OK, upfront: Xi'an is quite touristy, especially in the area around the Terracotta Warriors.

But you should still go, if you're in that part of the world.

The Terracotta Warriors are genuinely one of the wonders of the world, and I'm quite glad I went. Please note that you aren't supposed to take photographs inside the main complex; please obey that restriction. The complex is divided into two main sections -- one section that is fully excavated, and one section that's still being studied. The first is more impressive (from the perspective of sheer numbers of warriors), but the actively-excavated section is more intriguing.

Once you've been to see the warriors (only takes an afternoon) you might consider visiting one of the pagoda complexes scattered about. I went to the Wild Flying Goose Pagoda -- so named because a legend says that some monks were dying in the wilderness, when a goose flew overhead, saw their plight, and killed itself so that they could survive. Anyway, the pagoda complex was nicely shaded, the pagoda itself was reasonably impressive (in terms of raw height, not decoration), and I got mobbed by roughly fifty three-year-old Chinese children.

One note: try to keep your Yuan in manageable sizes -- I tried to break a larger bill (equivalent to $12 US), and the shop had to send someone into the vault in the basement in order to make change. I think I embarrassed them, so next time I'll keep things in smaller bills.

Also, in April/May, Xi'an can become extremely hot. It wasn't as hot as Chonqqing (Chung King), but it was still pretty toasty. I strongly recommend considering an air-conditioned hotel.

The upshot: I liked Xi'an, and I'm glad I went. If you get the chance, I say go for it. Just don't expect to spend weeks there -- just a couple days will do nicely.



Recommended: Yes