china for tourist

The best of China: 14 places you won’t want to miss

Feb 21, 2024 • 5 min read

From vibrant cities to jaw-dropping natural wonders like Zhangjiajie, here are the places in China you won’t want to miss © siraphat / Shutterstock

In  China , antiquity and heritage meet 21st-century innovation and lighting-fast development.

This is a country packed with highlights – so many that it might be hard to craft a manageable itinerary. Start by immersing yourself in one of China's gigantic, sprawling cities – which contain plenty of frantic energy, but hidden pockets of serenity, too. Take a break from the crush by soaking up China's natural scenery – think jagged peaks and pine forests draped in a sea of mist that look like they've been lifted straight from one of the country's masterpiece scroll paintings. As one of the world's most ancient civilizations, China also offers wonderful opportunities to explore astounding relics from its millennia of history. 

Don't know where to start? Whether you dream of gilded temples, boisterous urban environments, fabulous food or the wonders of the Great Wall, here are our picks of the best places to visit in China.

One of the world's greatest cities and China's absolute can't-miss destination, Beijing is home to many of China's big-ticket attractions: the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square , the Summer Palace and more. But its appeal goes well beyond blockbuster sights. Get lost among its labyrinth of traditional hutongs (alleyways), marvel at its cutting-edge modern architecture, feast on Peking duck and a million other dishes from across the country, check out the local indie music scene, admire Ming-dynasty ceramics, drop by a traditional teahouse or enjoy a boisterous evening sampling the local baijiu  (sorghum wine).

2. Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang

Along the ancient Silk Road, the atmospheric frontier town of Dunhuang is home to one of the world's most important collections of Buddhist art. Among more than 490 Buddhist caves in the area, the mural and statue-filled Mogao Grottoes represent perhaps the zenith of Buddhist artistry in China.

3. Tiger Leaping Gorge, Yunnan

One of China's most famous treks, this 22km (14-mile)  hiking trail winds through a World Heritage-listed gorge in Yunnan that is one of Asia's most striking landscapes. Framed by spectacular snow-capped mountains and the scenic Jinshajiang River, the natural monument plunges to depths of 3900m (12,795ft), making it one of the deepest gorges in the world.

4. Le Shan, Sichuan

Standing at the confluence of two rivers, the monumental 1200-year old Buddha image  at Le Shan is carved directly into the rock face. World Heritage–listed, the extraordinary monument stands 71m (233ft) tall and 28m (92ft) wide, making it the largest ancient Buddha in the world. Whether you're spiritually included or not, coming face to face with this sculpture is quite a moving experience.

5. Shanghai

Glitzy, elegant, historic and cosmopolitan: everything you've heard about Shanghai is true. Just take a stroll through the French Concession or along the Bund , and you'll see for yourself. From the grand display of 1920s architecture to the city's sophisticated restaurants and rooftop bars to the sci-fi neon-lit skyscrapers across the bay, Shanghai is the past and future China brought to vivid life.

6. The Great Wall

Snaking through China's majestic mountainous terrain, the spectacular  Great Wall is the nation's most iconic landmark. Built over two millennia, this awe-inspiring, 21,196km-long (13,170-mile-long) fortification is a true marvel of human accomplishment. In fact, it's not one wall but many, stretching from the east coast all the way to the far western desert. The most easily accessible stretches can be reached by car from Beijing.

With its charming teahouses, lively nightlife and fiery Sichuan food, Chengdu is one of China's most popular cities for travelers. But most folk visit here for one reason: pandas. And while you'd be very lucky to spot one in the wild, sightings are guaranteed at the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base . Other draws of this inland regional capital include temples, pavilions and museums devoted to the culture of the ancient Shu kingdom.

8. Karst peaks, Guilin

Spanning the distance from Guilin to Yangshou , the picture-perfect karst-limestone peaks offer an extraordinary backdrop to the scenic Li River and rice paddies. Grab a bicycle or board a raft to tour this beautiful countryside, passing farmers and water buffalo along the way.

9. Guangzhou

This vibrant and dynamic  megacity is one of China's most fascinating hubs. You'll find an intriguing mix of old and new in a city where skyscrapers nudge the clouds, and monks shuffle around 1500-year-old Buddhist temples. But it's the Cantonese cuisine that lures in many, with some of the finest dim sum in all of China.

10. Longji Rice Terraces, Guangxi

You'll find rice paddies all over China – but few are as spectacular as the ones in Longji , built against a backdrop of lush mountains. Walks here lead to viewpoints overlooking sculpted, iridescent green terraces with swirling patterns resembling the contours of a giant thumbprint.

11. Terracotta Warriors, Xi'an

Unearthed in Xi'an by unsuspecting rural workers in 1974, this enigmatic army of life-sized statues remains of the world's most remarkable archaeological finds. Dating back 2200 years, they were built to protect the underground tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. Needless to say, meeting the warriors face to face is an experience you'll never forget.

12. Xi'an

In a country where cities seemingly spring up overnight, this is one of the oldest and grandest. Known to most for its extraordinary Terracotta Warriors, Xi'an is also remarkable in its own right – notably as the beginning of the Silk Road, a trade route with a legacy that remains intact within its atmospheric Muslim Quarter .

13. Zhangjiajie

Rising dramatically from the subtropical forests of northwest Hunan , the pinnacle rock formations of  Zhangjiajie inspired the scenery in the film Avatar (2009). Take it all in as you walk over a vertiginous glass-bottom suspension bridge floating 300m (984ft) above ground. If that's not daring enough, you can bungee jump off it, too.

14. Forbidden City, Beijing

Among China's imperial sights, none can compare in size, grandeur or mystique to Beijing's Forbidden City . Built between 1406 and 1420, this sprawling palace was off-limits for 500 years until the overthrow of the last Qing emperor in 1911. Today, it's very much open to the public, attracting nearly 20 million visitors each year. Despite the crowds, its massive scale remains humbling.

This article was first published October 2021 and updated February 2024

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15 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in China

Written by Bryan Dearsley Updated Jan 24, 2024

Ever since the world first discovered China through the writings of adventurer Marco Polo more than 700 years ago, this large Asian country has come to be regarded as the embodiment of all that is mysterious and exotic. Even now, after decades of economic growth, this vast country has lost none of its fascination. Indeed, the contrast between China's ancient customs and the new ultra-modern state that is developing has only increased the fascination with a culture that dates back many millennia.

It's a culture that is much celebrated by the Chinese themselves, as evidenced by the preservation of such important historic sites as the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace in Beijing, each recalling the days of China's emperors. And then, of course, there's the famous Great Wall, winding for 6,700 kilometers all the way from the Yellow Sea to Central Asia, while its countless shrines exude the spirit of age-old Eastern religions.

Thanks to its size, China as a tourist destination offers limitless scope for exploration. Whether you choose to travel aboard a luxury cruise ship through the picturesque Yangtze Gorges, visit a bustling city, or seek out the tranquillity of an ancient temple, this country is full of incredible experiences and sightseeing possibilities.

Discover fascinating, unusual, and adventurous things to do with our list of the top tourist attractions in China.

1. The Great Wall of China

2. the forbidden city & the imperial palace, beijing, 3. the terracotta army, xi'an, 4. the summer palace, beijing, 5. cruising the li river, guilin, 6. chengdu research base of giant panda breeding, sichuan, 7. the yangtze river and the three gorges, 8. the classical gardens of suzhou, jiangsu, 9. the potala palace, tibet, 10. shanghai's promenade: the bund, 11. hangzhou's historic west lake, 12. the mausoleum of light: the northern imperial tomb, shenyang, 13. leshan giant buddha, sichuan, 14. the hong kong skyline, 15. zhangjiajie national forest park, hunan.

"Nobody can be a true hero unless he has been on the Great Wall" goes the popular Chinese saying, one that clearly demonstrates the importance placed upon this unique ancient monument.

Known in Chinese as 'Changcheng', or the Long Wall, the magnificent Great Wall of China stretches more than 6,000 kilometers from the fortresses of Shanhaiguan in the east all the way to Jiayuguan in the west. Along the way, it passes through Hebei, Tientsin, and Beijing , where the best-preserved sections of the wall can be visited, as well as Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, and Gansu.

Averaging six to eight meters in height but rising as high as 16 meters and wide enough in places for five horses or 10 men to pass, the wall boasts numerous battlements and watchtowers. Some of the wall's oldest fortifications date back as far as the 7th century BC, with the best-known areas added around 210 BC when its various sections were joined together.

Today, the most visited section of the wall is near Badaling Pass northwest of Beijing, easily reached by public transport or organized tours. Other restored sections worth a visit include the section near Gubeikou , 130 kilometers from Beijing; and in Mutianyu , just 70 kilometers northeast of Beijing.

Location: Huairou District, China

China's largest and most important building, also known as the Imperial Palace, is situated in the very heart of Beijing and is a must-see when visiting the country. Started during the Yuan Dynasty between 1271and 1368, much of the complex seen today was built between 1406 and 1420.

Really many splendid palaces in one, this sprawling complex was the residence of 24 Ming and Qing Emperors whose presence forbade the entry of anyone other than the imperial family and their courtesans. Covering some 720,000 square meters and protected by a 10-meter-high wall with watchtowers and a wide moat, this massive complex consists of areas set aside for ceremonial and administrative purposes, as well as a private residence used by the emperor.

While it can take many hours to see everything, highlights include the five white marble Golden River Bridges; the Hall of Supreme Harmony, a 35-meter-tall building housing the imperial throne; and the exquisite emperor's banquet hall (the Hall of Preserving Harmony).

The Palace Museum with its large collection of art and artifacts from the Ming and Qing dynasties is another must-see.

Spread across an area of more than 720,000 square meters, this impressive nearly 100-year-old museum contains historic buildings that themselves date back to the early 1400s . It takes a lot of time to explore, so be prepared to spend at least a day here. If you can, do a little advance research using the museum's official English-language website to pre-plan the exhibits you're most interested in visiting.

Highlights include fine examples of paintings and ceramics. The museum also houses the country's vast collection of important works of art made from jade and bronze. English language museum tours are available.

Other important attractions in the vicinity of the Imperial Palace include the famous Tiananmen Square , and the Temple of Heaven . One of the country's most important religious sites,this impressive temple dates back to the 15th century.

Address: 4 Jingshan Front St, Dongcheng, Beijing, China

It was while digging wells on the outskirts of Xi'an in the 1970s that farmers stumbled across what was to be China's most important archeological find: the Terracotta Army.

Distributed over three large underground pits and built to guard the First Emperor's tomb, the find included more than 8,000 life-size warriors, some 520 horses, and more than 100 chariots, along with numerous other non-military characters dating from around 280 BC. Although some were severely damaged due to the passing of time, many of the statues unearthed have been painstakingly re-assembled and stand as a testament to the importance bestowed upon the emperor and the afterlife.

This remarkable find is part of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum Site Park and is one of China's most important tourist destinations. It offers the unforgettable experience of standing in front of this assembly of soldiers and horses as if inspecting a centuries-old parade. English-language guided tours are available.

Address: Lintong District, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China

An easy 15-kilometer commute from Beijing, the sumptuous Imperial Summer Palace (Yíhé Yuán) is set amid more than 700 acres of beautiful parkland and is one of China's most visited attractions. While the palace itself was built in 1153, its large lake was added in the 14th century to enhance the Imperial Gardens .

Highlights include the magnificent Hall of Benevolence and Longevity (Renshou Dian), with its throne; and the beautiful Great Theatre, a private three-story structure built in 1891 to satisfy the imperial family's love of opera. This historic venue is still used for performances of traditional Chinese plays and musical events and is worth a visit for a performance or show.

Other highlights include the Hall of Happiness and Longevity (Le Shou Tang Hall) with its lovely gardens and courtyards, as well as many miles of picturesque pathways and walking trails.

If time allows, try to also take in the ruins of the Old Summer Palace in Yuanmingyuan Park. Said to have once been one of the country's most elaborate and architecturally attractive palaces, this once impressive structure was destroyed by colonial forces in the mid-1800s.

Address: 19 Xinjiangongmen Rd, Haidian District, China

The town of Guilin in the northeast corner of Guangxi boasts some of China's most beautiful countryside. It's famous for the Li River which meanders through the town and surrounding karst mountains.

While for hundreds of years this unique scenery has attracted poets and artists and has been the subject of countless fairy tales and legends, these days, it's popular with tourists from around the world wanting to see this natural splendor up close.

The best way to enjoy the area is to take a cruise along the Li River . The most popular stretch is from Guilin to Yangshuo, where the river winds peacefully through some 80 kilometers of remarkable rock formations and caves with romantic names such as the Mount of Unique Beauty , Elephant Trunk Hill, and Reed Flute Cave .

You can choose from a tourist cruise ship to small bamboo punts, and depending upon the type of boat used, trips can take anywhere from a few hours to multiple days.

No visit to China would be complete without at least one panda experience. While the country's top zoos boast many fine specimens of these fascinating creatures, the best place to see them in a close approximation to their natural habitat is at the excellent Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu in the province of Sichuan.

Here, you'll have the chance to watch as many as 80 pandas go about their daily routines, from foraging to playing in the facility's large park-like setting. In addition to viewing these splendid animals up close, you'll learn a great deal about them from the many permanent exhibits and displays detailing ongoing conservation efforts to safeguard their future.

If possible, try to time your visit for the morning feeding sessions. Not only are the pandas at their most active, it's also when you'll get some memorable photos. Better still, sign up for one of the unique experiential volunteer programs that will have you involved in the feeding and care of these cuddly creatures - and possibly even holding a baby panda. English language tours are available.

Address: 1375 Xiongmao Ave, Chenghua District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China

• Read More: Top Tourist Attractions in Chengdu & Easy Day Trips

Known in China as Chang Jiang ("Long River"), the mighty Yangtze River extends more than 6,000 kilometers, making it the longest and most important river in China. It also has the distinction of being the third longest in the world after the Amazon and the Nile.

Flowing from Tibet in the west to Shanghai in the east through eight provinces, the Yangtze has, for more than 2,000 years, been China's major transportation route as some 2,700 kilometers are navigable. Its vast catchment area, with its 700 tributaries, covers about one-fifth of the total area of the country and encompasses a quarter of the country's agricultural land.

While its immense length ensures the river can be visited at numerous points in China, by far the most popular for tourists is the beautiful Three Gorges. Named Qutang, Wu, and Xiling, they cover a 200-kilometer stretch between the towns of Fengjie and Yichang. In places a mix of raging torrents and dangerous shallows, here the river winds its way through the gorges and their rugged cliffs and high mountain peaks in a stretch of scenery as dramatic as the Grand Canyon.

Numerous sightseeing options are available, from luxurious riverboat cruises focusing on the region's many historical attractions and places of scenic beauty to challenging adventure tours along the most dramatic sections of the river.

Considered one of the world's most important historic gardens and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Classical Gardens of Suzhou should rank highly on your China travel itinerary. Located in the historic city of Suzhou in Jiangsu province, these magnificent gardens were established in the 11th century, at a time when the city was experiencing unprecedented growth, and were among some 270 or more gardens planted here.

Of the surviving restored gardens, the most famous is the delightful Garden of Lingering . This seven-acre garden was laid out in 1800 on the site of a park originally created during the Ming Dynasty. One of the most famous garden complexes in China, it boasts a pool, several attractive buildings, a man-made hill, a grove of peach trees, and a lovely covered pathway on the walls of which hang more than three hundred stone tablets engraved with old Chinese characters.

Also worth visiting is the Garden of the Cang Lang Ting Pavilion . This two-acre garden offers many unique features, including a double arcade connecting the inner and outer sections.

Address: 178 Dongbei St, Gusu District, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China

Another of China's most recognizable historic structures is the magnificent Potala Palace in the town of Lhasa, Tibet. Constructed as a fortress and residence for the Dalai Lama, it was for centuries a center of political and religious power and contains many of the religion's most important treasures.

The first of the two Potala Palaces, the Red Palace , was built in the 17th century and contains the complex's most important shrines. These are found in the Enthronement Hall, the walls of which are covered with murals depicting scenes from the lives of the Dalai Lamas and the Tibetan kings. Other highlights of the Red Palace are its many vast halls devoted to the religion's teachings and the elaborate tombs, known as "stupas," of a number of Dalai Lamas.

The equally impressive White Palace was completed in 1648 and includes the sleeping quarters, studies, and reception rooms, most untouched since 1959 when the Dalai Lama fled Tibet. While in Lhasa, be sure to visit the superb Jewel Gardens . Part of the Dalai Lama's summer residence, these 90-acre gardens were first started in the 1840s and encompass everything from grand palaces and pavilions to pleasant lakes.

Address: 35 Central Beijing Road, Lhasa, Tibet, China

A remarkable act of smart city planning and preservation can be seen in Shanghai's splendid riverside promenade, the Zhongshan Lu, perhaps better known as the Bund (Wàitan). As you stroll this wide pedestrian zone along the Huangpu Jiang River, you'll almost forget you're bang-smack in the middle of China's largest city (Shanghai's population exceeds 24 million people).

Famous for its European feel, a fact owed to the district's past as the location of the city's International Settlement, the Bund is popular for its 52 preserved English- and French-influenced buildings, many now restaurants, cafés, stores, and art galleries. Representing a variety of influences from Gothic to Renaissance styles including a number of Art Deco buildings, the architecture includes highlights such as the old harbor customs office, with its bell tower, and the majestic Peace Hotel.

For the best views of the Bund, visit the 468-meter Oriental Pearl Tower on the opposite bank of the Huangpu Jiang River. If time allows, be sure to also visit the Yu Garden. Known affectionately as the "Garden of Happiness," this must-see garden can trace its roots back to 1559 when it was laid out. Many of the original structures survive to this day.

Address: Zhongshan East 1st Rd, Wai Tan, Huangpu, Shanghai, China

• Read More: Top Tourist Attractions in Shanghai & Easy Day Trips

Few cities in China can boast quite the same concentration of splendid historic sites and ancient temples as the city of Hangzhou (Hangchow). Capital of Zhejiang province and located at the southernmost end of China's famous Grand Canal , much of this rich collection is gathered around lovely West Lake, a six-kilometer-square stretch of water in the heart of the old city which is surrounded by numerous hills, pagodas, and temples.

Divided into five distinct sections by man-made causeways dating back as far as the 11th century, it's a marvelous area to explore on foot as you cross from one stretch of water to the next, only to be met with another cluster of fine old buildings. It's particularly pleasant in spring when its many peach trees are blossoming.

Part of the fun is lingering on the lake's many fine old bridges, one of the best being the Broken Bridge (Duanqiao) linking the Baidi Causeway with the shore, and exploring Little Paradise Island with its four mini-lakes linked by the zigzagging Bridge of the Nine Arches .

Be sure to hop aboard one of the many tour boats and small pleasure craft available to whisk you around the lake. And if time permits, stick around for the fun musical fountain show held each evening.

• Read More: Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Hangzhou

In China's mountainous northeastern region is the old city of Shenyang. This important center for trade and culture is home to the Mausoleum of Light (Zhaoling), also known as the Northern Imperial Tomb.

One of northeastern China's most important historic sites, it's included on the UNESCO World Heritage Site's list of Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties and is noted for its unique architectural style: a combination of traditionally arranged Chinese burial sites and castle-like buildings of the early Qing period.

Buried here in a vast site covering more than 180,000 square meters that took eight years to complete is Emperor Huang Taiji, who reigned from 1626-35. The site is notable for its 'Path of Souls', a laneway lined with stone columns and sculptures of the emperor's favorite horses.

Another important site is the imposing Imperial Palace dating from the early Qing era, the second largest completely preserved palace complex in China after the Imperial Palace in Beijing. The complex served as a residence for the first Qing Emperors and includes several splendid courtyards around which are grouped numerous buildings, including the Hall of Exalted Government (Chongzheng Dian) housing the imperial throne.

Location: Huanggu District, Shenyang, China

" The mountain is a Buddha and the Buddha is a mountain. " So goes the famous Chinese saying, one that's attributed to the spectacular 71-meter-tall Leshan Giant Buddha. And it certainly makes sense as you stand at its feet as the colossal statue towers high above you.

Started in AD 713 by a Buddhist monk and completed 90 years later, this important religious icon is carved entirely from a stone cliff face and is the largest Buddha sculpture in the world. Representing the Buddha Maitreya, the statue is even more dramatic given its location overlooking the river that it was designed to appease which had often proven treacherous for shipping.

Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Giant Buddha continues to draw huge numbers of pilgrims from across the globe and is widely regarded as one of China's must-visit attractions. Easily accessible from the city of Chengdu , the Leshan Giant Buddha can be reached by a fun ferry trip from the public docks in Leshan. The scenic park in which the Buddha is set is also worth exploring, so be sure to allocate sufficient time to your itinerary.

Address: 2345 Lingyun Rd, Shizhong District, Leshan, Leshan, Sichuan, China

Widely considered one of the world's most dramatic city skylines - as much a result of its having one of the highest concentrations of skyscrapers as it is the presence of the tall hills that frame them - Hong Kong has for decades been the bustling capital of finance and commerce in this part of the Pacific. And it's a cityscape that can be enjoyed from a number of different vantages.

One of the best views is from Victoria Peak on Hong Kong Island, where the skyscrapers frame the city's huge harbor, a special treat after nightfall. Equally stunning is the view from Victoria Harbour itself. Here, you can also take one of Hong Kong's famous ferries. Operated by the Star Ferry company, you can hop aboard and head to various points to wander and explore, such as Kowloon. Or you can simply stay on board and enjoy the views.

If possible, try to time your trip to coincide with the nightly laser extravaganza, a stunning 360-degree laser-light show that uses the harbor's skyscrapers as a magical backdrop. For the best views, try to catch the show from the Kowloon side of Victoria Harbour.

Traveling with family? If so, you'll want to include Hong Kong Disneyland on your travel itinerary. China's first Disney theme park opened in 2005 and while visitors will notice many of the same rides as in the brand's other properties, careful attention was paid to China's cultural heritage. A highlight for fans of Disney's animated movies is the new in 2023 World of Frozen , while 2024 will see the opening of Stark Expo , an area dedicated to the characters of the Marvel universe.

• Read More: Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Hong Kong

When you first set eyes on Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan province, it's certainly not difficult to see how filmmaker James Cameron was able to draw inspiration from it.

Cameron's box office hit Avatar , could well have been set in this area of stunning natural beauty, its many unique pillar-like rock formations looking like some incredible alien landscape right out of a sci-fi movie. One of the tallest pillars, standing at an impressive 1,080 meters, has been renamed "Avatar Hallelujah Mountain."

This is one of the lesser-known places to visit in China, but it's well worth the effort to get here. In addition to its many natural wonders, which can best be explored as part of an organized tour, the park boasts a number of new man-made attractions. The first to be built was the Bailong Elevator, aka the "Hundred Dragons Sky Lift." Elevating groups of up to 50 people 326 meters skyward in under two minutes, it's an impressive structure and one that offers dramatic views all the way.

Also notable is the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge. Opened in 2016, it's heralded as the world's highest and tallest pedestrian bridge. Standing 300 meters above the ground and extending 430 meters along a spectacular cliff face, it's an attraction that's definitely not recommended for the faint of heart but one of the best things to do if you are looking to add a little adventure to your day.

Location: Wulingyuan District, Zhangjiajie, Hunan, China

More on China

TRAVEL to CHINA – Tips and Information Guide for 2024

Everything you need to know about planning travel to China in our comprehensive destination guide.

From hiking the Great Wall of China to conquering your fear of heights at the highest glass bridge in the world, these are just some of the reasons why you should travel to China.

China is one of the most amazing countries in the world that is deservedly on nearly every traveller’s bucket list.

There aren’t that many countries that possess such various geographical climates, rich biodiversity, stunning landscapes and culture that persisted as the result of over 4,000 years of accumulated historical heritage. 

Whether you want to roam its markets or its mountains and jungles, China has something to offer for everyone. 

This country boasts in the diversity in its cuisine in addition to that of its languages, people, climate regions and biodiversity.

When you visit China you will be thoroughly amazed that the diet and culinary options vary from region to region.

This in itself gives you more than enough reason to visit China from one end to the other.

So if you’re planning your trip to China and you want your trip to be packed with experiences, new sights, and exotic cuisine while being vastly different from any other previous trip you’ve taken, then our China travel guide should make the planning as fun as the travel experience itself!

China Travel Guide

Before heading towards China, check out some basic information you might need:

General Information

• Capital: Beijing
• Other Main Cities: Shanghai, Guangzhou, Urumqi, Shenzen, Chengdu, Xian 
• Currency: Renminbi
• Language: Standard Chinese, Mongolian, Uyghur, Tibetan and Zhuang
• Population: 1,403,500,365
• Area: 9,596,961 sq.m2  
• Electricity Voltage: 220V
• Electricity Sockets: Type A, C and I

Top 5 Places to Visit in China

• Mount Huangshan – the UNESCO World Heritage is one of the most scenic highlights in the world. The impressive landscape features daunting peaks, thick forests composed of oddly-shaped pine trees and dense clouds covering the sky. It’s a perfect weekend trip if you want to see the most notable peaks and viewpoints of the Yellow Mountains .
• Suzhou – another UNESCO World Heritage site, a town nicknamed the ‘Venice of the East.’ If you’re visiting Shanghai, don’t miss the opportunity to pay a visit to this water town. The canals, gardens, narrow alleyways, picturesque pagodas and bridges make it a perfect day trip for some relaxation time.  
• Hangzhou – one of the seven ancient capitals of China and one of its Four Garden Cities. It’s known for the West Lake and stunning and well-preserved nature. The lake area consists of about 60+ cultural sites and spots to enjoy its nature . You can book a guided cruise tour that combines the best of natural sites but also incorporates this city’s rich history. 
• Guilin – this site has well-deserved its reputation for being one of the biggest natural gems in the world. The oddly-shaped hills (Karst Mountains), mysterious caves and its riverside decorated with the tall bamboo trees, paints a scenery unique to China.
• Beijing – C hina’s capital that is home to over 21 million people is not only the political center of the country but also has other impressive cultural and historical highlights that are not to be missed! Those include one of the World’s most recognizable landmark, the Great Wall of China and, equally as fascinating Forbidden City – today, a declared UNESCO World Heritage which was home to the rulers of the famous Ming and Qing dynasties.

Top 5 Travel Experiences in China

• Hiking the Great Wall of China – There are many sections of the wall that you can hike. We recommend the Jinshanling section, as most agrees it not only has the most beautiful scenery but is also the most accessible. The Chinese government has invested a lot into the infrastructure of this section, vastly improving the paths, cableway, roads and adding new hiking routes and even, organizing a shuttle bus.  You can even camp on the Great Wall of China if you want!
• Walk Over the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge – This is the longest and highest glass bridge in the World. It will be not only a memorable but also an adrenaline-inducing experience. This area is incredibly special, especially because of the Avatar Mountains and all the beautiful nature in this national park.
• Visit the Panda Reserve in Chengdu – if you’re an animal lover then you won’t regret taking the time to explore the reserve. The Chinese consider pandas sacred animals, and they are doing everything they can to ensure that we will be able to remove pandas from the endangered animals’ list. This gorgeous reserve is a testament to their dedication . Check out our post on how to spend 3 days in Chengdu .
• Mogao Caves , Dunhuang – More popularly known as the Caves of a Thousand Buddhas, these are a series of caves (492 caves) where ancient Buddhist carvings, manuscripts and murals from the 14th century can be found. This place is well worth the time, energy and money you’d need to see it. The world-class experts will guide you through over 41,800 meters of Buddhist history.
• Visit the Forbidden City – This UNESCO World Heritage Site in Beijing is incredibly important for the history and culture of the Chinese people. It is a wonderful example of traditional Chinese architecture, it’s home to the famous Palace Museum and it is the largest ancient palatial structure in the whole world!

Best Time To Visit China

When considering when to plan your trip to China one of the most important things to keep in mind are the season and the weather.

Some people plan their trips around certain events. While others plan around the seasons/weather. 

When NOT to Visit China

When organizing your trip to China, a good starting point is to first decide when NOT to go!

A good rule of thumb is to avoid every public Chinese holiday ! But that might prove a little bit trickier than you’d expect since some follow the lunar calendar and are different year to year. 

And it sounds counterintuitive to avoid China at certain times. But during public holidays China turns into an entirely different country for a traveller.

This is because transportation tickets are more expensive. Booking a train ticket will prove to be almost an impossible feat and all tourist sites will be overcrowded.

Not to mention that a lot of places will be closed for a couple of days or even a week. So you might miss an opportunity to visit locals’ favorite small eateries or some traditional venues.

So for visitors who really want to take their time and enjoy China’s main highlights, this would definitely be the worst time to visit.

Avoid the Spring Festival (more known as Chinese New Year/ Chunjie) – mid to late January to mid-February.

This is the most important holiday and you can expect to see millions of Chinese traveling all over the country.

It’s known to be the biggest annual mass migration in the world.

You should also avoid visiting China during the Golden Week or the week of National Day.

It’s from the 1st – 7th of October. And while the number of people that participate is lower than during the Spring Festival, there are still a lot of people moving and a lot of places closed to the public.

A lot of Chinese travelers also go abroad during this time so you can expect ticket prices for Japan and Thailand to go up.

If you want to visit during those dates, then just make sure to book well in advance and keep in mind that you will be paying more for everything – from accommodation to street food.

Other popular events are the Lantern Festival and the Dragon Boat Festival .

Those events should not interfere with your travel but expect slightly larger crowds at certain sites.

When to Visit China

So now that we tackled when NOT to visit China, what is the best time to visit China?

China occupies a landmass with various climates spanning all over the country. 

The best times for a visit are generally in spring (March-May) and autumn (September–November).

If you’re having trouble deciding when to visit, a useful trick is to also divide China by regions and seasons.

As we said, spring is a great time to travel pretty much all over China.

But in the north, it might be colder during early spring or late fall. But the weather should still be manageable.

The exception is Tibet . This is because it is closed to foreign visitors for two months every spring. 

From April to June, you can visit just about anywhere.

The best times to visit some places in northern China, Hainan or Tiber are during mid-summer. 

Some destinations are almost unbearably hot during summer and if you are sensitive to high temperatures, you should keep that in mind.

The places that we would avoid during the summer are:

• Nanjing (Jiangsu)
• Wuhan (Hubei)
• Chongqing (Sichuan)
• Inner Mongolia

Other Travels Seasons

The factor that you should include when planning when to visit is the rainy season.

From April to August if you’re planning to visit southern China, your flight just might be delayed or even cancelled due to bad weather conditions.

At this time of year, it’s best to travel via high-speed trains – they’re rarely delays, fast and comfortable. 

As with many other places in the world, in July and August students are on a school break and many families use that time to go on a summer vacation.

Prices will be higher in summer and you should plan well in advance.

Autumn is ideal if you want to visit spots that otherwise experience unbearably high temperatures in summer.

We would suggest during autumn that you plan to visit the Great Wall, Hong Kong and Xinjiang. 

To see the incredible feat of mankind, the Great Wall, surrounded and bathed in autumn colours, is a visual experience like no other. 

If you’re thinking to book your trip during your winter holidays you will be rewarded with fewer crowds and cheaper prices if you can withstand the cold.

During winter you can visit the Harbin Ice Festival (24th of December to 25th of February).

The snow and the scale of ice sculptures that are illuminated at night are an amazing sight to see.

The necessity of warm clothing can never be overemphasized as the temperatures drop during night low as -24 °C and are hardly ever over zero during the day. 

A less known fact is that Tibet is great for winter traveling.

During the high season, there is a limited time how much you can spend at the Potala Palace . But you can spend as long as you wish during winter.

The capital of Tibet, Lhasa, also has warmer winters than Beijing. 

If that’s not a good enough reason to travel to Tibet during winter, we will also mention that it’s definitely a more economical option and permits to enter the region are easier to get.

You will get a more authentic experience during winter because that’s also when many pilgrims arrive in Tibet. 

Food In China

• Beijing Duck – This dish is a must when you’re in Beijing, the birthplace of this iconic dish. The sweet and savory duck is served with spring onions, cucumbers, pancakes and other different sides (every restaurant has its own spin on this Chinese classic).
• Hot Pot – This can be an amazing choice or an utter disaster if you do not understand the Chinese spices and ingredients. It’s a pick your own destiny. First, choose the soup for your pot. This dish is all about the spice, but if your counterpart can’t handle the spice as well as you, you can split the pot into two. After choosing from a wide array of vegetables and meats you walk over to the sauce bar. The sauce bar offers barbecue sauce, freshly cut herbs, sesames and pastes, meats and vinegar. Ask a local to guide you through the process and help with their suggestions.
• Hong Shao Rou – This means red braised pork belly. It’s a dish that originated in Shanghai and is popular all across China. It’s cooked with garlic, chilli peppers, rice wine, ginger, soy sauce, sugar and deeply aromatic spices.
• Dumplings – These can be eaten at any time of the day.  They are usually dipped in soy sauce or vinegar with garlic. Dumplings are a staple of Chinese cuisine and there are many variations to cater to all tastes. The dumpling dough can be based on potatoes, flour or bread and the filling can be made from almost anything – various meats, fish, vegetables or cheese.
• Chow Mein – This is a dish made popular by the locals of Northern China, which today has reached global fame. It’s a dish made out of thin noodles (bean and cornflour dough) and is accompanied by sliced meats, Chinese vegetables and an egg.

Travel Itineraries Suggestions for China

China is vast. As the 3rd largest country in the world, China has much to offer by way of travel experience.

But trying to see the entire country can be daunting.

Here is a suggested 12-day itinerary to give you the best chance to see the highlights in the least amount of time we’d recommend when you visit China.

Beijing (3-4 Days)

Perhaps the biggest reason why people go to China is to see the Great Wall of China.

Our main piece of advice is to skip the Badaling , which is the busiest section of the wall. 

Visit a part of the wall that is unrestored but still tourist-friendly, such as Jinshanling, Huanghuacheng or Gubeikou .

The easiest section to visit would be to take a bus to Mutianyu . 

There you won’t have the wall to yourself. But you will have successfully avoided most of the crowds and will see beautiful views.

The second day, go and roam Beijing’s hutongs.

These are a network of alleyways and courtyard houses that make up Beijing.

There are day tours that usually include the Wudaoying Hutong , Houhai Lake, the Lama Temple and the Bell and Drum Towers .

B ut if you have the time, the best way is to simply let yourself get lost.

If you have a budget set aside for activities, hutong tours are interesting as you’d get to learn more about history and culture.

On your third day, make sure to go and see the Tiananmen Square that carries a portrait of Mao right over the entrance to the Forbidden City.

The Forbidden City is huge and you could spend a full day there.

But for most travellers, even two hours is enough to see all the highlights before starting to feel overwhelmed.

For the rest of the day, go to Jingshan Park and enjoy the views of Beijing and the Forbidden City!

Xi’an (2 Days)

Rent a bike at one of the main gates of the wall and do a round trip tour around the ancient wall. 

When you get off the wall, take some time to explore the art district near the South Gate .

The area is brimming with small shops and souvenirs.

This stunning neighborhood is a joy to photograph. 

Take one afternoon to go roaming around the Huimin Jie Muslim market.

From bargaining for interesting souvenirs to bring back to your loved ones to eating some of the most delicious and cheapest street food you’ll ever have.

Also, you are only a day trip away from Xi’an are the terracotta warriors.

You can see rows upon rows of life-sized terracotta warriors.

Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong (2 Days)

Hiking through Jiuzhaigou is one of the most beautiful trails you’ll encounter. It is full of crystal lakes and rivers that will mesmerise you.

The waters are so crystal clear that they reflect the sky.

The next day visit Huanglong , known for its calcite deposit pools.

These vibrantly colored pools are why Chinese have nicknamed the Huanglong – “fairyland.”

Songpan (1 Day)

If you’re a fan of horses then definitely don’t miss out on a horse trek across the Tibetan plateau.

You will be able to travel with a local guide that will show you parts of China that most visitors don’t get to see.

Chengdu (2 days)

A bus ride to Chengdu is four to six hours (there are flight options available too). This will leave you just enough time in the afternoon to explore teahouses and the city’s scenic gardens.

For dinner, you should go and get the traditional eating experience – the hot pot (from Chongqing and Sichuan).

The next day you might want to take the two-hour trip to see the largest Buddha in the world.

There are many tourist buses that operate on a daily basis.

One of the highlights of Chengdu is their Panda Reserve .

Morning visits are the best because that’s when the pandas are most active.

They also have a baby area, where you can observe cubs play with toys and roll around.

Shanghai (2-3 days)

To visit Shanghai, try to have at least two full days available to give this city justice.

Some of Shanghai’s highlights are: the Bund, the Yu Yuan Gardens , the French Concession and Jing’an Temple .

A lot of visitors claim that the best soup dumpling eatery is outside the Yu Yuan Gardens. Just follow the queue.

To see the ever-rising skyscrapers expand before you in every direction you look, just go up to one of Shanghai’s buildings.

The usual go-to observatory spots are the Shanghai World Financial Center and the Jin Mao Tower . 

Visa Requirements For China

If you are travelling to China you will have to apply for a visa from the Chinese embassy or their consulate.

This is unless you are a citizen from one of the visa-exempt countries.

An important side note : Hong Kong and Macau, have their own independent border control policy.

This means that they have their own visa requirements for which you have to apply separately from your Chinese visa.

There are only seventeen countries that are allowed to travel without a previously issued visa to China.

The countries that are exempt from visa are :

Stay up to 90 days:

• Bosnia and Herzegovina 

Stay up to 60 days:

Stay up to 30 days

•  Seychelles
•  United Arab Emirates

Stay up to 15 days:

For further information and up-to-date changes, click here .

READ MORE: Our experience with getting a Chinese visa in Vietnam .

How to Travel to China

There are plenty of ways to travel to China. Whether you prefer to travel by air, land or sea you will find many options and rates for your travel into the country.

Flying is the fastest and most convenient way to travel from most countries in the world to China.

China air transport hubs are:

The biggest and most used airlines are:

• China Eastern Airlines
• China Southern Airlines
• Hainan Airlines

International flights connect China with major cities all around the world. Further, Chinese domestic flights connect all major cities within the country.

The only two cities in China that have two airports are Shanghai (Hongqiao International Airport and Pudong International Airport) and Beijing (Nanyuan Airport and Capital International Airport).

So be mindful of that when booking your flight.

There are eighteen cities in China that offer 72-hour visa-free transit so visitors can have a short stay in the most popular cities. Just note that these also tend to be the most expensive ones too.

From Europe:

Getting to China from Europe could be tricky and it most likely requires transfers.

That being said, you can still get to China from many European cities, such as Amsterdam, Milan, Rome, Brussels, Paris, Frankfurt, Manchester, Madrid, London, Zurich, Barcelona and Helsinki.

From the US:

It is possible to catch a direct flight from the US to China.

Most flights originate in San Francisco, Seattle, Detroit, Los Angeles, Seattle or Chicago and terminate in either Beijing or Shanghai.

Of course, pricing and availability vary. And you can expect the flights to be operated by one of the three big companies: Delta, American or United Airlines.

There are a variety of ways and border crossings when you want to visit china overland.

Travelling by train and vehicle are the most common.

The most usual way to get from Europe to China via train is to hop on the Trans-Siberian railway. 

The Trans-Siberian train is a lot easier to arrange when it comes to booking a ticket or organizing your visas. And it is significantly faster.

The Trans-Siberian route, from Moscow – Beijing, is just one train. So in terms of being pragmatic and budget-friendly, this is the option we would recommend.

But that said, there’s another possible route: the Silk route via Kazakhstan. 

Here you have the following options :

• London – Moscow
• Moscow – Astana or Almaty (Kazakhstan). This is the direct route for China
• Moscow – Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)
• Moscow – Tashkent (Uzbekistan), if you wish to start from Uzbekistan
• Tashkent – Samarkand – Bukhara and Urgench for Khiva, these trains link Tashkent with three cities in Uzbekistan
• Tashkent – Almaty
• Almaty/ Astana – Ürümqi, which is the next step to China
• Ürümqi – Xian – Beijing

Train tickets are more expensive than traveling by air and transit times are longer too.

But i f you do want to spend some time in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan or Kazakhstan then taking this route is a nice way to do sightseeing.

If you’re coming from USA/Canada, the easiest way would be to book your ticket to Moscow and then decide whether you want to take the Silk or the Trans-Siberian route.

We do not suggest driving because you could only drive to China, not inside the country.

International driver’s licenses are not valid in China.

So even if your starting point is from one of the neighbouring countries, it’s less hassle to book a train or hop on an airplane.

China Travel Tips

If you’re not from China or eastern Asia, you could find the culture and way of interacting to be quite strange.

The way of expressing emotions and opinions is quite different in China as compared to Western cultures.

But that’s just the beauty of cultural variety.

Besides that, there are certain things that you should pay attention to in order to have a good time in China.

And there are also things that you should know so that you will be respectful towards the locals.

Here are some tips we have for you during your stay in China:

• Don’t be afraid of raised voices! A lot of the time you will encounter Chinese people talking very loudly. In most cultures that would signalize that a heated discussion is about to turn into a brawl. But actually, Chinese people can tend to just talk loudly and passionately. 
• Be sure to have Travel Insurance for the duration of your trip. One incident can cause a major impact on your wallet – not to mention your travel plans.
• Don’t tip. This might go against your personal beliefs, but Chinese don’t tip and neither should you. This will only confuse them or some may even find it insulting.
• Buy a VPN. There are a lot of useful websites that are not accessible in China (like Facebook or Google!) We recommend ExpressVPN. Use this link to get 30 days free when you sign up.
• The preferred method of payment is cash. Most places only accept cash unless you are visiting upscale hotels and restaurants.
• Use the Yuan currency only. The Hong Kong dollar or US dollar won’t be accepted.
• Install Pleco – the best app for Chinese language for travellers.
• Haggle. When merchants see that you are not a native Chinese, they will almost always rise the market price. It’s not unusual to haggle. Some merchants even respect you more if you do.
• Bring toilet paper and hand sanitizer. In a lot of toilets in China, you won’t always find these essentials.
• If in need of help, turn to the youth. Statistics have shown that a majority of Chinese under the age of 25 speak conversational English.

Budget for Travelling in China

China is a huge country and prices vary significantly depending on what region and what time of the year you’re visiting.

Since you’re probably interested in the range of prices of certain things you’ll definitely spend money on, we’ve decided to help.

Here’s a list of some essential expenses and their general cost range as you travel to metropolitan areas:

• Accommodation : $4 – $400+
• Food : $0.50 – $45+
• Drinks : $0.40 – $15
• Domestic/Local Transportation : $0.30 – $30
• Tours : $15 – $600+

When it comes to accommodation, the cheapest form is hostels. 

In less touristy areas you can find mixed dorm beds from $4 USD per night.

Even in major cities, like Beijing and Shanghai, the prices start from $3 USD per night!

As for food, the best way to save money is to eat street food or visit a food court at a shopping mall.

The street food in China is not only cheap but also incredibly good. Even the wealthiest love to indulge in street food.

A filling meal from a street vendor would cost you up to $5 USD. But it’s usually less than that.

For transport costs, you can rent a bike, which is around $3 USD, depending on how much terrain you want to cover.

If you don’t have a budget for cultural activities, you’ll be relieved to know that there are many museums that don’t charge admission!

Flashpacker

There are a lot of mid-range accommodation options, from private rooms in hostels to private rooms in shared Airbnb and hotels.

Private rooms in hostels cost a little bit more than two beds in a mixed dorm room (around $8 USD per night) or a private room in an Airbnb (from $20 USD per night).

Mid-range hotel prices start from around $30 USD per night.

Eating out in local restaurants usually costs from $10-15 USD per meal.

The cost of an average alcoholic beverage in a bar would be around $8-10 USD.

Transport costs, such as taxi, could cost from $9 USD, of course depending on the time of the day (night fare is more expensive) and the distance you will cover.

But always ask for the price in advance before getting into the taxi!

Double rooms in a luxury hotel or a private home booked through Airbnb start from around 120$ USD per night.

Eating out at the most excellent restaurants (hotel restaurants or local ones) will cost you from $45 USD per meal.

There is an array of cultural activities available to all tastes and depending on your interest – whether it’d be visiting the Chinese national opera or the hottest night club – prices vary.

If you’re used to travelling in luxury through other countries, you can expect that China not only delivers the luxury to which you’re accustomed but also costs considerably lower when compared to other countries.

You could treat yourself to one of the most luxurious tours, such as a Zhujiajiao Water Village Tour from Shanghai.

Transportation In And Around China

China is a huge country and if you plan to travel around it – you’ll need some help.

Keep in mind that renting a car won’t be an option, since no international driver’s licence is valid in China!

Here are all the other ways to travel in cities and between them:

Chinese airlines are safe and comfortable.

There are over 1,200 routes and nearly 1,000 are domestic routes. 

The most popular airports for domestic travel are in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing. 

Besides Macau and Hong Kong, there are over 200 airports in China that connect over a hundred internal cities and eighty foreign cities.

The most popular and reliable airlines are:

• Eastern Airlines
• Air China Limited
• Shandong Airlines
• Southern Airlines
• Shanghai Airlines
• Xiamen Airlines
• Shenzhen Airlines
• Sichuan Airlines

Public buses are generally crowded, but very affordable.

Try to avoid peak hours, as traffic jams occur in large and populous cities quite often. 

The buses generally run from 6:30 in the morning to 7:30 in the evening. 

In some cities they run through the night.

When you board the bus, at the front door there will be a coin box where you are expected to pay for your fare.

However, some buses have a ticket conductor that oftentimes charges according to how much distance you will cover.

The Intercity Long-Distance Bus

The intercity long-distance bus is another increasingly popular option attributed to the development and extension of highways.

All cities have coach stations which are located at the city’s railway station.

The long-distance buses operate between almost all Chinese cities.

The run time is usually from early morning to late in the evening, and for longer distances – there are fewer services throughout the day.

The buses usually have a toilet, TV, air-conditioning and some might even have a sleeping berth if it’s an overnight trip.

Mini-buses operate to try and alleviate the pressure of bus transportation.

The tickets are a bit higher in price and they’re determined by the distance you take.

Still, it is best to avoid peak hours which are from 7 am–9 am and 5 pm–7 pm.

Pay close attention to your belongings as pickpockets operate most during rush hour.

Tour buses usually feature a Chinese character ‘游’ in front of the bus number.

Tour buses are commonly seen in major Chinese cities where there are many famous highlights.

They have a predetermined scenic route and usually have a tour guide on board to share interesting bits of history and fun facts.

Trolleybus/Electric Buses

From 2010, trolleybuses have joined the public transit system in 14 Chinese cities. 

All trolleybus systems in China hail from after the 1950s except in Shanghai.

Shanghai’s trolleybus system was opened in 1914 and is still operating – making it the oldest operating trolleybus system in the world.  

Traveling by railway is the main means of transportation in China and its network is one of the biggest in the world. 

The mileage of operating railways adds up to 124,000 kilometres and the number of passengers has surpassed 2.5 billion. 

Out of the 124,000 kilometres of railway, the 22,000 kilometres are utilized by the high-speed railways. 

The Chinese railway connects almost every place in China – even the most remote ones – and is the backbone of the Chinese traffic network.

The domestic trains are divided into five categories:

• High-speed/bullet trains 
• Fast trains
• Tourist trains
• Express trains
• Normal trains

The High Speed/Bullet Train

This remarkable train, on average, operates fast as 250-300 km/h.

The price of tickets depends whether you want to buy first, second or business class as well as if they have a VIP category.

Some overnight trains offer soft and luxury soft sleeper options.

Many trains sell standing room tickets which cost the same as second class tickets.

The facilities are similar to those of an airplane. 

The seats can be adjusted and you have use of a foldable table. Further, electrical sockets and meals and snack services are provided at a price.

This website will help with booking tickets and schedules.

The major cities have metro systems either already in operation, in planning stages or under construction.

The underground transit is developing at rapid speeds.

This is because one of the priorities to make China a greener country is to reduce the pollution of its cities and improve the quality of living.

Chinese metro systems are immaculate. They transfer large amounts of people, are very frequent and nearly always on time.

This contributes to diminishing the traffic jams and above ground transit.

The Shanghai Metro is the longest metro system in the world. 

Taxi is a very convenient mode of transport and surprisingly not too expensive.

In major cities, all vehicles have a meter.

If you’re situated in a smaller town, ask at your hotel for a price estimate.

And if you’re thinking of covering a long distance, it’s possible to negotiate a deal. 

Taxis are available at nearly all times and everywhere.

Chinese taxi drivers have a reputation of being very honourable. But it is always good practice to exercise caution.

China has over 110 thousand kilometres of navigable streams, lakes, rivers and canals.

The Grand Canal is 1794 kilometres long. It connects seventeen cities (from Beijing to Hangzhou) and five rivers (Huaihe, Qintang, Haihe, Yangtze and Huanghe.)

Since so many railways and highways have been built in recent years, waterway transport has diminished.

But there are still ways to move around the country via waterway – especially the Yangtze cruise (Baidi to Yichang), Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and the Li River cruise (Guilin – Yangshuo).

Accommodation in China

There is a lot of variety and options when it comes to accommodation in China.

On one hand, you can stay in a very cheap hostel (which doesn’t mean that it lacks quality!).

But China is also full of luxurious hotels and villas.

When picking a place to stay, you should be aware of the fact that, in the Chinese language, there are different words for hotel and they indicate the status of the place. 

• Dajiudian – “Big wine shop” – luxury accommodation
• Shan Zhuang – “Mountain resort” – accommodation in the countryside
• Binguan & fandian – a general term for a hotel and can mean anything from an average hotel to a smart hotel.
• Kèzhàn – Basic guesthouse
• Zhāodàisuŏ – Hostel
• Lǚguăn/ lǚshè – inn
• Zhùsù – accommodation

China is one of the best places in the world when it comes to the number of affordable accommodation options!

The network of hostels in China is ever-expanding and most of them are affiliated with the International Youth Hostel Association.

They tend to have clean and modern facilities, nicely designed social spaces, friendly and English speaking staff and fast Wi-Fi.

Getting around China is challenging if you don’t speak the language, but the staff from hostels usually are willing to help you on your way.

They will gladly write the places that you need to visit or a couple of useful phrases to ease day to day communication. 

Also, even booking a private room in a hostel is considerably cheaper when compared to European countries.

The quality of hostels is good and the prices tend to be very low.

If you’re in Shanghai, staying at the Mingtown Nanjing Road Youth Hostel will cost around $9 per night.

The dorms have 6 beds and male and female dorms are separate.

A deluxe private room in Beijing’s Chinese Box Courtyard Hostel costs around $50 and breakfast is included in the price.

The hostel also has a couple of free thematic nights, such as the free vegetarian dumpling party or the professional and traditional Chinese Kongfu tea course!

When it comes to cheap hotels, you will usually find these located near bus or train stations.

Chinese locals usually rent beds and not rooms, so doubling up with strangers isn’t uncommon, especially as a means of saving money.

But foreigners are not allowed to share a room with Chinese people.

Instead, they have to rent a whole room. But usually, you will be able to negotiate a good price.

If you’re an avid camper, just know that it is only possible to camp in Hong Kong.

There are free campsites all over the New Territories and in the beautiful nature of Qinghai, Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Yunnan, Sichuan and Tibet.

But just know that to camp, you would have to obtain a government-issued permit.

Hong Kong, Macau and few southwestern provinces have a number of privately owned guesthouses.

They range in size and quality, from tents to family mansions.

A double room in one of these guesthouses is usually cheaper than in a hotel.

There is at least one mid-range hotel in every town in China. 

But the quality of the hotel is hard to predict from the price itself. 

An old hotel with faulty bathrooms and washed out sheets could charge you the same as a newly opened establishment.

The general rule is to always try to book the newer place. 

In more isolated places, you should be able to find a double room for $20 USD per night. But in bigger cities from $40 USD per night.

One thing you can always rely on when staying in a Chinese hotel is that you will be left with a pair of plastic or paper slippers and a vacuum flask of hot water that can be refilled by the staff!

If you’re in Chengdu, the Chengdu Rising Butterfly Hotel is one of the best options.

Either a business twin room or a queen room costs a little over $50. And in some cases, breakfast is included in the price.

The Holiday Inn Express Yizhuang in Beijing will be a great experience.

The price of a standard room with free breakfast for two is usually around $70. But you can often find discounts and pay around $40!

Luxury hotels are situated in larger cities and offer the same level of service as any four or five-star hotel anywhere else in the world.

They have the same facilities that are to be expected: gyms, swimming pools and business centers.

The price of a double room will be from $120 upwards and an additional 15% service charge will be added. 

The Niccolo Chengdu hotel is one of the most popular of its kind.

The very luxurious hotel will offer an incredible experience that will satisfy any type of guest – all for the price of $150 per night!

The Upper House in Hong Kong is the epitome of glamour and it’s especially great for business travel.

It has the largest hotel rooms in Hong Kong, along with ocean views and an amazing location.

The prices start at around $400, but the largest penthouse costs over $2000!

Safety While Travelling in China

China is regarded as a pretty safe and non-violent country.

If there is unrest it’s typically contained within certain areas.

Petty Crime

The biggest dangers are petty crimes such as pickpocketing – which with administering precaution is preventable.

Travellers are targets for pickpockets and thieves.

These thieves usually operate near train and bus stations, hard-seat train carriages, intercity but also long-distance buses (especially take precaution if you’re boarding the sleeper bus) and public toilets.

It is not advisable for women to travel solo. 

Always check your restaurant bill to make sure you are not being charged extra for hidden expenses and avoid paying by credit card so you can make sure they won’t add any extra charges.

Safety in Taxis

The most widespread scam are the taxi scams at the Beijing Airport.

Always queue at the taxi rank and insist that the driver uses his meter.

Avoid pedicabs and motorized three-wheelers. Many times these drivers will agree on an initially negotiated price and then after you arrive at the destination they insist on a different sum, which sometimes can even be 10x the initial agreement. 

Traffic Accidents

One of the dangers when traveling in China are the high numbers of traffic accidents.

The World Health Organization (WHO) made an estimate that there are approximately 600 vehicular deaths per day.

When taking a long-distance bus you’ll find that there are no seatbelts. Even taxis outside of major cities oftentimes don’t have rear seatbelts fitted.

The biggest danger is crossing the street no matter how ridiculous it sounds.

In China there are a large number of electric cars and hoverboards that run silently and you probably wouldn’t even hear them until it’s too late.

The red lights in China don’t mean much for Chinese drivers as they often run through them. So even the green figure signaling that it’s safe to cross doesn’t always mean that.

Medical System In China

The healthcare system in China is a mix of public and private services.

Major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai have hospitals with world-class care and specialist services.

Rural regions sometimes lack even the very basic healthcare services.

Sometimes healthcare options are limited to only types of traditional medicine such as acupressure, herbal remedies and acupuncture.

You should always travel with travel insurance ! A comprehensive travel medical insurance is mandatory for visitors.

If you are treated at a private hospital the price difference between a private and a public hospital is significant.

If you’re suffering serious health issues and at the time of medical assistance you’re in one of the more remote areas, you will have to organize an expensive airlift.

Preparation is key to easy and safe travels.

Make sure that your policy includes medical evacuation, translation service and private hospitals to ensure maximum comfort.

Packing List For Travel To China

While there is always a variety of packing options depending on the season and length of travel, these are the travel essentials we recommend for your trip to China.

Note: This list is intended for trips during spring and summer.

Clothing And Wardrobe For Men And Women

• 3x Comfortable, long pants 
• 5x Short-sleeved shirts
• 2x Long-sleeved shirts
• 1x Wool sweater
• 1x Windbreaker/rain jacket 
• 1x Fleece jacket
• 1x Flip flops 
• 1x Adventure sandals
• 1x Waterproof shoes
• 1x Hiking shoes
• Undergarments
• Breathable socks 

Miscellaneous Items

• Extra SD memory card
• A cellphone (make sure to have an offline Translator App, phrasebook, copies of  needed travel documents and ids, currency converter, copy of your insurance card/policy and emergency contact info)
• Portable battery
• Power adapter
• Sunhat with a wide brim and a chin strap
• Insect repellent
• Toilet paper
• Hand sanitizer 
• Guide book and a map
• Pocket knife
• Book with everyday phrases in Chinese
• Reusable water bottle

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Best Places to Visit for Expats in China

No matter you are in China for business, study or permanent living, you are highly suggested to make maximize use of your weekends and holidays to explore this wonderful country. Maybe getting up close to the incredible landscapes is your preference? Are you interested in the unique culture of the Great Wall, Kung Fu and ancient army? Or do you want to take your taste buds on a trip by sampling Chinese specialties? China offers all of this and more.

Here are up-to-date lists of Best Places to Visit in China for China Expats . All are voted completely by over 20,000 foreigners in China.

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Best China Tours for Expats in China:

• ☛ 3 Days Classic Zhangjiajie Natural Wonders Tour
• ☛ 2 Days Leisure Chengdu Private Tour with Panda Visit
• ☛ 3 Days Beijing Essential Short Stay Tour
• ☛ 4 Days Jiayuguan Dunhuang Tour (Silk Road Short Break)

For Nature Lovers

Have you been yearning to nature for a long time? China has everything for you, from the majestic gorges to towering Kast Mountains, magical avatar mountains to holy snow mountains, breathtaking Yellow Mountain to beautiful Rainbow Mountains, stunning rivers to pure alpine lakes, otherworldly stone forest to spectacular waterfalls, and so on.

• Guilin Guilin's Scenery is the best under heaven! This ideal place always drives tourists crazy with majestic Karst Hills, emerald rivers…
• Yellow Mountain "No mountain is worth seeing after a trip to Yellow Mountain". Yellow Mountain, or called Huangshan, is the most beautiful mountain in China!
• Zhangjiajie Avatar Mountains are calling! Here in Zhangjiajie, you can get up close to thousands of magical Avatar pillars!

• Guizhou Guizhou has China's largest waterfall - Huangguoshu Waterfalls, a rising star among mountaineers - Fanjingshan…

• Daocheng Yading Daocheng is praised as the Last Pure Land on Our Planet! It has superb snow mountains, ice glaciers, alpine lakes, valleys…
• Hangzhou When it comes to the most beautiful lake in China, Hangzhou West Lake usually tops the list. Mountains of tea plantations in this city are also amazing!
• Kunming Kunming, the spring city with pleasant weather all year round, is also rich in natural wonders like the stone forest, red land…

Best China Tours for Nature Lovers

• ☛ 3 Days Classic Jiuzhaigou Tour
• ☛ 4 Days Guilin Highlights Tour
• ☛ 3 Days Huangshan Highlights Leisure Tour
• ☛ 3 Days Classic Fanjingshan Tour
• ☛ 5 Days Kunming, Jianshui & Yuanyang Rice Terraces Tour

For Chinese History & Culture Fans

With as long as 5,000 years of history, China has abundant of cultural museums and heritages to explore. It is because of its long history and splendid culture that every year China attracts flocks of visitors to come and travel around. If you are also Chinese culture fans, simply visiting museums isn’t always enough. You’ll get the most satisfactions out of ruins of ancient times in front of you and visiting places that once the capital and prosperous hub in the past. Getting close to its historic cities and sites is like opening a door to trace the mysterious and splendid past. And in China, the cities below are the top picks to trace its past.

• Beijing From the world-class Great Wall to spectacular Forbidden City, Beijing, of course, always tops the travel list of Chinese culture fans.

• Lijiang Lijiang Old Town is one of the four best well-preserved ancient towns in the whole China. Lijiang also has Baisha Village, Shuhe Ancient Village…

• Suzhou "Suzhou Gardens are the finest under heaven". Suzhou City has a flavor of elegance everywhere, from the classic gardens to water towns, silk factories to ancient streets…
• Foshan Fungfu Fans? Why not add Foshan, the Hometown of Marital Arts, into your trip? You can learn the stories of many martial arts masters here, including Bruce Lee!
• Shaolin Temple Shaolin Temple is the birthplace of Chinese Kung Fu that you see in many Kung Fu movies. Here, you can join the Kung Fu classes and enjoy Kung Fu shows.
• Kaili If you are curious about the minority culture in China, or want to visit some well-preserved minority villages, Kaili is one of the best choices.
• Leshan Leshan Giant Buddha is a must-visit for all Buddhist devotees. This stone Buddha is the tallest in the world!

Best China Tours for Chinese History & Culture Fans

• ☛ 2 Days Beijing Layover Highlights Tour
• ☛ 3 Days Classic Xian Tour
• ☛ 3 Days Romantic Lijiang Tour with Visits to Naxi Kingdom
• ☛ 3 Days Essence of Luoyang Tour
• ☛ 3 Days Best Dunhuang Culture and Scenery Tour
• ☛ 3 Days Kaili Minority & Cultural Experience Tour with Xijiang Miao Village

For Families

If you are in China with your kids and searching for places to spend your weekends and holidays, choices are a lot. You can visit the China Icons like Great Wall and pandas, sail the picturesque Yangtze River or Li River and marvel at the Avatar Mountains in Zhangjiajie and so on.

• Xian Terracotta Warriors and Horses, Ancient City Wall, Muslim Quarter, Giant Wild Goose Pagoda , Bell Tower, Drum Tower… Everyone can have fun in Xian.
• Yangtze River The classic Yangtze River cruises take 4~5 days. If you have more days, you can have an in-depth visit of 11~15 days. Everything is perfectly arranged for your family.

• Zhangjiajie Floating Avatar Mountains, Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, Yellow Dragon Cave, nearby tranquil Fenghuang Ancient Town…
• Chengdu Everyone loves adorable Pandas! And in Chengdu, you can not only admire their lovely looks in a distance but also be a one-day keeper to feed them...
• Yangshuo Guilin’s scenery is the best under earth, and the landscape in Yangshuo is the best in Guilin. Yangshuo is an ideal place to take a glimpse of Chinese countryside!

• Xiashuangbanna Featured with large groups of plants and wild animals and a strong flavor of tropical and South East Asian, Xishuangbanna is a popular tourist land for families.

Best China Tours for Families

• ☛ 4 Days Beijing Family Tour with Kids Fun
• ☛ 2 Days Xian City Break
• ☛ 3 Days Classic Guilin Tour
• ☛ Days Best Shanghai Family Holiday Tour

For Hiking Aficionados

Looking for some amazing accesses to wonderful mountains, gorges and so on by your steps? No matter you are beginners or experienced hikers, China can perfectly fulfill your dreams. There are notable great wall, popular Yellow Mountain, adventurous Mount Kailash, little-known Yubeng and so forth for you to choose!

• Great Wall "He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man"! There are top 7 sections of great walls are calling, including Mutianyu, Jinshaling, Badaling, Simatai, etc.

• Tiger Leaping Gorge The Tiger Leaping Gorge hiking trail is one of the most famous routes in the world! It is a totally natural one winding through the hillside and cliffs high above a gorgeous gorge.

• Mount Siguniang The beautiful Mount Siguniang provides diverse of hiking opportunities, from leisure hiking to top professional hiking to the summits of Snow Mountains.

Best China Tours for Hiking Aficionados

• ☛ 2 Days Mutianyu and Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking
• ☛ 3 Days Tiger Leaping Gorge Hiking Tour
• ☛ 2 Days Mount Emei Leisure Hiking Tour from Chengdu
• ☛ 3 Days Xian Mount Huashan Leisure Tour

For Foodies

Every city in China offers diverse delicious dining options. You can of course treat your taste mud with excellent dishes in the city you are living or working. However, if you want some authentic tastes of specialties of different regions, you can head to Chengdu for Sichuan Cuisine dishes like Kung Pao Chicken, to Chongqing for Nine-grid hot pot, to Shunde for excellent Cantonese Cuisine, to Xian for various kinds of cooked wheaten food…

• Chengdu Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan, the province where many notable dishes like including Mapo Tofu, Twice Cooked Pork and Gong Bao (yes Kung Pow) Chicken originate.

• Beijing Everyone knows Beijing Roast Duck! Instant-boiled Mutton is also delicious. You may also like the unique Fermented Mung Bean Juice, Rolling Donkey, Pea Flour Cake…

• Chongqing The hot pot meals in Chongqing, the Hot Pot City in China, are considered to the best and most beloved. You can throw almost any ingredient into the hotpot.

Best China Tours for Foodies

• ☛ 2 Days Best Chengdu Food Tour with City Sightseeing
• ☛ 5 Days Brilliant Lingnan Culture & Food Tour
• ☛ 4 Days Beijing Food Hunting Tour

For Photography Enthusiasts

Photography is a great way to record the beautiful China and forever keep your memories during your travels in China. No matter you are professional photospheres with superb photographic "guns" or shutterbugs who just want some interesting Instagram images, China never let you down. From the sprawling mountains to the scenic beaches, idyllic rice terraces to never-ending meadows, China is full of great places to press your shutter.

• Longji Rice Terraces Longji Rice Terraces in Guilin is not only famous for its huge size and traditional minority culture, but also unique terraces in amazing shapes of moons, phoenixes, dragons...

Best China Tours for Photography Enthusiasts

• ☛ 4 Days Xiapu Mudflat Photography Tour
• ☛ 4 Days Yuanyang Rice Terrace Awesome Photography Tour

For Modern Charms Philatelists

Looking forward to visit the modern cities to experience the rapid development of China or to feel the most state-of-the-art high-techs? There are also a lot of recommendations in China.

• Hong Kong From high-end shopping malls to colorful recreation venues, luxury cruises to stunning skyline, every corner in Hong Kong gives you perfect explanations about modern.
• Shenzhen Shenzhen is regarded as an incubator for cutting-edge design, a rule-breaking tech hub and a bastion of next-gen urbanism. High-tech stories usually starts here!
• Guangzhou Guangzhou is at the forefront of modern living, but is not that crazy as Shanghai and Shenzhen. Shopping and dining sprees there are great!

Best China Tours for Modern Charms Philatelists

• ☛ 3 Days Shanghai Past and Present Contrast Tour
• ☛ 2 Days Essence of Hong Kong Tour
• ☛ 2 Days Shenzhen Short Stay Tour with All Essences

Helpful China Expats Travel Guide

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• Shanghai Day Tours 2024
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Recommended China Tours for Expats 2024

This is the most popular China tour to Beijing, Xian and Shanghai to visit the most iconic China attractions - Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors, The Bund, etc., and explore great of both China’s past and present.

With the Golden Triangle plus the fabulous Karst and countryside scenery of Guilin, this tour leads you to top 4 destinations anyone cannot miss out in China especially for the first-timers.

Travel from north to south China, meet stunning nature and culture, urban and countryside scenery with relaxing cruise experience on the beautiful Yangtze River.

Coverinng top highlights in China to please your eyes, ease your spirit, witness grand and beautiful landscape in special ways.

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40 China travel tips for 2024 (I swear by every one)

Posted by Mike Cairnduff | Updated February 2, 2024 | China blog , Travel

I’ve heard some pretty lousy China travel tips before.

“Bring an inflatable travel pillow”, the so-called experts will insist.

Clearly, they’ve never been to China before.

Having visited practically every corner of the country, let me share with you my best China travel tips.

There are 40 of them for you to enjoy!

Jump to section:

1. Never leave your hotel without toilet paper

Public toilets like these do not have toilet paper. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

You won’t find toilet paper in most Chinese toilets , let alone hot water to wash your hands with.

So, bring toilet paper with you wherever you go, unless you’re going on a luxury tour (and even then, you can’t guarantee it).

2. Always carry hand sanitizer with you

This ties in with number 1. Washing your hands with only cold water, and no soap, doesn’t kill all the germs.

That’s why I recommend carrying a small bottle of hand sanitizer along with your toilet tissue.

3. Pack the right way

Don’t forget the essentials for China. Image by Pixel-Shot on Shutterstock.

No, I don’t mean squeeze everything neatly into those pointless packing cubes.

I mean check out my super-duper packing list for China which outlines everything you should and shouldn’t bring.

If you have an extra-large body, it’ll be hard finding clothes in China that fit, so try not to forget anything.

4. Have your translation app ready

The language barrier in China is real. So, choose a translation app (like Google Translate) and make sure you know how to use it before you arrive.

Find out if you can access it offline while you’re touring, or whether you need a data connection.

The article on China travel apps will help.

5. Get a VPN before you go

If you want to use Wi-Fi in your hotel in China, and not burn through money using data on your own phone plan, you need a VPN in China.

A virtual private network (VPN) is essential to access most major websites, apps, and social media.

Here’s my review of the best ones in China (don’t get a crappy one – it won’t work). Or, if you’re pressed for time, go straight to the one I recommend here:

You need to download it to your devices before you go, not after you arrive in China or it won’t work.

6. Don’t bring a water bottle

Sorry, you’ll need to leave your environmental consciousness in your own country.

Chinese tap water isn’t safe to drink, so unless you want to fill up your bottle with boiled water (which is a pain in the backside), leave your bottle at home.

There are oodles of public water-filling stations across China, but in most cases the water is boiling or warm . Chinese people don’t like drinking cold water.

So, most foreign travelers buy bottled water in China. And hotels usually give you two free bottles per day.

7. Set up digital payments

Cash is barely used in China anymore. Image by Saelanlerez on Shutterstock.

The locals don’t use cards, and cash is almost extinct too.

Everyone uses payment apps – mostly WeChat Pay and Alipay. You can too by downloading one or both of the apps and linking your international bank card.

If you’re uncomfortable handing over your personal details including your passport details (as part of the registration process), you’ll need to use cash in China.

But this will be a pain, as many merchants don’t accept 100 yuan notes, and that’s all the ATMs spit out here. So, bring some low denomination cash (yuan) with you.

I highly recommend using Alipay or WeChat Pay though. It will make life so much easier.

See also: How to count money in Chinese

8. Don’t try to avoid crowds

It’s impossible. Everywhere is crowded in China, unless you’re in the middle of nowhere.

The only thing you can do is get to a tourist attraction just when it opens, or around midday when the hordes of Chinese tourists go off for lunch.

But even then, there’s no guarantee there won’t be other tourists.

When booking flights, tours and hotels , avoid the peak season which is during Chinese New Year and all the national Chinese holidays, which you can look up here .

9. Don’t forget your passport

This might sound silly at first, but it’s not.

You need to show your passport to get into any tourist attraction, as well as to buy and ride the high-speed trains.

The Chinese do the same, but they use their national ID card.

No ID? No entry.

10. Bring a travel adapter/converter

This international travel adapter has saved me a number of times in China. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

Officially, the country runs on 220 V and appliances should have two or three angled prongs.

But there is no consistency among hotels, and you need to make sure you can charge your devices.

That’s why it’s a good idea to bring a travel adapter with all the variations, including the Hong Kong connection (UK type) if you’re heading there too.

Make sure your adapter is a converter too, if you’re from a country like the US which isn’t on 220 V.

11. Don’t tip unless you’re on a private tour (and it’s amazing)

Chinese people don’t tip as it’s not part of their culture. So, why should you?

If you really want to tip, then do it on a foreigners-only private tour where you received mind-blowingly great service.

There are some money-hungry guides on these foreigner tours and they will openly talk about tips.

12. Avoid coach tours

Speaking of tours, don’t go on those cheap and nasty big bus tours, e.g. to the Great Wall of China.

They’ll take you to the busiest, tourist section of the wall, which is Badaling.

You’ll be pressed for time too, because the guides will insist on taking you to a silk or tea factory where they make a commission on purchases.

And afterwards, they’ll take you to a huge hall for lunch where you’ll eat average, unauthentic food among hundreds of other noisy tourists.

Check out this page for travel tips specific to the nation’s capital, Beijing.

13. Try to visit smaller cities

I find people are friendlier in small cities too. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love most of the major cities.

Take Beijing, for example, which is jam-packed with culture and history .

There’s so much to do there, like visiting the enormous Forbidden City, pretty Summer Palace, and the infamous Tiananmen Square.

But, you really should take the time to visit some of the lesser-known cities, where you’ll still find amazing attractions, tasty local food, and interesting things to do.

Plus, there are significantly fewer tourists, if that matters to you.

My new favorite Chinese city is Yinchuan. It’s a northern desert city that has incredible things to do , and not many foreigners venture there.

There are also lots of incredible places in Southern China, especially Yunnan and Guangxi provinces.

I recommend starting in a nice modern city like Kunming or Nanning and then exploring from there.

14. Turn a blind eye to the spitting and coughing in your face

A lot has been written about this on The Helpful Panda (including an article I dedicated to it here ), so I won’t go into too much detail now.

All I’ll say is this – if you venture out of the big tourist centers, you’ll experience people spitting right at your feet, and coughing up their lungs without covering their mouth.

The deeper you get into China’s smaller cities, the worse it gets. Try to ignore it, if you can.

The article on tips for your first time in China may help you.

15. Wear dark running shoes

The ideal shoes for China. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

Chinese streets are dirty, and your lovely clean shoes won’t be so lovely and clean within a few days of traveling.

My advice – bring black or dark colored walking shoes.

I’ve written a whole guide on what to wear in China if you need help.

16. Buy comprehensive travel insurance

Medical care is expensive in China.

If you’re hit by a car (many Chinese drivers don’t obey pedestrian zebra crossings), and you need to be hospitalized, you could be up for a small fortune. The Chinese government won’t foot the bill.

You can read my guide on medical insurance for China which talks more about this.

17. Don’t expect to learn any Chinese on a short trip

At most, you’ll learn “ni hao” (hello) and “bai bai” (bye bye).

It’s a really hard language to learn , and most foreigners who can speak the lingo have studied it for years, or have lived in China (or both).

As I mentioned earlier, have your translation app ready!

If you do want to learn some survival Mandarin before you arrive in China, I recommend LTL for online classes. They also have schools in China.

You can get my discount for LTL here .

18. Visit the Big Three

I highly recommend a trip to the Terracotta Army in Xi’an. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

If you want to see the most famous places on your trip to China, then head to:

• The Great Wall near Beijing – it’s bloody amazing
• The Terracotta Army in Xi’an – it’s also bloody amazing
• Panda sanctuary in Chengdu – the big fluff balls are bloody amazing.

The only challenge is these three cities are nowhere near each other. If you only have time to visit two of the best places, I suggest the first two.

19. Land in Shanghai

Shanghai is a good choice for first-time travelers. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

If you’re prone to culture shock, fly into Shanghai as your starting point.

It’s China’s most cosmopolitan city, and it’s where you’ll find all the creature comforts and many people can speak English there too.

After a few days, you’ll be a China pro and you can go on to tackle Beijing and the rest.

Check out  this page for travel tips specific to Shanghai.

20. Finish in Hong Kong

If you want to visit Hong Kong , do it on the way home, i.e. make it your last stop.

This is because you’ll most likely have a single-entry visa to mainland China, and so once you leave the mainland and enter HK, you would have to apply for another visa if you wanted to get back into the mainland.

Alternatively, you could make Hong Kong your very first stop on your China trip.

21. Get your tour guide’s recommendations on food

Constantly hound your tour guide for the best food and restaurant recommendations.

If you don’t, you could end up in those big soulless food halls en route to the attractions.

Chinese food is incredibly diverse and delicious, and it’s nothing like the Chinese food you eat back home.

Whether you’re into meat, vegies, spicy food, street food or yummy desserts , you’ll be spoiled for choice.

22. Get your visa sorted early

Unless you’re exempt from needing a visa, such as you qualify for Visa Free Transit, then you’ll need a  China tourist visa .

The process can take time, so don’t leave it to the last minute.

23. Avoid the no-frills Chinese airlines

Yuck. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

The Chinese aren’t known for their great service, and this is very true when it comes to Chinese airlines.

You can do what I’ve done and fly with a budget carrier for a low price (and a horrible experience) or fork out a few more dollars for a better carrier.

Otherwise, you could stick with a homegrown carrier that you know and love, which might be even more expensive.

Every time I go to China, I say to myself “Must fly with Qantas” but then somehow, I get swayed by the worse, cheaper option! Ahhh…

The largest Chinese airlines are China Southern, Air China, and China Eastern (and I would rank them in that order for service).

If you want to see how terrible their airlines can be, read my Beijing Capital Airlines review .

24. Entertain yourself

Some of the Chinese airlines, especially the smaller ones, have limited English movies on board. Or, the movies are really, really bad.

If you’re the kind of person who gets bored on long-haul flights, make sure you’ve got other ways to entertain yourself.

Some ideas:

• A tablet or laptop loaded with lots of movies and shows
• A book – physical or e-reader
• Music, magazines, games and playing cards.

Having some stuff to entertain yourself is especially important if you’re traveling solo .

See also: How long does it take to get to China?

25. Be wary of anyone that approaches you

Chinese people are curious and will stare at you. And in rural areas, they won’t stare, they will gawk.

However, they’re also generally shy and won’t be comfortable approaching you, as they don’t like making mistakes when they speak English .

This means they will leave you alone, which is great (especially for an introvert like me!).

So, if someone approaches you and invites you somewhere using great English, be extremely careful.

Unfortunately, there are some well-known tourist scams and I’d hate you to get caught out!

They almost always involve being invited to a place where you have to cough up an insane amount of money.

The most common one is known as the tea ceremony scam .

While I haven’t fallen for the tea ceremony trick yet, little old me has been scammed in China.

I was 19 at the time, and I had just flown into Pudong Airport in Shanghai.

An impeccably dressed man approached me. He said to follow him for a taxi (at this point, the alarm bells should have gone off, but I was young and naive).

He took me to a private car, locked my suitcase in the trunk, and then told me the exorbitant amount I owed the driver to get to my destination.

I was shattered.

But it was a good lesson learned. Now, if anyone approaches me in China, it’s an instant “no”, regardless.

26. Leave your boob tube at home

The local girls usually wear flowy and loose clothing , particularly when it comes to tops.

By all means, you can wear tight-fitting and revealing tops, but just be aware that men may leer at you.

The females I’ve traveled with have hated this. And I don’t blame them – they’ve even been filmed.

I’ve written a whole article on what to not to wear in China if you’re keen to learn more.

Spoiler alert: There aren’t too many things I recommend against wearing. China is fairly relaxed when it comes to clothing.

27. Have your hotel address handy

Multi-lingual directions are the best. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

I strongly recommend having your accommodation address on your phone in Chinese characters.

I always have it written down too, just in case my phone dies or I can’t bring up the information.

Without it, your taxi or Didi (China’s Uber) driver won’t know where to go. The name of the hotel won’t be enough, as Chinese cities are huge and there are countless places to stay.

28. Bring masks

Even though you don’t need to wear masks in China for COVID-19 anymore, it’s worth bringing a few in case you’re traveling around China and there’s a bad season of flu.

As I mentioned earlier, China is a crowded place and many people don’t cover their mouth when they cough and sneeze.

You could also invest in a proper anti-pollution mask if you’re headed for China’s smaller cities where the pollution can be nasty .

29. Travel in your preferred season

Most so-called China travel experts will tell you to come in spring or fall, regardless.

My advice is to travel in the season that you prefer. I personally prefer cold weather over hot weather, so I’d never aim to arrive in China in the middle of July.

Equally, tourist attractions aren’t as busy in the winter season (except during Lunar New Year), which is definitely an advantage to travel in this season.

Of course though, the best time to come in terms of pleasant or moderate weather is early spring or autumn .

But it’s ultimately your choice – the Chinese will welcome you (and your fat wallet) in any season.

30. Catch the train

China’s high-speed train network is insanely good. It’s clean, modern, and trains run perfectly on time.

Usually, it’s cheaper to take the train than fly domestically if your cities are relatively close. Plus, some of the high-speed train stations are connected to the city’s underground subway network.

So, it makes getting to your final destination easier and cheaper.

There are both first- and second-class carriages on the bullet trains. The difference is first-class passengers have more room – both legroom and chair width.

I’ve traveled on both first and second. If you have the money, I say go first-class (but I’m tall and I appreciate the extra room, so I’m probably a bit biased).

You can buy high-speed train tickets for China here .

31. Take extra care on the roads

A shared path in Nanjing spells danger. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

I touched on this point earlier.

Chinese drivers are a law unto themselves and zebra crossings are not necessarily safe. Try to cross the road in a large group, or tailgate someone.

And it sounds silly to say, but look in every direction when you cross the road. Vehicles don’t follow the rules you’re used to like, like obeying one-road streets.

But even if you play it super safe, you’ll have to watch for the electric scooters which are allowed to speed down the sidewalk.

32. Try to let things go

You’ll experience people cutting the queue right in front of you, and you may think people aren’t respecting your personal space.

This is China, and personal space doesn’t really exist.

If you can, try to let it go. It’s definitely not personal.

This is easier said than done (but if you’re living in China , you might get used to it).

33. Master chopsticks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW0Js2QpTPc Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: How to use chopsticks – 3 tips you should know (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW0Js2QpTPc)

Well, not really master them, but at least try and get used to them before you arrive.

You won’t find knives and forks at restaurants in China, unless you happen to stumble upon a steak restaurant.

You can buy cute little travel cutlery sets if the thought of using chopsticks gives you nightmares.

34. Choose your restaurant wisely

Lots of restaurants in China have photos of the food, either on the board or in the printed menu.

This makes it so easy for foreign travelers. You simply point at the dish you want.

If you’re a fussy eater, or you really want to make sure you’re not eating something gross , then pull out your translation app.

35. Prepare for spice

My friend struggling with all that spicy food! Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

Chinese food is God damn spicy!

While big cities like Chongqing and Chengdu in Sichuan province are known for their spicy dishes , I’ve found that restaurants in so many other places love serving up food that burns your mouth.

Tell the waiter “Bù yào là” (不要辣) and the chef will go easy on the chili. If you’re not confident saying that, just show them on your translation app.

Just note they won’t always follow your instructions. Sometimes the chef will insist that at least a bit of chili is included. I’ve been served bright red broth even though I said no chili.

36. Get your jabs

The only mandatory vaccination for China is yellow fever. But this only applies if you’re arriving from a country known for the disease.

This means there are no mandatory vaccinations for most people, including those flying directly to China from the USA , UK, Europe and Australia.

However, there are some recommended vaccinations for all travelers, as outlined here .

I also suggest staying away from animals, even stray dogs and cats. I’ve been scratched by a feral cat in China. The last thing you want is rabies!

37. Bring multiple cards, and tell your bank

It’s a big risk if you only bring one ATM card to China. You could lose it, or a machine could swallow it up.

I always bring multiple cards when I’m traveling to China. Even when I’m flying there, I put one card in my locked suitcase, while the others are in my wallet.

This is just in case I lose my wallet. It’s happened before.

I’ve traveled with friends in China – some of whom have only come with one card – and they’ve had to rely on me when they left their card in the ATM!

Also, tell your bank you’re visiting China, because they could put a block on your card if they see all the Chinese transactions (and yep, that’s happened to me before too).

38. Consider your SIM card

If you need or want to make phone calls from China back to your country, do a little research before you arrive.

Here are some options:

• Use your phone like you normally would – by far the most expensive option
• See if your phone company has an option to make cheaper calls while you travel
• Buy a travel SIM before you go, and put it in your phone (your phone must be unlocked)
• Buy a local SIM in China (your phone must be unlocked) – a good option if you’re in China for a while.

I recommend using a messaging app like WhatsApp , which you can use for free by using your hotel’s Wi-Fi.

Just remember to get your VPN before you arrive, as there are issues using messaging apps in China without a VPN.

39. Haggle at markets

Always bargain at markets like these. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

Chinese people are born hagglers, and never accept the first price they’re given in places like markets.

If you’re not happy with the price, simply walk away and the merchant will usually come chasing.

Don’t worry if you can’t speak a word of Mandarin, the merchant will show you the price on their phone’s calculator.

40. Travel respectfully

It goes without saying, but don’t be an idiot when you travel.

Be respectful of the local Chinese culture , and don’t say anything controversial about the Chinese government.

And, just like you would in other countries, be respectful if you’re entering holy places. So, keep quiet and don’t take photos of monks.

If you’re headed somewhere like Xinjiang and want to step into a mosque, you’ll need to take your shoes off.

They’re my China travel tips, all wrapped up for 2024

Wow, that was quite the list, wasn’t it? I hope it didn’t overwhelm you.

At the end of the day, as long as you’ve got your passport, wallet and phone, then you’ll be able to do anything you want.

And whatever you do, don’t forget your VPN. See your options here or tap on the button below.

Let me know in the comments if you have any helpful suggestions of your own.

You’re going to have a great time!

I hope you learned a thing or two from my list of China travel tips. Now check out the best China travel apps so you’re digitally ready to go.

Main image credit: Supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

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Faq about my traveling to china tips, do i need a china travel vaccine.

The only mandatory vaccination for China is yellow fever, but it only applies if you’re arriving from a country known for the disease. This means there are no mandatory vaccinations for most people who visit China. However, some vaccines (e.g. typhoid, malaria) are recommended depending on where you’re going in China, as well as the kind of activities you plan on doing there.

How do I get a China travel visa?

Many countries now have a China Visa Service Center they can attend in person, or by applying through the post. For countries that don’t have a service center (e.g. USA), you need to apply at your nearest Chinese embassy in person or via a visa agent.

China travel: is it safe?

Yes, China is very safe for foreign tourists, especially when compared to other countries. China has a really low crime rate, and crimes against foreigners are practically unheard of. There’s an insane amount of surveillance cameras in China, too.

Can you travel China without a guide?

Yes, you can. The only exception is Tibet in Western China, where you need to be on a group tour. This is due to the historic sensitivities regarding Tibet.

Commercial relationship disclosure: The Helpful Panda has commercial arrangements with organizations that may appear on this page, such as affiliate links. See our terms for more info.

Mike Cairnduff

Mike has lived and worked in China, and has traveled extensively across the country. He loves Chinese food and has a keen interest in Chinese culture. You can follow him on X and LinkedIn .

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China Travel Restrictions & Travel Advisory (Updated March 7, 2024)

Updates March 7th, 2024 : Travelers from the following countries could enjoy visa-free entry to China for tourism, business, transit, or visiting friends and relatives. 

• From December 1st, 2023, to November 30th, 2024: France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, and Spain.
• From March 14th to November 30th, 2024: Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Switzerland.
• Singapore, Brunei
• Malaysia (from December 1st, 2023 to November 30th, 2024)

If you want to arrange a private tour, even tentatively, simply contact us . 

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• What Ways to Enter China
• Do I Still Need a PCR Test to Enter China
• Hong Kong/Macau Travel Restriction

International Flights to China

What to expect when traveling in china, best times to travel to china, 8 ways to enter china: all open now.

Since China has fully permitted visa applications, there are now several ways to enter the country.

If you still hold a valid Chinese visa (any type including a tourist visa, 10-year visa, etc.), you can use it to enter China.

If you don't have a Chinese visa or your visa has expired, you can apply for a new one. All visas can now be applied for, including tourist visas, business visas, work visas, and so on. (International visitors can apply for a tourist visa to the Chinese Mainland in Hong Kong.)

For the documents required for a visa application, you can refer to the information given by a Chinese embassy/consulate . Please submit your application at least two months in advance.

To apply for a tourist visa (L visa), you will be asked to provide an invitation letter issued by a Chinese travel agency or individual or round-trip air tickets and hotel bookings.

When booking a private tour with us, we can provide you with an invitation letter, which is one more thing we do to make your travel more convenient, giving you more flexibility with your air tickets and hotel bookings.

Now it is very easy to apply for a visa . You can easily apply by yourself without an intermediary. The following is how one of our clients successfully applied for a Chinese tourist visa:

• First, fill out the form at the China Online Visa Application website ;
• Second, make an appointment on this website to submit your visa materials on Appointment for Visa Application Submission website ;
• Third, take the required documents to the embassy to submit;
• Finally, you will get a return receipt if your documents are qualified.

Usually, you will get your visa after 7 working days. The application fee is about USD185 for US citizens.

Q: What if my passport expires but my visa doesn't?

A: You can travel to China on the expired passport containing valid Chinese visa in combination with the new passport, provided that the identity information (name, date of birth, gender, nationality) on both passport identical.

If there is a change to any of the above details, you must apply for a new visa.

2. 144-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy

If you do not apply for a Chinese visa, you may still have the opportunity to visit these areas of China visa free: the Shanghai area (including Suzhou, Hangzhou, etc.), the Beijing area (with Tianjin and Hebei), the Guangzhou area (Shenzhen, Zhuhai, etc.), and more. Take advantage of the 6-day visa-free entitlements.

Find out if you could use the 144-hour visa-free transit policy with our information on China's 144-hour Visa-Free Policy (Eligible Entry/Exit Ports, Applicable Countries, Documents to be Prepared...)

You can also obtain entry and exit control policies through the 24-hour hotline of the National Immigration Administration:

• Beijing: 0086 (+86)-10-12367
• Shanghai: 0086 (+86)-21-12367
• Guangzhou: 0086 (+86)-20-12367

Quick Test: Will My Route Qualify for China 72/144-Hour Visa-Free Transit?

1. I will depart from (only applies to direct or connected flight):

2. I will arrive in China at [city], [airport / railway station / port].

3. My arrival date is...

4. I will leave for [country/region] from China (the bounding destination on the air ticket):

5. My departure date is...

6. My nationality is...

8. I have Chinese visa refusal stamps in my passport.

You qualify to enjoy China's 72-hour visa-free policy.

You qualify to enjoy China's 144-hour visa-free policy.

You don't qualify to enjoy China's 72-hour or 144-hour visa-free policy.

Reason you don't qualify:

• You must be in transit to a third country or region.
• You must leave the city area (prefecture or municipality) after the 72/144 hours (the 72/144-hour limit is calculated starting from 00:00 on the day after arrival, i.e. 24:00 on the arrival date).
• Your passport must be valid for more than 3 months at the time of entry into China.
• Your passport nationality is not eligible for the 72/144-hour visa exemption program.
• You have Chinese visa refusal stamps in your passport.

3. Port Visas (Landing Visas)

If you don't have time to get a visa, or if you find it cumbersome to apply for a tourist visa, you could consider traveling to China through a port visa.

Port visas can be applied for a group at least including 2 people. You need to enter the country within 15 days after you get your entry permit. The port visa allows a stay period of 1 to 2 months.

Applicable ports include Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Guilin, Xi'an, Chengdu, etc.

Note: Tourists from America are not granted a port visa in Shanghai.

Book your China trip with us and we can help you apply for a port visa.

4. Visa Exemption for ASEAN Tour Groups to Guilin

In addition, tour groups from ASEAN member countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Myanmar, Brunei, and the Philippines, can visit Guilin for 144 hours without visas as long as they meet the visa-free transit policy requirements.

5. Shanghai Visa-Free Policy for Cruise Groups

Shanghai has a 15-day visa-free policy for foreign tourist groups entering China via a cruise. You must arrive and depart on the same cruise and be received by a Chinese travel agent at the Shanghai Cruise Terminal (or Wusong Passenger Center).

6. Hainan Visa-Free Access

No visa is required for staying on Hainan Island for up to 30 days for ordinary passport holders from 59 countries. Groups and individual tourists must book a tour through an accredited travel agency.

Find out whether you qualify for the policy here .

7. Visa Exemption for the Pearl River Delta Area

International travelers from Hong Kong or Macau are able to visit the Pearl River Delta area (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, etc.) visa-free as long as they go with a registered tour provider, such as us.

8. APEC Cards

If you hold a valid APEC business travel card, you can simply enter China with the card without applying for a visa.

Travelers who hold a valid APEC business travel card can stay in China for up to 60 days.

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Do I Still Need a PCR Test or Antigen Self-Test to Enter China

No. Starting from August 30, all travelers entering China will no longer need to undergo any COVID-19 testing. You do not need to submit any test results for COVID-19 before departure.

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Hong Kong / Macau Travel Restriction

Hong kong entry requirements.

Travelers from any region bound for Hong Kong will no longer need to take pre-flight COVID-19 tests (no PCR test, no RAT test) from April 1.

There is also no need for any tests when traveling from Hong Kong to the Chinese Mainland. Hong Kong could be a good gateway for your China trip. See suggestions on China Itineraries from Hong Kong (from 1 Week to 3 Weeks).

Direct high-speed trains from Guangzhou and Shenzhen to Hong Kong are available now. In preparation for the Canton Fair, it is expected that direct high-speed ferries will be launched from Guangzhou Pazhou Port to Hong Kong's airport in mid-April.

• 10 Top China Tours from Hong Kong

Macau Entry Requirement

From August 30, travelers from any region bound for Macau will no longer need to take pre-flight COVID-19 tests (no PCR test, no RAT test).

There is also no need for any tests when traveling from Macau to the Chinese Mainland.

Inbound and outbound international flights in the week beginning March 6th rose by more than 350% compared with a year earlier, to nearly 2,500 flights, according to Chinese flight tracking data from APP Flight Master.

At present, there are one or two direct flights a week from New York to Shanghai, Los Angeles to Beijing, Seattle to Shanghai, London to Guangzhou, etc.

There are also many flight options with stopovers that are more frequent and affordable. Testing at transit airports is now not required!

The Coronavirus outbreak in China has subsided. China looks like it did in 2019 again. No special measures (like PCR tests or health codes) are required when traveling around China. All attractions are open as normal.

Wearing a mask is not mandatory when traveling. In hotels, masks are off for the most part. But in some crowded places, such as airports or subway stations, many people still wear masks.

Weather-wise, the best times to visit China are spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October), when most of the popular places have their most tourism-friendly weather, except for the "golden weeks" — the first week of May and of October — when most attractions are flooded with Chinese tourists.

If you are looking for smaller crowds, favorable prices, and still good weather, you should consider March and April or September.

Tourism in cultural and historical destinations like Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi'an is hardly affected by weather conditions. They are suitable to be visited all year round.

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We've been building our team for over 20 years. Even over the past three years we have continued, serving over 10,000 expats with China tours and getting a lot of praise (see TripAdvisor ).

We are based in China and can show you the characteristics and charm of China from a unique perspective. Just contact us to create your China trip .

Our consultants will listen to and answer your inquiries carefully and prepare the best plan for you.

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Why So Few Foreign Tourists Are Visiting China, Despite Lifted Pandemic Restrictions

P eak summer in China — the first in four years without harsh COVID restrictions: Tickets for attractions like the Forbidden City in Beijing are selling out in minutes. Streets are crowded and subway stations are even more packed than usual. Foreign tourists, however, are few.

For many, China is a step too far. The pandemic is gone, but the memory of how it was handled remains — images of deserted streets and barricaded buildings are hardly fodder for holiday brochures and tourism campaigns. Visa hassles, a lack of flights, idiosyncratic payment systems and the language barrier also limit China’s appeal to tourists from places such as North America and Europe. 

“If you go to the Forbidden City these days and find 20 or 30 foreigners, that would be a lot,” said Jay Li, a tour guide in China’s capital. “Most people come to China for business reasons and maybe tour around a bit. It’s certainly not comparable with the situation before COVID — foreign tourists are probably only about 20% of that level.”

More From TIME

Outbound limits.

Even a plan to increase international flights won’t result in a sudden rush of tourists, or bring numbers anywhere near to pre-pandemic levels when China received about 136 million visitors a year on average. China and the U.S. have agreed to raise the number of round-trip flights to 24 a week by the end of October. Previously, the number of weekly flights between the two was 340.

American Airlines Group Inc. told Bloomberg on Wednesday it would add three weekly flights between Dallas and Shanghai early next year.

China also just lifted a ban on group tours to overseas destinations including the U.S., Australia, the UK, South Korea and Japan, easing the door open for outbound travel. The effect of that is likely to be muted too, given a general hesitancy to travel abroad after the pandemic scarred the nation’s economy and psyche.

Read More: China’s Tourists Can Travel Again. Here’s Why the World Is Still Waiting for the Rebound

The main factor putting Chinese travelers off overseas trips is concern about safety in other countries, where they are fearful of getting an unfriendly reception, according to an April survey by Dragon Tail International. Also cited in polls by the company: health concerns, difficulty in getting documents such as visas, and the high cost. In the April survey, 58% of respondents said they either definitely wouldn’t leave mainland China in 2023 or were unsure about going abroad.

With the sluggish economy also putting the brakes on spending, Chinese are getting their travel fixes closer to home.

Liberated from the all-consuming virus restrictions, domestic air traffic is now above where it was before the COVID crisis and authorities expect the travel market to generate 5 trillion yuan ($700 billion) in revenue this year.

Beyond Beijing and Shanghai, popular destinations include Chengdu, Kunming, Hangzhou, Xian — home to the Terracotta Army — and Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang region in the country’s northwest.

Inbound Deterrents

The concerns Chinese tourists have about traveling overseas are reflected the other way, for visitors coming into the country. A sense of distrust and caution developed over the pandemic as relations between China and other countries soured. 

A U.S. travel advisory recommends reconsidering travel to mainland China “due to the arbitrary enforcement of local laws, including in relation to exit bans, and the risk of wrongful detentions.”

Other nations have similar views. The Australian government says a high degree of caution should be taken in China, warning that authorities have detained foreigners on so-called national security concerns and that there’s a risk of “arbitrary detention or harsh enforcement of local laws, including broadly defined National Security Laws.”

The warnings have, unsurprisingly, dented enthusiasm. 

“The inflow of people into China is modest at the moment,” outgoing Mandarin Oriental Group Chief Executive Officer James Riley told Bloomberg News earlier this month. “There are some broader geopolitical tensions that are causing people to pause. It’s taking a little bit longer than it might otherwise have done.”

Air travel essentially dried up during COVID, which emerged in China in early 2020 and resulted in the world’s strictest border controls. It takes time to rebuild flight capacity from such unprecedented lows.

China’s three biggest carriers — Air China Ltd., China Southern Airlines Co. and China Eastern Airlines Corp. — likely posted combined losses of almost 13 billion yuan in the first half of this year, according to HSBC Holdings Plc, even after the government finally abandoned its draconian virus containment policies. For the period from 2020 to 2022, losses amounted to close to 190 billion yuan for the trio.

Another factor making China daunting for visitors is the use of digital payment platforms that are unique to the country. Non-Chinese credit cards are rarely accepted, and it’s often difficult to even use cash. Most vendors — from street stalls to large department stores — only accept local payment systems such as WeChat Pay and Alipay.  

Barbara Kosmun, a Slovenia-based filmmaker, traveled to China this summer to meet friends and family working there. Kosmun last visited in 2019 and while she has shopped using WeChat Pay before so the setup wasn’t totally alien, it still proved difficult.

Read More: How China’s Digital Currency Could Challenge the Almighty Dollar

China’s digital payment system “seems more difficult than before COVID,” she said. After trying five times to upload a passport picture to reactivate her WeChat Pay account and still failing, Kosmun gave up and relied on friends to cover her costs.

The People’s Bank of China has said all businesses should accept cash, and WeChat Pay and Alipay have both recently pledged to improve links with foreign bank cards, but the hurdles needed to go through just to spend money is a source of frustration. 

“This WeChat thing makes me feel unwelcome,” Kosmun said. “China is the most convenient country in the world, provided you speak Mandarin, you have the right apps and you have a Chinese card.”

Without the local payment platforms installed on smartphones, it’s nigh on impossible to rent equipment such as bicycles to tour around a city. Local phone numbers are generally needed to book tickets for tourist attractions as well as ordering taxis and for other travel, while reserving train tickets can be a complicated process, especially for non-Mandarin speakers.

Getting visas can also be a challenge for many visitors to China, requiring going to an embassy or application center to queue — sometimes for several hours — and submit documents, and then returning days later to collect them. In Singapore, people have queued for more than 16 hours to get an appointment, the South China Morning Post reported . They are also costly — a visa for U.S. citizens is at least $185.

A post on Chinese website Zhihu.com from June was widely shared for highlighting that American tourists were choosing Southeast Asia and Europe while avoiding China due to the many hurdles they face there. 

“Unless you have very deep feelings for China, it is definitely not the first choice for travel,” it said.

—With assistance from Danny Lee and Xiao Zibang.

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China Has Reopened to Tourists. The Hard Part Is Getting There.

Despite loosened visa rules, the number of flights into China is still a small fraction of what it was before the pandemic, fueled partly by geopolitical tensions.

A check-in line for a China Eastern Airlines flight to Shanghai at New York’s Kennedy International Airport last week. Credit... Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times

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By Nicole Hong and Chang Che

• April 10, 2023

When the Chinese government announced last month that it would fully reopen its borders to foreign travelers, the news came as a jolt of relief to the millions of Chinese immigrants overseas who have been separated from their relatives since 2020.

But a flood of visitors has yet to arrive. Many people are struggling to even book a plane ticket, stymied by high prices and a lack of direct flights.

Liu Wei, 62, who lives in San Diego, recently spent hours at a local travel agency filling out a pile of paperwork to obtain a long-term visa to China. After searching for weeks for a flight, she bought a ticket for later this month to reunite with her sisters in the northeastern port city of Dalian. Round-trip business-class tickets from San Diego to Dalian cost between $6,000 and $10,000, she said, double what she typically paid before the pandemic.

“I miss the choice and the freedom to go back and forth,” said Ms. Liu, who used to visit China every summer. “It’s been such a tragedy for us to not be able to go back to our own country.”

For nearly three years, China maintained some of the harshest travel restrictions in the world, largely sealing off its borders to business travelers, tourists and relatives of Chinese nationals. The ruling Communist Party enforced a “zero Covid” policy, attempting to eradicate the coronavirus with prolonged lockdowns and mass testing.

Overseas visitors who did manage to enter China were sometimes forced to quarantine for up to two months at their own expense. Some travelers even had to undergo anal swab Covid testing , triggering protests from governments outside China.

China’s isolation had broad ripple effects. Universities shut down academic exchanges with the mainland, and multinational companies shifted their supply chains to other countries. The millions of Chinese immigrants overseas — in countries like the United States, Britain, Canada and Malaysia — suffered the heaviest emotional cost, unable to return home to care for sick parents or bury relatives who died during the pandemic.

In December, China abruptly ended its “zero Covid” policy and soon began to ease border restrictions, removing quarantine requirements for international arrivals. The following month, business travelers were allowed to return on special visas.

The biggest barrier came down last month when the Chinese government resumed issuing tourist visas. China has also said it would reinstate the 10-year visas that had been suspended during the pandemic, facilitating the travel of many overseas visitors.

In a sign of pent-up demand, right after the Chinese government announced the loosened restrictions, searches on Expedia.com for travel from the United States to mainland China jumped around 40 percent from a month earlier, according to data provided by the online travel company.

Jessie Huang, who lives in Jersey City, N.J., hopes to visit China this summer but has struggled to find tickets under $2,000. Ms. Huang, 52, has not seen her 86-year-old father, who lives on an island off the coast of Shanghai, in seven years. She was supposed to visit in early 2020 after he suffered a stroke.

Ms. Huang has kept in touch with him through WeChat, the Chinese messaging app. She sometimes feels heartbroken after their conversations, sensing that each passing year becomes harder for him.

“I’m just missing my family,” she said.

Prices have stayed high partly because airlines have been slow to ramp up their flights to China. Globally, the number of flights into China in March were only about a quarter of what they were in the same month in 2019, according to Cirium, an aviation data provider.

Routes between the United States and China, the world’s two largest economies, have been capped because of geopolitical tensions. During the pandemic, the two rivals suspended each other’s flights in a political tit-for-tat, and airlines need the approval of both countries’ aviation authorities to increase routes.

American and European carriers are not as eager to resume all of their prepandemic flights to China, aviation analysts say. Since invading Ukraine more than a year ago, Russia has banned the American and European carriers from flying through its airspace, meaning flights to China now require longer routes with more fuel and flight crew.

U.S. carriers have been lobbying Washington to force Chinese airlines, which are still flying over Russia, to use the same routes as their American competitors, arguing that they have an unfair cost advantage.

A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Transportation did not provide comment on when routes to China might increase.

Direct flights between the United States and mainland China are hard to get. Last month, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines both resumed direct flights to Shanghai from hubs in Detroit, Seattle and Dallas, but only a handful of times per week. United Airlines operates a direct flight from San Francisco to Shanghai four times a week. None of the airlines has any direct flights between the United States and Beijing.

Aviation analysts say airlines are also hesitant to add flights when other hurdles are dampening the demand to fly into China.

A negative P.C.R. test within 48 hours of departure is still mandatory for citizens of many countries to enter China. And the sudden changes in China’s border policies have left consulates around the world struggling to handle paperwork for visas, which are required for all overseas travelers to and from China.

Another factor that has slowed the rebound in flights into China is the fact that most of them before the pandemic were filled with Chinese tourists returning home. About 20 percent of Chinese passports expired during the pandemic, according to data from consulting firm McKinsey, resulting in lengthy waits for renewals that have delayed the recovery in outbound travel.

But the gates are gradually opening.

Bookings for group tours have surged for a holiday break in China in early May, according to Ctrip, a Chinese online travel agency. The top destinations included Thailand, Egypt and Switzerland, Ctrip said.

For now, the visitors who can most afford to fly to China are business travelers, who have been filling up premium cabins into the mainland.

China has rolled out the red carpet for foreign business officials, part of an effort to revive its economy after years of Covid lockdowns. Dozens of chief executives, including Tim Cook of Apple, flew to Beijing to attend last month’s China Development Forum, where China’s newly elected premier, Li Qiang, pledged that “the door to China’s opening will grow wider.”

Many executives are eager to visit with employees and suppliers for the first time since 2020.

A February survey of 43 American companies showed that 50 percent of chief executives planned to visit China in the first half of this year, according to the U.S.-China Business Council, a trade group in China.

“The Chinese government has sent some signals for support about private companies, but at the same time, it’s a tense geopolitical environment,” said Jack Kamensky, a senior director at the business council.

Some business owners were more hopeful about China’s reopening.

For over a decade, Keith Collea, a film technology entrepreneur, worked in China’s budding film industry on movies like the 2014 action film “The Monkey King.” His latest project, which involved providing visual effect equipment to Chinese amusement parks, was halted when he was shut out of the country during a trip to Los Angeles in 2020.

Now, Mr. Collea is planning a long-awaited return. He was confident his projects would resume once he reunited with his former investors and partners.

“Doing business in China is not something you can do over the phone from the United States,” he said. “You have to sit with people, you have to go to dinners, you have to drink a lot. You have to invest and grow relationships there.”

Claire Fu contributed research.

Nicole Hong is a reporter covering China. She previously worked for The Wall Street Journal, where she was part of a team that won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in National Reporting. More about Nicole Hong

Chang Che is the Asia technology correspondent for The Times. He previously worked for The China Project and as a freelance writer covering Chinese technology and society. More about Chang Che

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U.S. Department of the Treasury

Secretary of the treasury janet l. yellen to travel to the people’s republic of china.

WASHINGTON – From April 3-9, Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen will travel to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for bilateral meetings and other engagements.

Secretary Yellen’s visit to China will build on the intensive diplomacy she has engaged in to responsibly manage the bilateral economic relationship and advance American interests. Following initial meetings with the PRC’s new economic team last July in Beijing, Secretary Yellen met with her counterpart Vice Premier He Lifeng in San Francisco, California, in advance of President Biden’s meeting with President Xi. At Secretary Yellen and Vice Premier’s direction, both sides jointly launched Economic and Financial Working Groups , which report to the Secretary and Vice Premier, and which have met three times.

In an April 2023 speech , Secretary Yellen laid out three principles guiding America’s economic relationship with the PRC. These principals continue to guide our engagement today. The United States proceeds with confidence in our economic strength thanks to our historically strong recovery and the investments the Biden Administration is making in America’s productive capacity. In the context of this relationship, America first seeks to secure our national security interests along with those of our allies and to protect human rights. Second, we seek a healthy economic relationship with China that provides a level playing field for American workers and firms. Finally, we also seek to cooperate where we can on key bilateral and global priorities.

During her engagements in China, Secretary Yellen will advocate for American workers and businesses to ensure they are treated fairly, including by pressing Chinese counterparts on unfair trade practices and underscoring the global economic consequences of Chinese industrial overcapacity. Secretary Yellen will also work to expand bilateral cooperation on countering illicit finance, which can drive important progress on shared efforts against criminal activity such as drug trafficking and fraud. In China, the Secretary will also engage her counterparts on critical work that benefits both the United States and China, as well as the world, including work to bolster financial stability, address climate change, and resolve debt distress among developing nations.    

Trip Details

On Wednesday, April 3, Secretary Yellen will depart Washington, DC for Guangzhou, the People’s Republic of China. On Thursday, April 4, she will arrive in Guangzhou.

On Friday, April 5, in the morning, Secretary Yellen will hold a roundtable discussion with economic experts to discuss challenges and opportunities in the PRC’s economy. Secretary Yellen will then meet with Guangdong Governor Wang Weizhong. In the afternoon, Secretary Yellen will participate in an event with leading representatives of the American business community in China, hosted by AmCham China, and deliver remarks on the bilateral economic relationship. In the late afternoon, Secretary Yellen will begin extended bilateral meetings with Vice Premier He Lifeng.

On Saturday, April 6, Secretary Yellen will continue and then conclude a series of bilateral meetings with Vice Premier He. In the afternoon, Secretary Yellen will depart Guangzhou for Beijing.

On Sunday, April 7, Secretary Yellen will participate in a bilateral meeting with Premier Li Qiang. Later, Secretary Yellen will meet with Beijing Mayor Yin Yong. In the afternoon, Secretary Yellen will meet with students and professors at Peking University. In the evening, the Secretary will participate in a bilateral meeting with Finance Minister Lan Fo’an. While in Beijing, Secretary Yellen will also meet with leading Chinese economists.

On Monday, April 8, Secretary Yellen will meet with former Vice Premier Liu He of the People’s Republic of China. Later, she will hold a bilateral meeting with People’s Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng.

In the afternoon, Secretary Yellen will hold a press conference, during which she will deliver remarks discussing her trip to China. This press conference will be livestreamed here .

On Tuesday, April 9, Secretary Yellen will depart Beijing for Washington, DC. In the evening, she will arrive in Washington, DC.

More details will follow.