China Travel Guide — Best Cities, Food & Tips

Good to know

Best time to visit

Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) offer mild weather and clearer skies; winter is best for southern destinations like Yunnan, while summer suits high-altitude areas such as Tibet. Festival travel (Chinese New Year) requires advance planning due to crowds and transport disruptions.

Currency

Renminbi (CNY, yuan) — carry some cash for markets and smaller towns; mobile payments (WeChat Pay, Alipay) dominate in cities.

Language

Standard Mandarin (Putonghua) is the official language; many regions speak local dialects or languages like Cantonese, Shanghainese, Tibetan, Uyghur and various minority languages.

Getting around

China has an extensive, fast high-speed rail network connecting major cities, and domestic flights link long-distance routes; within cities use metros, taxis, Didi (ride-hailing) and bikes. Book high-speed train and flight tickets in advance for holidays and popular routes.

Culture & etiquette

Respect elders and avoid sensitive political topics; show courtesy when entering temples (dress modestly) and be prepared for brisk bargaining at markets while keeping a polite tone.

Country highlights

Beijing — Forbidden City & Great Wall

Explore imperial history at the Forbidden City and hike sections of the Great Wall at Mutianyu or Jinshanling.

Xi'an — Terracotta Army and ancient walls

See the Terracotta Warriors and cycle or walk atop Xi'an's well-preserved Ming-era city walls.

Shanghai — Bund and Pudong skyscrapers

Stroll the Bund for colonial skyline views and visit Shanghai Tower and the futuristic Pudong district.

Guilin & Yangshuo — karst landscapes

Cruise the Li River and bike through dramatic limestone peaks and rice terraces around Yangshuo.

Chengdu — pandas and Sichuan cuisine

Visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding and savor fiery, numbing Sichuan dishes.

Tibet/Lhasa — Potala Palace and high plateau

Experience Tibetan culture at the Potala Palace and acclimatize for spectacular Himalayan scenery.

What to eat

Peking Duck (Beijing)

Crisp-skinned roast duck served with pancakes, scallions and hoisin sauce.

Xiao Long Bao (Shanghai)

Soup-filled steamed dumplings best enjoyed hot in Shanghai or Jiangnan areas.

Mapo Tofu (Sichuan)

Spicy, numbing tofu with minced pork and Sichuan peppercorns.

Dim Sum (Cantonese)

Small steamed or fried plates—cheung fun, siu mai and barbecue pork buns—popular for brunch in Guangdong and Hong Kong.

Hotpot

Communal, simmering broth where raw ingredients are cooked at the table—very regional in flavor and spice level.

Insider tips

Carry a physical copy of your passport and hotel address in Chinese characters for taxis.
Download and set up WeChat and/or Alipay; many places require these for payments and bookings.
Use a VPN before arrival if you need access to blocked websites and foreign apps.
Respect local smoking rules; many public places still allow smoking but rules vary by city.
Learn basic Mandarin phrases (hello, thank you, numbers) and have addresses written in Chinese for easier navigation.

Cities in China

Hong Kong🇨🇳 China

Skyline, harborside life and Cantonese spice

Good to know

Country highlights

What to eat

Insider tips

Cities in China

Good to know — FAQ

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