Travel Guides

Travel Guides & Articles

Explore our comprehensive travel guides for China

Split view of winter in China: frost-covered trees beside a misty river in Jilin on the left, a palm-lined beach in Sanya on the right

Seasonal Guides

Winter Travel in China: Snow or Sun, How Cold, Heating and Chinese New Year

Where to go in China from December to February: January temperatures by city, the north–south heating divide,...

23 min read

Traveller withdrawing Chinese yuan from a bank ATM in a city street lobby, with a passport and foreign card in hand

Money & Payments

Where to Exchange Money in China: ATMs, Banks and Airport Counters

The best way to get yuan in China: ATMs for most cash, a bank counter for big sums, airport desks only for a little....

13 min read

Packing

What to Pack for China: A Complete Packing Guide

What to pack for China: the three things you can't fix after landing, toiletries hotels no longer provide, medicine...

11 min read

Traveller at home with a passport and suitcase, setting up a messaging app on a smartphone before a trip

Apps & Connectivity

WeChat Setup Guide for Foreigners: Sign-Up, Verification, Pay and Translation

Set up WeChat at home before your China trip: sign up with your own number, pass the extra security check (three...

11 min read

Three scenes side by side: a snowy street in Harbin, misty karst peaks on the Li River near Guilin, and the Potala Palace in Lhasa under a clear, bright sky

Seasonal Guides

China Weather by Region: Monthly Temperatures, Rainy Seasons and Typhoons

China's weather by region: average monthly temperature and rainfall for 15 cities, when the plum rain and typhoons...

15 min read

Open passport pages with several stylized visa stickers and stamps

Visa & Entry

China Visa Types Explained: Which Letter Is Your Trip?

L, M, Z, Q, S — China's sixteen visa categories decoded, plus the routing question most guides skip: whether your...

7 min read

Traveler walking through a bright airport arrival hall holding only a passport

Visa & Entry

China's 30-Day Visa-Free Entry: Who Qualifies and How It Works

Fifty nationalities can now visit China for up to 30 days with no visa at all. Who's on the list, what the stay...

7 min read

Traveler with documents walking toward a service counter in a bright administrative hall

Visa & Entry

Extending Your Stay in China: Rules, Offices and Deadlines

Already in China and want more time? Whether you can extend depends on how you entered. The rules for visa holders,...

7 min read

A table of Chinese vegetarian dishes: stir-fried greens, mapo-style tofu, potato and eggplant, smashed cucumber and rice

Food & Dining

Vegetarian and Vegan in China: Hidden Ingredients, Safe Dishes and Buddhist Restaurants

Vegetarian is easy in China, vegan takes more care: the hidden stock, lard and oyster sauce, dishes you can order...

15 min read

Traveler tapping a credit card on a card terminal at a Chinese hotel front desk, phone with a payment app beside it

Money & Payments

Using International Cards in China: Visa, Mastercard, Amex and ATMs

Your Visa or Mastercard works in China mainly through Alipay and WeChat Pay. Where you can tap it directly, ATM cash...

13 min read

Traveler scanning a QR code with a phone at a small Chinese shop counter, a credit card and a few yuan notes beside the phone

Money & Payments

Understanding Chinese Payment Systems: Mobile, Cards, Cash and e-CNY

How paying in China works: Alipay and WeChat Pay with your foreign card, where a card or cash still works, the metro...

16 min read

Three kinds of stay in China side by side: a compact city hotel room at night, a hostel common room with backpackers, and a canal-side guesthouse window in a water town

Accommodation

Types of Accommodation in China: Hotels, Chains, Hostels, Homestays and Sleeper Trains

The main places to stay in China and who each suits: star hotels and what stars mean, Chinese chains, hostels,...

18 min read