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China travel, sorted before you go
Travel Guide

China travel, sorted before you go

The questions first-time visitors ask us most, collected in one place.

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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.

Start with these three

Visa-free entry

For tourism stays of up to 30 days you can enter visa-free. Check the conditions and what to bring.

Payment setup

Register a card with Alipay or WeChat Pay before you fly and travel without cash.

Getting a cost feel

Season, cities, hotel grade and transport mix drive the total. Understand the variables first.

Browse by topic

China Visa-Free Entry, Explained Simply입국·비자

China Visa-Free Entry, Explained Simply

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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Alipay and WeChat Pay: How to Get Ready결제

Alipay and WeChat Pay: How to Get Ready

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, Explained by the Numbers That Matter예산

China Trip Costs, Explained by the Numbers That Matter

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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China Packing List, In the Right Order준비

China Packing List, In the Right Order

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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The Best Time to Visit China, Region by Region준비

The Best Time to Visit China, Region by Region

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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China High-Speed Rail, from Booking to Boarding이동

China High-Speed Rail, from Booking to Boarding

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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China eSIM and Internet: How to Prepare이동

China eSIM and Internet: How to Prepare

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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How to Avoid Forced Shopping in China여행 팁

How to Avoid Forced Shopping in China

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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China Travel with Your Parents여행 팁

China Travel with Your Parents

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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China Travel with Kids여행 팁

China Travel with Kids

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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Your China Trip, Planned in the Right Order종합 가이드

Your China Trip, Planned in the Right Order

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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Shanghai, Planned End to End도시 가이드

Shanghai, Planned End to End

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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Beijing, Route First도시 가이드

Beijing, Route First

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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Xi'an, at the Start of the Silk Road도시 가이드

Xi'an, at the Start of the Silk Road

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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Chengdu, City of Pandas and Food도시 가이드

Chengdu, City of Pandas and Food

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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Guilin and Yangshuo, Walking Among the Peaks도시 가이드

Guilin and Yangshuo, Walking Among the Peaks

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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Hangzhou and Suzhou, Lakes and Gardens도시 가이드

Hangzhou and Suzhou, Lakes and Gardens

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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Harbin in Winter, Cold Done Right도시 가이드

Harbin in Winter, Cold Done Right

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 Travel Guide: What to See, In What Order도시 가이드

Chongqing Travel Guide: What to See, In What Order

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 Travel Guide: How to Prepare지역 가이드

Zhangjiajie Travel Guide: How to Prepare

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 Travel Guide: Start with Altitude지역 가이드

Jiuzhaigou Travel Guide: Start with Altitude

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 Travel Guide: Start with the Booking지역 가이드

Dunhuang Travel Guide: Start with the Booking

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, In Order지역 가이드

The Qinghai and Gansu Grand Loop, In Order

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 Travel Guide: How to Prepare지역 가이드

Xinjiang Travel Guide: How to Prepare

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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Tibet Travel Guide: The Order to Prepare In지역 가이드

Tibet Travel Guide: The Order to Prepare In

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 Travel Guide: Grassland or Desert지역 가이드

Inner Mongolia Travel Guide: Grassland or Desert

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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China Rail Travel Guide: Prepare in This Order이동

China Rail Travel Guide: Prepare in This Order

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 Immigration and Customs Guide: Prepare in Order입국·비자

China Immigration and Customs Guide: Prepare in Order

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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China Safety and Emergency Guide: Know This in Advance여행 팁

China Safety and Emergency Guide: Know This in Advance

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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China Travel Apps and Translation Guide: Get Set Up Right준비

China Travel Apps and Translation Guide: Get Set Up Right

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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Comparing China Trip Costs by Region예산

Comparing China Trip Costs by Region

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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China Food Guide: Enjoy It Region by Region미식

China Food Guide: Enjoy It Region by Region

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 Photo Spots Guide: Timing Is Half the Shot포토

China Photo Spots Guide: Timing Is Half the Shot

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.

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The 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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