Practical tips and inspiration for your trip to China
Practical tipsBook on 12306 for official fares and direct changes, or Trip.com for an easier checkout. Beijing-Shanghai second class: 576-697 CNY ($86-104), from 4h18.
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City guideGuangzhou in 3-4 days: dim sum, the 600 m Canton Tower and Shamian; most pleasant October-December; the autumn 2026 Canton Fair runs October 15-November 4.
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City guideChengdu is best in March-May and September-November; plan 4-5 days for 55-yuan panda tickets, Sichuan hotpot and the Leshan Giant Buddha, 1 hour by train.
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City guideZhangjiajie and Fenghuang work without a tour: plan 5-7 days, 165 yuan for a 4-day forest park ticket, about 288 for Tianmen, 1 hour by train to Fenghuang.
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ItineraryFly into Beijing for 2 days, take the 4.5 to 6 hour bullet train to Shanghai, then spend a day each in Hangzhou and Suzhou. Budget from 5,000 yuan per person.
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Practical tipsA roaming travel eSIM covering mainland China usually gets Google and WhatsApp without a VPN; a Chinese SIM or hotel wifi blocks them. Plus 8 apps to install.
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Practical tipsYes: link a foreign Visa or Mastercard to Alipay or WeChat Pay, no Chinese bank needed. Free up to 200 RMB, 3% above. Setup, app comparison, cash tips.
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Practical tipsThe best time to visit China is April-May or September-October; avoid Golden Week in early October, the May 1 holiday and Chinese New Year (February 6, 2027).
Read the guidePractical tipsYou can travel independently in Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou without Chinese; consider a private guide for 3-4 demanding days.
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Visa & formalities57 nationalities (Vietnam since 20 Aug 2026) get 240 hours visa-free via 65 ports: enter in one city, exit from another, leave for a third country.
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BudgetVietnamese-speaking guides have public market rates of 800-1,650 CNY per 8-hour day, usually excluding cars and tickets; Quỳnh Nguyễn quotes per trip.
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BudgetA 10-day trip from the US is estimated at US$1,500-2,300 budget or US$2,400-4,000 mid-range per person, including flights.
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City guidePlan 4 to 5 days in Beijing. The Forbidden City sells no same-day tickets: booking opens 7 days ahead at 20:00. Mutianyu vs Badaling, airports, where to stay.
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City guideVisit Hangzhou in March-May or October-November, avoid July-August highs above 32°C, and reach it from Shanghai in about an hour by high-speed train.
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City guide3 days in Xi'an: the city wall and Muslim Quarter, the Terracotta Army (book with your passport), then the free Shaanxi History Museum, booked 5 days ahead.
Read the guideCity guideVisit Shanghai in March-May or October-November, avoid the mid-June plum rains, and eat xiaolongbao and shengjianbao, 9-13 yuan for four.
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City guideVisit Chongqing in March-May or October-November (August highs average 32.8°C), eat mala hotpot and xiaomian, and give the city 2-3 days.
Read the guideItineraryFirst trip to China? Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai and Hangzhou in 10 days by bullet train (Beijing to Xi'an 4.5 to 6 hours), day by day, plus a 15-day version.
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Visa & formalitiesVietnamese passports need an L visa for a China round trip: 45 USD + 725,000 VND, about 4 working days in Hanoi. Visa-free only for 240h transit or Hainan.
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