China's always been big, but today it's big like never before. No matter where you are in the world, if you turn on the TV or open a newspaper you're almost guaranteed to come across another top story about the Middle Kingdom. The subject might have to do with 2008's Beijing Olympics, the 2010 Shanghai World Expo or China's phenomenal economic boom and the huge challenges that come with it. It might be the growing prestige of Chinese art and film or the latest architectural marvel to make the scene in Shanghai or Beijing. It could be wilderness treks in Tibet and Yunnan or the joys of Sichuan hot pot or Beijing's Imperial Cuisine.... The list goes on and on.

Fortunately, it's never been easier to visit China and see for yourself how this ancient land—famous in the annals of history for its sages and wandering poets, humble peasants and powerful emperors, golden dynasties and periods of upheaval and rebellion—is transforming itself into a modern nation squarely in the center of twenty-first century global affairs. And China's people are eager to welcome you and share their pride in both the ancient traditions and the contemporary achievements that make today's China one of the most talked-about and fascinating places on earth.

Given all that media exposure, if it seems cliché to cast China as a land of contrasts—the old versus new, the capitalist and the communist, the third-world rural village and the high-tech metropolis—it's only because it's true. China is a land of astonishing contrasts, ones that must be seen firsthand to be appreciated. From within the ancient walls of the Forbidden City or the majestic heights of the Summer Palace you'll see Beijing's gleaming new towers stretching toward the heavens. You can reach the once remote Tibetan capital of Lhasa via a new high-tech and high-altitude train, passing in comfort through harsh yet beautiful terrain only recently accessible to foreign travelers. Shanghai's colonial-era Bund architecture is dwarfed by the looming space-age skyline of Pudong. If you wander through the classical Chinese landscape of Guilin, with its green mist-shrouded limestone peaks towering above fertile rice paddies and you're as likely to come across a robed monk as a mobile-toting businessman. Again, the list goes on and on. 

All this adds up to amazing adventures for visitors willing to set aside preconceptions—whether they come from history books or yesterday's headlines—and meet China and its people face to face. Because China's so vast and changing at such a rapid pace and because it offers so many fantastic destinations—from world-famous attractions to well-kept secrets—we at ChinaTravel.net understand your need for an interactive, up-to-date and comprehensive travel guide that can help you make the most of your time and money. We also understand your need for information you can trust, and invite you to join our growing community of travelers who call it as they see it. Let the TravelChina.net community help make your visit to China a unique travel experience you'll never forget. Please tell us what you think by contacting us or registering so you can comment directly to the site.