China Travel Guide 2026: Visas, Trains & Must-See Destinations

getting one, definitely speak to your region's consulate to make an appointment. China has built the world's largest highspeed rail network. It's fast, frequent, and connects nearly every major city and many regional hubs. Riding this high-speed rail is often the most timeefficient and scenic way to travel between provinces. To book train tickets in advance, our preferred platform is Trip.com. The site issues tickets linked to your passport and provides automatic check-in. While taking the train is convenient, you'll want to avoid national holidays such

as Chinese New Year. It is absolute chaos. Arrive 30 minutes early for any train and line up at the gate in the dedicated line for non-residents, which will typically have an attendant present for manual ID verification. If you take one thing from us in this entire video, it should be to make Trip.com your all-in-one platform. Avoid using platforms like Booking.com, a Expedia in China. Trip.com is the platform that vendors prefer and use. And no, they're not even paying us to say this. Using it just made our lives way easier while we were there.

Accommodations in China have insane value. Probably the best bang for your buck in the entire world. You can find modern hotels with massive beds, automatic toilets, remotec controlled or voice command curtains and lights, and even in room service robots, often for prices far below what you'd expect in the West and even other parts of Asia. As an example, this was our room in the laundry rice terraces. Beautifully designed and the view was unbeatable. We had complimentary breakfast and no, this isn't some remote region, but a very popular tourist

destination. And all of this cost less than $100 for the night. We saw everything from small gifts upon checkout, including tins of tea and regional snacks to free room upgrades. As a matter of fact, I think only once or twice were we not upgraded for free. Very few hotels are non-refundable, and we wish other parts of the world could incorporate the same policy. As much as we found value in our stays, there are some downsides to hotels in China. English-speaking receptionists are very limited or non-existent outside of international chains, and indoor

smoking is still prevalent in some hotels and not strictly enforced, which can leak into your room. Most hotels will do their best to accommodate your needs, so speak up if need be. China is a largely cashless society now. Locals and businesses predominantly use mobile payment QR codes. WeChat Pay and Alip Pay are everywhere. The good news is in recent years, Alip Pay and WeChat have added better support for international credit cards. Still, having at least some cash is wise as a backup. Despite what people may think, vendors must legally take cash as

payment. However, they likely won't have change, so carry some smaller bills. When using Alip Pay or WeChat Pay with your linked foreign card, there may be a fee of 3% on all transactions above 200 R&B, but if the purchase isn't significantly higher than that, you can ask the vendor to split the payment into parts to avoid the fee. In major cities, public transit is not only cheap, but frequent and really efficient. Alipe has a transport tab built right into the app, which is exactly what we use to create a QR code for bus and metro passes for short

point-to-point rides. DD, China's Riley Hale app, is the Uber equivalent and is often cheaper than taxis. Alipe integrates messaging with translation with DD so you can easily communicate with your driver before pickup. Out of all the countries we've used ride hailing apps, never have we encountered a cheaper country to use it. For example, we took a 1hour DD ride between two cities for under 60 R&B, which is about $8, while taking the bus would have cost us 100 R&B for the two of us. The comfortable private ride that picked us up from our hotel was

cheaper than a shared bus with a set schedule. Let that sink in. That rate is pretty standard across the country, minus major cities like Shanghai, where it will be slightly more expensive. If you did want to rent a car, you may want to reconsider it. Unfortunately, China doesn't recognize most foreign drivers licenses. You need a temporary Chinese permit for a car, and if you got limited time on your trip, it's just not worth it. Renting electric mopeds and ebikes, however, is really common. No license needed for small ebikes in many places. To get

around, pay for things, and communicate. You'll honestly need data for this trip. You can buy cheap physical SIMs at airports or city stores. China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom are the main carriers. ESIMs from global providers like Aerelo work too, but can be pricier or less flexible than a local SIM. Often times, you won't get a Chinese phone number, which is the biggest difference in our opinion. Many apps like Muan for food delivery require you to have a Chinese phone number. So, we would only recommend EIM services as the last resort.

It's no secret that many of the big foreign sites like Google, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram are blocked in mainland China. The so-called great firewall. If you want to access them from within China, you'll need to set up a VPN before arriving. VPN performance varies, and the big ones such as ExpressVPN and NordVPN just don't work there. Make sure to download and sign up for more than one VPN from backup options. The ones that worked for us were Let'sVPN and Mulvad, but new ones may pop up to replace them in case they too get caught in the firewall.

Eating in China is mostly family style sharing. Think multiple dishes on the table rather than personal dishes, and regional consistency is stronger than you might expect. Every region has its signature flavors, but you'll see some similar staples across provinces. Menus can be in Chinese only, so photos or translator apps will come in clutch. Watch out for some menu prices that are listed per unit, like the gin, which is equivalent to 500 grams. One time we ordered a fish dish, thinking it was only 50 R&B, but turned out to be three times the price due

to its weight because we didn't read the menu properly. Tipping is not customary in China, but at upscale restaurants in highly tourist areas, you could see a small service charge tacked onto the bill. When traveling in China, expect to experience some cultural differences or etiquette you may not be used to. You'll find less personal space given when in crowds, louder public behavior, and different queuing norms. Stand your ground if you need to. And honestly, if you can't beat them, join them. Smoking around others remains more prevalent than in many

Western countries. Despite these rough edges, the people we met and interacted with were some of the most hardworking and generous, carrying no expectation for anything in return. Strangers would go out of their way and take time to help us even though they had to step away from their work. If you keep an open mind and a little patience, the kindness you'll receive will outshine any of the more abrasive moments. China is quite possibly the safest country we've ever visited. I'm talking solo local travelers being comfortable leaving their luggage at a

seat of a busy train station while they take a quick bathroom visit. But petty scams do exist in some tourist areas. So be wary of too good to be true offers and products. Now that we've covered the essentials, let's walk through the exact route that we personally took across China. For almost every destination we visited, we created a dedicated travel guide video that we've linked as pop-up cards. cards. Our trip started in Shanghai, China's largest city, where futuristic skyscrapers meet oldworld neighborhoods. We spent three full days exploring the

city, sticking primarily to the areas near the Bunt, where you have European architecture on one side of the river and futuristic skylines on the other. One of our favorite things to do here was walking along East Nanting Road, a pedestrian-only street filled with shops and restaurants. It's also where we got served coffee from a robot barista. Another favorite area of ours was the Y gardens in which a garden oasis blooms amidst a bustling city. In the evening, the lights come on, making it a stunning setting for a night market. Food was such a huge part

of Shanghai. From soup dumplings to tenbing handpulled noodles to streetside meat skewers, you can't visit China without seeing Shanghai. Hangan or the Yellow Mountains are one of the most sacred places in China, which also makes it one of the busiest. Even though it did get frustrating at times with how narrow the walkways were, you can't deny how intrinsically beautiful it is here. staggering granite peaks and deep valleys began to reveal themselves as soon as we ascended in the cable car. On our first morning, we explored the back side of the

mountain, which was significantly quieter than the front would have been. And at certain points, we felt like we had the mountains all to ourselves. We actually stayed a night at the top at the Bay Hotel, which was relatively expensive, but so worth it. Most people come on a 1-day guided tour, so after 5:00 p.m., it was extremely peaceful. The next morning, we were met with a moody fog that completely covered the mountains as we descended down the front side of Hong Xan. You might have seen the spot online already, and maybe you wondered if it actually

looks as fairy tale-like in person. We're here to say that yes, it 100% does. We went in right when it opened at 7:00 a.m., and we highly recommend you do the same. Most people don't enter until later in the afternoon, which means you'll get the place almost to yourself. A rare experience in China. We walked along the stairs built into the side of the valley and explored all the beautifully designed buildings reminiscent of a China of times past. As the evening rolled around, we roamed the main squares of the village where all the shops and street food

stalls opened for the night. We ate to our hearts content and enjoyed coffee at the cutest little shop with a view. As the sun goes down, you'll see the impressive light show begin and you'll realize exactly why the crowds come in the evening. Dare we say that it looks even more beautiful at night. The lights, the crowds dancing, Wang Valley really captured our hearts. Heading to the southern side of China, we came to explore the Guilin region for a week. The first spot we visited was the idyllic Lji rice terraces. coming in October proved to be the

right choice as the endless rolling hills emitted a vibrant gold just before the harvest season. This is a place that you need to time correctly because once the rice is harvested, it definitely won't look the same. We stayed in the rice terraces overnight at one of the many guest houses which boasted beautiful rooms and views. We walked around in the late afternoon when the day crowds were gone and it was the perfect way to start a guan journey. Our next stop was the scenic town of Yangua, which had one of the most dramatic landscapes we've ever seen.

Reached via a Lee River cruise from Guan City, the journey there felt like floating through a Chinese painting with cars mountains rising from the river. We stayed at a modern boutique hotel off the Yulong River with a full window view and rented an electric scooter to explore the 10-mi gallery and the countryside. Our first morning was spent bamboo rafting down the Yulong, which is such a musto. From Yangu, we also visited Singping, a historic riverside town. The iconic 20 bank note viewpoint is situated at the town's edge, but we highly recommend

hiking Mount Laai for one of the most rewarding sunsets. The jagged peaks at the mountain summit are pretty sketchy, but the views more than make up for it. The following morning, well before the break of dawn, we took a small ferry across the river and experienced the most breathtaking sunrise on Xiangong Mountain. There are very few places as recognizable as the Avatar Mountains of Changatia. There are actually two areas of Jungya that are widely known. Tiiamun Mountain and its 999 steps to Heaven's Gate and the National Forest where the sandstone

quartz mountains lie. They're located about 30 minutes away from each other, but many people think they're in the same vicinity. We first went up Tiiam Mountain by Kable Car and climbed the epic 999 step stairway. From there, we rode seven escalators to reach the top of the mountain. It's essentially a relatively flat plateau with some beautiful views all around. One of our highlights was walking along the perimeter of the cliff on a built-in sidewalk that hugged the wall. Part of the perimeter walk also included a glass floor which required us to wear

some funnyl looking shoe coverings. After Tiiamin Mountain, we spent two full days inside Junga National Forest Park which has five different sections to explore. Starting off with a bolong elevator, a glass lift rising 326 m which dropped us off on the plateau of Yuen, home to the Avatar Hallelujah Mountains. From the enchanting terrace to the great natural bridge, every viewpoint felt surreal. Next was Yangji, a quieter section with forest paths and the jaw-dropping one step to heaven viewpoint. To end our first day, we finished on Tienzu Mountain,

nicknamed the Monarch of the Peak Forest for sweeping views of pillar after pillar, appearing like a mirage in the haziness of our sunny day. On day two, we took the cable car up to Hangu Village, which we thought was the most underrated section of the park. It showcased equally stunning pillars, but without the crowds. Yet, there were a ton of monkeys. We then descended into the valley to walk the golden whiff stream, a serene path along clear waters and the pillars towering above you. Our next stop was Chongqing, one of China's largest and most unique

cities built on a steep hilly terrain at the confluence of the Yangsu and Taing rivers. Unfortunately, we came down with a bug here, so we couldn't explore as much as we'd hoped. Even so, we still managed to see some of the major highlights, including Hong Yaong, the iconic multilevel stilted building complex that lights up beautifully at night. In Chongqing, you can find crazy feats like a train line that literally runs through a building or a city square that appears to be on ground floor but connects you to the 22nd floor on the other side. Food was

definitely a focus in Chongqing, and we couldn't leave without trying the city's famous such style hot pot. It's spicy, numbing, and one of the most memorable meals in China. Even though our time here was cut a little short, Chongqing left a big impression with its food, lights, and cyberpunk energy. Liang is quite possibly one of the most famous old towns in the entire country. It boasts beautiful architecture and streets all around, and as expected, the city really comes alive at night. We wandered through historic lanes, took in the wooden

architecture, and indulge in the town's noodle soup specialty. Beyond the main town, we explored the nearby Shuha and Baisha ancient towns. Our favorite gem in Liang though was the Black Dragon Pool, a quiet park with ancient temples, a white marble bridge, and an absolutely unbeatable reflection of Yulong Snow Mountain when the water was still. Last but not least, the highlight of our Li Jang adventure, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. We took to doing our day trip self-guided, but it's easy to book as part of a tour if you preferred. We rode the highest

cableway all the way to near the summit where the air noticeably thinned out. Our lookout to the massive glacier at 4,680 glacier at 4,680 m was absolutely breathtaking. Literally, it's very common to purchase portable oxygen canisters, which certainly helped. But our favorite moment on Jragon was the carefree stroll around Blue Moon Valley early in the morning. With the morning mist rising and the valley's turquoise lakes laid out in terraces as shimmering crescent shapes beneath the snowy peaks, the scene was one of our favorites in all of China. That

wraps up both our essential travel guide and our own month-long itinerary across China. From the bustling streets of Shanghai to the misty peaks of Jungata, traveling through China is like stepping into many different worlds, all within one country. If you want to dive deeper into any of the destinations we mentioned, check out the links in the description below. We've made separate videos dedicated to most of these spots. Thanks for watching and we'll catch you guys on our next adventure.