphere here but experience Naxi culture in every corner of the town.

Type: World Heritage Site, Ancient Towns.
Recommended Visiting Time: Half day.
Open Hours: All day.
Tickets: CNY 120 per person. 
Address: No.1 Dongdajie Street, Gucheng District, Lijiang City (丽江市古城区纳西族自治县东大街1号). 

Temple of Heaven – Beijing

Temple of Heaven (天坛) is the largest architectural complex for worshipping Heaven in the world. As a masterpiece of Ming and Qing architectural art, today it is a pleasant place for leisure stay of walking or sightseeing, also for exploration of local culture.

Type: World Heritage Site, Sights & Landmarks, Parks, Architectural Buildings.
Recommended Visiting Time: 1-2 hours.
Open Hours: 06:00 - 22:00 (Apr to Oct) / 06:30 -  22:00 (Nov to Mar).
Tickets: CNY 15 (Apr - Oct) / CNY 10 (Nov - Mar). 
Address: No.7 Tiantan Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100050, China. 

Zhouzhuang - Jiangsu province

Located in Suzhou, Zhouzhuang is among the popular tourist attractions in China. With a history of about 1000 years, you can admire the authentic features of water town in regions south of the Yangtze River in China.

Type: Water Town, Ancient Town, Historic Site, Old Building.
Recommended Visiting Time: 1 - 2 days.
Open Hours: All day.
Tickets: CNY 100 for Day Ticket / CNY 80 for Night Ticket (16:00-21:00)
Address: Southwest of Kunshan City, Suzhou, China. 

Shaxi (沙溪古镇) Ancient Town

Shaxi Ancient Town (also Yunnan) is between Dali and Lijiang. In 2001, its Market Square was added to the World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites. The Friday Market of Shaxi is the only surviving market along the Ancient Tea Horse Road.

Type:  Ancient Market Town, Horse Caravan Town, Old Buildings
Recommended Visiting Time: 1-2 days 
Open Hours: 24 hours (some attractions open: 8:00-18:00)
Tickets: Around CNY 50/60 for general admission, other attractions within the town may come at an extra cost.
Address: Jianchuan County, Dali Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China. 

Sichuan Province

Sichuan is a southwestern Chinese province that contains a stretch of Asia’s longest river, the Yangtze. The region boasts of great tourists attractions, such as the home of giant pandas which visitors can observe at Bifengxia Panda Base and other reserves. Chengdu, the provincial capital, is a center for traditional Sichuanese opera, which include fire-breathing and sleight-of-hand mask changes. Hailuogou of Sichuan Province 四川海螺沟 —— Kingdom of Primeval Forests and Glaciers.

Recommended Visiting Time: All year round. 
Open Hours: -
Tickets: -
Address: Sichuan Province. 

Zhongshuge  Bookstore (钟书阁) - Yangzhou

For the book lovers out there, Zhongshuge Bookstore (钟书阁), known for its unique and beautiful designs, is a chain of bookstores in China, with locations in cities like Shenzhen, Chengdu, Chongqing, and Beijing, each incorporating local elements. 

Type: Bookstore
Recommended Visiting Time: 1-2 hours
Open Hours: Varies according to location.
Tickets: No general ticket price. 
Address: Shenzhen, Chengdu, Chongqing, and Beijing

Kunming Stone Forest

As a World Heritage Site, Stone Forest has the most unique karst landform in the world. It’s a geographical miracle and a giant precious art gallery of natural stone landscape.

Type: Geologic Formations, UNESCO World Heritage, Nature & Parks, Sights & Landmarks
Recommended Visiting Time: 5-7 hours.  
Open Hours: 08:00-17:00pm. 
Tickets: Between CNY 130-175 per person.
Address: Shilin Middle Road, Shilin County, Kunming, Yunnan, China 

Yueya Spring or Mingsha Mountain Crescent  – Gansu Province

Yueyaquan is a crescent-shaped lake in an oasis, 6 km south of the city of Dunhuang in Gansu Province, China. Greatly different from other deserts, the Mingsha Mountain has sands which can sing, clean and sweet spring in the desert. Besides, it has been favored by travelers for more than two thousands year.

Type: Mountains, Lakes, Nature & Parks.
Recommended Visiting Time: Half day.
Open Hours: 06:00-24:00 (subject to change).
Tickets: CNY 120 (May to Oct); CNY 60 (Nov to Apr). 
Address: Three miles from Dunhuang, Dunhuang, China. 

Zhangjiajie – Hallelujah Mountains

The Hallelujah Mountain (哈利路亚山), originally known as Qiankun Pillar (乾坤柱) or the South Sky Pillar (南天一柱), is a renowned peak within Zhangjiajie’s Avatar Mountains. This iconic pillar stands out due to its striking vertical formation and dramatic height, reaching over 1,000 meters (3,300 feet). 

Type: World Heritage Site.
Recommended Visiting Time: Half day.
Open Hours: Mar-Nov: 07:00~18:00 / Dec-Feb: 08:00~17:00.
Tickets: CNY 227 per person (Mar to Nov) / CNY 147 (Dec to Feb). 
Address: North of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Wulingyuan, Zhangjiajie, Hunan, China. 

West Lake – Hangzhou

Located in Hangzhou, The West Lake is a freshwater lake situated to the west of Hangzhou's former walled city, the lake has a surface area of 6.39 km², stretching 3.2 km from north to south and 2.8 km from east to west. In the lake are four causeways, three artificial islands, and the Gushan, the only natural island. 

Type: UNESCO World Heritage site. 
Recommended Visiting Time: About 2 hours.
Open Hours: 24 hours, however specific attractions such as Leifeng Pagoda is open from 08:00am-19:00pm.
Tickets: West Lake generally has free admission however specific attractions such as Impression West Lake Show require separate tickets.
Address: Xihu, Hangzhou, Zhejiang. 

Final Thoughts

As you can see, China boasts a multitude of preserved heritage sights, some taking as much as 2 days to tour. Exploring China's rich cultural heritage while dressed in modern Chinese clothing adds a unique and immersive layer to your travel experience. From the historical charm of the Forbidden City to the scenic beauty of West Lake, each of these 15 tourist attractions offers the perfect backdrop to showcase contemporary takes on traditional attire. Whether you're capturing memories in Hanfu, cheongsam, or a fusion of traditional clothing; these destinations allow you to celebrate both the old and the new in stunning style.   

For inspiration on modern Chinese clothing, check out this blog: "5 Perfect Modern Traditional Outfits: From Basic Fashion to Elegance".