I just love Xi’An. It should be my favourite destination in China of all time. You’ll be surprised to know most of the 5,000 year history of China are centralised in Xi’An (also known as Western Peace). There is a cosmopolitan feel to the city that I, naively, did not expect to find in China. As with many cities in China, Xi’An is being modernised in a major way but the ancient areas of both the inner and outer city have retained their integrity. Xi’An was the capital of China under the Qin and Tang dynasties. It was also the eastern end of the Silk Road that traders traveled in the days of Marco Polo.

Highlights:
The Terra Cotta Warriors: Of course, the highlight of every trip to Xi’An is a visit to the 8th Wonder of The World, The Terracotta Warriors. What the Li River is to Guilin, the Terra Cotta Army of Emperor Qin is to Xi’an. Get ready for the most inspiring moment as you enter the site and greeted by thousands of standing warriors with their swords, spears, and horses. A feeling which could not be described.

Shaanxi Provincial History Museum: The museum houses a collection of cultural and artistic treasures in a setting that blends traditional Chinese architecture with modern museum sensibilities. For those of you (like me) who have never studied or have no knowledge about Chinese history, this would be ‘the’ place for you. Five thousand years of Chinese history are housed in this amazing museum.

The Great Mosque and Muslim Quarter: Dating to the mid-700s, the Great Mosque is the China’s largest and best-preserved center of Islamic worship and is still an active religious sight for the Muslims in Xi’An. The market around the outside of the mosque precincts was my favorite place to shop.

The Forest of Stone Stellae: Once a school founded by Confucious, the “forest” houses a large collection of early Chinese writing and drawing.

Mount Wa Shan: One of the five most important mountains in China is located here. In ancient Chinese history, many great Swordsmen such as “Leng Woo Choong” were all heralded from this famous martial art school located on this majestic mountain.

Quick Tips/Suggestions:
I would recommend getting a hotel inside the old city wall - that’s where everything’s going on. And my usual China travel advice: carry wet wipes and plenty of them, also Immodium AD. Do not drink tap water. You could get hepatitis from raw fruits or vegetables, so peel, wash or cook them.

Layout of old city:
The Bell Tower is in the center of the old city, and main roads go out in 4 directions, Dong Da Jie (East), Xi Da Jie (West), Bei Da Jie (North) and Nan Da Jie (South).

Best Way to Get Around:
Taxis: Taxis are cheap and plentiful, but small. If you happen to sit in the front, for some reason the shoulder belts are all filthy. I guess they get dusty.

Airport bus: The airport is way far from the city, and i was told a taxi would cost about Y160 (MYR80). There is a nice, clean air-conditioned bus you can catch right in front of the airport that goes to the Melody Hotel (next to the Bell Tower Hotel on Xi Da Jie) for Y25 (MYR12) per person.

Car: I arranged with a driver to pick me up at the hotel for the trip back to the airport for Y100 (same as the bus). Her car was nice and clean, and bigger than a taxi. Her name is Huang Jian Xin, phone 0937-8829339, mobile 13993733646. If you don’t speak Chinese, your hotel could arrange it for you.

Bicycle: If you fancy cycling, i noticed that bike hire is possible at the Bell Tower Hotel for around Y2 (MYR1.00) an hour – the streets are packed with traffic, so you’d need to be on your toes.