Top 10 Photography Destinations in China

#1 Guilin

When people think about the photography in China, Guilin is definitely on their top buck list. Because it's unique karst landforms, photogenic cormorant fishermen in the Li River, Guilin is listed in the position of number one in China photography destinations.

• What to photograph in Guilin?
• Landscapes: hundreds of karst mountain peaks, sunrises and sunsets
• Idyllic life: buffalo farmers on bridges, farming in fields
• Cormorant fishermen in the Li River from dawn to dusk
• Rice terraces with full filled water or golden rice in whole minority villages

Many photographers who won the international photo contests with their photos which were taken in Guilin and Yangshuo.

Spain photographer Jesus M. Garcia won the first prize of 2017 Epson International Pano Awards with his landscape pano photo.

Netherlands photographer Kos Karathanasis won the first prize of IPA International Photography Awards with his cormorant fishermen photo.

• The best photography time: May to October
• Recommended photography days: 4 days can cover most photo highlights

#2 Huangshan

Huangshan is well-known for its amazing rocks and pine trees.

• What to photograph in Huangshan?
• Landscape: rocks, rocky mountains, sunrises and sunsets
• Unique pine trees
• Ancient villages and architectures

• The best photography time: December to February, May to October
• Recommended photography days: 3 days on Yellow Mountains, and one day in ancient villages

#3 Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie was marked a UNESCO site in 1992 because of its grand natural scenery. Get more and more popular because of the Hallelujah Mountain in the movie of 'Avatar'. Early in the morning, photos of sunrise and landscapes of Zhangjiajie are invariably fantastic and eye-catching.

There are a few flights connected Zhangjiajie with big cities, but no direct high speed train to date. Generally, not very convenient to reach from other photography destinations.

• What to photograph in Zhangjiajie?
• Landscape: mountain peaks, rocky hills
• No chance for sunrise and sunset shooting due to all accommodations on mountain top were closed 3 years ago

• The best photography time: May to November
• Recommended photography days: 2 days in Wulingyuan scenic area, one day in Tianmen Mountain and Cave.

#4 Xiapu

A fewer foreigners visited photo destination, located at the seaside of Fujian province. Can easily be reached by high speed train from Xiamen, Fuzhou, Shanghai and many other big cities.

• What to photograph in Xiapu?
• Light and shadow on mudflats with tides
• Seaweed farming and fishing
• Buffalo farmers under big banyan tree

• The best photography time: 2 periods (new moon and full moon) every month from April to December
• Recommended photography days: 4 days

#5 Guizhou

Supposed to be the largest Miao and Dong minority tribes, a complex place for minority culture and landscapes photography. Good to shoot architecture groups, kinds of minority celebrations and waterfalls.

• What to photograph in Guizhou?
• Miao and Dong minority tribes: People, architectures groups, still life
• Morning and night view of the villages
• Waterfalls, rivers and mountains
• Golden monkeys, black-necked crane and other wildlife

• The best photography time: April to October and some certain festival dates
• Recommended photography days: 4-7 days

#6 Yunnan

Yunnan is complex province for landscapes, people, wildlife and ancient culture photography. The most photogenic landscape destinations are Yuanyang rice terraces, red land and Meili snow mountains. Because of its sub tropical climate, it is also an ideal place for birds photography and golden monkeys shooting.

• What to photograph in Yunnan?
• Yuanyang rice terraces
• Dongchuan red land
• Golden monkeys
• Birds
• Ancient Towns

• The best photography time: December to April
• Recommended photography days: 4-8 days

#7 Zhangye

Zhangye Danxia is often ranked among top beautifully visited areas in the World. You will come to believe it after a visit to this place. It is truly inspirational for landscape shooting. Nestled in Sunan and Linze County, this elegant spot occupies a total area of 410 Km2 with 40 square kilometers of multicolored hills (red and reddish-brown).

Zhangye is impressive to most of the photographers because of its vast collection of engaging photo shoots, striking views to boot. Distinctive landforms here consist of red gravel, mud and sandstones.

• What to photograph in Zhangye?
• Rainbow mountains
• Extension tour to Dunhuang for Gobi and desert scenery
• Milky way

• The best time to visit: June to September
• Suggested trip length: 3-5 days

#8 Inner Mongolia

Inner Mongolia is a typically hilly grassland area. Visitors can enjoy the beauty of the stretch of grasslands as well as riding horses freely on the grassland. Wulan Batong Grassland has rich variety of plants, countless colorful wild flowers, and limpid lakes, an ideal place for landscape photography tour.

• What to photograph in Inner Mongolia?
• Running horses
• Grassland scenery
• Eagles hunting
• Autumn Foliage

• Best time to visit: April to November
• Suggested trip length: 5-8 days

#9 Tibet

Tibet is most noted a traditional home for the Tibetan locals plus other ethnic groups like Monpa, Tamang, Quiang, and Sherpa. Most photography seekers cognate this region because of its magnanimous concoction which consolidates culture, historical localities and natural beauty too.

Don’t miss out on glittering photos of Potala Palace, Tibet’s renowned landmark and UNESCO World Heritage site. Besides its ravishing grandeur, Potala awards amazeballs views of snowy mountains, deep blue skies and areas nearby. For a local taste including their blissful festivals, please intend your trip in accordance with the respective dates.

• What to photograph in Tibet?
• Landscapes: snow mountains, lakes, rivers
• Tibetan people and Buddhism culture
• Monasteries and temples
• Travel photos

• The best time to visit: April to October
• Suggested trip length: 5-8 days

#10 Xinjiang

Xinjiang is the biggest province in China, because of its vast and unique landform, there are many pure clear high land lakes, huge snow mountains, authentic minority tribes, beautiful rivers, desert and historical relics and more.

The area is about 1.66 million squre kilo meters, which is equal to 4 Germany and 6 UK, will spend lots of time on the way from one spot to another.

• What to photograph in Xinjiang?
• Landscapes: Mountains, lakes, rivers
• Uygur people and their culture
• Camel groups at sunset in desert
• Autumn foliage in villages
• Grassland scenery

• The best time to visit: March to May, September to November
• Suggested trip length: 5-10 days