20 Scenic Towns and Villages You Should Visit In China : Ultimate Bucket List (2025)
Introduction
Many people come to China for its megacities. In fact, China has a ton of ancient towns and villages in the rural countryside. Some of them are over 2,000 years old!
If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of city manic, then visiting a few of China’s villages is an absolute must! It really gives you a different perspective of China’s cultural heritage and countryside development.
You may find it difficult to work out which ones are worth visiting. For that reason, I have picked 20 of the most scenic and well-preserved towns and villages across China that are highly rated by locals. For first-time travellers to China, I recommend the ones that have a star to them.
I recommend choosing a mixture of different towns with unique features. For example, do not just pick water towns because they may start to look very similar if done one after the other.
Many of these destinations are in East and South China. That does not mean there aren’t more villages worth visiting in North and West China - but they tend to be harder to travel to. I will update this list when I discover more.
I aim to give you a balanced picture of China’s cultural and ethnic diversity. China probably has thousands of unique villages. It would take anyone a lifetime to visit them all.
These places cover different regions of China but doesn’t cover every single province.
Wishing you an amazing countryside trip throughout China! Do your best to “collect” as many villages as you can during your trip!
South China
1. Fenghuang, Hunan | 凤凰古城，湖南 | ancient town with stilted houses from the Ming and Qing dynasty lined along both sides of a river ⭐
2. Furong, Hunan | 芙蓉，湖南 | ancient town with stilted Tujia houses and a striking waterfall, especially stunning when illuminated at night ⭐
3. Shaxi, Dali, Yunnan | 沙溪，云南 | historic trade town with a bustling Friday market, located in a mountain valley with peaceful vibes
4. Lijiang, Yunnan | 丽江，云南 | an authentic town with the backdrop of the Yulong Snow Mountain, beautiful architecture, and cobblestone streets. A favourite among people I know.
5. Shangri-La, Yunnan | 香格里拉，云南 | a city at 3,300m altitude with breathtaking natural scenery and authentic Tibetan culture
6. Xijiang, Guizhou | 西江千户苗寨，贵州 | the largest village of the Miao ethnic group with incredible scenic views, traditional stilt houses, and rich culture, surrounded by hills
7. Zhaoxing Dong, Guizhou | 肇兴侗寨，贵州 | the largest village of the Dong ethnic group, home to five drum towers, windand rain bridges, and beautiful scenery
8. Yangshuo, Guangxi | 阳朔，广西 | town with stunning limestone karsts along the Li River, the image for the 20 yuan banknote ⭐
9. Yongding, Fujian | 永定，福建 | home to the famous circular Hakka tulou (earth houses) designed for communal living (guess what, I’m a Hakka! But apparently only some Hakka Chinese lived in these buildings)
North China
10. Pingyao, Shanxi | 平遥古城，山西 | remarkably well-preserved ancient city with Ming and Qing dynasty architecture, 6km city wall, 2,000 year old temple, and 72 watchtowers ⭐
11. Xuexiang, Heilongjiang | 雪乡，黑龙江 | China’s most well-known snow town with wooden houses and access to winter activities
East China
12. Huangling, Jiangxi | 黄陵，江西 | colourful tea town at the top of a mountain with vertical terraced landscapes and Hui-style houses
13. Wangxiangu, Jiangxi | 望仙谷，江西 | dramatically illuminated structures and stairways hanging onto cliffs with a backdrop of mountains, waterfalls, and streams. One of my favourites. ⭐
14. Wuzhen, Zhejiang | 乌镇，浙江 | 1,300 year old ancient water town with scenic canals, stone bridges, and wooden architecture from the Qing dynasty. The first water town I ever visited and I will never forget it! ⭐
15. Zhouzhuang, Jiangsu | 周庄，江苏 | 900 year old ancient water town with a dense network of canals, stone bridges, Ming and Qing dynasty architecture ⭐
16. Tongli, Jiangsu | 同里，江苏 | historic water town with beautiful classic gardens, canals, stone bridges, and buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties ⭐
17. Hongcun, Anhui | 宏村，安徽 | ancient village noted for its white facades, Huizhou architecture, a network of canals and ponds, and famed for being a filming location for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
West China
18. Langzhong, Sichuan | 阆中，四川 | a town dating back to the Three Kingdoms period, home of the famous general Zhang Fei, and birthplace of the Spring Festival
19. Seda, Sichuan | 色达，四川 | a breathtaking sea of red houses in a valley and home to the biggest Buddhist academy in the world. Particularly heavenly in wintertime when snow blankets the town. High on my wishlist.
20. Kashgar Old Town, Xinjiang | 喀什古城，新疆 | 2,000 year old trade hub on the ancient Silk Road with significant mud-brick architecture, thousands of narrow alleys, and rich Uyghur culture.
