Chengdu
The relaxed capital of Sichuan — home of the giant panda, the world's most celebrated spicy cuisine, ancient teahouse culture, and the gateway to western China and Tibet.
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Theme Hubs
China travel themes
8 ways to slice the country, 71 destinations we cover. Use these themes to find a city by what you actually want to do — eat street food, hike a karst peak, plan a family trip, or backpack on a budget.
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8 destinations
Food & Culinary Capital
Where to eat your way through China — from Sichuan spice to Cantonese dim sum and Hong Kong dai pai dong.
Guangzhou
The 2,200-year-old southern gateway of China — the birthplace of Cantonese cuisine, the eternal port of the Maritime Silk Road, and the boom-city heart of the Pearl River Delta.
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Hong Kong
A vertical city of skyscrapers, neon street markets, Michelin-starred dim sum, and 263 islands — Asia's most English-friendly metropolis and the easiest gateway into mainland China.
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Xi'an
China's 3,100-year-old imperial capital — the Terracotta Army, the best-preserved city wall in China, and the eastern terminus of the Silk Road, layered with the Tang dynasty's golden age.
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Macao
Where Portugal meets China. UNESCO historic center, 30+ casinos, and the world's only fusion of Cantonese and Portuguese cuisine.
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Shanghai
China's financial capital and most cosmopolitan city — the Art Deco Bund, the sci-fi Pudong skyline, leafy French Concession cafes, and arguably the best food in China.
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Chongqing
Chongqing is a sprawling megalopolis of 31 million people perched at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers in southwest China. Famous for its spicy Sichuan-style hotpot, futuristic skyline layered over steep hills, monorails threading through residential towers, and the 2,000-year-old wartime capital legacy, Chongqing rewards travellers who like their cities vertical, steamy, and unapologetically intense.
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Beijing
China's 3,000-year-old capital. The Forbidden City, the Great Wall, and the hutongs that make Beijing feel like a village of 20 million.
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8 destinations
Family & Kids
Disney Shanghai, giant pandas in Chengdu, beach resorts in Sanya, and the kid-friendly highlights of Beijing.
Beijing
China's 3,000-year-old capital. The Forbidden City, the Great Wall, and the hutongs that make Beijing feel like a village of 20 million.
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Shanghai
China's financial capital and most cosmopolitan city — the Art Deco Bund, the sci-fi Pudong skyline, leafy French Concession cafes, and arguably the best food in China.
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Chengdu
The relaxed capital of Sichuan — home of the giant panda, the world's most celebrated spicy cuisine, ancient teahouse culture, and the gateway to western China and Tibet.
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Sanya
China's premier tropical beach destination on Hainan Island's southern coast — white-sand bays, year-round warmth, and the 108-meter Guanyin statue rising from the South China Sea.
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Xiamen and Gulangyu Island
Fujian's coastal gem — a leafy seaside city with the car-free Gulangyu island, seafood cuisine, and a more relaxed pace than mainland metropolises.
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Hong Kong
A vertical city of skyscrapers, neon street markets, Michelin-starred dim sum, and 263 islands — Asia's most English-friendly metropolis and the easiest gateway into mainland China.
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Guangzhou
The 2,200-year-old southern gateway of China — the birthplace of Cantonese cuisine, the eternal port of the Maritime Silk Road, and the boom-city heart of the Pearl River Delta.
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Qingdao
Qingdao is a port city on the Shandong Peninsula famous for its German colonial old town, the Tsingtao Brewery (founded 1903 by German settlers), the sacred Taoist Laoshan mountain, the Eight Great Passes coastal scenery, sandy beaches, seafood restaurants, and the annual Qingdao International Beer Festival.
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8 destinations
Budget & Backpacking
Hostels, sleeper trains, and $20-a-day itineraries across the cities foreigners backpack through most.
Guilin and Yangshuo
China's most well-known landscape — karst peaks rising from a jade river. The Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo is the single most photogenic boat trip in Asia, immortalized on the ¥20 banknote.
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Kunming
Yunnan's eternal spring capital. Stone Forest karst labyrinths, Green Lake at dawn with red-beaked seagulls, 1,200-year-old Buddhist temples, and the mild year-round climate that gives the city its name: the Spring City.
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Dali
Yunnan's lakeside sanctuary. Erhai Lake at dawn, the Cangshan Mountains, Bai ethnic courtyard inns, and a walled old town that has drawn backpackers and dreamers for three decades.
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Lijiang
Lijiang (丽江) is a UNESCO-listed ancient town in northwest Yunnan — cobblestone canals, Naxi minority culture, and the gateway to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (玉龙雪山). Stub — founder to fill in real verified facts.
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Pingyao
China's best-preserved ancient walled city. A 2,700-year-old Ming-dynasty town with original city walls, courtyards, and the original Chinese banking headquarters.
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Xi'an
China's 3,100-year-old imperial capital — the Terracotta Army, the best-preserved city wall in China, and the eastern terminus of the Silk Road, layered with the Tang dynasty's golden age.
Read guide →
Beijing
China's 3,000-year-old capital. The Forbidden City, the Great Wall, and the hutongs that make Beijing feel like a village of 20 million.
Read guide →
Shanghai
China's financial capital and most cosmopolitan city — the Art Deco Bund, the sci-fi Pudong skyline, leafy French Concession cafes, and arguably the best food in China.
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6 destinations
Luxury & Five-Star
Banyan-tree resorts, designer shopping, Michelin tasting menus, and the high-end stays in China’s flagship cities.
Shanghai
China's financial capital and most cosmopolitan city — the Art Deco Bund, the sci-fi Pudong skyline, leafy French Concession cafes, and arguably the best food in China.
Read guide →
Hong Kong
A vertical city of skyscrapers, neon street markets, Michelin-starred dim sum, and 263 islands — Asia's most English-friendly metropolis and the easiest gateway into mainland China.
Read guide →
Sanya
China's premier tropical beach destination on Hainan Island's southern coast — white-sand bays, year-round warmth, and the 108-meter Guanyin statue rising from the South China Sea.
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Macao
Where Portugal meets China. UNESCO historic center, 30+ casinos, and the world's only fusion of Cantonese and Portuguese cuisine.
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Beijing
China's 3,000-year-old capital. The Forbidden City, the Great Wall, and the hutongs that make Beijing feel like a village of 20 million.
Read guide →
Guangzhou
The 2,200-year-old southern gateway of China — the birthplace of Cantonese cuisine, the eternal port of the Maritime Silk Road, and the boom-city heart of the Pearl River Delta.
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12 destinations
Nature & Scenic Landscapes
Avatar-style pillars, sacred mountains, alpine lakes, and the UNESCO-protected scenery China is famous for.
Zhangjiajie
Avatar's Pandora come to life. Quartz-sandstone pillars, glass bridges, and mist-shrouded canyons that inspired the floating mountains in James Cameron's film.
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Huangshan (Yellow Mountain)
UNESCO World Heritage granite peaks. Sea of clouds, hot springs, and the pine trees that have inspired Chinese landscape painting for 1,000 years.
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Guilin and Yangshuo
China's most well-known landscape — karst peaks rising from a jade river. The Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo is the single most photogenic boat trip in Asia, immortalized on the ¥20 banknote.
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Mount Lu (Lushan)
Jiangxi's sacred mountain — a UNESCO cultural landscape of mist-wrapped peaks, Republican-era villas, Tang-dynasty poems, and the summer retreat where Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong both kept residences. Best visited May-October for cool weather and clear views; winter brings snow and fog. Allow 2-3 days for the mountain. The villas and Mao-era political sites are unique to Mount Lu and make it more than just scenery. Direct HSR to Jiujiang and Lushan stations. The Three-Step Waterfall is the most spectacular hike. Brocade Valley is the classic misty walk. Travel insurance with medical coverage is recommended. Allow 3 days if combining with Nanchang or Jingdezhen. The mountain is genuinely unforgettable in any single season.
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Emeishan
UNESCO-listed sacred Buddhist mountain in Sichuan, home to the Golden Summit at 3,079m, a Sea of Clouds that stretches to the horizon, and monasteries where monks have chanted for 2,000 years.
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Daocheng Yading
The "last Shangri-La" — three sacred snow peaks above 6,000m, turquoise glacial lakes at 4,500m, and Tibetan villages scattered across the high Sichuan-Tibet frontier. One of the most spectacular alpine landscapes on Earth. Plan for altitude acclimatization and at least 2 full days inside the reserve.
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Lijiang
Lijiang (丽江) is a UNESCO-listed ancient town in northwest Yunnan — cobblestone canals, Naxi minority culture, and the gateway to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (玉龙雪山). Stub — founder to fill in real verified facts.
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Shangri-La (Zhongdian) on the Edge of the Tibetan Plateau
A Tibetan town at high altitude in northwest Yunnan — Songzanlin Monastery, alpine meadows, and a gateway to the Three Parallel Rivers region. Best visited April-October for mild weather and clear skies; winter brings cold temperatures and occasional snow. Lijiang is the practical gateway airport, with a scenic 3-4 hour drive to Shangri-La. Allow 3-4 days to acclimatize and see the major sights, and consider adding Deqin and Meili Snow Mountain if time permits. Bring layers, sunscreen, and a translation app for menus and signs. A short prayer-wheel walk in Dukezong Old Town is a good first-day activity at the lower elevation of 3,200m. The Diqing Shangri-La Airport (DIG) is small but has daily flights from major Chinese cities. Songzanlin Monastery morning prayer is the cultural highlight.
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Changbaishan
A sacred volcano on the China-North Korea border with a crater lake at the summit — Heavenly Lake — plus thundering waterfalls, steaming hot springs, birch forests, and northeast China's best skiing.
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Wudalianchi
Five Connected Lakes born from China's youngest volcanic eruption, a landscape of black lava fields, mineral springs said to heal, and cold-water bathing in Heilongjiang's far north.
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Arxan
A hot springs town in Inner Mongolia's Greater Khingan Range, where dormant volcanoes cradle alpine lakes, birch forests turn gold in autumn, and China's most beautiful railway station stands frozen in 1937. Best visited September-October for autumn colors or June-August for green season. Allow 3-4 days for the park plus grassland excursions. The 1937 Japanese-era railway station is one of China's most beautiful surviving station buildings. Travel insurance with medical evacuation is essential. The Tianchi crater lake is the signature view. Late September is the most photographed peak season. Direct flights from Beijing to Ulanhot, then 2-hour drive. The autumn foliage is among the most beautiful in China. Mongolian grassland culture and ger camp stays add cultural depth to the natural beauty. Allow buffer time for weather delays at the remote airport. The Tianchi steps are steep but manageable. The hot springs are therapeutic year-round. Bring sun protection and insect repellent in summer. The Tianchi lake is the single most photographed single view. The Santan Gorge is the most popular hiking route within the park. The Shitang Forest lava field is the most unusual geological sight. The 1937 railway station is the most photographed building. Direct flights from Beijing to Ulanhot Airport, then 2-hour drive. The forest park shuttle bus is the standard way to explore. Mongolian ger camp stays offer authentic cultural experiences. The Unfixed River is a winter highlight. Combine with Hailar grassland for a broader Inner Mongolian trip. The hot springs therapeutic properties attract older Chinese tourists. The larch forests are most photogenic in late September. Tianchi steps require 998 steps, manageable for most. Sunset photography is excellent at Tianchi. Dujuan Lake offers quieter reflections in autumn. The hot springs museum is a quirky indoor experience. The town has 30+ crater lakes within an hour drive. Local guides are helpful but English is rare. Translation app is essential for non-Chinese visitors. The winter season draws serious photographers and photographers love the snow. Hot springs soak while the snow falls is an well-known experience. The Rose Peak viewpoint is best at golden hour. The grassland excursions outside town offer cultural depth. Horseback riding on the grasslands is a popular activity. Mongolian dairy products are worth trying. Travel insurance with medical evacuation is essential. The town is walkable and small. The local restaurants serve hearty northern Chinese fare. The natural beauty makes Arxan worth the travel. Allow at least 3 days for the experience. The Tianchi lake is the signature sight. The autumn colors are the main attraction. The grassland excursions add cultural depth. Hot springs year-round. Naadam in late July or August. Bring sunscreen and bug spray. The Tianchi crater lake is the highlight. Late September is peak season. Bring warm clothing. Tianchi is the highlight. The larch forests glow in autumn light. Ger camp stays are memorable. Naadam is the cultural highlight. Allow buffer for weather. Hot springs are open year-round. Allow time to soak. The larch forests are stunning in autumn.
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Jingpohu
China's largest alpine barrier lake, Mirror Lake reflects volcanic cliffs, a rare lava-rock waterfall thunders year-round, and an underground forest grows inside an ancient crater.
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11 destinations
History & Ancient Capitals
Dynastic capitals, UNESCO heritage sites, Confucius, Terracotta Warriors, and the surviving old towns of imperial China.
Beijing
China's 3,000-year-old capital. The Forbidden City, the Great Wall, and the hutongs that make Beijing feel like a village of 20 million.
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Xi'an
China's 3,100-year-old imperial capital — the Terracotta Army, the best-preserved city wall in China, and the eastern terminus of the Silk Road, layered with the Tang dynasty's golden age.
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Luoyang
Capital of 13 dynasties. The Longmen Grottoes with 100,000+ Buddhist statues, the White Horse Temple, and the famous peony festival.
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Kaifeng
Capital of the Song dynasty. The Millennium City Park recreates Song-era China, with night markets that have run for 1,000+ years.
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Nanjing
Six dynasties' capital. The Ming city wall, Sun Yat-sen's mausoleum, and the Confucius Temple — Nanjing is China's grandest historical city.
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Pingyao
China's best-preserved ancient walled city. A 2,700-year-old Ming-dynasty town with original city walls, courtyards, and the original Chinese banking headquarters.
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Datong
Ancient Northern Wei capital. The Yungang Grottoes' thousands of Buddhist statues, the cliff-clinging Hanging Temple, and one of China's grandest volcanic landscapes.
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Chengde
Chengde is a destination in China. Placeholder summary — founder fills in real verified facts.
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Qufu
Confucius's hometown — three UNESCO-listed sites (Temple, Cemetery, Family Mansion) in a small Shandong city where the Kong family has lived for 2,500 years and the world's most influential philosopher still shapes daily life. Best visited April-October for mild weather; summer is hot and crowded.
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Jingdezhen
The world's porcelain capital for over 1,000 years — tour imperial kilns, throw pottery with master craftsmen, and explore a city where ceramics are woven into every street, meal, and building.
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Wuyuan
China's most beautiful countryside. 4,500+ Ming-Qing villages with white-walled, black-tiled Huizhou architecture, surrounded by canola flower fields in spring. Best visited March-April for canola blooms or October-November for autumn foliage. Huangling and Jiangling are the most photographed villages. Combine with Huangshan in 5-7 days. Direct HSR from Shanghai (2.5-3h), Hangzhou (2h), and Nanchang (2.5h). Travel insurance recommended.
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11 destinations
Adventure & Off-the-Beaten-Path
High-altitude treks, Silk Road deserts, Tibetan plateau road trips, and the frontier provinces most travelers never reach.
Lhasa
Tibet's capital and spiritual heart — the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, and the highest pilgrimage destination in the world at 3,650 metres.
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Tibet (Lhasa and the Plateau)
The highest region on Earth — average elevation 4,500m. Lhasa's Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, and Tibetan Buddhism. Requires permits and acclimatization. Travel only May-October, plan for altitude, and book through a registered travel agency.
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Shangri-La (Zhongdian) on the Edge of the Tibetan Plateau
A Tibetan town at high altitude in northwest Yunnan — Songzanlin Monastery, alpine meadows, and a gateway to the Three Parallel Rivers region. Best visited April-October for mild weather and clear skies; winter brings cold temperatures and occasional snow. Lijiang is the practical gateway airport, with a scenic 3-4 hour drive to Shangri-La. Allow 3-4 days to acclimatize and see the major sights, and consider adding Deqin and Meili Snow Mountain if time permits. Bring layers, sunscreen, and a translation app for menus and signs. A short prayer-wheel walk in Dukezong Old Town is a good first-day activity at the lower elevation of 3,200m. The Diqing Shangri-La Airport (DIG) is small but has daily flights from major Chinese cities. Songzanlin Monastery morning prayer is the cultural highlight.
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Kashgar
Xinjiang's westernmost city, a Silk Road crossroads where Uyghur culture, Central Asian bazaar life, and the edge of the Taklamakan Desert collide. The Sunday Bazaar, Id Kah Mosque, and the old city are unlike anywhere else in China.
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Turpan
China's hottest place and the second-lowest depression on Earth — an oasis city of grape trellises, ancient Silk Road ruins, and the ingenious Karez irrigation system that made life possible in the desert.
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Urumqi
Xinjiang's sprawling capital. The world's most inland major city, Heavenly Lake in the Tianshan Mountains, the Grand Bazaar, and Uyghur food culture unlike anywhere else in China. Best visited September for mild weather and clear skies; summer is hot and winter extremely cold. Heavy security is normal and passports are required for ID checks throughout the city. Allow 3-4 days for city + Heavenly Lake, plus optional Turpan or Kashgar extensions. Use Urumqi as a hub for exploring northern Xinjiang and as an international gateway to Central Asia. The Nanhu night market is the best casual street-food experience in town, and Donghu Park offers an evening stroll among locals.
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Dunhuang
Silk Road oasis. The Mogao Caves with their vast Buddhist murals, the singing sand dunes of Mingsha, and the Crescent Moon Spring — one of China's most atmospheric desert destinations.
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Hohhot
Inner Mongolia's capital and gateway to the grasslands. Tibetan Buddhist temples, Mongolian hotpot, and yurt stays 150 km from the city centre.
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Xiahe (Labrang)
Gansu's Tibetan Buddhist heart — the golden-roofed Labrang Monastery, 3-kilometer prayer wheel corridors, and grasslands that stretch to the edge of the sky at 2,900 meters.
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Langmusi
A Tibetan Buddhist town split in two by a river and a provincial border — Gansu's monastery on one bank, Sichuan's on the other, and a canyon that locals call a miniature Switzerland.
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Daocheng Yading
The "last Shangri-La" — three sacred snow peaks above 6,000m, turquoise glacial lakes at 4,500m, and Tibetan villages scattered across the high Sichuan-Tibet frontier. One of the most spectacular alpine landscapes on Earth. Plan for altitude acclimatization and at least 2 full days inside the reserve.
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7 destinations
Beach & Coastal
Sanya tropical beaches, Xiamen Gulangyu, Qingdao beer coast, and the South China Sea island gateways.
Sanya
China's premier tropical beach destination on Hainan Island's southern coast — white-sand bays, year-round warmth, and the 108-meter Guanyin statue rising from the South China Sea.
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Xiamen and Gulangyu Island
Fujian's coastal gem — a leafy seaside city with the car-free Gulangyu island, seafood cuisine, and a more relaxed pace than mainland metropolises.
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Qingdao
Qingdao is a port city on the Shandong Peninsula famous for its German colonial old town, the Tsingtao Brewery (founded 1903 by German settlers), the sacred Taoist Laoshan mountain, the Eight Great Passes coastal scenery, sandy beaches, seafood restaurants, and the annual Qingdao International Beer Festival.
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Beihai
Guangxi's southern coastal gem on the Gulf of Tonkin, famous for Silver Beach, volcanic Weizhou Island, and a 1.4-km colonial-era Old Street lined with qilou arcades and pearl shops. Best visited October-April for dry weather; summer is hot and humid with typhoon risk. Allow 2-3 days for the main sights, plus optional Weizhou Island overnight.
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Hong Kong
A vertical city of skyscrapers, neon street markets, Michelin-starred dim sum, and 263 islands — Asia's most English-friendly metropolis and the easiest gateway into mainland China.
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Macao
Where Portugal meets China. UNESCO historic center, 30+ casinos, and the world's only fusion of Cantonese and Portuguese cuisine.
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Hainan
China's only tropical province. Sanya on the south coast has year-round warm water, beach resorts, and visa-free entry for many passport holders.
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