Notes from the places we send travellers.

Before you land

The six things every traveller asks about before leaving home: visa, connectivity, payment, transport, booking, and getting understood on the ground.

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Visa & entry

Documents required, processing windows, and the visa-free transit options most first-time visitors miss. Updated for 2026.

June 2026

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VPN & internet

Which apps are blocked, which VPNs still work reliably, and the eSIM setup that takes friction out of the first afternoon.

June 2026

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Paying in China

Alipay, WeChat Pay, and the small handful of foreign cards that still work, set up before you even meet your driver.

June 2026

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high-speed railseat classesbooking windows

Trains & transport

High-speed rail classes, seats worth paying up for, and the booking windows that open at exactly the moment you will want a seat.

July 2026

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The booking headache

Why most international booking sites cannot reach domestic Chinese inventory, and the apps, agents, and workarounds that actually do.

June 2026

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Language, information & lodging

Translation tools that hold up, English-language sources we trust, and which hotels reliably accept foreign passports.

June 2026

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Notes from the places we send travellers.

Visa & entry

VPN & internet

Paying in China

Trains & transport

The booking headache

Language, information & lodging

What Is the Mid-Autumn Festival — and When Is It in 2026? A Traveler's Guide to Mooncakes, Moon-Viewing and Where to See It in China

Can You Take Kids — or a Baby — to Tibet and High-Altitude China?

What Will My Kids Actually Eat in China? A Parent's Guide to Feeding Kids and What to Eat in China with Kids

How Do You Pack Light for Family Travel to China?

How Do You Get Around China with Kids by Train and Plane?

Where Do You Buy Diapers and Care for a Baby in China?

Is a Family Trip to China Actually Doable? An Honest Parent's Guide to China with Kids

Is Zhaoxing Dong Village Worth Visiting? An Honest Guide to Guizhou's Dong Country

Can You Experience Tibetan Buddhism Without a Permit? Lanzhou + Xiahe's Labrang Monastery, Explained

What Are the Most Underrated Cities in China to Visit Beyond Beijing and Shanghai?

Is Xining the Smart Base to Acclimatise Before the Qinghai-Tibet Railway to Lhasa?

What Are the Best Things to Do in Hainan? An Honest Guide to China's Tropical Island

How Should You Plan Travel to China? A Complete First-Timer's Guide

What Are the Best Things to Do in Shanghai? An Honest First-Timer's Guide

What Are the Best Things to Do in Chengdu? Pandas, Tea Houses, and How to Plan It

What Are the Best Things to Do in Beijing? A First-Timer's Guide to China's Capital

What Are the Best Things to Do in Xi'an? From the Terracotta Warriors to the City Walls

What Are the Best Things to Do in Chongqing? A First-Timer's Guide to China's Cyberpunk Mountain City

What Is Chengdu Street Food — and How Do You Eat It Without Getting Burned?

What Is the Best Chinese Street Food — and How Do You Eat It Safely?

Is a China Food Tour Worth It — and How Do You Choose the Right One?

What Is the Best Night Market Food in China — and Which City Should You Eat It In?

Is It Easy to Find Halal Food in China? A Muslim Traveler's Guide

What Is Hunan Food — and How Spicy Is It Really?

What Are Guilin Rice Noodles — and How Do You Order Them Like a Local?

What Is Hangzhou Food — What Should You Eat, and Where?

What Is Shanghai Food — What Should You Eat, and Where?

What Is Xi'an Food — and What Should You Eat in the Muslim Quarter?

Last-Minute Souvenirs at China's Airports: What to Grab (and What to Skip)

Imperial Beijing Travel Guide 2026: Forbidden City, Great Wall & Hutong Life

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Renting hanfu in China starts with the practical questions

When Should You Visit China? 2026 Weather Guide by Region & Month

Best Time to Visit China 2026: Complete Seasonal Guide, Holiday Calendar & Crowd-Avoidance Strategy

Chinese Traditions & Culture Guide

Hanfu Rental and Photoshoot in China: Best Places to Wear Hanfu in Beijing, Xi’an, and Luoyang

China Airport Duty-Free: What's Actually Worth Buying?

What Are the Best Affordable Chinese Souvenirs and Where Do You Buy Them?

Private, Luxury, or Custom China Tour — Which One Does Your Family Actually Need?

How to Choose a China Travel Agency for Your Family (2026 Buyer's Guide)

How Many Days for a China Family Itinerary? A 2-Week, 10-Day & One-Week Planner

Which China Family Tour Is Right for Your Family? (2026 Guide)

Beijing Markets & Shopping: Which Market Do You Go To for What, and How Do You Avoid Getting Ripped Off?

Nanluoguxiang Beijing: Is It Worth It — and Where Do You Go When It's Too Crowded?

Panjiayuan Antique Market: What Can You Actually Buy — and Legally Take Home?

Pearl Market Beijing (Hongqiao): How Do You Tell Real Pearls and Get a Fair Price?

Silk Market Beijing: Is It Real Silk, and How Do You Bargain Without Getting Ripped Off?

Beijing Street Food: What Should You Eat, and Where Do Locals Actually Go?

Is Wangfujing Worth Visiting? An Honest Guide to Beijing's Wangfujing Street and Snack Street

Qianmen Street Beijing: What's Worth Buying, and Where Do You Actually Find It?

Qinghai, China: Is It Worth Visiting, and How Do You Plan the Qinghai Lake Loop? (2026 Guide)

Harbin, China in Winter: Is the Ice Festival Worth It, and How Do You Actually Survive −30°C?

Which Chinese Mountains Should You Visit? A Traveler's Guide to China's Famous and Sacred Mountains (2026)

Yunnan, China: Is It Worth Visiting, and How Do You Plan the Perfect Trip? (2026 Guide)

What Does the Chinese Dragon Really Mean — and Where Can You See One in China?

What Is My Chinese Zodiac? Find Your Sign, Its Meaning & the 2026 Year of the Horse

Chinese New Year 2026: Is It a Good Idea to Visit China During the Holiday?

Is Shenyang, China Worth Visiting? A Trusted Guide to Mukden Palace and the Gateway to the Northeast (2026)

Which Water Town Near Shanghai Should You Visit — and How Do You Day-Trip It Without a Tour? (2026 Guide)

Is Pingyao Ancient City Worth Visiting? The Complete 2026 Guide to China's Intact Walled City

How Many Days Do You Need at Emei Shan — and How Do You Actually Climb It? (2026 Guide)

How Do You Climb Mount Tai China? Steps, Sunrise, and the Cable Car, Explained

How Hard Is the Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) Hike — and Do You Really Need to Stay Overnight? A Complete 2026 Guide

Is Zhangjiajie the Real Avatar Mountains — and How Do You Actually Plan a Trip There? (2026 Guide)

Shangri-La, China: Is It Worth Visiting — and Will the Altitude Make You Sick? (2026 Guide)

Dali, Yunnan: Is It Worth Visiting, and How Do You Plan a Trip? (2026 Guide)

Is Lijiang, China Worth Visiting? An Honest 2026 Guide to the Old Town, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain & Beyond

Is Kunming, Yunnan China Worth Visiting? Things to Do, the Stone Forest & How Long to Stay

Ancient Towns in China: Which One Is Right for Your Trip?

Is Fenghuang Ancient Town Worth Visiting? A Complete 2026 Guide to Hunan's Phoenix Town on the Tuo River

Is Furong Ancient Town Worth Visiting? The "Town on the Waterfall," and How to Fit It Between Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang

Which Airport Should You Fly Into for China? Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou

Can You Sleep Overnight at Shanghai Pudong and China's Airports?