Top 10 Magnificent Roads in China
If you do not walk out, you will never know how beautiful the scenery from afar is. If you are not brave enough, you will never know how many surprises travel will brings to you. If one day you have some time and a good opportunity, do not miss the following magical, dangerous, dreamy, or magnificent roads in China!
1. Hangzhou Bay Bridge
Hangzhou Bay Bridge is the world’s longest cross-sea bridge, with a total length of 36 km.
2. Cliff Road
The cliff road refers to the road carved out of the mountain side. China has 6 cliff roads in total, mainly located in the Taihang Mountains and the south-eastern Shanxi province. They are Xiyagou Road (Lingchuan county), Guoliang Road (Hui county), Chenjianyuan Road (Lingchuan county), Huilong Road (Lingchuan County), Kunshan Road and Jingdi Road(both in Pingshun country). Among which Guoliang Road is the most famous one and called “the Ninth wonder of the world,” “one of the world’s ten most advantageous roads,” and “one of the world’s eighth most exotic roads.”
3. Zhongnanshan Tunnel
Zhongnanshan Tunnel is an important part of the road network between Xi’an and Ankang. The single tunnel is 18.02 km long and the two tunnels 36.04 km in total. It is the longest tunnel in China and takes 15 minutes to go through it.
In order to reduce visual fatigue and ensure traffic safety, the world’s most advanced tunnel lighting system is installed in the tunnel. This spectacular tunnel is really worth a visit.
4. Aizhai Winding Road
Located in Western Hunan province, Aizhai Winding Road is part of the National road 319. There are 13 bends in total from the bottom to the top of the steep and dangerous mountain. A bridge was also built at the top of the mountain road, very spectacular. In the mountain’s peak a monument and statue were erected to remember those who died for the road construction.
5. Aizhai Bridge
Aizhai Suspension Bridge is the bridge above the Aizhai Winding road. Aizhai Suspension Bridge crosses the canyon near Aizhai town, 20 km from about 20 km away from Jishou city, with Deben River flowing through the below. The bridge is 330 meters above the ground, with a total length of 1073.65m and the main span 1176m. The bridge goes across the Aizhai Grand Canyon, the main span ranks the first in Asia and the third in the world.
6. Tianmen Mountain Winding Road
Located in Zhangjiajie, Hunan province, Tianmen Mountain Winding Road is hailed as the “The Road to the Heaven.” The winding mountain road is 10.77 kilometres long, rising dramatically from 200 meters to 1300 meters above sea level with steep cliffs on both sides of the road. There are 99 bends in total and many are 180 degrees sharp turns. The view from top of the long-winding road looks just like a huge dragon ascending from the bottom, very magnificent.
7. The 24-Zig Road
The 24-Zig Road is named after the 24 bends ascending from the valley bottom to the Qinglong town, Guizhou province. The road climbs 260 metres from the bend one to the bend twenty-four. The road was built in the shape of “S” on a 60 degrees slope with the total length of about 4 km. The 24-Zig Road is part of the famous Stilwell Road, which played an important role in the supply of China during WW-II.
8. Tarim Desert Road
The road spreads across the Taklimakan Desert, known as the “sea of death,” from north to south. It offers the best conditions for those who hope to self-drive across the entire desert. It usually takes about 5 hours to travel across the desert, on the way visitors can see exotic desert landscapes and the thousand – year old Populus trees.
9. Roads to Tibet
Sichuan-Tibet, Qinghai-Tibet and Yunnan-Tibet, and Xinjiang-Tibet roads all have excellent sceneries and are rider’s paradise. The Sichuan-Tibet line is part of National Road 318 and also a landscape avenue in China.
10. Taiwan’s Suhua Highway
Suhua Highway is a provincial road situated in Taiwan’s east coast. The northern starting point is Su-ao town in Yilan County, the southern point is Hualien City. This waterfront road is 118 km long, mainly built along the shoreline. Along the road visitors can see both the Pacific Ocean and the steep mountains; it is one of the world’s well-known landscape roads.
