Travel Guide to China 2026: Beijing, the Great Wall, Xi'an, Shanghai & Guilin
Planning to visit China? This travel guide to China covers everything for a first trip: where China is, the best time to go, the 30-day visa-free rule and 240-hour transit, the 10 best places to visit, a 7-day itinerary, realistic costs, how to pay with Alipay and WeChat, safety tips and the best hotels and universities. From the Great Wall and the Forbidden City to the Terracotta Army, the skyline of Shanghai and the karst peaks of Guilin, China has never been easier to visit.
Last updated: October 2026 Β· Entry rules and taxes in this travel guide to China were checked against official sources
π Quick Facts for Your Travel guide to China
- Capital: Beijingπ‘ About 22 million people
- Currency: Renminbi (CNY, yuan)π‘ Mobile payment is king. Check today's rate
- Language: Mandarin Chineseπ‘ Cantonese and other languages are spoken in the south
- Population: About 1.41 billionπ‘ 2026 estimate
- Area: About 9.6 million kmΒ²π‘ One time zone across the whole country
- Time zone: UTC+8π‘ Beijing Time, no daylight saving. Convert times
- UNESCO sites: 61π‘ Including the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and the Jingdezhen porcelain sites (2026)
- Power: 220 V, plug types A, C and Iπ‘ Many hotel sockets take several plug types
βΉοΈ Figures in this travel guide to China are 2026 estimates from official and international sources.
π Where Is China?
China fills much of East Asia, from the Pacific coast to the high deserts of Central Asia. It borders 14 countries: North Korea, Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. The east is lowland and densely populated, the west rises to the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayas, and the great Yangtze and Yellow rivers cross the country to the sea.
The high-speed rail network, the world's largest, links Beijing and Shanghai in about 4.5 hours. Hong Kong and Macau have their own separate entry rules. Check the distance from your city with our distance calculator.
π Best Time to Visit China
The best time to visit China is AprilβMay and SeptemberβOctober, when most regions are mild and dry. Summer (JuneβAugust) is hot and humid in the east and rainy in the south, but the best time for Tibet and the north-west. Winter is cold in Beijing (below 0 Β°C) and bitter in Harbin (ice festival), but mild in Hainan and Yunnan. Avoid the national holidays: Chinese New Year (January or February), the May Day holiday (1β5 May) and Golden Week (1β7 October), when trains and sights are packed.
Mild and green; avoid the 1β5 May holiday.
Hot and wet in the east; best for Tibet.
Clear skies; avoid Golden Week (1β7 Oct).
Cold north, mild south; Chinese New Year.
π Use the seasons in this travel guide to China to match your trip to the weather, festivals and prices you want.
π China Visa & Entry Requirements (30-Day Visa-Free & 240-Hour Transit)
30 days visa-free for many visitors: citizens of the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, most EU countries, Switzerland, Japan, South Korea and others can visit China visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism, business or family visits. The policy is confirmed until 31 December 2026 for most countries. US citizens are not on this list: they need a tourist (L) visa, or can use the 240-hour visa-free transit.
- 240-hour transitUp to 10 days without a visa for citizens of more than 50 countries (including the US) when travelling on to a third country with a confirmed ticket, at designated airports and regions.
- PassportValid at least 6 months, with a blank page.
- Arrival cardComplete the arrival card on board or online before landing; fingerprints are taken at the border.
- PaymentsLink a foreign card to Alipay or WeChat Pay before you fly; carry some cash as backup.
- Main airportsBeijing Capital (PEK) and Daxing (PKX), Shanghai Pudong (PVG) with the Maglev train to the city.
π Official sources: National Immigration Administration of China Β· Chinese Visa Application Service Center. Entry rules change, so always confirm before booking and avoid paid look-alike sites.
π Entry rules in this travel guide to China were last checked in October 2026.
π― 10 Best Places to Visit in China
These are the places we recommend most in this travel guide to China, with the best months to see each one.
The Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Temple of Heaven and hutong alleys.
π‘ Best time: AprβMay, SepβOctMutianyu for families, Jinshanling for hiking, both easy day trips from Beijing.
π‘ Best time: AprβMay, SepβOctThe Terracotta Army, the city walls and the Muslim Quarter food street.
π‘ Best time: MarβMay, SepβNovThe Bund, Pudong's skyline, Yu Garden and the French Concession.
π‘ Best time: AprβMay, OctβNovA Li River cruise through karst peaks and cycling among rice fields.
π‘ Best time: AprβOctThe sandstone pillars that inspired Avatar, and a glass bridge.
π‘ Best time: AprβOctGiant pandas, Sichuan hotpot and the Leshan Giant Buddha.
π‘ Best time: MarβJun, SepβNovWest Lake, tea plantations and classical gardens.
π‘ Best time: MarβMay, SepβNovGranite peaks above a sea of clouds.
π‘ Best time: AprβNovThe porcelain capital, a new UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2026.
π‘ Best time: MarβMay, SepβNovπΊοΈ 7-Day China Itinerary for First-Time Visitors
The classic first trip: Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai, linked by high-speed trains. Book train tickets on the official 12306 app or Trip.com.
Follow this route from our travel guide to China day by day, or shorten it to fit your trip.
- Beijing: arrive; Tiananmen Square and a Peking duck dinner.
- Beijing: the Forbidden City (book ahead with your passport), Jingshan Park and the hutongs.
- Great Wall: Mutianyu or Jinshanling; the Temple of Heaven on your return.
- Xi'an: high-speed train (about 4.5 hours); cycle the city walls at sunset.
- Xi'an: the Terracotta Army in the morning, the Muslim Quarter at night.
- Shanghai: train or flight; the Bund and Nanjing Road by night.
- Shanghai: Yu Garden, the French Concession and Pudong; depart from Pudong.
β With more time: add Guilin and Yangshuo, the pandas of Chengdu, Hangzhou's West Lake or Zhangjiajie.
π΅ How Much Does a Trip to China Cost?
China is good value: trains, food and metros are cheap, though top hotels in Shanghai and Beijing are not. These are approximate daily costs per person in 2026, excluding flights. Use our currency converter to see them in your own currency.
| Travel style | Per day (approx.) | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | Β₯300β500 | Hostels, noodles and dumplings, metros and second-class trains |
| Mid-range | Β₯700β1,300 | Four-star hotels, restaurants, sights and high-speed trains |
| Luxury | Β₯2,500 + | Five-star hotels, private guides and fine dining |
π‘ All prices in this travel guide to China are per person, per day, and change with the season and exchange rates.
π± China is almost cashless. Set up Alipay and WeChat Pay with your foreign card before you go. Google, WhatsApp and Instagram are blocked, so download offline maps (Amap or Apple Maps work) and consider a roaming eSIM.
π‘ Safety & Travel Tips for Your Travel guide to China
China is very safe for travellers, with little violent crime. Watch for tea-house and art-student scams around Tiananmen and the Bund, and only use official taxis or the DiDi app. Carry your passport at all times: you need it for trains, hotels and many sights. Avoid political protests and do not photograph military sites. Air pollution can be high in northern cities in winter.
And WeChat Pay, with your foreign card, before arrival.
Needed for trains, hotels and many museums.
The Forbidden City sells out days ahead.
Google, WhatsApp and Instagram are blocked.
Fast, punctual and cheaper than flying.
"NΗ hΗo" (hello) and "XiΓ¨xie" (thank you).
π¨ Best Hotels in China: 8 Top Picks
Stay near Wangfujing or in a hutong courtyard in Beijing, and on the Bund or in the French Concession in Shanghai.
Courtyard pavilions next to the Summer Palace.
Check prices on Booking.com βWalking distance to the Forbidden City.
Check prices on Booking.com βArt Deco style with Bund and Pudong views.
Check prices on Booking.com βA 1929 Art Deco landmark with a famous jazz bar.
Check prices on Booking.com βA 1953 landmark inside the city walls.
Check prices on Booking.com βLi River views among the karst peaks.
Check prices on Booking.com βA Qing-dynasty courtyard reimagined.
Check prices on Booking.com βPavilions and gardens on West Lake.
Check prices on Booking.com βπ How we chose for this travel guide to China: hotels are picked for location, reputation and a spread of cities and styles. Prices and availability change daily, so the buttons open live Booking.com results for each property.
π€ Affiliate disclosure: hotel buttons are affiliate links. If you book through them, AtlasWise may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes which hotels we list.
π Top Universities in China
China has several of Asia's top universities and a large number of scholarships for international students.
| University | City | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Tsinghua University | Beijing | Public |
| Peking University | Beijing | Public |
| Fudan University | Shanghai | Public |
| Shanghai Jiao Tong University | Shanghai | Public |
| Zhejiang University | Hangzhou | Public |
China's leading engineering and science university.
Visit website βFounded in 1898, strong across sciences and humanities.
Visit website βA top comprehensive university in Shanghai.
Visit website βKnown for engineering, medicine and business.
Visit website βOne of China's largest research universities.
Visit website βπ How we chose for this travel guide to China: the leading universities in China by reputation and research. Last checked: October 2026.
π₯ Chinese Culture & Food
Chinese civilisation stretches back more than 3,000 years, with traditions shaped by Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. Family, respect for elders and festivals such as Chinese New Year, the Mid-Autumn Festival (mooncakes) and the Dragon Boat Festival remain central, alongside some of the world's most modern cities.
Chinese food is regional: try Peking duck in Beijing, xiaolongbao soup dumplings in Shanghai, Sichuan hotpot and mapo tofu in Chengdu, biangbiang noodles in Xi'an, Cantonese dim sum in Guangzhou, and Longjing tea in Hangzhou.
β Travel Guide to China: FAQ
Do I need a visa for China?
UK, Canadian, Australian, Irish and most EU citizens can visit visa-free for 30 days until 31 December 2026. US citizens need a visa or the 240-hour transit.
What is the 240-hour visa-free transit?
Up to 10 days in China without a visa if you fly on to a third country with a confirmed ticket, for citizens of more than 50 eligible countries, including the US.
Can Americans visit China visa-free?
Not for a round trip; they can use the 240-hour transit when continuing to a third country.
How do I pay in China?
Mostly by Alipay or WeChat Pay, which now accept foreign cards; carry some cash as backup.
What is the best time to visit China?
AprilβMay and SeptemberβOctober, avoiding the May Day and Golden Week holidays.
How many days do you need in China?
Seven days covers Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai; two weeks lets you add Guilin and Chengdu.
Do Google and WhatsApp work in China?
No, they are blocked; use local apps or a roaming eSIM.
What currency does China use?
The renminbi (CNY), also called the yuan.
π Trusted Resources for Your Travel guide to China
- National Immigration AdministrationOfficial visa-free and transit rules
- China Railway 12306Official high-speed train tickets
- UNESCO: ChinaWorld Heritage Sites in China
Finished this travel guide to China? π More Asia guides: South Korea Β· Vietnam Β· India Β· Kazakhstan Β· All of Asia
βοΈ Compare China with other countries in Compare Countries.
ποΈ Planning a bucket list? See the 20 best World Heritage Sites to visit.
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