China Travel Guide

Highlights

Beijing: with its Forbidden City, Imperial City and Palace, Summer Palace and Tiananmen Square.

The Great Wall: is 2,000 years old and 3,375 miles long, but it never really performed its function as an impenetrable line of defense.

Shanghai: is one of the world’s largest cities, with European-style architecture, traditional Chinese buildings and shiny modern developments.

Nanjing: its beauty is an exception for provincial capitals, with wide boulevards and shady trees.

Xian: with the famous Terracotta Army and old city walls.

Hangzhou: is famous for silk, tea and stunning West Lake area with peach trees and romantic bridges.

Chengdu: has ancient parks and bamboo forests that are the last stronghold of the giant panda.

The Silk Road: oases, mountain passes and caravan trails can be explored in parts by tourists.

Suzhou: is China’s Venice, featuring riverside streets, famous water gardens and over 400 historical sites and relics.

Tai Shan: is the most climbed mountain on earth, where wiry grandmothers make their way up to the peak to pray for their offspring.

Stone Forest: in the Lunan Autonomous County of Yi Nationality is one of China’s most scenic spots.

Yungang Caves: near Datong, west of Beijing, have breathtaking massive Buddhist images carved into them.

Recommended Itinerary

Given the size, two weeks is the minimum to enjoy some of the highlights.
Three or four days to see historical Beijing.
Three days for the Terracotta Army and hot springs in Xian.
A week in Yunnan Province for colorful ethnic minorities and some stunning architecture.

Extra time Two or three days shopping in neon-lit, stylish Shanghai.
Three or four days in Yangzhou for beautiful pointy hills and rural serenity.
Four or five days in Yangsho in the south for remarkable stunning landscapes and tranquility. Breathtaking trip on Li River from Guilin and excellent biking.
A week in hot Turfan and Kashgar in the far northwest for Muslim minorities, desert panorama and Silk Road remnants.
A lifetime to walk the Great Wall.

Health and Safety

Chinese toilets are infamous and it’s a good idea to always carry some toilet paper, soap and a nose plug. In the countryside, all water used for drinking and brushing teeth should be boiled or otherwise sterilized first. Crime is generally not of much concern, but the traffic can kill you if you’re not careful, or even if you are careful.

China Travel

Beijing and Shanghai are the main flight hubs and domestic flights, though routinely overbooked and delayed, will shorten the vast travel distances. Railways are generally cheap, safe and well maintained, and the basic means of long-distance transport for most Chinese. Routes operate between major cities including Beijing to Guangzhou, Shanghai, Harbin, Chengdu and Urumqi. Buses are usually crowded but go to parts of the country that trains do not. Shanghai has a metro, as do Beijing and Tianjin, while tramways and trolleybuses operate in a number of other cities. The best way to get around cities is the Chinese way: on two wheels.

Why China?

What’s cool: Its huge Hainan beaches, Beijing’s old city, shiny new skyscrapers, walking on the Great Wall, giant pandas, cheap food, 300 million cyclists, Peking duck, history and culture, early morning tai chi, Chinese New Year, trekking on ‘the roof of the world’ and multi-colored lakes in Sichuan.

What’s not: People spitting everywhere, staring, loud chatting, pushing, shoving, jumping queues, getting Shanghaied in Shanghai, general disregard of laws and rules, surly Han people, food hygiene, huge distances, censorship and a poor human rights record.

When To Go?

China’s climate is extremely diverse, from tropical in the south to sub-arctic in the north. The best time to visit is March to May and September to November.
The northeast has hot and dry summers and bitterly cold winters.
The north and central region sees nearly constant rainfall, hot summers and cold winters.
The northwest is the hottest, with dry summers, but winters are as cold as elsewhere.
The southeast has lots of rainfall, with semi-tropical summers and cool winters.
The coast is humid and experiences monsoons during summer.

Main festivals

Chinese festivals fall according to the lunar calendar and are loud, colorful and often an inconvenience to travelers.

January: Longqing Gorge Ice and Snow Festival is a three-day ice spectacle held north of Beijing.
February: Chinese New Year has the whole country on the move
April: Water Splashing Festival in Yunnan won’t leave you high and dry.
June: watch the Dragon Boat Festival while eating pyramid-shaped dumplings.
September: Mid-Autumn Festival is when moon cakes are the main staple.
October: China Shanghai International Arts Festival features performances from symphony orchestras, dance and opera to acrobatics, drama and magic.

Activities

Cultural sightseeing: is a must, with all the divine temples and landmarks, stunning scenery and fascinating traditions.

Cycling: is the way to get around. Join millions trying to steer clear of motorcyclists, bike thieves and pedals falling off.

Trekking: around Tibet, Yunnan and Yangzhou; all great places for long and short walks.

Tai chi: will have you joining the locals at an ungodly hour to practice slow, sweeping movements in the nearest park.

Swimming and boating: in/on the lakes of Shuzheng among the snowy peaks of Sichuan Province.

Beach life: on Hainan Island offers fine sea and sand, palm groves, fresh seafood and coconuts.

Acrobats: from China are world-famous and can best be seen at the Shanghai Center Theater.

Kite flying: was invented in China. Join the locals, with kites ranging from simple squares to intricate five or six meter long centipedes and dragons.

Chinese opera: can be enjoyed in Beijing and many other places and is a much more relaxed and informal event than in Europe.

Eating: is a national pastime. Slurp your noodle soup, dim a sum and see Buddha jump the wall, but forget chop suey and hold on to those chopsticks.

Food and Hospitality

Forget your local Chinese takeaway. You’re in for a culinary surprise, which may include some species of doubtful origin. Don’t forget to try cooked chickens’ feet, sometimes conveniently well disguised. Most local budget hotels are restricted to Chinese guests (often just as well), but if you’re willing to shop around, there’s something to be found for all budgets.