Travel guides
China travel guides for first-timers
Straight answers on visas, payments, phones, safety and costs, plus guides to the places most first trips include. Every guide starts with the short answer and lists the official sources we checked in October 2026.
Before you fly
Entry rules
China visa-free entry: the 30-day list and the 240-hour transit
As of October 28, 2026, ordinary passport holders from 50 countries, including the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and most of Europe, can enter mainland China without a visa for up to 30 days for tourism, business, family visits, exchanges or transit.
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Money and payments
How to pay in China as a visitor
The easiest way to pay in China is Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to a Visa, Mastercard, American Express or JCB card from home, set up before you fly.
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Phone setup
China eSIM and the apps you need
For most visitors a roaming travel eSIM is the simplest option: install it at home, switch it on when you land, and expect to pay about $10-15 for 3-5 GB or $35-38 for 10 days of unlimited data (list prices, October 2026).
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Safety, honestly
Is it safe to travel to China?
For most visitors, yes, with clear caveats. As of October 2026 the US State Department rates mainland China Level 2 of 4, "Exercise Increased Caution," citing arbitrary enforcement of local laws, exit bans and the risk of wrongful detention, while the UK Foreign Office does not advise against travel but warns about broad national security laws and exit bans linked to business disputes.
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Budget planning
How much a trip to China costs in 2026-27
Excluding international flights, a 10-day first trip to Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai costs roughly $470-790 per person on a budget and $780-1,350 mid-range, by our estimate from current train and flight fares, ticket prices and hotel price data.
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When to go
The best time to visit China, month by month
For most first trips, the best time to visit China is April to May or September to October, when average highs in Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai run about 19-28°C (66-82°F) and there is less rain than in summer.
Read the guide →Places and trips
Winter in Harbin
Harbin Ice Festival 2026-27
The Harbin Ice Festival runs from mid or late December to late February. As of late October 2026 the 2026-27 dates and prices have not been announced; last season Harbin Ice and Snow World opened on December 17, 2025, closed early on February 21, 2026, and charged adults ¥328 (about $49).
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Beijing day trips
Great Wall tours from Beijing: which section and how to go
For a first Great Wall tour from Beijing, go to Mutianyu: it is fully restored, less crowded than Badaling and 1.5-2.5 hours away by car, with a cable car and a toboggan.
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Hunan's Avatar mountains
Zhangjiajie travel guide 2026-27
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the core of Hunan's Wulingyuan Scenic Area, is where the sandstone pillars that inspired Avatar's floating mountains stand.
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Family travel
Traveling China with kids
China is a good family destination for kids from about age 6, and for younger ones at a slow pace: high-speed trains are easy, children get free or half-price tickets on trains and at many sights, and the pandas deliver.
Read the guide →Food and wellness
Food
Michelin Guide China: where to eat in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu
As of October 2026, the MICHELIN Guide covers 17 mainland Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu and Xiamen, and the newest edition, Beijing and Tianjin 2027, came out on October 28, 2026.
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Culture and wellness
Chinese bathhouse guide for first-time visitors
A Chinese bathhouse (xiyu zhongxin) is a large bath and leisure complex, often open 24 hours. You bathe nude in a single-sex area with hot pools, saunas and an optional cuozao body scrub, then put on a cotton uniform for shared floors with buffets, lounges and nap halls.
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Culture and wellness
Traditional Chinese medicine in China: a visitor's guide
The most reliable place to try traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in China is the outpatient department of a public TCM hospital, such as Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine in Guangzhou or Guang'anmen and Dongzhimen hospitals in Beijing, where you register with your passport and pay by Alipay, WeChat Pay or cash.
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Culture and wellness
Chinese postpartum confinement: zuo yuezi and confinement centers
Zuo yuezi, or "sitting the month," is the Chinese custom of resting for about a month after giving birth: traditionally staying indoors, keeping warm and avoiding raw or cold food.
Read the guide →Sample itineraries
Want a ready-made route?
Day-by-day plans for a classic first trip, a family trip with pandas and a winter week in Harbin.
Want a local team to plan it?
Tell us your dates and who's coming. A trip designer at a licensed agency in China emails you a plan and a quote within 24 hours. Free, and no obligation to book.