7 Best Sights in Eastern China, China

Reward yourself with a heavenly foot or full-body massage at Cathay View Foot Massage. For a quick respite, try the 45-minute foot massage (Y158), or settle in for a 90-minute body massage (Y228) that includes a generous spread of tea, fruit, and snacks in a cozy, dimly lit private room. This spot is just off Nanshan Lu, down a small street near the

This sizeable park is a slice of tranquility in an otherwise chaotic city. There are a number of well-maintained walking paths around the lake and throughout the park. If you're feeling intrepid, you can climb up to the top of 120-meter (390-foot) Mo Hill, where the air is cleaner and there's an expansive view of the lake. It's also possible to hire a taxi or golf cart to drive you to the lookout point (expect to pay around Y150 per hour). The park's East Lake is more than five times larger than Hangzhou's famous West Lake, and it's possible to hire small boats here (Y100-200 for a 45 minute ride depending on size). The park is a popular spot for families who come to stroll around the lotus ponds and, in spring, take photos under the cherry blossom trees.

Well off the tourist circuit is this quite stunning temple, built in 1877 towards the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is the only Buddhist temple in the entire country that combines Gothic, Roman, Indian, Chinese, and Burmese styles (the main hall was designed to look similar to Ananda Temple in Bagan), and the result is quite striking. The temple was visited by Sun Yat-sen in 1912 and Indian Prime Minister Nehru in 1954. It suffered destruction during the Cultural Revolution and did not re-open until 1996, though many of its buildings remain damaged and unopened. The temple is less than 10 minutes' walk from the Todai Jie metro stop.

The 140,000-odd artifacts housed here include pottery and porcelain, weapons, ancient musical instruments, bronze vessels, and porcelain and jade. The museum's historic gems are the bronze chime bells covered in ancient Chinese characters. These were unearthed from the tomb of Yi, who was the king of the Zeng State during ancient China's Warring States Period (475 BC–221 BC). Daily at 11 and 4, visitors can listen to musicians in period clothing play replica chime bells.

History buffs will be fascinated by a trip to "the island Chairman Mao couldn't capture." Though barely a stone's throw from mainland China, this little chunk of land is still controlled by Taiwan, and Taiwanese guards patrol its shores. A visit is possible, but you'll need to do some planning. Apple Tours (www.appletravel.cn; [email protected]) can arrange boats to the island for Y189 there and Y155 back, plus a car and driver/guide who speaks English for another Y1,100. Be sure to email Apple Tours at least a week in advance.

This Sino-Soviet bridge, which has an upper level for cars and pedestrians and a lower one for the Beijing-Guangzhou railway line, spans the Yangtze River. Planning for this bridge started in the late 19th century, but it wasn't until 1955 that construction began, led by a team of Rusian and Chinese engineers. It opened just two years later to much fanfare and was even featured on the now-defunct two jiao bill. The bridge runs 1.6km (1 mile) between Guishan (Turtle Hill) in Hanyang district to Sheshan (Snake Hill) in Wuchang district. The upper level is a two-way, four-lane highway, but there's a safe pedestrian walkway in which you can also bike. It's very pleasant to stand on the bridge and watch vessels large and small traverse the mighty Yangtze, the longest river in Asia and the third-longest in the world. On the Wuchang side you can go easily from the bridge to Yellow Crane Tower.

What you see today dates from just 1981, a recreation, only semi-faithful, to the original built in AD 223 about 1 km away. Over its long history, Yellow Crane Tower was destroyed and rebuilt some half-dozen times. In the mid 1880s the tower fell to a blaze and was not rebuilt until a century later. Today, the five-storey tower stands 51.4 meters (168 feet), and legend has it that the roof is composed of nearly 100,000 yellow glazed tiles. Climb to the top and, on a clear day, you'll be rewarded with a panoramic view of the city and the Yangtze River. Avoid this like the plague during public holidays, especially Chinese National Day (Oct. 1-3), when it's a sea of people.