East China

Region

China's wealthy, crowded coast. Shanghai has the Bund and its modern skyline, Suzhou its classical gardens, Hangzhou the West Lake, and canal towns like Zhouzhuang and Wuzhen sit in between, while Nanjing is a former capital and Fujian adds the Hakka round houses and the island of Gulangyu at Xiamen. Spring and autumn are best.

East China Oriental Pearl TowerShanghai World Financial CenterShanghai Disneyland ParkShanghai Urban Planning Exhibition CenterShanghai MuseumChina Art MuseumGrand CanalShanghai TowerWuyi MountainsJin Mao TowerLake TaiZifeng TowerXiamen UniversityPorcelain Tower of NanjingHongze LakeShanghai Shimao Festival CityPutuo ShanShanghai StadiumChongming IslandMing XiaolingSun Yat-sen MausoleumPeople's Square (Shanghai)Shanghai Grand TheatreQiandao LakeJade Buddha TempleLiuhe PagodaNanjing MuseumPurple Mountain (Nanjing)St. Ignatius CathedralShanghaiXiamenSuzhouHangzhouNanjingThe BundGulangyuWest LakeFuzhouNingboWuxiWenzhouQuanzhouChangzhouYangzhouXuzhouNantongZhangzhouNanpingShaoxingPutian

East China essentials

Country: China
Driest months: Nov-Jan
Pay in: Yuan Renminbi (¥)
Language: Chinese
Emergency: 110

Where to Go in East China#

City Shanghai ShanghaiChina's largest city and global financial center City Hangzhou HangzhouCity famous for its picturesque West Lake City Nanjing NanjingHistorical city and former capital of China Island Gulangyu GulangyuCar-free island with colonial architecture and piano culture Island Putuo Shan Putuo ShanSacred Buddhist mountain and pilgrimage site in Zhejiang Island Chongming Island Chongming IslandLarge Yangtze Delta island with important wetland reserves History Ming Xiaoling Ming XiaolingImperial Ming dynasty mausoleum near Nanjing History Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum Sun Yat-sen MausoleumGrand mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen with monumental stairway History Grand Buddha at Ling Shan Grand Buddha at Ling ShanMassive bronze Buddha statue near Wuxi, Jiangsu Nature West Lake West LakeScenic freshwater lake with historic gardens and pagodas Nature Wuyi Mountains Wuyi MountainsScenic Chinese mountain range with biodiversity and tea Nature Lake Tai Lake TaiLarge Yangtze Delta freshwater lake with scenic islands

Regions & Cities#

Shanghai Explore Shanghai Skyscrapers of Pudong rise opposite the Bund’s colonial facades; Shanghai serves dim sum and soup dumplings in tea houses, the French Concession’s plane‑lined streets, crowded markets and Huangpu River cruises - tourists come for skyline views, food and city energy. Xiamen Explore Xiamen Ferries to Gulangyu make Xiamen a compact coastal draw: colonial villas, piano museums, Nanputuo Temple and seafood hawkers line the promenades; bicycle paths and ferry routes stitch island life together. Suzhou Explore Suzhou Garden courtyards, willow-draped canals, and narrow silk workshops keep people in Suzhou: tourists stroll the Humble Administrator’s Garden, ride sampans along canals, and buy embroidered silk. Hangzhou Explore Hangzhou Boats and willow trees shape mornings at West Lake; tea terraces in Longjing, lakeside pavilions, and silk workshops draw those seeking landscapes, dragon-well tea tastings, and slow walks under pagodas. Nanjing Explore Nanjing Nanjing carries dynastic weight: tourists visit Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Ming Xiaoling tombs, and the Qinhuai riverside with its night markets; expect museum-heavy days and street snacks like duck and sesame cakes. The Bund Explore The Bund Along the Huangpu River, the Bund’s row of early-20th-century banks and trading houses offers promenades, night-lit façades and clear views across to Pudong skyscrapers-popular for riverfront walks and architecture photography. Gulangyu Explore Gulangyu Gulangyu, an island off Xiamen in Fujian, draws visitors for pedestrian streets, colonial-era villas, piano museums, small beaches and seafood stalls. West Lake Explore West Lake Hangzhou’s West Lake pairs causeways, pagodas and classical gardens; tourists enjoy boat rides, lakeside tea houses near Longjing tea terraces and promenades that inspired painters and poets for centuries.

East China at a Glance#

Local Time
1:44 AM
GMT+8
Population
215,726,585

Best Things to Do in East China#