Travel Guides

Travel Guides & Articles

Explore our comprehensive travel guides for China

Traveler with a suitcase on a Chinese high-speed train platform beside a white bullet train

Packing

Luggage Rules in China

What you can carry on China's high-speed trains, domestic flights, and metro systems, plus prohibited items, weight...

11 min read

Foreign traveler at a Chinese exit-entry administration service counter handling lost passport paperwork

Emergency

Lost Passport in China: What to Do Step by Step

Lost or had your passport stolen in China? Here's the exact order of steps — police report, loss confirmation,...

12 min read

Foreign traveler using basic Chinese phrases to order at a street food stall in China

Cultural Guide

Language Basics: Survival Chinese Phrases for Travelers

You don't need to speak Mandarin to travel China, but a few survival phrases make everything smoother. Here are the...

11 min read

Shaolin monk performing a kung fu form with a staff outside a traditional temple hall in China

Cultural Experiences

Kung Fu Experiences in China: Shows, Classes & Shaolin Temple

From watching monks perform at Shaolin Temple to taking a tai chi class in a Beijing park, here's how foreign...

11 min read

Traveler in a Chinese city street checking a smartphone showing a blocked app failing to load

Apps & Connectivity

Internet & VPN Guide for China

Google, Instagram, WhatsApp and many sites you use daily don't work in mainland China. Here's how to stay connected...

11 min read

Foreign traveler using WeChat Pay to scan a merchant QR code at a small shop in China

Money & Payments

How to Use WeChat Pay with Foreign Cards

Foreign visitors can link a Visa, Mastercard, Amex, JCB or other international card to WeChat Pay without a Chinese...

9 min read

Foreign traveler paying with Alipay by scanning a vendor's QR code at a street food stall in China

Money & Payments

How to Use Alipay with Foreign Cards

A step-by-step guide to setting up Alipay with your foreign Visa or Mastercard, linking your card, understanding...

9 min read

Foreign tourist using a phone translation app to read a Chinese restaurant menu and order food

Food & Dining

How to Order Food with Zero Chinese

Ordering food in China without speaking Chinese is easier than most travelers expect. Here are the apps, photo-menu...

11 min read

High-Speed Rail

How to Book China Train Tickets: 12306 vs Trip.com

A step-by-step guide to booking China train tickets online as a foreigner, comparing the official 12306 platform...

8 min read

Passport, printed China visa application form and ID photo laid out on a desk ready for submission

Visa & Entry

How to Apply for a China Visa: Step-by-Step Guide

A clear walkthrough of the China visa application process: the new online system, photo and document requirements,...

11 min read

Hong Kong harbour skyline at night beside the Ruins of St. Paul's facade in Macau

South China

Hong Kong & Macau Guide

Everything you need to plan a Hong Kong and Macau trip: the visa rules that differ from mainland China, how to...

14 min read

Collage of China's historical sites including the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the Terracotta Army

Attractions

China's Historical Sites: 12 Ancient Landmarks Worth Your Time

From the Great Wall to the Terracotta Army, here are the historical sites in China that actually live up to their...

12 min read