10 Reasons To Live In China One Day: #4

四。Cure wanderlust

I can't promise this will be the last time I harp on about travelling in China in this past year, but here I am, at it again just one more time. I guess if there's definitely one thing that I've been so proud of in the last 12 months is the amount I've been able to explore the vast country that is China. And yet, I still feel like I've only scratched the surface! I've managed to tick off 18 different places within China, and there are still many places left on my list. I'd love to be able to say I've visited at least one place in each of China's provinces/ municipalities/ autonomous regions.

My impression is that when it comes to Asia, China doesn't rank too highly on people's travel list. Many opt to hop around the countries in South East Asia instead. With beaches, warm climate and incredible food, who could blame them? But China is somewhere I urge everyone to go and visit at least once in their life, and not just the famous destinations like Beijing or Shanghai. Whilst these places are amazing in their own right, other places a little less known in China are well worth visiting too.

Shanghai 上海/ Harbin 哈尔滨/ Kunming 昆明

In a country as big as China, there is bound to be something for everyone, whatever your interests are. If it's the glitzy city life you're after, you'll find that and more in Shanghai. If it's laid back beach vibes, Xiamen has just the thing. A bit more outdoorsy? Plenty of incredible mountain ranges all over China you can go and hike.

Sure, you can find all these kinds of things in almost every country in the world, but what makes China a bit more special is the context of the country. You won't find another place in the world which has the same population. The sheer size and vastness of China is something I still can't get my head around and with that, it just means there's literally so much to explore. The culture and history of China stretches so far back, everything is steeped in some kind of historicism and it can be tangibly felt in the surroundings. China is just... something else.

Shangri-la 香格里拉/ Guilin 桂林/ Beijing 北京/ Yunnan 云南

Another great thing about China is that it can be a great springboard into surrounding countries too. As well as cities within China, I've also been able to visit South Korea, Vietnam and Hong Kong this year too. But many of the friends I made this year also visited Taiwan, Thailand, Cambodia, Japan and more.

If you're someone who suffers from wanderlust, China could be the perfect cure. China has been completely different to any place I have ever experienced or travelled to and it's been amazing to compare it with other places in Asia or western countries in general. Travel-wise, China has so much to offer, but don't just take my word for it. You should go find out for yourself...