First China Trip Guide

Quick answer

Start with four decisions: how you will pay, how you will connect to the internet, how many travel days you have, and which city you will enter or leave from.

First build order

1. Check visa requirements: Do you qualify for unilateral visa-free entry, 240-hour transit visa-free, or do you need a regular visa? See Entry & Arrival and 240-hour Transit Visa-Free.
2. Decide your connectivity strategy: International roaming, local Chinese SIM, or third-party eSIM. This determines whether Google services work without VPN and whether you can receive Chinese SMS verification. See Phone, Apps & SMS.
3. Set up payments: Link a supported international card directly in Alipay and WeChat Pay, then keep another card and RMB cash as backups. See Payment & Apps.
4. Set up internet, maps, and translation: Apple Maps (works without VPN, powered by Amap), Amap (English mode), translation apps. See Internet, eSIM & Maps.
5. Pick a route: 7 days, 10 days, or 14 days depending on your time, or a themed route like the Winter Ice Itinerary or Yunnan Nature Itinerary. See all routes.
6. Book high-speed rail between cities after your route is set. See High-Speed Rail.
7. Book major attractions in advance: The Forbidden City sells out with NO walk-up tickets. See Attraction Booking for how far ahead to book each site. Also: avoid scheduling museums or palace visits on Mondays — most are closed. See the Monday closures note in the Attraction Booking guide.
8. Check the holiday and crowd calendar to avoid official breaks, school-holiday demand, busy weekends, and urban commute peaks. See Holiday Calendar.
9. Budget realistically: China can be cheap or expensive depending on your style. See Budget & Daily Costs.
10. Add city-specific attractions, food, and booking notes from the city guides: Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Harbin, Zhangjiajie, Guilin & Yangshuo, Yunnan.

Key things to know before you go

• Tipping is NOT customary in China. Do not tip restaurants, taxi drivers, tour guides, or hotel staff.
• Airbnb does NOT work for mainland China accommodation (ceased domestic operations in 2022). Use Booking.com, Agoda, or Trip.com.
• Forbidden City has NO walk-up tickets – book in advance online (tickets typically become available about a week ahead; book as soon as the window opens for peak dates).
• Several cities have two airports (Beijing: PEK/PKX, Shanghai: PVG/SHA, Chengdu: TFU/CTU). Verify which airport.
• Hotels automatically register your stay with police. If staying with friends/family, you must register at a local police station within 24 hours.
• Power banks on domestic flights: Must be in carry-on only (never checked), under 100Wh, and must have proper certification markings (including CCC for units sold in China). See Luggage & Domestic Flights.
• Apple Maps works without VPN in China and is the best navigation app for most foreign visitors. Google Maps requires VPN on Chinese internet.
• Carry cash as backup – international-card transactions can fail, and some small or rural merchants may not support every visitor payment flow.
• No tipping culture: Tipping is not expected anywhere in China. See Daily Life for more practical tips.
• China is generally safe for tourists, but common tourist scams exist in major cities. See Safety & Scams for what to watch for.

Nature and special-interest extensions

If you have extra time beyond the classic city route, consider adding:

• Zhangjiajie (Avatar mountains, nature, hiking) – pairs with Changsha or Fenghuang Ancient Town
• Guilin & Yangshuo (karst landscape, Li River cruise, cycling) – pairs with Guangzhou or Longji Rice Terraces
• Chongqing (mountain city, hotpot) – pairs with Chengdu (1-2 hrs by HSR)
• Yunnan (Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La) – ethnic culture, snow mountains, and highland hiking. See the Yunnan Nature Itinerary.
• Harbin (winter Ice & Snow World, Russian architecture) – best visited January to February. See the Winter Ice Itinerary.

Do not start here

Do not start by browsing every province, attraction, restaurant, or viral cafe. That comes later, after the route shape is clear.

Next steps

After working through the build order above, read these key guides before departure:

• Daily Life: Toilets, Water, Cash & Practical Tips
• Safety, Scams & Solo Travel
• High-Speed Rail Travel
• China Holiday & Crowd Calendar: 2026–2027