China is spectacularly large – it encompasses Brazil and is slightly larger than the United States – and within its borders there is an abundance of majestic landscapes. You can choose from coastlines, northern deserts, fertile river valleys or densely populated urban centers. But personally, I’d go for the mountains.

I spent six years in China, exploring many of the country’s most stunning peaks on hikes and oxygen-depleted bike rides, from the Mountains of the Moon near Guilin to the rolling terrain of Yunnan province. These almost celestial elevations are home to complex ecosystems of plant and animal life that literally look like something from afar. User image. There are distinct cultural riches and a sense of spiritual calm that simply cannot be found on Earth. Plus, the visual feast is just ridiculous.

Here is a list of the most enchanting mountains in China. Bookmark them to see them for yourself one day.

Yuanyang

Yunnan Province
When I arrived at a bar in the Yunnan capital of Kunming, my phone full of mediocre photos of Yuanyang, a somewhat unimpressed friend quipped, “Dude, if you can’t take a good photo of Yuanyang, you can’t take a good photo of anything.” There is no symbol of China more than a rice terrace, and no rice terrace in China – or perhaps in the world – is more beautiful than Yuanyang, which rises to an altitude of well over 1,800 meters.

Changbai

Jilin Province
Compared to the lush south, China’s northeast is about as dramatic as a Microsoft Windows instructional video. But Changbai Mountain is the big, massive exception: It’s a stunning national park near China’s border with North Korea, with volcanic structures and a glacial caldera so heavenly they call it “Heaven’s Lake.” It’s also one of the few homes of the rare Siberian tiger, considered the world’s largest tiger and of which there are fewer than 600 left.

Zhangjiajie

Hunan Province
The high, narrow mountains in Avatar? They’re real, and they’re in China, a fanciful forest of peaks formed by years of explosive tectonic collisions and natural erosion, topped by clumps of pine trees. The region became the country’s first national forest park, and they’re not shy about the Avatar Connection: In honor of the first film, the name of one of the quartz sandstone columns of Southern Sky Column in Avatar Hallelujah Mountain. It is still a good tourism move: the first Avatar remains the highest-grossing film of all time and a third part is scheduled to be released in 2025.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

Yunnan Province
The village of Lijiang, near the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, is beautiful, unique… and almost completely devoid of authenticity after decades of intensive tourist development. But damn, what a mountain! It is the southernmost glacier in the northern hemisphere and brings you into contact with vegetation that you will not find anywhere else in China.

Wuyi Mountains

Fujian Province
“I wouldn’t go to China even if there was so much tea there,” my grandmother joked when I told her I was planning to move to Fujian province. Thankfully, I ignored her advice and happily discovered that Wuyi Mountain is ground zero for oolong tea – perhaps the Middle Kingdom’s best export. But don’t be like me and take the cheap bus: Fujian’s roads are bumpy, stops along the way are numerous, and the less said about the toilet the better.

Huangshan (Yellow Mountain)

Anhui Province
No mountain in China is more famous. Hidden away in eastern China’s Anhui province lies the Huangshan mountain range, which translates to Yellow Mountain and is named not for its color but for the eighth-century Yellow Emperor (Huangdi), who, according to legend, ascended to heaven from its dramatic peaks. The mountain is a ubiquitous symbol, appearing on banknotes and in paintings hanging in homes and shops across the country. A fun game to play while hiking Yellow Mountain is to try and anthropomorphize the bizarre rock formations and jutting peaks you find. See, an old man! A big bird! Second only to the goofy-looking rocks, Yellow Mountain’s pine trees are the largest, with their leaves spread out horizontally and Dr. Seuss written all over them.

Muztagh Ata

Xinjiang
At 24,700 feet, Muztagh Ata (“Iceberg Father”) is the highest mountain you’ve never heard of. It stands in far western China, a region that served as a stopover on the Silk Road for centuries. For those not adventurous enough to climb it (raises hand), the mountains serve as a backdrop to nearby Lake Karakul in the Tajik National Park, one of the clearest in the world.

Mount Emei

Sichuan Province
Some graffiti I saw in a hostel at the foot of Mount Emei in Sichuan proved prophetic: “Beware of the monkeys – and the monks.” Indeed, this UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the four sacred Buddhist mountains, is home to wild little primates who may be craving your camera – and monks who are after your wallet. Despite these obstacles and the hordes of Chinese tourists, Mount Emei’s beauty and Buddhist history make it worth the trip. The biggest attraction is the mountain’s second-highest peak, the Golden Summit, whose structures glitter in the sunlight.

Karakoram Highway

Xinjiang
Even if the Karakoram Highway (also called the Friendship Highway) were not surrounded by beautiful scenery, it would be notable for several reasons: It is among the highest paved roads in the world and is one of the most landlocked roads. As a corridor from China to Pakistan, the highway runs through the Karakoram Mountains and is miles away from the bustling cities of China’s east coast.

Leshan

Sichuan Province
When you think of the sheer number of Buddhas in the world –I mean, just think about it – having the world’s tallest Buddha is no small feat. The Leshan Seated Buddha stands (sits?) over 230 feet tall at the confluence of the Min and Dadu Rivers, is carved from sandstone, and took 90 years to build, between 713 and 803 during the Tang Dynasty. The length of time may explain his impatient expression.

Tian Shan

Xinjiang
Tianshan is a mountain range that stretches across four countries: China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The Chinese name means “heavenly mountains”, which seems quite fitting considering its height of over 7,300 meters.

Wutai

Shanxi Province
Shanxi is something like the West Virginia of China, a province famous for its coal production and whose pollution has set (unflattering) records. Wutai Mountain is a much-needed refuge: a sacred Buddhist mountain – another of the four sacred mountains in Chinese Buddhism – with over 53 temples, stunning views and fresh air.

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