Don't get us wrong: We'll never stop being impressed with the Great Wall or the Forbidden City. But China is a vast country, and as more North Americans turn their sights eastward, we jumped at the chance to shine the spotlight on some less-known (at least to Americans) but exceptional experiences.
To find these great destinations, we enlisted the help of James Tan of Jetbay, a California-based online travel agency focused solely on China. Here are our favorite "secret" places to visit in China based on his recommendations.
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(Photo: Chinese Ancient Pavilion on the West Lake in Hangzhou via Shutterstock)