China Travel Guides
Honest advice from 15 years on the ground. No fluff, no AI-generated nonsense — just practical tips from someone who's been there.
Latest Articles
Visa & Entry
China Visa Guide 2026: Everything You Need to Know
Visa-free travel, transit visas, tourist visas — the rules changed a lot in the past year. Here's exactly what you need to enter China in 2026.
May 25, 20267 min
Itineraries
The Perfect 10-Day China Itinerary for First-Timers
Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai — and a wild card most travelers miss. Here's the route I recommend for anyone visiting China for the first time.
May 20, 202610 min
Money
How to Use WeChat Pay and Alipay as a Foreigner
The single most useful thing you can do before your China trip. A step-by-step guide that actually works for international visitors.
May 15, 20268 min
Safety
Is China Safe for Solo Female Travelers?
I've helped dozens of solo female travelers explore China. Here's what they wish they'd known before they arrived.
May 10, 20267 min
Planning
Best Time to Visit China: A Month-by-Month Guide
Each season reveals a different China. Here's when to go based on what you want to see and do.
May 5, 202610 min
Destinations
Chongqing Travel Guide (2026): A Local's Perspective
I was born here. I've eaten at every hotpot place worth visiting and know every backstreet. This is the real Chongqing — not the tourist version.
May 30, 202611 min
Health
Medical Tourism in China: What You Need to Know (2026)
Dental cleaning for $15, an MRI for $66, TCM therapy for $25. Why thousands of foreigners are travelling to China for medical treatment.
May 30, 202610 min
Culture
Traditional Chinese Medicine Travel Guide: Where to Experience TCM in China
Acupuncture, cupping, herbal medicine, tuina massage — a complete guide to experiencing TCM on your China trip, from a true believer.
May 30, 20269 min
Tech & Tools
Must-Have Apps for China Travel (2026): Your Digital Survival Kit
Which apps you actually need in China, which ones to skip, and how to set everything up before you arrive. From a 15-year local.
May 30, 20268 min
Transport
How to Use DiDi in China: A Complete Guide for Foreigners (2026)
China's Uber — how to download, set up payment, book a ride, and communicate with your driver.
May 30, 20268 min
Destinations
Chengdu Beyond Pandas: What Most Tourists Miss
Everyone comes for the pandas. But the real magic of Chengdu is in its food alleys, tea houses, and the laid-back attitude you won't find anywhere else in China.
April 28, 20269 min
Culture
Why Does China Only Serve Warm Water? A TCM Perspective
Every foreign traveler asks this. Here's the Traditional Chinese Medicine explanation — and some practical tips for getting your cold drinks in China.
May 30, 20266 min
Planning
China Travel Checklist 2026: What to Set Up Before You Go
Based on what first-time visitors actually worry about — payments, apps, language, bookings. Here's a practical pre-departure checklist.
May 30, 20267 min
Food
Guilin Rice Noodles: A Complete Guide to Guilin Mifen (桂林米粉)
The bowl that defines a city — silky rice noodles in bone broth, topped with beef, peanuts, and pickled beans. Here's everything you need to know about Guilin's most famous dish.
June 2, 20268 min
Transport
China High-Speed Train Guide 2026: How to Book Tickets as a Foreigner
Step-by-step guide to booking China's high-speed trains. Routes, ticket types, costs, and everything I've learned from 15 years of travelling by rail across 35+ cities.
June 10, 202612 min
Tech & Tools
Best VPN for China Travel 2026: What Actually Works
Which VPNs work in China right now, how to set them up, and the eSIM alternative that bypasses the firewall entirely. Updated June 2026.
June 10, 202610 min
Planning
China Travel Cost 2026: Complete Budget Breakdown with Real Prices
How much does a China trip actually cost? Real prices for hotels, food, transport, and activities — from ¥12,000 budget trips to ¥80,000 luxury tours.
June 12, 202611 min
Food
30 Must-Try Chinese Dishes: A Food Lover's Guide to Eating in China
From Peking duck to Chongqing hotpot, from Xiaolongbao to Guilin rice noodles — the 30 dishes you need to eat on your China trip, with where to find them.
June 14, 202614 min
Destinations
Which Section of the Great Wall is Best? A Complete Guide (2026)
Badaling vs Mutianyu vs Jiankou vs Simatai — which Great Wall section is right for your trip? Honest comparison from someone who's been to all of them.
June 15, 202610 min
Itineraries
China Itinerary 2 Weeks: The Ultimate Route for First-Timers (2026)
Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, Guilin, Chengdu — how to see the best of China in 14 days. Three complete route options with day-by-day breakdowns.
June 18, 202615 min
Planning
How to Book Forbidden City Tickets 2026: Step-by-Step Guide
Tickets sell out in minutes. Here's exactly how to book the Forbidden City — with the booking window, the WeChat mini-program setup, and what to do if they're sold out.
June 20, 20268 min
Culture
Chinese Tea Culture: A Traveler's Guide to Tea in China (2026)
From Hangzhou's Longjing tea fields to Guangzhou's dim sum tea houses, Chinese tea culture is a must-experience part of any trip. Here's everything you need to know.
June 24, 20269 min
Planning
China Winter Travel Guide 2026: Best Places to Visit & What to Expect
Harbin Ice Festival, Beijing's snow-covered Forbidden City, Yunnan's mild winters — and the surprising places where winter is actually the best time to visit.
July 6, 20268 min
Destinations
Yangtze River Cruise Guide 2026: Everything You Need to Know
Chongqing to Yichang through the Three Gorges — the complete guide to Yangtze River cruises. Best ships, cabins, itineraries, and what you'll actually see.
July 4, 202610 min
Culture
China Shopping Guide 2026: Best Markets, What to Buy & Bargaining Tips
From Beijing's Silk Market to Shanghai's antique shops — what's worth buying, what's not, and how to bargain without getting ripped off. A practical China shopping guide.
July 2, 20269 min
Culture
Chinese Festivals & Holidays 2026: Plan Your Trip Around China's Best Celebrations
Spring Festival, Mid-Autumn, National Day Golden Week — when they fall in 2026, how they affect travel, and which festivals are worth planning your trip around.
June 30, 20269 min
Planning
China Packing List 2026: What to Pack (and What to Leave at Home)
The ultimate China packing list — from power banks and VPN routers to the one item every traveler forgets. Based on 15 years of traveling China in every season.
June 28, 20267 min
Tech & Tools
China SIM Card & eSIM Guide 2026: How to Stay Connected as a Traveler
China Mobile, China Unicom, or eSIM? Where to buy, what to pay, and how to set up your phone before you land. A complete guide to staying online in China.
June 26, 20268 min
Food
Halal Food in China: A Complete Guide for Muslim Travelers (2026)
Finding halal food in China is easier than you think. From Xi'an's Muslim Quarter to Beijing's halal restaurants, here's everything Muslim travelers need to know about eating in China.
June 22, 202610 min
Money
China Money Guide 2026: Cash, Cards, and Payment Apps
From exchanging currency to setting up Alipay — everything you need to know about money in China in 2026, without the confusion.
June 9, 20268 min
Planning
Thailand vs China: Which Should You Visit in 2026?
Both are incredible. But they're completely different trips. Here's how to choose based on what you actually want.
June 9, 20267 min