Places in China Where 'You'll Regret Not Going, but Going Makes You Regret Even More': Potala Palace, Great Wall, and Daocheng Yading

There are always some scenic spots that are famous and long-awaited; it seems a pity if you don't visit them at least once in your life. However, when you actually travel a thousand miles to be there, it makes you regret it deeply.

1. Potala Palace: All Four Great Emptiness

Overview: The ancient Potala Palace, located in Lhasa, Tibet, is built against the mountain, majestic in appearance. It is not only the pinnacle of Tibetan architectural artistry but also the highest-altitude palace complex in the world. Rumor has it that inside, there are countless treasures—gold, murals, ritual implements, diamonds, jadeite, relics, and more—beyond measure.

Travel tips: Potala Palace admission is 200 yuan in peak season (April–October) and free in off-season (November–March). You need to book tickets online in advance and undergo an extremely strict security check upon entry. Lighters and water are not allowed, and photography is forbidden inside.

Real experience: "Potala Palace, all four great emptiness—spent 200 yuan to see a whole lot of nothing." For the average tourist, Potala Palace is a cultural monument beyond reach. The cultural relics and Buddha statues inside are simply incomprehensible to ordinary visitors. The whole visit is just being pushed along by the crowds, climbing uphill all the way, until you finally finish and breathe a sigh of relief, thinking you can finally go find a place to rest your feet.

Interpretation: Visiting Potala Palace requires a deep understanding of Tibetan Buddhist culture and history. Without that foundation, stepping inside is like an illiterate person trying to read in the world's most profound library. Each time I visit Tibet now, I no longer go into Potala Palace; instead, I admire its exterior from the square. A philistine like me with limited cultural refinement cannot decipher the historical relics inside, and can only marvel at its sacred, magnificent facade.

2. Great Wall: He Who Has Never Been to the Great Wall Is Not a True Man; But a True Man Who Goes Often Leaves with Regret

Overview: The Great Wall is ancient China's premier military defense project and one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Stretching from Hebei to Xinjiang across 15 provinces and regions, it spans 21,000 kilometers—equivalent to ten lengths of the 318 Sichuan-Tibet Highway.

Travel tips: Great Wall admission is 40 yuan in peak season (April–October) and 35 yuan in off-season (November–March). The main way to explore is on foot.

Real experience: "He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man, but reaching the Great Wall is a regret." From the moment you step onto it, the view is the same all the way. Traffic jams, crowds, strong UV rays, monotonous scenery—these all contribute to people's sense of letdown.

Interpretation: Climbing the Great Wall is tiring enough, and with it usually packed with people, there's no shade under the summer sun. It's really hard to enjoy being at one of the Seven Wonders of the World. But when you come to Beijing, can you really leave without at least glimpsing it?

3. Daocheng Yading: Not Going Leaves Regrets, Going Leaves Even More Regrets

Overview: Daocheng Yading is located in Daocheng County, Ganzi Prefecture, Sichuan, right next door to Ding Zhen's hometown. (Ding Zhen's hometown is Litang County, which borders Daocheng; you pass through Litang when driving from Chengdu to Daocheng.) Daocheng Yading boasts a series of enchanting nicknames: "the last pure land on the blue planet," "the last Shangri-La," "the soul of Shangri-La"...

Travel tips: Entrance ticket to Daocheng Yading is 150 yuan, sightseeing bus 120 yuan, plus an internal shuttle bus of 80 yuan—so the actual total is about 350 yuan. Daocheng Yading is about 800 kilometers from Chengdu, roughly a two-day drive.

Real experience: "Not going leaves regrets, going leaves even more regrets." Hiking for seven hours at 4,700 meters altitude is really tough. Toilets are scarce in the scenic area, and there are no high-altitude rescue stations. Though the scenery can indeed look like "the last pure land," it differs greatly from the photos you've seen online. If it rains, the views are beyond words: gray and hazy, a mess of color and light.

Interpretation: Daocheng Yading features three great snow mountains, three holy lakes, and vast alpine meadows, rivers, and streams—primitive natural landscapes. Surrounding landscapes are full of spruce and cypress, with waters so clear they seem about to flow. But the experience is a real test of your stamina. "Eyes in heaven, body in hell" sums up the ordeal of visiting Daocheng Yading.

Similar spots that evoke "you'll regret not going, and regret going even more" are plentiful across China—like West Lake, Yangshuo, Fenghuang Ancient Town, and Zhangjiajie. Perhaps the expectations built up in travelers' minds are too high, and when you finally arrive, factors like crowds and physical strain make the sanctuary in your heart fall far short of what you imagined. What was supposed to be a relaxing holiday becomes a self-punishing ordeal—have you had such an experience?