Skip to main content

Thousand Buddha Mountain

I recommend visiting Thousand Buddha Mountain every few days during your stay in Jinan. Admission to the mountain costs 15 yuan, or you can purchase a year pass for 45 yuan. While there are many entrances to the grounds on all sides of the park, year passes can only be obtained at the Zheng Men (...

I recommend visiting Thousand Buddha Mountain every few days during your stay in Jinan. Admission to the mountain costs 15 yuan, or you can purchase a year pass for 45 yuan. While there are many entrances to the grounds on all sides of the park, year passes can only be obtained at the Zheng Men (正门), or main gate. The main gate is at the southern end of Qian Fo Shan Road (千佛山路, and the ticket office to the right of the gate sells year passes. Be sure to bring a passport photo in order to acquire the year pass.


 
There is a totally cool copper Buddha figure which measures 80 feet (25 m) in height. At the foot of the Buddha visitors can roller-skate or burn incense and pray.

   
Fly an eagle kite, bring a book or some playing cards, or just sit back and watch the local Chinese and foreign communities of Jinan stretch their legs together. Just to the west of big Buddha is a large concrete statue of Guanyin, a female Buddha, sitting atop a labyrinthine cave complex.

Jogging, sitting, singing, and tai chi all take place throughout the extensive grounds. Plenty of public art displays within the gradens make for an enjoyable morning or afternoon stroll. Still, the best part of the grounds is the mountain itself.  Climbing a little in elevation to improve your view of Jinan is simply great. Sometimes we all just need to get out of the morass and gain perspective. When you reach the summit of Thousand Buddha Mountain look to the south of Jinan....into the mountain range which leads up to Mount Tai... the foremost Taoist peak in China!

Chinese Website

Happy Valley Racecourse

Apart from the Mark Six Lottery and the newly introduced football betting, horse racing is the only form of legalized gambling in Hong Kong. The hobby has become so popular that Hong Kong now claims the highest per capita spending on horse races in the world. The city’s annual tur...

Apart from the Mark Six Lottery and the newly introduced football betting, horse racing is the only form of legalized gambling in Hong Kong. The hobby has become so popular that Hong Kong now claims the highest per capita spending on horse races in the world. The city’s annual turnover  exceeds US$1 billion.

Happy Valley Racecourse is one of the world’s few truly urban racetracks. Opened soon after the arrival of the British, it has been the home of Hong Kong horseracing ever since (another track for the punters is the more modern and larger Sha Tin Racecourse in the New Territories, opened in 1978). The first race was held in December 1846, and the track quickly became a focal point for surrounding urban development. 

Nothing sets Hong Kong abuzz with excitement quite like the thrill of horseracing. The racing season runs from September until early July. Races alternate between the two tracks but are generally held at Happy Valley Racecourse on Wednesday nights or weekends. As the Happy Valley track is surrounded by towering apartment blocks, some residents even enjoy the races from their own balconies.

Official Website - Happy Valley Racecourse

Place Your Bets

If you want to share the excitement with the feverish gamblers, admission to the public stands are only HK$10. The giant screen facing the stands displays both the past race’s result and odds for the upcoming race. The screen also shows live race footage as well as replays so you never lose track of the action. If you prefer to watch from air-conditioned members-only stands, tickets cost HK$50. To purchase a ticket for the members-only stands you will need to bring your passport to any of the city’s off-track betting locations.

How to bet:

- Guess your winning horse.
- A place: Bet your horse comes 1st or 2nd, or 1st, 2nd or 3rd for a seven-or-more-horses race.
- A quinella: Pick 1st and 2nd in any order.
- A quinella place: Predict any two of the first three horses in any order.

 Tip: For a fantastic track-side view while you eat, head to the Moon Koon Restaurant on the 2nd floor of the main stand. Reasonably priced, quality fare is served here. Racing and dining packages are available and advance booking is required on race nights (Tel: (852) 2966-7111).

Estimated duration of a trip to the race course: 

3 hours including dinner.

Also see:
The Hong Kong Racing Museum

 

China Folk Culture Village – A Fun Way to See Chinese Ethnic Cultures

If you are interested in Chinese culture, then this place is really worth a visit! China Folk Culture Village is located in Nanshan District, Shenzhen. It’s part of Splendid China theme park, and shows the real lifestyle and tradition of China’s 56 ethnic groups....

If you are interested in Chinese culture, then this place is really worth a visit! China Folk Culture Village is located in Nanshan District, Shenzhen. It’s part of Splendid China theme park, and shows the real lifestyle and tradition of China’s 56 ethnic groups.

Inside the park, you can see many traditional-style villages, all handmade to look very close to the real ones. Each village represents a different ethnic group, like Miao, Yi, Tibetan, Uygur, and so on. You can walk around, take pictures with the buildings, try local snacks, and enjoy live shows with dancing, music, and special festivals.

Sometimes they also do cultural activities like the water-splashing festival from Dai people, or fire-jumping from the Yi group. It's very lively and fun, especially if you come with friends or family.

It’s a great chance to learn more about Chinese minorities, their clothes, songs, and traditions—all in one park. It’s not too serious or boring. Just relax, have fun, and experience something different.

Window of the world

Window of the World is one of the most famous theme parks in Shenzhen. It shows you mini versions of world’s most famous places—like Eiffel Tower, Pyramids, Taj Mahal, and many more. You don’t need passport, just a camera and good mood!

...

Window of the World is one of the most famous theme parks in Shenzhen. It shows you mini versions of world’s most famous places—like Eiffel Tower, Pyramids, Taj Mahal, and many more. You don’t need passport, just a camera and good mood!

It’s really fun to walk around and take pictures. You can feel like traveling around the world in just one afternoon. They also have some shows and events sometimes, especially in the evening with lights—it looks beautiful.

If you are tired of busy city or shopping, this is a good place to relax and enjoy. I can show you around, take good photos for you, and tell you some stories behind the spots. Let’s enjoy a world trip in Shenzhen together!

Huaqiangbei Electronic Wholesale market

If you're into electronics, gadgets, or just curious about the world’s tech scene, Huaqiangbei is a place you simply can’t miss. Known as the world’s largest electronic hardware wholes...

If you're into electronics, gadgets, or just curious about the world’s tech scene, Huaqiangbei is a place you simply can’t miss. Known as the world’s largest electronic hardware wholesale market, this place is buzzing with everything from phone parts and LED lights to drones, smartwatches, and all kinds of futuristic tech you didn’t even know existed.

Whether you're a buyer looking for suppliers or just a traveler who loves exploring unique places, Huaqiangbei has something for you. Imagine walking through endless aisles of innovation—tiny stalls packed with components, bustling trade floors, and walls lined with the latest gadgets. It’s loud, crowded, sometimes chaotic—but absolutely fascinating.

In this tour, I’ll help you navigate the maze, find hidden gems, explain the culture behind the hustle, and even help you bargain like a local. Whether you want to shop, source, or just experience the vibe—this is the ultimate deep dive into Shenzhen’s tech heart.

xilamuren grassland

Xilamuren Grassland – The Classic Inner Mongolia Grassland Experience. Xilamuren Grassland, or Xilamulun Grassland, is one of the most beautiful and vast grasslands in Baotou, Inner Mongolia. It is also the closest grassland to Hohhot, the capital city of Inner Mongolia, only 50 miles (80 ki...

Xilamuren Grassland – The Classic Inner Mongolia Grassland Experience. Xilamuren Grassland, or Xilamulun Grassland, is one of the most beautiful and vast grasslands in Baotou, Inner Mongolia. It is also the closest grassland to Hohhot, the capital city of Inner Mongolia, only 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of it

The best time to visit Xilamuren Grassland is from June to September with average temperatures of around 20°C (68°F). Mornings and evenings are very cool, and you may feel like you are visiting in chilly autumn when you are actually there during a summer night.

 with pleasant roaming, sunrise admiring, feeling the culture and lifestyle of Mongolian people in Inner Mongolia and joyous dancing with locals. Besides, our local guide will accompany you all the way, show you the cityscape, diverse culture, historical development of Hohhot and entire Inner Mongolia and help you understand the influential imperial matrimony culture in the past dynasties in China.