China is a huge country, and as such it is unlikely - if not impossible - that any one trip will cover everything the nation has to offer. That isn't to say that a visitor can't fit a lot in during one trip, but to truly experience the majority of what China has to offer a person would have to make repeated visits, or simply stay in the country for a long time. The bustling cities of the east are at complete odds with the rural retreats of the west, where instead of English-speaking business types you are far more likely to find tribesman harking back to an age that time has forgotten, living off the land and completely oblivious to the world outside home borders. It's this mix of the familiar with the unknown and alien that keeps China as exciting as it is for tourists, and makes the country one of the top destinations in the world - for those that have the time to take it all in, at least.

Many visitors to China will at least stop off at Beijing, and the city offers a great deal for those dipping in and out as well as those there for longer periods of time. The main attractions the city has to offer are the Forbidden City, the Imperial City, Tiananmen Square and access to the astonishing Great Wall - though a day on the wall probably isn't long enough to walk the whole 5,400km it stretches. If the history isn't what has attracted a person to Beijing, there are still more than enough things to do and see to remain occupied - the city is one of the finest in the country in regards to food and nightlife, and no evening in Beijing is likely to be a dull one. Elsewhere in China visitors flock to cities like Xi'an, the ancient capital and home of the stunning Terracotta Army and the tomb of Qin Shi Huang. The city of Shanghai and it's easily digestible nature is another popular stop off, and those that feel alienated by the rest of China are sure to feel more at home where east meets west, with the largest city in China sitting on the Yangtze river and offering less historical delights, though more in the way of big-city fun.

Visitors to China often end up in the regions of Hong Kong and Macau, and these areas aren't to be missed - each offers their own take on integration into Chinese and western culture and many days and weeks can be lost in these places alone. Chengdu and Kunming are popular provincial capitals in the southwest of China, and visitors wanting to experience some isolation - or those wanting to get away from the crowded, bustling streets - should look to the northwest, where people become less teeming and getting around becomes a lot harder. No journey to China should finish without taking in Tibet - only opened to the public in 1980; the region is one of stunning beauty juxtaposed with the remnants of a less accepting time, with decimated monasteries still littering the territory.

China really does offer a great deal within its huge borders and a visit to the country is sure to live on in memory for a long, long time. Whereas some people are more than happy taking the usual route of nearby, open and regular countries, those that want genuine excitement at exploring a mystical nation turn to China - even with contrived tourist attractions it retains a real magical feel, and the mystery surrounding the country is something that should be experienced by all. The Chinese people - once thought of as arrogant, rude and aloof towards foreigners - are friendly, open and welcoming to those that come to their country, and while the government still hasn't fully recovered - from an international standpoint - from recent transgressions, there are more than enough positives abound to drum up interest in the nation.