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China Travel Guide
Curated by Our Guild Explorers · Updated September 2026
The oldest continuous civilisation on earth, and one of its great adventures — the Great Wall snaking over green ridges, the Forbidden City at the heart of Beijing, the buried army of Xi'an, Shanghai's electric skyline, Chengdu's pandas and the dreamlike karst peaks of the Li River. From imperial capitals to bullet trains at 350 km/h, this is the Guild's chapter on China.
The Great Wall at Jinshanling, north-east of Beijing — the most spectacular stretch to walk. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
Where to stay & when to go
Guild guides to the best places to stay in China's headline cities — and the best time to plan your trip.
Where to Stay in Beijing ›
Best areas and hotels — the Forbidden City and Wangfujing, leafy Sanlitun, the hutong lanes and the Great Wall gateways.
Where to Stay in Shanghai ›
The historic Bund, the towers of Pudong, the French Concession and the buzz of Jing'an — where to base yourself.
Where to Stay in Xi'an ›
Inside the ancient City Wall, near the Bell Tower and the Muslim Quarter, and out toward the Terracotta Army.
Where to Stay in Chengdu ›
Sichuan's laid-back capital — teahouses, hotpot, Kuanzhai Alley and the road to the giant panda base.
Where to Stay in Guilin ›
Guilin city, the Li River cruise and the karst-fringed village of Yangshuo — China's most famous scenery.
Best Time to Visit China ›
Month-by-month weather, crowds and prices — and the spring and autumn sweet spots to aim for.
Why visit China
Few countries pack so many worlds into one trip — 5,000 years of history, headlong modernity, staggering landscapes and one of the world's great cuisines.
The Great Wall & the dynasties
The Great Wall over the northern hills, the Forbidden City and the Terracotta Army of Xi'an — the monuments of the world's longest-lived empire, still overwhelming today.
Cities of the future
Shanghai's neon towers and the Bund, Beijing's scale and energy, and a bullet-train network that glides between them faster and smoother than anywhere on earth.
Landscapes & pandas
The karst peaks and rivers of Guilin and Yangshuo, the terraced rice fields of the south, the sacred mountains — and the giant pandas of Chengdu.
The food
Peking duck in Beijing, fiery Sichuan hotpot in Chengdu, delicate dumplings and soup buns in Shanghai — regional cooking that is a reason to travel in itself.
The regions of China
China is a continent of its own. Full Guild city guides for the headline five are live; nearby cities link straight to hotels through our Trip.com partner.
The capital and its wonders — the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace — plus the imperial retreats beyond.
The Silk Road's eastern terminus and cradle of dynasties — the Terracotta Army, the great City Wall, and the old imperial cities of the Yellow River plain.
China's dazzling commercial capital and the canal towns and gardens around it — the Bund, Pudong's towers, and classical Suzhou and Hangzhou.
How the country divides up
Beijing & the Imperial North
Almost every trip begins in Beijing, and it should. The Great Wall climbs the hills within a couple of hours of the city, the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square sit at its centre, and the Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace ring it with imperial calm. North lie the emperors' summer palaces at Chengde and the Buddhist grottoes near Datong.
Xi'an & the Ancient Heartland
Xi'an was the capital of eleven dynasties and the start of the Silk Road, and it guards the Terracotta Army — thousands of life-size warriors buried with China's first emperor. Its Ming-era City Wall is still walkable, and nearby Luoyang and walled Pingyao deepen the ancient story.
Shanghai & the Yangtze Delta
Shanghai is China at full tilt — the colonial-era Bund facing the space-age towers of Pudong across the Huangpu, plane-tree lanes in the French Concession, and world-class food and nightlife. Ringing it are the classical gardens of Suzhou and the lake and tea hills of Hangzhou, both a short bullet-train hop away.
The South & Southwest
Chengdu, capital of Sichuan, is famous for its giant pandas, fiery hotpot and unhurried teahouse life. South, Guilin and Yangshuo deliver China's postcard landscape — the Li River drifting between sugarloaf karst peaks, with the Longji rice terraces rising behind.
Top things to do in China
The experiences worth building a trip around.
Walk the Great Wall
Hike a restored-but-wild stretch such as Mutianyu or Jinshanling, watching the wall ride the ridgelines to the horizon — the single greatest sight in China.
The Forbidden City
The vast palace of the Ming and Qing emperors at the heart of Beijing, with the Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace to round out the imperial capital.
The Terracotta Army
Row upon row of life-size warriors and horses guarding the tomb of China's first emperor near Xi'an — no two faces alike, and unforgettable in person.
Shanghai's skyline
Stand on the Bund at dusk as Pudong's towers light up across the river, then ride to the top of the Shanghai Tower for the view from above.
Cruise the Li River
Drift by boat or bamboo raft from Guilin toward Yangshuo, past mist-wrapped karst peaks, water buffalo and fishermen — the scene on the ¥20 note.
Meet the pandas of Chengdu
See giant pandas up close at the Chengdu research base at feeding time, then dive into hotpot and teahouse life in Sichuan's easygoing capital.
Best time to visit & getting there
When to go
Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–early November) are the sweet spots: mild, dry and comfortable for the Wall, the cities and the Li River. These are the loveliest weeks to travel.
Summer (June–August) is hot, humid and busy; winter is cold in the north but quiet and cheap. Steer clear of the national holidays in early May and the first week of October, and Chinese New Year, when everything is packed.
See our month-by-month guide to the best time to visit China for weather, crowds and prices through the year.
Getting there
Beijing Capital (PEK), Beijing Daxing (PKX) and Shanghai Pudong (PVG) are the main long-haul gateways, with direct flights from North America, Europe and across Asia.
Inside the country, the high-speed rail network is the way to travel — Beijing to Xi'an in under five hours, Beijing to Shanghai in about four and a half — with domestic flights linking the farther cities like Chengdu and Guilin.
The currency is the Chinese yuan (renminbi), and daily life is largely cashless via Alipay and WeChat Pay, which now accept foreign cards. British, Canadian, Australian and most EU visitors can now enter visa-free for up to 30 days; American passport holders still need a visa unless they qualify for the 240-hour transit scheme — confirm the current rules with the official Chinese authority before booking.
China travel FAQ
When is the best time to visit China?
Spring (April to May) and autumn (September to early November) are the finest all-round seasons — mild, dry and comfortable for the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, Xi'an and the Li River. Summer (June to August) is hot, humid and the domestic peak, though it suits the far north and the high mountains; winter is cold in the north but quiet and cheap, and Harbin's ice festival is a highlight. Avoid the national holiday weeks — early May and the first week of October — and Chinese New Year, when sites and trains are jammed.
What currency is used in China?
The Chinese yuan, also called renminbi (CNY, symbol ¥). China is largely cashless — locals pay by phone with Alipay and WeChat Pay, and both apps now let foreign visitors link an overseas card. Cash is still accepted and worth carrying in smaller towns, and international cards work in many hotels and department stores. ATMs are widespread in the cities; tell your bank you are travelling before you go.
Do I need a visa to visit China?
It depends on your passport. British, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, Japanese, South Korean and most EU citizens can now enter China visa-free for stays of up to 30 days, a policy China has extended to the end of 2026. United States passport holders are not on that list and still need a visa for an ordinary holiday, though Americans travelling on to a third country can use the 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit scheme at the designated ports. Rules change often, so confirm the current visa and transit requirements with the official Chinese embassy or consulate before you book.
How many days do you need in China?
For a first trip, ten to fourteen days is ideal: three or four days in Beijing for the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, a day or two in Xi'an for the Terracotta Army, two or three days in Shanghai, and a few days for the Li River scenery around Guilin and Yangshuo. With only a week, pair Beijing with Xi'an and Shanghai and save the south for next time. China's high-speed trains link the cities quickly and comfortably.
Is China easy to get around for first-time visitors?
Yes. The world's largest high-speed rail network connects the major cities at up to 350 km/h, with Beijing to Xi'an in under five hours and Beijing to Shanghai in about four and a half. Book train and flight tickets in advance, carry your passport for station and hotel check-in, and download a translation app and offline maps before you arrive, as some Western sites and apps are blocked inside the country.
Ready to plan your China trip?
Compare hotels, flights and tours across China — booked through Trip.com.
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