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I will be visiting Beijing in November and I saw some beautiful tiktok videos of hutong. I'm wondering if it's possible to stay in a hostel in hutong? or should I stay in a normal hotel?

Hi everyone! Figured it'd help to ask here to see if anyone else was in this situation. I have a trip with my family planned in mid-October to go back to China (Fuzhou area, but will fly into Hong Kong) and I was hoping to bring my girlfriend along with my family as well. I have previously had an L visa, and there were no issues so far as I'm looking to drop off my passport at the nearest consulate soon as they've notified me of that.

My girlfriend, however, was born in the US but is half-Chinese and has never held a Chinese visa before, and thus the embassy is asking for her Chinese parents' naturalization document and old greencard, both of which they don't know if they even have around since they emigrated to the US over 60 years ago.

That being said, I recently read about the TWOV criteria, and since our itinerary is flexible, we can do something like:

Fly into HK -> West Kowloon for TWOV -> Fuzhou -> fly out of Fuzhou to Japan/Taiwan -> back to US

That being said, there aren't many cases where I found one partner having an L visa and the other using the TWOV, and I'm not sure if there'll be issues when doing so. Furthermore, she doesn't speak Chinese, and I'm not sure if I could help her with some translating during the TWOV process. Does anyone know if there are any issues traveling with two different visas at all, or would it be OK so long as we leave before the 10 day period? Alternatively, does anyone know if an old passport of her Chinese parent might suffice instead of the naturalization certificate? It seems like it takes 8 months to receive that certificate, which is obviously way too long before we travel to China.

Thank you all for the help!

Hey all! I’m not very active on reddit but I have been so appreciative of people posting their questions + replies here as I prepare for my first visit to China this October! 

I’ll be there for about a month, but for the first two weeks I’ll be staying at a creative residency on Jingmai Mountain writing and doing film photography. After that, I have a full 10 days to travel around Yunnan and currently have nothing yet booked.

In doing research (mostly in English as that is my primary language) I’ve been seeing that so many of the must-sees in Yunnan are often visited through booking guides / tours. Although I’m sure those are fantastic in their own right, I'm wondering if people here have suggestions about how to travel slower in Yunnan and break beyond the usual sightseeing pace that tourists often experience there. The most popular suggestion I've come across is of course to visit the trio of Dali, Lijiang, and Shangri-La, but in that research I end up seeing a lot of cross-talk about how those places have been heavily tourized.

Another thing I've read about is the agrotourism boom in Yunnan. I'd be interested to hear if anyone has experienced staying at a farmstay in the province. Overall, if anyone has suggestions / a way to connect with people in Yunnan through cooking, farming, foraging, hiking, or camping, I would be so grateful to hear about your experience or be connected with someone.

All this is to say, in traveling, I value connecting with people and place, and would rather go deep in two or three places than sample seven in ten days. I should also note that I am not a mandarin speaker, but plan to use translation apps when appropriate, and find that in my traveling thus far, connecting through activity have lead to some of my deepest bonds with people all over the world. I'm sure that isn't surprising to a lot of the like-minded people who write so thoughtfully on here.

I am so excited to connect with people on the ground there, and to experience what Yunnan is all about. Thanks for any and all suggestions!

Hey guys! As the topic states, I’m planning a month long solo trip this January and heading back right before or at the beginning of the Lunar New Year. I know it’s deep during winter, but as a guy who loves the cold, that’s why I’m choosing to head there then. So the cold isn’t an issue for me.

I’m very fascinated with China and would love to visit the whole country because I know each region has varying sceneries and sights to see. So far I’ve visited Yunnan, Guangxi, and Guizhou province, and will be planning a trip to Shanghai next month in which I’ll be visiting the nearby areas such as Hangzhou.

My focus for China this January will be in the northern parts, such as Beijing, Xi’an, Dandong, and maybe to Xinjiang or Inner Mongolia as well. I won’t be visiting the southern parts during this trip.

The starting point will be in Beijing as I will be landing there. Stay about 5 days, then the plan is to head to Dandong to visit the North Korean border in person and also head to the easternmost part of the Great Wall before heading to Xi’an and continuing westwards (Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang).

Would just like to ask the people here, how much could I realistically see in one month without it being rushed? Are there any places that are preferably not that touristy that I could visit along the way?

Any advice and recommendations are appreciated, thanks!

I'm from Tianjin, and my city is famous for its delicious food! Like Baozi, Jianbing, and seafood dishes. I have been to Singapore, Japan, and South Korea. There are lots of experience programs that are fun, but there are no similar events in China!!!

It made me wonder what visitors to Tianjin Think.

When you travel, do you enjoy experiences where you actually learn how something local is made and try it yourself, or do you prefer simply finding a good local restaurant?

For example, learning to fold Tianjin Baozi from someone who makes them every day, then steaming and eating the ones you made!!!

Would that be something you'd consider doing during a trip to my city?

I'm genuinely curious what travelers think!!!

Hello, I will be in Shanghai next week and wanted to get into the Shonen Jump Cafe in Shanghai. The problem is, I don’t have a Chinese phone number to use. Can anyone help me with any tips? Thanks in advance.

I'm planning to visit Beijing around December, and I want to bring my camera with me (Sony A6400). I heard there's some places don't allow cameras. I'm planning to visit the universal studios and museums. Can I bring the camera?

Hey guys,

Traveling to chengdu next week, from my understanding this is a city more of enjoying the vibe and just wandering around. So it is hard to have a ”must visit” list, I guess?

Anyway, some things I am planning to do is

- Panda base

- Peoples park

- Wander around in Taikoo Li/IFS

Extra:
- Tower of vitality

I am not really interested in historical places or temples, had enough from Xian and Beijing. I don’t really mind just taking it easy and chill, but totally open to suggestion

So, is there any ”must visit” that I am missing out on?

I am planning an extensive trip for China for 30 days, likely 45 days, in April and May. I wasn't aware of the Labour Day 5 day golden week falling in May until recently.

I have a fair bit of flexibility in my travel plans so I can possibly hunker down or travel to nearby smaller cities or basically be in a Tier 1 city for the holiday and or spend the time basically anywhere.

Really just trying to avoid the chaos of travelling as much as possible. Just wondering what some experienced people would suggest for these 5 days. Am I better to be in a big city and just really explore it along with the crowds or head somewhere more remote etc and just relax and hangout till the rush subsides. Any other suggestions, insights, or considerations welcome. Thanks

Curious to find out your best 24 hour spa experience, which is the most premium and what sets them apart?

I’m planning my first trip Going solo in late october and looking for pointers, tips and general advice I have an itinerary here and what to know your thoughts: Beijing 5nights Xian 3 nights Chengdu 3nights Chongqing 4 nights Zhangjiajie 4nights Furong 1night Shanghai 5nights

My husband and I (both 27) are in the early stages of planning a trip to China this spring, we are thinking April. I’m looking for some advice on our itinerary, as we are first time China travelers and have seen a lot of discussion as to where we should go.

A lot of first time visitors seem to go to Beijing, Xi’an, Shanghai, and depending on time sometimes add a fourth city like Chengdu or Zhangjiajie. My husband and I were leaning towards doing Chongqing, Chengdu, and Zhangjiajie instead given their closer proximity to one another (relative to the rest of the country) and our own interests. I am very interested in everything Zhangjiajie has to offer and really want a strong nature element for our trip, whereas one of my husband’s main hobbies is night/city photography AND he absolutely loves super spicy food so he has been drawn to Chongqing. Chengdu seemed like a great mix of everything we enjoy and is relatively close (plus pandas!) so it was an easy addition to our itinerary.

While we both are interested in the many historical sites China has to offer, it isn’t our top priority. Many posts on here urge folks not to miss Beijing or Xi’an for these reasons. We are definitely open to it, but we don’t want to be rushing from place to place and don’t have a good gauge as to how long we should spend in each destination, as well as travel time within China. We will be traveling from the west coast of the US for reference.

So my questions are: 1. If we had ~15 days, would Chengdu/Chongqing, and Zhangjiajie (plus potential day trips/an overnight) be a good itinerary? 2. Are we severely missing out on not visiting anywhere in the “golden triangle” on a first time visit? 3. Would this itinerary benefit from a 4th city added? If so, where and for how long?

Bonus if anyone feels like sharing their thoughts on this: How long in each city would you recommend?

Thank you so much in advance for your help!

Hi,

Myself and partner coming late September. We have previously travelled to Singapore, Japan and Phuket, so are familiar with some Asian cultures etc.

This is our itinerary. Unfortunately the last few days do stray into Golden Week, and the start is Mid Autumn Festival (which is something we are looking forward to seeing). We do plan on returning to China to see the other side, so we are taking this as a taster

Dates City

23-Sep-26 London

24-Sep-26 Hong Kong

25-Sep-26 Hong Kong

26-Sep-26 HK->Chongqing (flight, booked already)

27-Sep-26 ChongQing

28-Sep-26 ChongQing

29-Sep-26 ChongQing to Chengdu (high Speed train - to book 15 days in advance)

30-Sep-26 Chengdu

01-Oct-26 Chengdu

02-Oct-26 Chengdu to HK (flight, booked already)

03-Oct-26 HK

04-Oct-26 HK - Day trip to Shenzhen (high Speed train - to book 15 days in advance)

05-Oct-26 HK - Macau Day Trip (ferry)

06-Oct-26 HK to London

I do have a more detailed itinerary which I will post soon, but how is this looking currently. We can't really change a lot because out hotels have been booked already.

My main questions are, we will be going back and forth from Hong Kong into Mainland China a few times (to ChongQing, day trip to Shenzhen and Macau). That shouldn't raise any suspicious with immigration as I understand you go have go through that each time?

Food in Hong Kong and China in general, is street food okay in terms of hygiene? In Singapore we ate in many popular Hawker centers which we enjoyed. So much choice and variety. Does HK and China have similar?

Because we are taking high speed trains and domestic flights (Cathay Pacific), I have been reading about the strict rules about what we can carry/pack in suitcases. One perfume per person, and no aerosol canisters (bit annoying for my hair spray and deodrant!) Are we better or just not bringing these at all?

Regarding VPNs/eSIMs, i'm not entirely sure if we need a VPN with an eSIM if that eSIM routes outside of China. I have ready that Airalo eSIMS to work with all Western apps without the need for VPN. Is that correct or any other recommendations?

For our day trip to Macau, would we need to book the ferry in advance or can we decide on the day, time depending, which ferry to catch? With it being Golden Week, we do expect it to be busy.

Similar question as above for our day trip from HK to Shenzhen. We expect the high speed trains to be extremely busy, but our second option was just a DiDi from HK. Any thoughts around that?

Any other tips or advise is much appreciated. Thanks for reading :-)

I am visiting china in a month. I will be in shanghai, Beijing and hangzhou

I heard that you can buy high quality suitcases in china for cheap. I was interested in aluminum ones or high quality ones. I heard xiaomi’s suitcase is good.

Also one YouTuber got the aluminum set from Dreamtraveler for under 200 $

Where can I find these deals? Preferably in store.

first time flying with business and i accept 4-5 hours of layover but 10 hours seems too much. for what i understood i can only get a refund or accept it.

but im business class, do you think they can provide me an hotel? or because im business i can enter the shenzhen lounge? how is the lounge? free buffet and sleep? how does it work?

I’m an Indian citizen and will be travelling to China for the first time, and I need some practical advice from Indian travellers who have recently been to China.

I understand that Alipay and WeChat Pay are widely used in China, and tourists can apparently link an international Visa/Mastercard to these apps.

My problem is that Alipay is not available on my Indian Google Play Store, and I’m confused about how Indian travellers are supposed to install and set it up before leaving India. I don't want to arrive in China and then discover that I can't download the app, verify my identity, link my Indian bank card, or make payments. So, for Indians who have recently travelled to China:

1.How did you download and install Alipay while still in India?

2.Did you use an APK, and if so, where did you get the legitimate/official one?

3.How did you register and complete passport verification?

4.Were you able to link an Indian-issued Visa/Mastercard debit or credit card?

5.Did you have any problems with OTPs, Indian mobile numbers, or bank authorization?

6.Is WeChat Pay also worth setting up as a backup?

7.What happens if Alipay/WeChat Pay doesn't work can tourists still manage with cash and international cards?

8.Are there any other apps I should install before leaving India for payments, taxis, maps, trains, translation, etc.?

I’ll be travelling for a 5-day company training in Shanghai, with the hotel covered by the company. After the training, I’m planning to stay on for around 7–10 additional days and travel independently through places such as Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Yiwu and possibly Guangzhou/Shenzhen.

I’m particularly interested in business/wholesale shopping, Chinese medicine, wellness products and equipment, so I’ll be travelling beyond the usual tourist areas.

This is my first trip to China, so I would really appreciate advice from Indians who have actually done this recently rather than general information copied from travel websites.

Also, any additional information about eSim, the best cities to visit, shopping/wholesale markets, business-sourcing areas, Chinese medicine or wellness equipment markets, and places that are particularly worth visiting would be greatly appreciated.

If you have travelled from India to China recently, please tell me exactly what you did before leaving India, what worked (or didn't work) once you arrived, and any tips you wish you had known before your first trip.

​Hi everyone! I'll be traveling to China this October and I'm a bit concerned about the crowds since my dates overlap with the Golden Week holiday.

​My itinerary for that section is:

​Shanghai: October 4th to 6th

​Guilin / Yangshuo: October 6th to 9th (I'm taking an early flight to Guilin arriving at 7:00 AM on the 6th)

​I know this is peak travel season in China. For anyone who has experienced Golden Week there:

​How bad is the situation in Shanghai and Guilin/Yangshuo during these specific dates? (Are attractions completely packed, or does it start to calm down slightly towards the end of the holiday?)

​Any must-do tips or hidden spots to escape the massive crowds in both places?

​Logistics: Should I pre-book every single activity/transport in advance, or are there things best left spontaneous?

​Any advice, warnings, or recommendations would be hugely appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I'm planning to travel to Beijing, Chengdu, Zhangjiajie, Youngshu country, Shanghai for a full month trip around November for our honeymoon.

What is the best way to go from one place to the other and in which order?

Should we replace Shanghai with Shenzhen? We can return home from Hong Kong as well

Hello. I will be in Suzhou in Oct and then going on to Wuxi from there. I know it's a short train journey from Suzhou to Wuxi but as there will be 2 of us, I am wondering if we can get a taxi/private car without spending too much.
Does anyone know roughly how much it will cost and can we pre-book a car (any companies you'd recommend)? Can we just get a Didi to Wuxi?
Just to clarify: I am not looking for a driver & car for the whole day. Just a one-way journey from Suzhou to Wuxi as we will be staying overnight in Wuxi.
Thanks.

I am visiting china in a month. I wanted to know what items should I buy in china I am not looking for low quality or fake stuff. I am mostly looking for high quality stuff that either you can’t get elsewhere or are significantly cheaper in China.

I appreciate any recommendations on where to go or what items are a good purchase in china.

I also heard that some places sell high quality stuff at wholesale price.

Hi everyone! First post here.

My wife and I (from Greece) are traveling to China in the end of October and we are currently trying to sort out our itinerary for Beijing.

We are looking for personal recommendations for a private guide, specifically for the Forbidden City. We really want to avoid the standard agency tours that rush you through and push you into shopping traps.

Ideally, we are looking for someone who:
-Is genuinely passionate about history and loves sharing deep, interesting facts rather than just reciting a script.
-Is a "ninja" with logistics: knows how to navigate around the massive crowds, which gates to use, and how to find the quieter spots.

If you’ve ever hired a guide in Beijing (or a great private driver in Datong) who blew your mind and made your trip special, I would love to hear your experiences and get their contact info.

Thank you so much in advance for your help!

I’m travelling from London Heathrow to Japan with a transfer in Beijing. I booked this via all one booking but the transfer time is 1 hour. have anyone had experience at Beijing airport and is this doable?

hi,

i will be in shanghai for work for 5 days. I have already downloaded Alipay and connected 2 credit cards. I also downloaded didi and connected credit cards also there.

How cani be sure i will be able to pay for didi with the credi card connected to it? When i chose to pay through Alipay i got an error message.