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Choosing cities for a first trip

China is enormous, and distances between the major cities are longer than many first-timers expect. The general advice is to pick fewer cities and see them properly rather than trying to cover everything in one trip.

• Beijing: the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven; suits anyone interested in history
• Shanghai: the skyline along the Huangpu River, older neighbourhoods, and a huge range of restaurants and cafes
• Chengdu: panda research centres, Sichuan cuisine and a relaxed city feel
• Xi'an: the Terracotta Army, the ancient city wall and a Muslim Quarter full of street food
• Guilin-Yangshuo: limestone peaks and the Li River; suits travellers after scenery and countryside cycling

Getting around by high-speed rail

High-speed rail is a convenient and punctual way to travel between cities. Big stations check tickets and passports at the platform gates, so arrive well before departure and keep your passport on you.

• Book ahead through an app or booking site that accepts foreign passports, especially around public holidays when tickets sell out quickly
• Check the station name carefully; some cities have several stations a long way apart
• For very long distances or routes without rail, a domestic flight may suit better

Paying with Alipay and WeChat Pay

Many shops and street stalls in China take payment mainly by scanning a QR code in an app. Visitors can link a foreign credit or debit card to Alipay or WeChat Pay. Set this up and link your card before you travel, since some verification steps may need a stable internet connection.

Foreign apps that may not work normally

On mobile networks and Wi-Fi inside China, many foreign services do not load normally, for example Google and Google Maps, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. If you rely on these to message family, translate or navigate, plan ahead before you go.

• Use a roaming-type eSIM that routes traffic outside China, so foreign apps generally work as normal
• Or prepare a VPN installed before you arrive, since once inside you often cannot download VPN apps or sites; check the rules and risks of using a VPN first
• Download offline maps and install a map and translation app that works in China as a backup

Best seasons to visit

Spring (roughly March to May) and autumn (roughly September to November) tend to be the comfortable seasons for many northern and central cities. Summers are hot, humid and rainy in many areas, and northern winters such as Beijing's are very cold. The country is huge, so check the forecast for each city before you go.

What to pack and prepare

• A passport with enough validity left, and up-to-date visa or entry requirements; always check the official Chinese embassy or consulate website, as rules can change
• A plug adapter and charger, plus a power bank within airline rules, since your phone does the paying and navigating all day
• Hotel and destination names in Chinese, saved or screenshotted to show taxi drivers or ask for directions
• Season-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes, since days often involve a lot of walking

Staying connected with an eSIM

An eSIM gives you data the moment you land, with no hunting for a SIM at the airport. The key detail is how it connects: a roaming-type eSIM routes your data outside China, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work, while a local-exit one reaches the internet inside China and has the same restrictions as local networks. Read the plan details before you buy.

See eSIM plans for China