Recently Lonely Planet, one of the foremost travel guides in the world, asked Jackie what his dream itinerary for a trip through China would be. Here are Jackie's answers:
First destination: Hong Kong
Hong Kong is my hometown and of course it’s on my list of places that people should visit in China. The first place you should go in Hong Kong is Victoria Peak so that you can look down and see how amazing the city looks from up above. Next, take a ride on the Star Ferry; it’s the best deal in Hong Kong. Other places I suggest you go are Nathan Road, the New Territories, and the outlying islands. Although Hong Kong is small in size, there is a lot to see, so make sure you stay for a long time!
Jackie takes a photo of the Hong Kong skyline.
This is the panoramic photo Jackie took.
Second destination: Beijing
Beijing has always been an interesting place to visit and in the past few years it has become even more attractive. To get a feeling for Chinese history and culture, I suggest visiting the Forbidden City, the ruins at Yuan Ming Yuan, and the Badaling Great Wall. To experience the new Beijing, you should visit some of the magnificent structures built for the 2008 Olympics.
Jackie poses in front of a magnificent view of Beijing.
Jackie's photo of the Olympic Water Cube.
Third destination: Wuyi Mountain, Wuyishan City, Fujian ProvinceWuyi Mountain is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever laid my eyes on. I found this place while filming The Forbidden Kingdom and I’ve encouraged many of my friends to visit. Wuyi Shan ("shan" is "mountain" in Chinese) is famous for its River of Nine Bends, dense rainforests, and 36 mountain peaks. You can take a raft tour of the river and if you are lucky like I was, you will have an informed and humorous guide who will tell you great stories as she maneuvers the raft down the river.
Jackie during filming of The Forbidden Kingdom at Wuyi Mountain.
Jackie talks about his time at Wuyi Mountain in his May 2007 diary
here
Fourth destination: Xi’an, Shaanxi Province
Xi’an is another place I discovered because I was making a film there. You must visit the Qin Shi Huang Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum and see the army of terracotta soldiers. Xi’an has so much history and there’s a lot to see. Don’t miss the museum where you can learn about the Silk Road (Xi’an is the easternmost part of the Silk Road). You should also see the Drum Tower, the Bell Tower and the beautiful pagodas.
Jackie in Xi'an during filming of The Myth. Those are the real Terracotta Warriors in the background.
Fifth destination: Harbin, Heilongjiang ProvinceWhen you visit Harbin, you get a feeling sometimes that you are in Russia or Europe because of the style of buildings there. The city is quite interesting because of the influences of so many different cultures. But the most wonderful thing about Harbin is the yearly Ice and Snow Festival which lasts for a month in January. Artists create ice sculptures and combine them with colored lights to make a beautiful display that people come from all over the world to see.
You can read Jackie's diary entry about a visit to Harbin
here.Photos © 2009 The Jackie Chan Group
All Rights Reserved
