China Travel Guide
China Facts
- Location: located in East Asia and west of Pacific Ocean. China is bounded by the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea in the east and the South China Sea in the southeast. China shares its borders with 14 countries: Mongolia in the north; Russia and North Korea in the northeast; Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, India, Bhutan and Nepal in the south; Pakistan in the southwest; Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan in the west.
- Official language: Standard Chinese
- Capital City: Beijing
- Population: 1.41 billion (2021)
- Renminbi, meaning “the people’s currency” .The abbreviations “CNY” and “RMB” are often used interchangeably. In 2022, 1 USD equals about 6.5 RMB.
- Time Zone: GMT+8
Why you should visit China
Distinctive Culture: China is one of the oldest cultures on earth which emerged in Yellow River’s fertile basin in the North China Plains. China has influenced the region for centuries since it was the leading civilization in East Asia that exerted its influence and prestige on other East Asian states.
Diverse landscape: With 9.6 million square km (3.7 million square miles) of terrain, China’s landscape is diverse and expansive. Hainan Island, China’s southernmost region is in the tropics, while Heilongjiang Province which borders Russia, can dip to below freezing. There are also the western desert and plateau regions of Xinjiang and Tibet, and to the north lies the vast grasslands of Inner Mongolia. Just about every physical landscape can be found in China.
Delicious food: There are 8 major cuisines in China, but you'll find different cuisines from city to city. Spring rolls, tofu, dumplings, noodles, sweet and sour chicken are some of the most popular dishes you’ll find during your trip to China.
Cute endemic animals: China is one of the 17 megadiverse countries in the world. Many animals are endemic to the country, including the world-famous giant panda, Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey and Chinese white dolphin.
The Best Time to Travel in China
Generally speaking, spring and autumn are the best times to visit China. From March to May and from September to early November are the best months to plan a trip to China. But you should also keep in mind that China is a large country, it is easy to find a place to visit in China for any season. In winter, you can travel to Harbin in northeastern China for ice and snow. Or you can travel to Hainan Island for its beaches. In summer, while most places in China are hot, Tibet is cool and good for travel.
Top Things to do in China
Beijing and the Great Wall: Beijing is capital of China. It is also home to Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, summer palace etc. The world famous Great Wall is just dozens of miles out of Beijing.
Xi’an and Terra Cotta Warriors: Xi’an served as capital for 13 ancient dynasties. The world-famous Terracotta Army Museum is only about 41 km from city center. As one of the greatest archaeological sites in the world, it’s a collection of life-size terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. Besides Terra Cotta Warriors, the 600 year- old city is the best preserved one in China. Another can’t-miss experience is visiting the city’s Muslim Quarter. Situated right behind the Drum tower, it’s one of the most lively and unique neighborhoods in all of China.
Yangtze River Cruise: Known in China as Chang Jiang ("Long River"), the mighty Yangtze River extends more than 6,000 kilometers, making it the longest and most important river in China and the third longest in the world after the Amazon and the Nile. While its immense length ensures the river can be visited at numerous points in China, by far the most popular for tourists is the beautiful Three Gorges – Qutang, Wu, and Xiling – a 200-kilometer stretch between the towns of Fengjie and Yichang. In places a mix of raging torrents and dangerous shallows, here the river winds its way through the gorges and their rugged cliffs and high mountain peaks in a stretch of scenery as dramatic as the Grand Canyon. Numerous sightseeing options are available, from luxurious riverboat cruises focusing on the region's many historical attractions and places of scenic beauty to challenging adventure tours along the most dramatic sections of the river.
Chengdu and Panda tour: No visit to China would be complete without at least one panda experience. While the country's top zoos boast many fine specimens of these fascinating creatures, the best place to see them in a close approximation to their natural habitat is at the excellent Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, located in the province of Sichuan. Here, you'll have the chance to watch as many as 80 pandas go about their daily routines, from foraging to playing in the facility's large park-like setting. Chengdu is also the first city in the whole of Asia to be recognized as a City of Gastronomy by UNESCO. Local dishes feature hot-spicy taste and the numbing flavor of Sichuan pepper that is rare in other Chinese cuisines. The most popular dishes you should try in Chengdu are Hot Pot, Kung Pao Chicken and Mapo Tofu.
Shanghai: Home to more than 24 million people, Shanghai is biggest city in China. Famous for its European feel, a fact owed to the city's past as a treaty port open to trade with west. You should not miss the Bund, which is popular for its 52 preserved English- and French-influenced buildings, many now restaurants, cafés, stores, and art galleries. Shanghai's skyline is the most spectacular and unique skyline in the world. It is also home to the tallest buildings in China, such as Shanghai Tower, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the Jinmao Tower, and Shanghai World Financial Center. If time allows, be sure to also visit the Yu Garden. It is beautiful traditional Chinese garden which can trace its roots back to 1559 when it was laid out. Many of the original structures survive to this day.
Guilin: it boasts some of China's most beautiful countryside and is famous for the Li River, which meanders through the town and surrounding karst mountains. While for hundreds of years this unique scenery has attracted poets and artists and has been the subject of countless fairy tales and legends.
Zhangjiajie: This is one of the lesser known places to visit in China. Cameron's box office hit, Avatar, got inspiration from this area. It is famous for its unique pillar-like rock formations looking like some incredible alien landscape right out of a sci-fi movie. One of the tallest pillars, standing at an impressive 1,080-meters, has been renamed "Avatar Hallelujah Mountain." Also notable is the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge. Opened in 2016, it's heralded as the world's highest and tallest pedestrian bridge. Standing 300 meters above the ground and extending 430 meters along a spectacular cliff face.
Visa to China
International tourists who wish to enter China for tourism purposes will need an L visa, which has a duration of between 30 and 180 days. For specific, and up-to-date, information for your country, please check the website of the Chinese Embassy/Consulate in your country for the most accurate information.
Citizens of Singapore, Brunei and Japan holding ordinary passports may enter China without a visa through the ports of entry open to foreigners provided that they come to China for tourism, family visit, business or transit, and intend to stay in China for no more than 15 days.
Visa-Free Transit in China
Since 2016, a visa-free transit policy has been implemented in many cities for foreign passengers from 53 countries who hold both valid international travel documents and a ticket for a connection to a third country (or region) that will leave within 144 hours of their arrival.
To qualify for a visa-free transit, travelers MUST have their onward ticket that departs within the allotted transit time. Those interested in a Temporary Entry Permit do not need to apply directly with their Chinese consulate. Instead, they MUST inform airline personal of their intention to apply for a temporary entry permit upon arrival and then after arrival, visitors will fill in the appropriate forms just before entering the customs line.
The 144-hour Visa-free Transit Policy is valid for passport holders from the following countries: Canada, the United States, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, the Republic of Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, Monaco, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.
China COVID-19 Travel Restrictions
To fly to China, you need negative COVID-19 PCR test and antigen test within 48 hours before departure.
On arrival in China, You'll need to complete a health screening, including body temperature checks and swab tests.
You must complete a minimum 14-day quarantine period in the city where you clear immigration. Quarantine is either at a designated facility or hotel at your own expense.
This will be followed by additional COVID-19 prevention measures determined at the time by local authorities at both your entry point and final destination in China. These could include an additional 7 or more days of quarantine.