China

China is not what most people expect. The cities are more modern than most Western capitals. The bullet train network makes Europe’s look slow. The food is not “Chinese food” as the rest of the world knows it. Every province has its own completely distinct cuisine, and what you eat in Sichuan has nothing in common with what you eat in Guangdong.

The history is staggering. The Great Wall. The Forbidden City. The Terracotta Warriors. But beyond the famous sites there are entire ancient towns, mountain monasteries, river gorges, and landscapes that would be headline attractions in any other country but barely get a mention because China simply has too much.

The challenge for most Western visitors is the digital barrier. Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and most Western apps are blocked. You need a VPN, and you need to download it before you arrive. Payment is almost entirely through WeChat Pay and Alipay, though foreigners can now link international cards. English signage and English speakers are limited outside major tourist areas. But if you prepare for these hurdles, China rewards you with experiences and value that are hard to match anywhere.

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When to go

March to May (spring) and September to November (autumn) are the best times for most of the country. Comfortable temperatures, clear skies, and manageable crowds. October’s Golden Week holiday (first week of October) is when 1.4 billion people travel domestically. Avoid it unless you enjoy maximum crowds at every attraction.

Summer (June to August) is hot and humid across most of the country. Beijing and Shanghai hit 35-40C. Southern China gets monsoon rain. But summer is the only time to visit Tibet (permits are easier to get and roads are open) and Inner Mongolia.

Winter (December to February) is cold in the north (Beijing drops well below freezing) but mild in the south (Yunnan and Hainan are pleasant). The Harbin Ice Festival in January is extraordinary if you can handle -25C. Chinese New Year (January or February) is the world’s largest annual migration. Domestic travel is chaos. Avoid unless you specifically want the experience.

What it actually costs

China is surprisingly affordable for a major economy. All prices in USD.

Budget ($25-50 USD/day per person) Hostels ($5-15/night), street food and noodle shops ($1-4/meal), metro ($0.30-1 per ride), overnight hard sleeper trains ($10-20). Budget travel in China is comfortable because the infrastructure is excellent even at the lowest price point.

Mid-range ($50-120 USD/day per person) 3-star hotel ($30-70/night for a double), restaurant meals ($5-15), high-speed rail between cities ($25-80), major attraction entry fees ($5-30), occasional domestic flights ($30-60). This is where most visitors end up and it’s very comfortable.

Comfortable ($120-250+ USD/day per person) 4-5 star hotels, fine dining, business class rail, private guides, Yangtze River cruises ($200-500 for 3-4 nights). China’s luxury travel is excellent value compared to equivalent experiences in Europe or the US.

The high-speed rail network is the star. Beijing to Shanghai takes 4.5 hours at 350km/h. Beijing to Xi’an takes 4.5 hours. Tickets cost $50-80 for second class on major routes. Book on trip.com or the 12306.cn app (Chinese interface but usable). The trains are punctual, clean, and smooth. This is the best way to see China.

Domestic flights are also cheap. Beijing to Chengdu, Shanghai to Guilin, or any major route costs $30-80 one-way on budget carriers. Book on trip.com or Skyscanner.

International flights to China from within Asia are cheap ($100-250 return). From Europe $350-700. From North America $400-900. From Oceania $400-800. Beijing (PEK), Shanghai (PVG), and Guangzhou (CAN) are the main gateways.

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Where to go

Beijing (3-4 days). The Great Wall (go to Jinshanling or Mutianyu, not Badaling), the Forbidden City (book tickets online in advance, they sell out), the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, and the hutong alleyways that are the soul of old Beijing. The food is northern style: Peking duck, jianbing (breakfast crepes), hand-pulled noodles, and lamb skewers. Tiananmen Square is worth seeing for the scale.

Shanghai (3-4 days). The Bund waterfront with its colonial architecture facing the Pudong skyscrapers across the river is one of the most dramatic city views in the world. The French Concession has tree-lined streets, cafes, and galleries. Yu Garden is a classical Chinese garden in the old town. Nanjing Road is the main shopping street (busy and touristy but worth walking). The food scene is booming with everything from $2 soup dumplings (xiaolongbao) at street stalls to world-class restaurants.

Xi’an (2-3 days). The Terracotta Warriors are 30 minutes from the city and are one of the most impressive archaeological finds in history. Thousands of life-sized clay soldiers buried for 2,200 years. Inside the city, the ancient city walls are the best-preserved in China (rent a bike and cycle the full 14km loop), the Muslim Quarter has the best street food in Xi’an (lamb burgers, biangbiang noodles, persimmon cakes), and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is beautiful at night.

Chengdu (2-3 days). The giant panda capital. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is where you see them up close ($10 entry, go at 8am feeding time). But Chengdu is also the food capital of Sichuan province, which means the spiciest, most flavour-packed food in China. Sichuan hotpot, mapo tofu, dan dan noodles, and rabbit head (if you’re adventurous). The tea house culture in People’s Park is a window into daily Chengdu life.

Guilin and Yangshuo (3-4 days). The karst mountain landscape of Guilin is one of the most photographed in China. The Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo (4 hours, $30-50) passes through towering limestone peaks reflected in the river. Yangshuo is a small town surrounded by these mountains with cycling, rock climbing, and bamboo rafting. The countryside here looks like a traditional Chinese painting come to life.

Yunnan Province (5-7 days). The most diverse province in China. Kunming is the gateway (the “Spring City” with year-round mild weather). Dali has a beautiful old town on Erhai Lake with a large Bai ethnic minority population. Lijiang has another atmospheric old town (UNESCO listed, very touristy but worth seeing). Tiger Leaping Gorge is one of the deepest gorges in the world and a 2-day hike that ranks among the best in Asia. Shangri-La is at the edge of the Tibetan plateau with monasteries and yak butter tea.

Zhangjiajie (2-3 days). The sandstone pillar mountains that inspired the floating mountains in Avatar. The glass skywalks and cable cars are dramatic. The national park is huge and requires at least 2 full days. Less visited by Western tourists than the major cities but increasingly popular.

Hong Kong and Macau (covered in separate guides). Both are technically part of China but operate as Special Administrative Regions with their own currencies, visa rules, and cultures. See the Hong Kong guide for details.

What to skip

Badaling section of the Great Wall. It’s the closest section to Beijing and by far the most crowded. Tour buses unload thousands of people here. Jinshanling (more dramatic, fewer people, proper hiking) or Mutianyu (restored but less crowded than Badaling, with a cable car) are much better.

Shopping on Nanjing Road in Shanghai. It’s chain stores and tourist shops at marked-up prices. If you want to shop, go to the fabric markets for tailored clothes (done in 24-48 hours for $30-80 for a custom suit) or the electronics markets for tech.

Large organised tour groups if you can manage independently. China’s tour industry herds groups through attractions at speed with loudspeakers. Independent travel is entirely possible with translation apps and the train network. You’ll see more, spend less, and have a better experience.

Trying to see everything in one trip. China is enormous. Beijing to Shanghai is the same distance as London to Rome. Pick a region, do it properly, and come back for the rest. Trying to hit Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Guilin, and Shanghai in one week means you spend more time on trains than actually seeing anything.

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Must-do experiences

Walk the Great Wall at Jinshanling. The most photogenic and least crowded section. Crumbling watchtowers, steep climbs, and views that stretch to the horizon in every direction. 2-3 hours of hiking on the wall itself. $8 entry. Arrange a private car or join a small group from Beijing (2.5 hours each way).

Eat Peking duck in Beijing. Da Dong or Quanjude are the famous ones. A whole duck carved tableside with pancakes, scallions, and hoisin sauce. $25-40 for a full duck (feeds 2-3 people). One of the great meals of the world.

Take the bullet train. Even if you’re not a train person, experiencing China’s high-speed rail is remarkable. 350km/h, smooth as glass, and the stations are like airports. Book a Beijing to Shanghai ticket, settle into your seat, and watch the landscape blur past.

Eat Sichuan hotpot in Chengdu. A bubbling pot of chili oil, Sichuan peppercorns, and spices on your table. You cook raw meats, vegetables, and tofu in the broth. Your lips go numb from the peppercorns. It’s an experience that engages every sense. $10-15 per person at a local spot.

Hike Tiger Leaping Gorge in Yunnan. A 2-day hike along the rim of one of the deepest river gorges in the world with snow-capped mountains on both sides. Guesthouses along the trail provide meals and beds ($10-20/night). No permit needed. One of the best multi-day hikes in Asia.

Cruise the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo. 4 hours on the river through karst mountain scenery that has inspired Chinese painters for centuries. The bamboo raft option (cheaper, smaller, quieter) from Xingping to Yangshuo covers the most scenic section.

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Practical tips

The currency is the Chinese Yuan (CNY or RMB). $1 USD is roughly 7.2 CNY. Cash is still accepted but China runs primarily on mobile payment (WeChat Pay and Alipay). Foreigners can now link international Visa and Mastercard to both apps. Do this before you arrive. ATMs are available in cities but some don’t accept international cards. Bring backup cash in USD to exchange.

Visa requirements vary. Many nationalities now qualify for 72-hour, 144-hour, or 240-hour transit visa exemptions if passing through specific cities. Some nationalities (including many EU countries) now get 15-30 day visa-free access. Check the latest rules on the Chinese embassy website for your country, as these have been changing frequently.

Download a VPN before you arrive. Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and most Western social media are blocked in China. ExpressVPN or NordVPN work best. Install and test them at home before your flight.

Download these apps before arrival: WeChat (messaging and payment), Didi (ride-hailing, China’s Uber), Baidu Maps or Amap (Google Maps doesn’t work properly in China), Trip.com (trains, flights, hotels), and a translation app (Google Translate downloads an offline Chinese pack, or use Pleco for a dedicated Chinese dictionary).

The language barrier is real outside of major tourist areas. English signage exists in Beijing, Shanghai, and other big cities but disappears quickly in smaller towns. Having a translation app on your phone is essential. Many Chinese people will use their phone to translate and communicate with you, so be patient and use the same approach.

Tipping is not customary in China. Don’t tip at restaurants, hotels, or taxis.

Tap water is not safe to drink. Boil it or drink bottled ($0.25-0.50 for a 500ml bottle). Most hotel rooms have electric kettles for boiling water.

Street food is safe at busy stalls with high turnover. The same food safety rules apply as anywhere in Asia: if it’s cooked in front of you and locals are eating there, you’re fine.

Get travel insurance. Hospitals in China range from excellent (tier-1 city international hospitals) to very basic (rural areas). Insurance ensures you get the good ones.

Squat toilets are common outside of hotels and modern buildings. Carry tissue because it’s not always provided. Many public toilets in tourist areas now have Western-style options.

Planning your trip

1 week Beijing and Shanghai: Beijing (4 nights, Great Wall day trip, Forbidden City, hutongs), bullet train to Shanghai (3 nights, Bund, French Concession, Yu Garden)

2 weeks classic route: Beijing (3), bullet train to Xi’an (2), fly to Chengdu (3), fly to Guilin/Yangshuo (3), fly or train to Shanghai (3)

2 weeks Yunnan focus: Beijing (2), fly to Kunming (1), bus/train to Dali (2), bus to Lijiang (2), Tiger Leaping Gorge hike (2), Shangri-La (2), fly to Shanghai (2)

3 weeks comprehensive: Beijing (4), Xi’an (2), Chengdu (3), Guilin/Yangshuo (3), Zhangjiajie (2), Shanghai (3), fly home

These are starting points. China is so big that you could spend a month in Yunnan alone or two weeks just in the Beijing-Xi’an-Chengdu triangle. Pick a region and do it properly rather than rushing across the country.

Book your trip

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More destinations: For a similar East Asian experience with less of a language barrier, see our Japan or South Korea guides. For cheaper Asian travel, try Vietnam or Thailand. For city-hopping, see Hong Kong or Singapore.