Practical Guide
Last reviewed: October 2026 Most hotels in China can accommodate international visitors, but it's worth confirming that a property can process foreign passports before you book. A listing may not make its check-in requirements clear, especially if you're booking through a third-party platform. Then
Practical Guide
Last reviewed: October 2026 China's high-speed rail is one of the most convenient ways to travel between many major cities. Trains are fast and comfortable, and large stations can feel more like airports than traditional railway stations. The fastest Beijing–Shanghai services take a little over four
Practical Guide
Last reviewed: October 2026 You'll see it within an hour of landing. Someone buys a coffee by holding up their phone. Someone else pays a street vendor by scanning a code taped to a cart. Cash and bank cards are still options, but mobile payments are widely used
Practical Guide
Last reviewed: October 2026 Here's the situation in one sentence: many apps you use every day may not work on an ordinary mainland Chinese internet connection, and it's much better to discover that at home than in a taxi outside the airport. This guide explains which
Practical Guide
Last reviewed: October 2026 Getting mobile data right makes almost everything else easier when travelling in China. You'll use your phone for maps, translation, mobile payments, train bookings and contacting hotels. Arrive without a connection and even simple tasks can become frustrating. The good news is that you
Practical Guide
Last reviewed: October 2026 China is one of those trips that's easy to love and slightly intimidating to plan. The high-speed trains are fantastic. The food changes every few hundred kilometres. You can walk from a glass skyscraper district into a 600-year-old lane in ten
Xiamen
If you have already explored Gulangyu Island and wandered through the old streets of central Xiamen, it might be time to see a different side of the city. Along Xiamen’s southeastern coastline, Huandao Road (环岛路) offers a slower kind of sightseeing, with sandy beaches, sea views, waterfront parks, and
Hong Kong is a city where a short walk can take you from old colonial-era buildings to glass office towers, from quiet hillside streets to one of the busiest shopping districts in Asia. And if you only have one day to explore Hong Kong Island, this route gives you
Hong Kong is a city that rarely asks you to slow down. Trains arrive every few minutes, shop signs compete for your attention, tiny restaurants serve bowls of noodles almost as quickly as you can sit down, and crowds move through the streets with a confidence that can be difficult
Harbin is one of those Chinese cities that feels a little different from the moment you arrive. Russian-influenced architecture lines its older streets, ornate domes rise above busy squares, and bakeries sell dense rye bread alongside the sausages and ice cream the city is famous for. Then, just when
If you think Shenzhen is all futuristic skyscrapers, high-tech offices, and shiny shopping malls, you are missing one of the city's most fascinating sides: its markets. Spend an afternoon exploring Shenzhen's shopping districts, and you will discover a completely different rhythm of city life. In
Xiamen is often associated with Gulangyu Island, seafood markets and streets lined with old arcades. But if you have one day in Xiamen and want a different side of the city, spend it among green hills, Buddhist temples and the coastline. This route links four attractions that show how varied
Spending one day in Xiamen (厦门) is enough to taste the best of this coastal city if you plan the route well. This itinerary starts with breakfast at a traditional food market, crosses the water to Gulangyu Island's villa-lined lanes, walks the historic arcades of Zhongshan Road,
Hong Kong is famous for its skyscrapers, busy shopping streets, and spectacular harbour views, but there is another side to the city that is worth exploring. Along the waterfront of West Kowloon, contemporary art and open green spaces sit beside a museum filled with treasures from China's imperial
Hong Kong is a city where a short walk can take you from old colonial-era buildings to glass office towers, from quiet hillside streets to one of the busiest shopping districts in Asia. And if you only have one day to explore Hong Kong Island, this route gives you
Hong Kong is a city that rarely asks you to slow down. Trains arrive every few minutes, shop signs compete for your attention, tiny restaurants serve bowls of noodles almost as quickly as you can sit down, and crowds move through the streets with a confidence that can be difficult
Harbin is a city with many different stories to tell. Its old streets reflect Russian and European influences, its food culture carries traditions that have lasted for generations, and the wide Songhua River gives the city a sense of space that you don’t always find in China’s larger
Harbin is one of those Chinese cities that feels a little different from the moment you arrive. Russian-influenced architecture lines its older streets, ornate domes rise above busy squares, and bakeries sell dense rye bread alongside the sausages and ice cream the city is famous for. Then, just when
Shenzhen is often introduced as a city of skyscrapers, shopping malls, and futuristic architecture. But head east towards the coast, and you’ll find a rather different side of the city: wide sandy beaches, wooden walkways hanging above the sea, fishing boats leaving the harbour, and mountain silhouettes fading into
If you think Shenzhen is all skyscrapers, shopping malls, and futuristic technology parks, head east towards Dapeng Peninsula and you will discover a completely different side of the city. Here, the skyline gives way to green mountains, winding coastal roads, white-sand beaches, and stretches of blue sea that feel
If you think Shenzhen is all futuristic skyscrapers, high-tech offices, and shiny shopping malls, you are missing one of the city's most fascinating sides: its markets. Spend an afternoon exploring Shenzhen's shopping districts, and you will discover a completely different rhythm of city life. In
If you think Shenzhen is all factories, glass office towers, and people rushing from one meeting to the next, you might be missing the city's more relaxed and creative side. In fact, Shenzhen is a surprisingly good city for an afternoon and evening out. You can wander around
When people plan a trip to Lhasa, the Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple usually come first. And for good reason. Their golden roofs, centuries of history, and deep religious significance make them essential stops for anyone visiting Tibet. But there is another side to Lhasa that is just as rewarding.