The Middle Kingdom · 旅华指南
China
Imperial capitals, neon megacities, misty karst rivers and the greatest road trips on earth. China rewards the curious traveler like nowhere else.
The map中国
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Where to go21 cities
Emperors, hutongs & the Great Wall
Beijing
The imperial capital
The Bund, skyscrapers & art deco
Shanghai
Where East meets futurist
Classical gardens & water towns
Suzhou
Gardens, canals & silk
Dim sum, trade & Pearl River nights
Guangzhou
The Cantonese powerhouse
Giant pandas & fiery Sichuan food
Chengdu
Pandas, hotpot & the slow life
West Lake, Longjing tea & silk
Hangzhou
West Lake & tea hills
Hotpot, hills & neon rivers
Chongqing
The cyberpunk mountain city
Li River & limestone mountains
Guilin
Karst peaks & river dreams
Terracotta Army & ancient walls
Xi'an
The start of the Silk Road
Potala Palace & Tibetan Buddhism
Lhasa
Roof of the world
Silk Road bazaars & Uyghur culture
Kashgar
The old Silk Road oasis
Vast grasslands & Mongol horse culture
Hulunbuir
Endless green grasslands
Ming history, city walls & autumn ginkgoes
Nanjing
Ancient southern capital
The Yangtze, cherry blossoms & hot-dry noodles
Wuhan
River city of a thousand lakes
Gulangyu Island, seafood & sea views
Xiamen
Island city & colonial charm
Tsingtao beer, German quarter & beaches
Qingdao
Beer, beaches & red roofs
Erhai Lake, Bai culture & mountain air
Dali
Lakeside Bai kingdom
Avatar mountains & glass bridges
Zhangjiajie
Floating pillar mountains
Palm beaches, resorts & duty-free
Sanya
China's tropical Hawaii
Ice festival & Russian heritage
Harbin
Ice city of the north
Mogao Caves & singing sand dunes
Dunhuang
Silk Road desert oasis
Islands to explore
Before you goPrep
Travel essentialsGuides
Visa & Entry
China has rapidly opened up. Many nationalities can now enter visa-free for short stays, and transit travelers get generous windows to explore. Know which lane you fall into before you book.
Read guideMoney & Payments
China runs on mobile payments. The good news: Alipay and WeChat Pay now link directly to foreign Visa and Mastercard, so you can scan-to-pay like a local. Carry a little cash as a backup.
Read guideInternet & Apps
Google, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube and most Western services are blocked in China. Plan your connectivity before you land so you are not cut off from maps, messaging and email.
Read guideGetting Around
China has the best transport network on earth for travelers — spotless metros, 350 km/h trains, and cheap ride-hailing. Once you crack the ticketing, moving around is effortless.
Read guideGo deeper
Legendary road trips of China