China travel guide: when to go, where to go and how to plan it together

November 8, 2026 · 9 min read

China is a country of continental scale, and a first trip is about choosing a line through it. There is the Forbidden City and the Great Wall in the north, the terracotta warriors of Xi'an, pandas and hotpot in Chengdu, the river-and-karst landscapes of Guilin, and the skyline of Shanghai. Between them a high-speed rail network crosses distances that would otherwise take days.

It is also a country that works differently from most. Payments are mostly on a phone, many foreign apps and websites don't load, and English is rare outside big hotels. None of it is hard once you have set things up before you land. This guide covers when to go, where to go, a fourteen-day route and what changes when you are planning it with friends.

Capital: Beijing
Currency: Chinese yuan, or renminbi (¥)
Languages: Mandarin; many regional languages and dialects
Plugs: Type A, C and I, 220 V
Driving: On the right
Time zone: UTC+8 across the whole country, no daylight saving
Best time to go: April to May and September to October
Daily budget: About US$100–200 a person a day, mid-range, 2026

When to go

Spring (April to May) and autumn (September to October) are the best seasons for most of the country: mild, often clear, and comfortable for walking the Great Wall and the old cities. Autumn in Beijing is dry and golden. Spring brings blossom, with rain starting in the south.

Summer (June to August) is hot, and very humid in the south and east. Beijing and Xi'an can pass 35 °C, and the south has heavy rain and, on the south-east coast, typhoons from about July to September. Summer is also the high season for domestic tourists, with crowds at the famous sights. The high plateaus and mountains of Yunnan and Sichuan are cooler.

Winter (December to February) is cold and dry in the north, with temperatures well below zero in Beijing and snow and ice festivals in the far north such as Harbin. The south is milder and damp. It is a good, quiet time for Beijing's indoor sights, and prices are lower, except around the New Year.

The calendar matters more here than in most countries, because domestic travel peaks hard. Chinese New Year, usually in late January or February, closes many shops and restaurants for several days while the largest annual movement of people fills every train and flight. The National Day holiday in the first week of October is the other peak, and sights, trains and hotels are packed across the country. Labour Day in early May is a smaller version. Avoid these weeks if you can, or book trains, flights and hotels as soon as your dates are set.

Air quality varies with the season and the city, and is generally worse in winter in the north. A mask and a quick check of the forecast are sensible for anyone sensitive to it.

Where to go

Beijing

The capital has the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Temple of Heaven and the lanes called hutongs, and it is the base for the Great Wall. Choose a restored section such as Mutianyu for an easy day, or a wilder section such as Jinshanling for a longer walk. Allow four days, and check before you go whether the Forbidden City needs a timed ticket booked in advance.

Xi'an

The ancient capital at the start of the Silk Road, with a complete city wall you can cycle round, a Muslim Quarter full of street food, and the Terracotta Army, an hour or so outside the city. Two nights.

Shanghai

China's biggest city is a skyline on the Huangpu river, with the Bund's colonial buildings on one bank and the towers of Pudong on the other. Wander the tree-lined streets of the former French Concession, eat soup dumplings, and visit the old garden and bazaar area of Yuyuan. Three days.

Chengdu

The capital of Sichuan is a laid-back city of teahouses and spicy food, famous for hotpot and for the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, where pandas are most active at feeding time in the morning. Mount Qingcheng and the giant Buddha at Leshan make day trips. Three days.

Guilin and Yangshuo

Green limestone peaks rise out of rivers and rice fields. Take a river trip on the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo, then rent a bicycle and ride the country lanes. Two or three days.

Zhangjiajie

Tall sandstone pillars covered in forest, the landscape that inspired the floating mountains of a famous film. Glass walkways, cable cars and long stair-paths cross the national park. Two days, and avoid public holidays, when the park is extremely crowded.

Hangzhou and Suzhou

Two classical cities within easy reach of Shanghai by train. Hangzhou has West Lake, with tea villages in the hills nearby, and Suzhou is known for its small, walled gardens and canals. Each works as a day trip or an overnight.

Yunnan

In the south-west, Yunnan has a mild climate year-round, the old towns of Dali and Lijiang, Tiger Leaping Gorge and communities with their own cultures and food. It suits a longer trip, five days or more, and it is a good place to go when the east is hot.

A 14-day itinerary

Days 1–4: Beijing. Arrive and rest, then spend a day on the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven, a day on the Great Wall, and a day on hutong walks, food and the Summer Palace.

Days 5–6: Xi'an. The fast train from Beijing takes about 4½ hours. See the city wall and the Muslim Quarter, then the Terracotta Army the next morning.

Days 7–9: Chengdu. The fast train from Xi'an takes about 4 hours. Spend a morning with the pandas, a day on teahouses, hotpot and the old streets, and one on Leshan or Qingcheng.

Days 10–11: Guilin and Yangshuo. Fly from Chengdu, around two hours. Do the Li River trip and a bike ride through the countryside.

Days 12–14: Shanghai. Fly from Guilin, around 2½ hours. Spend your last days on the Bund, the old town and the former French Concession, then fly home.

With more time, add Zhangjiajie after Chengdu, Hangzhou and Suzhou on the way to Shanghai, or Yunnan. For another trip in the region, see our Taiwan travel guide or our Japan travel guide.

Getting around

High-speed trains are the best way to cross China. They are fast, punctual, comfortable, and run between nearly every large city. You need your passport to buy a ticket and to board, and stations have security checks and set boarding times, so arrive early. Book as soon as your dates are known for holiday periods. Second class is comfortable; first class has more space.

Flights save time on the longest routes, such as Chengdu to Guilin or Shanghai to the south-west. Allow for delays, which are common in summer.

Metro systems in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and other big cities are clean, cheap and signed in English. Ride-hailing apps work, though you may need an account set up before you arrive, and taxis are easy to flag in the cities. Showing the destination written in Chinese characters saves a lot of confusion.

Driving isn't a practical option for visitors. Local buses, trains and drivers cover everything, and for day trips such as the Great Wall, a private driver or a small-group tour is easy to arrange.

Money and costs

Payments in China happen on the phone. Most shops, markets and even street vendors expect Alipay or WeChat Pay, and foreign cards can usually be linked to them. Set them up before you travel, and carry some cash and a card as a backup, since some places, especially in the countryside, still take cash only. Foreign cards work in international hotels and large stores.

Tipping is not customary, and in most places you won't be asked for it.

Food ranges from very cheap noodles and dumplings to banquet dinners. Public transport is inexpensive, and high-speed rail is good value. The main costs are hotels in big cities and entry to major sights, and tours with a private driver.

Rough daily costs a person, in 2026:

Budget: about US$50–80, with hostels or simple hotels, local food and trains.
Mid-range: about US$100–200, with comfortable hotels, restaurant meals, a few flights and tours.
Comfortable: US$250 and up, with good hotels, private guides and drivers, and flights between regions.

Planning China as a group

Group travel works well in China, as long as everyone is set up for a country with its own systems.

Payments. The app payment systems matter most. Make sure each person has linked a card to one of the payment apps before you leave, and agree a shared way to pay for meals. When one person pays by phone and the others owe them, log the amount in yuan as you go.

Trains. High-speed trains sell out around holidays. Buy tickets for the whole group at the same time so you sit together, and keep a record of each person's booking name and the seat numbers. Everyone needs their passport at the gate.

Rooms and tables. Hotel rooms are typically for two or three, and Chinese restaurants are built for sharing, with big round tables and dishes in the middle. This suits groups: order a dish per person, plus rice, and share.

Tours. For the Great Wall and the Terracotta Army, a private car and driver for a day is good value for four or more. Book it a day or two ahead.

Before you go

Entry rules: check the official government site of China and your own government's travel advice before you book, as requirements depend on your passport.
Travel insurance that covers medical costs, and cancellations.
Connectivity: many foreign websites and apps, including some maps, messaging and search services, don't work normally in mainland China. Set up what you need before you leave, download offline maps and a translation app, and ask your provider how its roaming plan or eSIM works there. See our guide to eSIMs and staying connected.
A plug adapter for Type A, C or I, with devices that handle 220 V.
Health: ask a travel clinic about vaccines. Drink bottled or boiled water, as tap water is not usually drunk without boiling.
Customs: carry tissues, as public toilets often have no paper. Don't stick chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice, expect queues to be informal, and keep a copy of your hotel's name and address in Chinese.

What to pack

Dress in layers, since temperatures vary by region and season. For spring and autumn, a light jacket and comfortable walking shoes. For summer, light clothes, a hat and a compact umbrella. For winter in the north, a proper coat, gloves and thermal layers.

Comfortable shoes matter most, because you will walk the Great Wall, city walls and long station halls. A power bank, a small pack of tissues and hand sanitiser are very useful. Bring your hotel addresses written in Chinese, and a printed copy of your passport details.