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Popular Destinations
Seven cities that make a perfect first trip.
Beijing北京
Imperial grandeur, hutong lanes and the Great Wall
Shanghai上海
Futuristic skyline meets 1920s glamour
Xi'an西安
Terracotta warriors and 13 dynasties of history
Chengdu成都
Pandas, hotpot and China's most laid-back city
Chongqing重庆
The cyberpunk mountain city on the Yangtze
Hangzhou杭州
West Lake, tea fields and classical Chinese beauty
China Travel Essentials
Pay like a local
Set up Alipay & WeChat Pay with your foreign card before you fly.
Stay online
Get the right eSIM so Google, WhatsApp and Maps keep working.
Ride the bullet trains
350 km/h between cities — how to book tickets as a foreigner.
Travel safely
One of the safest countries you can visit — here's the honest picture.
Popular Itineraries
Day-by-day plans with budgets, food and transport.
Beijing
The classic first taste of China: imperial palaces, the Great Wall, hutong food and one world-class food city — all inside one week.
See the day-by-day plan
7 daysBeijing → Shanghai
The two-headline version of China: imperial history in Beijing, then the 4.5-hour bullet train to futuristic Shanghai. Two cities, one unforgettable week.
See the day-by-day plan
10 daysBeijing → Xi'an → Shanghai
The golden triangle of a first China trip: imperial Beijing, ancient Xi'an and its Terracotta Army, then bullet-train east to Shanghai's skyline. History, food and future in ten days.
See the day-by-day plan
14 daysBeijing → Xi'an → Chengdu → Shanghai
The full first-timer grand tour: emperors in Beijing, warriors in Xi'an, pandas and hotpot in Chengdu, then Shanghai's skyline to finish. Two weeks, four worlds.
See the day-by-day plan
Latest Travel Guides
Practical, no-fluff answers to the questions first-timers ask.
China Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors
Everything you need to know before your first trip to China: visas, payments, internet, transport, safety and the classic routes — one practical, no-fluff guide.
Updated 2026-09-01
Is China Visa-Free for Tourists? (2026 Guide)
China now offers visa-free entry to dozens of countries — and a 240-hour transit option for many more. See who qualifies, for how long, and how to verify the rules before you book.
Updated 2026-09-01
How to Use Alipay as a Foreigner in China (2026)
Alipay works with foreign credit cards in 2026 — here's how to set it up before your trip, what the fees are, and every trick for paying like a local.
Updated 2026-09-01
How to Use WeChat Pay as a Foreigner
WeChat Pay accepts foreign cards — here's the setup, the differences from Alipay, and why you'll want both apps on your China trip.
Updated 2026-09-01
Best eSIM for China Travel (2026)
A China eSIM solves your biggest practical problem — staying online with Google, WhatsApp and Maps working. Here's how to choose one, what it costs, and the VPN question.
Updated 2026-09-01
Does Google Maps Work in China?
Short answer: barely. Google Maps loads but with wrong coordinates and no walking directions inside China. Here's what to use instead (hint: Amap).
Updated 2026-09-01
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