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The Atlas Obscura Guide To China

219 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in China

Updated May 8, 2025

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  1. Alxa
  2. Beijing
  3. Changsha
  4. Chengdu
  5. Chongqing
  6. Datong
  7. Guangzhou
  8. Guilin
  9. Guiyang
  10. Hangzhou
  11. Harbin
  12. Jinhua
  13. Jiuquan
  14. Kashi Diqu
  15. Kunming
  16. Nanjing
  17. Qujing
  18. Shanghai
  19. Shenzhen Shi
  20. Suzhou
  21. Tangshan
  22. Tianjin
  23. Tianshui
  24. Weinan
  25. Wuhan
  26. Xian Shi
  27. Xilin Gol
  28. Yanan Shi
  29. Zhangjiajie
  30. Zhangye Shi
  31. Zhengzhou

Unusual Attractions in China

See All 219 Things To Do in China

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in China

See all 9 Places to Eat in China
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Explore China

Architecture 36
Museums 24
Natural Wonders 22
Nature 22
Statues 22
Architectural Oddities 21
Ecosystems 21
Buddhism 19

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Recent China Activity

Stories About China

An artist’s rendering of Baminornis showing the position of the fossil bones discovered, including the fused tailbone.

A Surprising New Tail From Jurassic China

The discovery of a fossil species suggests that the story of birds started about 20 million years earlier than we thought.
by Andrew Coletti
As they build their underground burrows, pangolins dig deep and turn over soil, which encourages plant growth and creates shelter for dozens of other species.

Say Hello to Nature’s Fire Brigade

When it comes to restoring land and preventing wildfires, animals like pangolins, beavers, and elephants have a lot to offer. Can helping them help us?
by Partner Story
Left to right: green, black, Chinese, white, and Ethiopian cardamoms.

A Guide to the Cardamoms of the World

The Cardamom Expanded Universe is bigger than you think.
by Andrew Coletti

The Video Game 'Black Myth: Wukong' Has Ancient Roots

A trickster monkey hero, a complex pantheon, and more than a millennium of storytelling are behind the hit.
by Michael Naparstek
The mummies of Tarim Basin are up to 3,600 years old.

This Mummy Cheese Is Full of Ancient Secrets

The world's oldest known cheese holds the key to kefir's mysterious origins.
by Roxanne Hoorn
Chinese bagels range from sweet to savory.

These Stuffed, Fluffy Bagels Are Taking China by Storm

Chinese bakers are putting their own spin on a North American classic...minus the poppy seeds.
by Andrew Coletti
Chen with children in a radish field.

'Joyce Chen’s China': How a Film Used Food to Bridge a Cold-War Divide

The 1972 documentary cast a warm light on a vilified country.
by Sam Lin-Sommer
Though traditional tāngyuán are plain dumplings, you can also make artful variations.

5 Recipes to Make for Lunar New Year

Welcome the Year of the Dragon with fortune-telling soups, lucky goldfish dumplings, and more.
by Sam O'Brien

Lists Featuring China

Red Seabeach
The otherworldly landscape of Padar Island.
Black Sand Beach

10 Unique Beaches From Around the World

From bright red grass to stranded shipwrecks, these beaches are anything but ordinary.

10

Including Driftwood Beach, Red Beach , and Padar Island

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