China is one of the world’s most captivating and rapidly evolving travel destinations—safe, modern, culturally rich, and increasingly accessible to international visitors. From ancient temples and bustling megacities to breathtaking natural wonders and remote highland villages, China offers an unforgettable journey for every type of traveler.
This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know before and during your trip: visa requirements, internet access, mobile payments, transportation, must-have apps, safety tips, cultural etiquette—and above all, where to go for truly awe-inspiring natural landscapes.
🛂1. Visa & Entry Requirements
✔️ Before You Arrive
- Visa-Free Entry (2026 Update): Citizens from over 50 countries—including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and more—can enjoy 15–30 days of visa-free entry for tourism purposes.
- E-Visa / Regular Visa: If your country isn’t on the visa-exempt list, apply through your nearest Chinese embassy or official visa center well in advance.
- Health Declaration: Complete the China Customs Health Declaration via QR code upon arrival at the airport (usually done on your phone).
✔️ At the Airport
- Biometric passport control is standard.
- Have your hotel address and return/onward ticket ready—customs officers may ask for them.
📶 2. Internet Access & SIM Cards
📱 Getting Connected
China has excellent 4G/5G coverage, even in rural areas. Tourists can easily purchase local SIM cards:
- Providers: China Mobile, China Unicom (best for foreigners), China Telecom.
- Where to Buy: Major airports (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou) and city telecom stores. Bring your passport.
- eSIM Support: Widely available—especially with China Unicom. Activate before landing if possible.
🌐 Internet Restrictions & Workarounds
Many global platforms are restricted without a VPN, including:
- Google (Search, Maps, Gmail)
- Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube,Tiktok
- Some Western news sites
✅ Not blocked: Apple services, Airbnb, Booking.com, Trip.com, Telegram (though occasionally unstable)
🔒 Critical Tip: Download a reliable VPN before arriving in China. Popular choices among expats and savvy travelers include Clash Meta, RayNG, or Surge—all known for stability and ease of use within China. Avoid free or untrusted services; they often fail or leak data.
💳 3. Payments in China — Go Cashless!
China is one of the most cashless societies on Earth. Street vendors, subway gates, and even temple donation boxes accept mobile payments.
✔️ For Foreign Visitors:
- Alipay Tour Pass and WeChat Pay for Tourists now support direct linking of foreign Visa/Mastercard.
- No Chinese bank account needed!
- Highly Recommended: Set up both Alipay and WeChat Pay before your trip.
💵 Cash Still Works—But…
- RMB (¥, Renminbi) is accepted everywhere, but many small shops won’t handle large bills or may lack change.
- ATMs in cities accept international cards (look for UnionPay logo).
- Exchange currency at banks, official exchange counters, or airport kiosks (avoid street vendors).
🚆 4. Transportation Made Easy
✈️ Domestic Flights
- Efficient, affordable, and safe.
- Book via Trip.com (English-friendly) or airline apps (Air China, China Eastern, etc.).
- Always carry your passport for check-in.
🚄 High-Speed Rail – China’s Crown Jewel
- The world’s largest and fastest network (250–350 km/h).
- Punctual, clean, and scenic—perfect for intercity travel.
- Booking: Use Trip.com (simplest for foreigners) or the official 12306 app (has English interface).
- Passport accepted for ticket purchase and boarding.
🚇 Metro & Buses
- Over 50 cities have modern subway systems (Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xi’an, etc.).
- Signs and announcements in English.
- Pay with WeChat/Alipay or transport QR codes.
🚕 Taxis & Ride-Hailing
- Official taxis are metered and safe.
- Didi (China’s Uber) and Meituan Ride dominate ride-hailing.
- Pro Tip: Save your destination address in Chinese characters—drivers rarely speak English.
📱 5. Must-Have Apps in China (2025)
While many global apps don’t work, WeChat is your Swiss Army knife:
🟢 WeChat (微信) – Your All-in-One Tool
- Messaging, voice/video calls
- Mobile payments (link your card)
- Book hotels, order food, hail rides, scan museum tickets
- Access mini-programs for museums, parks, train tickets
- Even find local tour guides or language exchange partners!
Other Essential Apps:
- Navigation: Gaode Maps (Amap) – most accurate, partial English support
- Travel Booking: Trip.com (best for foreigners), Qunar, Fliggy (Feizhu)
- Food Delivery: Meituan, Ele.me
- Translation: Youdao Dictionary, Baidu Translate (download offline packs!)
- Ride-Hailing: Didi, Meituan Ride
💡 Remember: Most of these apps require a Chinese phone number or WeChat login—but you can register as a tourist with your passport.
🏞️ 6. Top Destinations: Beyond the Cities
While Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi’an are classics, China’s true magic lies in its natural grandeur. Here are must-visit regions for nature lovers and cultural explorers:
🌄 Zhangjiajie (Hunan Province)
Famous as the real-life inspiration for the floating Hallelujah Mountains in Avatar, Zhangjiajie is a surreal landscape of towering quartz-sandstone pillars draped in mist and greenery.
- Zhangjiajie National Forest Park – China’s first national forest park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wander along elevated boardwalks like the Avatar Hallelujah Mountain Trail, hike through lush valleys, or take the cable car up to Yuanjiajie for panoramic views of the iconic peaks.
- Bailong Elevator – Ride the world’s tallest outdoor glass elevator (326 meters) straight up a cliff face for jaw-dropping vistas of the forest below.
- Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon – Home to the thrilling glass-bottomed bridge, suspended 300 meters above the canyon floor—once the longest and highest of its kind in the world.
- Tianmen Mountain National Park – Just a short drive from downtown Zhangjiajie, this dramatic peak features the legendary Tianmen Cave (“Heaven’s Gate”), a natural arch carved into the mountain. Reach the summit via the longest cable car in the world (7.5 km), then walk the vertigo-inducing Cliffside Skywalk or climb the 999-step “Heavenly Ladder” to the cave entrance.
- Best time to visit: Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) offer mild weather, clear skies, and fewer crowds—perfect for photography and hiking.
🏔️ Western Sichuan (Chuanxi) – The Roof of the World
- Includes Jiuzhaigou Valley (UNESCO site with turquoise lakes), Siguniang Mountain (“Four Sisters”), and Tagong Grasslands.
- Home to Tibetan and Qiang ethnic minorities—experience monasteries, prayer flags, and yak butter tea.
- Altitude warning: Many areas exceed 3,000m—acclimatize slowly.
Western Sichuang
Western Sichuang
Western Sichuang
🐫 The Silk Road: Gansu & Qinghai Provinces
Step into history along one of humanity’s oldest trade routes:
- Dunhuang (Gansu): Visit the Mogao Caves—over 1,000 years of Buddhist art in desert cliffs.
- Zhangye Danxia: Rainbow-colored rock formations like a painter’s dream.
- Qinghai Lake: China’s largest inland saltwater lake—cycle around it in summer.
- Tea Horse Ancient Road: Explore historic towns like Xining and Guide County.
- Kumbum Monastery (Ta’er Si): One of Tibet’s six great monasteries, just outside Xining.
🏜️ Xinjiang – Where Deserts, Mountains & Silk Road Echoes Meet
Stretching across China’s far northwest, Xinjiang is a land of epic contrasts: snow-capped peaks, turquoise alpine lakes, endless deserts, and ancient oasis cities that once thrived on the Silk Road.
- Kanas Lake (Altay) – Often called “China’s Switzerland,” this glacial lake shimmers in shades of blue and green, surrounded by Siberian forests and home to the mysterious Tuvan ethnic minority.
- Karakul Lake – Nestled at 3,600 meters beneath the Pamir Mountains, with breathtaking views of Mount Muztagh Ata (7,546 m). A sacred site for Kyrgyz nomads.
- Taklamakan Desert – One of the world’s largest shifting-sand deserts. Explore its edge via camel trek or 4×4, and visit historic oasis towns like Kashgar.
- Kashgar Old Town – A living relic of Central Asia, where Uyghur culture thrives in bustling bazaars, cobblestone alleys, and the legendary Sunday Livestock Market.
- Flaming Mountains & Turpan – Walk through the surreal red sandstone ridges made famous in Journey to the West, then cool off in ancient karez (underground irrigation tunnels) and taste the world’s sweetest grapes.
📌 Travel Note: Xinjiang is safe and welcoming to tourists, with improved infrastructure and English signage in major sites. Foreign travelers no longer need a special permit—but it’s wise to carry your passport at all times. The best time to visit is May–October, when temperatures are mild and fruits are in season.
🗺️ Travel Tip: These regions are vast and sparsely populated. Plan multi-day tours or rent a car with a driver. Roads are good, but distances are long.
🌿 Other Natural Gems:
- Yunnan: Lijiang’s old town, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Shangri-La’s alpine meadows.
- Guilin & Yangshuo: Karst peaks reflected in the Li River—best seen by bamboo raft.
- Tibet (Lhasa): Requires a Tibet Travel Permit—apply through a licensed tour agency.
- Xinjing:
🛏️ 7. Accommodation Tips
- International Platforms: Booking.com, Trip.com, Airbnb all work well.
- Look for “可接待外宾” (Can host foreigners)—some budget hotels cannot legally register foreign guests.
- Passport Required: By law, all hotels must register your passport upon check-in.
🔐 8. Safety in China – Extremely Safe!
- Low crime rate, especially violent crime.
- Public transport is safe day and night—even for solo female travelers.
- Extensive CCTV coverage in cities.
⚠️ Minor Precautions:
- Watch for “tea house scams” in Beijing/Shanghai (invited by “students” for overpriced tea).
- Use Didi or official taxis—avoid unmarked cars.
- Traffic moves fast—always look both ways, even at crosswalks.
- Keep a copy of your passport; carry the original only when needed.
🧭 9. Cultural Etiquette & Practical Tips
✔️ Do:
- Bow slightly or nod when greeting.
- Use both hands when giving/receiving items (especially business cards or gifts).
- Queue patiently in subways and ticket lines.
- Learn basic phrases:
- 你好 (Nǐ hǎo) – Hello
- 谢谢 (Xièxie) – Thank you
- 多少钱？(Duōshǎo qián?) – How much?
- 厕所在哪里？(Cèsuǒ zài nǎlǐ?) – Where’s the restroom?
🚫 Don’t:
- Speak loudly in temples or sacred sites.
- Touch people’s heads (considered disrespectful in Tibetan/Buddhist contexts).
- Discuss sensitive political topics (Tibet, Xinjiang, Taiwan) in public.
- Assume English is widely spoken—use translation apps proactively.
🧳 10. Packing Checklist
- Comfortable walking shoes (you’ll walk a lot)
- Universal power adapter (China uses Type A, C, and I sockets—most hotels have USB ports)
- Offline translation apps (Youdao, Baidu Translate)
- VPN pre-installed and tested (Clash, RayNG, or Shadowrocket recommended)
- Season-appropriate clothing:
- North (Beijing/Harbin): Cold winters, hot summers
- South (Guangzhou/Yunnan): Humid, subtropical
- West (Qinghai/Tibet): Cool year-round, strong UV
⭐ Final Tips for a Seamless Journey
- Set up WeChat + Alipay before departure—they solve 90% of daily needs.
- Always carry your passport—needed for trains, hotels, and some attractions.
- Book high-speed rail via Trip.com—it’s the easiest for non-Chinese speakers.
- Avoid unofficial taxis—stick to Didi or marked cabs.
- Embrace local food—but choose busy, clean stalls (follow the locals!).
- Respect nature—many scenic areas are ecologically fragile. Pack out trash.
China rewards the curious traveler with layers of history, stunning landscapes, and warm hospitality. With a little preparation—and the right apps in your pocket—you’ll navigate this vast country with confidence and wonder.
旅途愉快！(Lǚtú yúkuài!) – Have a wonderful journey! 🇨🇳
Prefer to Leave the Planning to the Experts?
If all this sounds overwhelming—or if you’d simply rather relax and enjoy your trip while someone else handles the details—we’ve got you covered. We’re a professional travel agency specializing in serving international visitors to China, with years of experience and tens of thousands of satisfied travelers from around the world every year.
Whether you’re dreaming of a flexible independent trip, a small-group tour, or a fully customized private journey—from Beijing to Zhangjiajie, the Silk Road in Gansu, or the highlands of Western Sichuan—we can arrange flawless hotel bookings, attraction tickets, transport, guides, and more.
Feel free to reach out to our friendly travel consultants anytime! No question is too small. Just drop us a message, and we’ll help you plan a smooth, memorable, and stress-free adventure in China. Your perfect Chinese journey starts with a simple conversation! 🌏✨
