
The questions first-time visitors ask us most, collected in one place.
China is an easy country to travel once you have done a little preparation — and a frustrating one if you arrive without it. These guides are built from the questions we actually get asked.
If something is still unclear, message us on WhatsApp. Consultation is free.
For tourism stays of up to 30 days you can enter visa-free. Check the conditions and what to bring.
Register a card with Alipay or WeChat Pay before you fly and travel without cash.
Season, cities, hotel grade and transport mix drive the total. Understand the variables first.

Korean passport holders can enter China visa-free for tourism stays of up to 30 days. Here is what the visa-free policy covers through December 31, 2026, plus a simple pre-departure checklist.
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Mobile QR payment is the default in China. Learn how to set up Alipay and WeChat Pay with a foreign card, the two ways to pay in stores, and what to do when a payment fails.
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China trip costs depend heavily on season, city, hotel class, transport, and group size. Here are the factors that drive your budget and where you can save.
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A practical China packing checklist covering documents, payment, connectivity, daily items, and medicine, plus regional extras so first-time travelers miss nothing.
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China's best travel season differs by region. Compare ideal timing for Qinghai and Gansu, Zhangjiajie, Dunhuang, Chengdu, Xi'an, Shanghai, Guilin, Xinjiang, and Harbin.
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High-speed rail is the backbone of intercity travel in China. Learn how to book via 12306 or an agent, what passport-based boarding looks like, and how seat classes compare.
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Some overseas apps and maps are restricted in China. Learn how to prepare an eSIM before you fly, get online on arrival, and set up maps and translation that actually work locally.
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Unusually cheap tours sometimes come with forced shopping or paid add-ons. Learn how to screen them out before booking and how to handle pressure on the ground.
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Traveling China with parents comes down to reducing the strain of getting around. Here is how to plan pace, transport, hotels, meals, and health prep for an easy trip.
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Traveling China with kids is about balancing movement and rest. Here are age-based itinerary tips, packing advice, meal planning, and safety notes for families.
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A complete starter guide to China: visa-free entry rules, how to pick cities, connecting them by high-speed rail and flights, mobile payment setup, and a simple 4-day itinerary skeleton.
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A full Shanghai guide: the Bund and Pudong, Yu Garden and Tianzifang, how to get around by metro, day trips to Hangzhou and Suzhou, and a clean 4-day itinerary.
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A complete Beijing guide: the Forbidden City and Tiananmen, how to choose a Great Wall section, Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven, metro tips, and a 5-day itinerary.
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A complete Xi'an guide: the Terracotta Army and Huaqing Palace, the city wall and Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Muslim Quarter food, metro tips, and a 4-day itinerary.
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A complete Chengdu guide: the Panda Base and Dujiangyan, Kuanzhai Alley and Jinli, hotpot and teahouse culture, metro tips, and a 4-day itinerary.
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A Guilin and Yangshuo guide: the Li River cruise, Yangshuo's West Street, Yulong River rafts, Longji rice terraces, local food, transport, and a 5-day itinerary.
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A Hangzhou and Suzhou guide: West Lake and Lingyin Temple, the gardens of Suzhou and Pingjiang Road, high-speed rail links, local food, and a 5-day itinerary.
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A Harbin winter guide: Ice and Snow World, Central Street, Saint Sophia Cathedral, Yabuli ski resort and Snow Town, cold-weather prep, and a 5-day itinerary.
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Chongqing is a mountain city where two rivers meet, and its stairs, alleys, and night views define the trip. Here are the seasons, key sights, and how to get around.
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Zhangjiajie is a sandstone peak region in Hunan. This guide covers the difference between Wulingyuan and Tianmen Mountain, how to enter, elevations, seasons, and where to stay.
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Jiuzhaigou is a high valley in northern Sichuan at 2000 to 3100 meters. This guide covers altitude and acclimatization, how it relates to Huanglong, internal shuttles, and seasonal color.
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Dunhuang is an oasis city of desert, dunes, and Silk Road heritage. This guide covers how Mogao Caves booking works, desert temperature swings, and moving between nearby sites.
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The Qinghai and Gansu Grand Loop runs from Xining through Qinghai Lake, Zhangye Danxia, and Dunhuang. Here is how to sequence altitude, plan legs, and pick lodging towns.
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Xinjiang is enormous, so distance is the defining factor. This guide compares northern and southern routes, key destinations, transport, seasons, and what to pack.
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Foreign passport holders cannot travel Tibet independently. This complete guide covers the permit process, required documents, altitude acclimatization, and the annual closure period.
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Inner Mongolia splits into two kinds of destination: grassland and desert. This guide covers access from Hohhot, yurt stays, desert activities, seasons, and packing.
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High-speed rail is the backbone of intercity travel in China. Learn train and seat classes, how to book and board with your passport, 12306 vs. agency booking, transfers, and luggage storage.
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China entry runs through the arrival card, fingerprinting, immigration, and customs. Here is the flow, the general principles behind customs declaration, and what to confirm before you fly.
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In a China emergency, the public hotlines are 119, 120, and 110. This guide covers hospital procedures, what to do if you lose your passport, and how to use travel insurance.
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Google Maps and translation alone are not enough in China. Learn how to set up map, translation, and payment apps, prepare offline, and travel without speaking Chinese.
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China trip costs vary by region, but the difference comes from a few variables. Compare regions by season, hotel tier, travel distance, and city prices using relative levels.
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Chinese food differs sharply by region. This guide covers the heat of Sichuan and Hunan, the lighter Cantonese and Shanghai styles, northwestern noodles, Xinjiang halal food, and ordering tips.
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China has distinct photo spots in every region. This guide covers sunrise at Zhangjiajie and Jiuzhaigou, Shanghai at night, Dunhuang at sunset, plus tripod and drone rules.
View detailsThe guide hub gathers thirty-three articles and sorts them by theme, covering entry and payment, cities, regions, practical information, and travel styles. If this is your first trip to China, start with the entry and payment pieces. Visa-free conditions, arrival procedures, and setting up Alipay or WeChat Pay all need to be handled before you fly, and these guides walk through each step in order. From there the city and regional guides fill in the rest of the plan, and since everything is grouped by topic you can read only the parts you need.
From there, move to the city guides to plan daily routes and decide how long each stop deserves, then read the regional guides to check altitude, long-distance transfers, and what to pack. Every article is written from our own operating experience on the ground in China, not copied or rewritten from other websites. Because we run our own vehicles and guides, the details here reflect what genuinely happens on a trip and can be used directly when you build an itinerary. If anything is unclear, ask us and we will check it with you.

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