Beijing
29 hostels · dorms from €20
The Forbidden City, the Great Wall, hutong alleys and the best Peking duck.
China country guide
Things To Do In China
The best high-speed rail network on earth, food that changes every province, and a country that has quietly reopened to visa-free travel for much of Europe. Harder to navigate than its neighbours, and worth it.
€10
Dorm bed, from
48,000km+
Of high-speed rail
€1.50
A bowl of noodles
4h30
Beijing to Shanghai by train
Enormous, efficient and not as difficult as people expect
China is the size of Europe and travelling it works best as a route rather than a tour. The classic first trip runs Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu and Shanghai, linked by high-speed trains that make 1,200km feel like an afternoon.
Beijing has the Forbidden City, the Great Wall and hutong alleys. Xi'an has the Terracotta Army and the best street food in the north. Chengdu has pandas, Sichuan food and a famously relaxed pace. Shanghai is the modern counterweight, and Guilin and Yangshuo in the south have the karst landscape from every Chinese painting.
The practical barrier is not the visa any more — it is the digital ecosystem. Almost everything runs through Alipay or WeChat, cash is unusual, and Google, WhatsApp and Instagram are blocked without a VPN. Sort those before you fly and the rest of the country is straightforward.
Where to go
High-speed rail is the best on earth and makes 1,200km an afternoon. Book a few days ahead.
Shanghai
27 hostels · dorms from €11
The Bund, art deco, a skyline across the river and the most international city in the country.
Xi'an
9 hostels · dorms from €5
The Terracotta Army, intact city walls you can cycle, and the Muslim Quarter food street.
Chengdu
11 hostels · dorms from €7
Pandas, Sichuan food, teahouses and a pace that makes it everyone's favourite.
Chongqing
11 hostels · dorms from €6
A vertical megacity of stacked bridges and hotpot, and the start of Yangtze cruises.
Guilin
7 hostels
The transport hub for the karst country, with the Li river running through it and the landscape on the 20 yuan note downstream.
Yangshuo
16 hostels
Karst peaks along the Li river, cycling, climbing and the landscape on the 20 yuan note.
Hangzhou
11 hostels
West Lake, tea plantations on the hills around it, and the city Marco Polo called the finest in the world.
Suzhou
4 hostels
Classical gardens and canals an hour from Shanghai, and a silk industry that has run for two millennia.
Lijiang
7 hostels
A Naxi old town of cobbles and canals in Yunnan, under a snow mountain, and the gateway to Tiger Leaping Gorge.
Zhangjiajie
16 hostels
Sandstone pillars in perpetual mist, a glass bridge over a canyon, and the landscape that inspired Avatar.
Harbin
4 hostels
Russian architecture, minus 20 degrees, and an ice festival of illuminated buildings carved from the frozen river.
What kind of trip is this?
China rewards a rail route more than a base, and the food alone justifies the trip.
Culture in China
Four thousand years of it, and a lot of it still standing.
Food in China
Eight regional cuisines and they are genuinely different.
City break in China
Beijing or Shanghai in four days each.
Adventure in China
Karst mountains, rice terraces and the Tiger Leaping Gorge.
What to do
- Cycle the Yangshuo countryside
- Trek Tiger Leaping Gorge
- Longji rice terraces
Spots to visit
- Yangshuo
- Zhangjiajie
- Tiger Leaping Gorge
Reading on adventure in China
Budget in China
Cheaper than most people assume.
Things to do
Things to do in China
The Great Wall is the one thing everyone does, and which section you choose matters enormously. Badaling is restored and packed; Mutianyu is restored and manageable; Jinshanling and Gubeikou are partly wild, far quieter and involve real walking. Go to one of the latter two if you can.
In Beijing, the Forbidden City needs advance booking with your passport, as do most major sites in China — turning up without a reservation increasingly means not getting in.
Xi'an's Terracotta Army is an hour from the city and the scale only works in person. Chengdu's panda base is best first thing in the morning when the animals are active and fed. Yangshuo's karst country is the one place in this list where you should just rent a bike and get lost.
More on things to do in China
Food and drink
Eating in China
Chinese food abroad is a narrow slice of one or two regional traditions. Here there are eight major cuisines and they are genuinely different: Sichuan's numbing peppercorns, Cantonese dim sum, Shandong's seafood, Hunan's chilli heat.
Street food and small restaurants are where the value is: a bowl of noodles is €1.50 to €3, dumplings by the basket are similar, and a full meal for two with beer is €8 to €15.
Two practical things. Menus often have no English and no pictures, so a translation app with a camera function is the single most useful tool you will carry. And hotpot, particularly in Chengdu and Chongqing, is the meal to do once with a group — you cook it yourself at the table and it is as much event as dinner.
Nightlife
Going out in China
Shanghai has the most international scene — rooftop bars along the Bund, cocktail bars in the former French Concession, and clubs that keep proper hours. Beijing's is scrappier and centred on Sanlitun and the bar hutongs.
KTV — private karaoke rooms rented by the hour — is the mainstream night out across the country, and going with Chinese friends or a hostel group is the way to understand it.
Beer is cheap at €1 to €3 in shops and small restaurants, though bar prices in Shanghai approach European levels. Baijiu, the national spirit, is strong, distinctive and usually drunk in toasts rather than sipped.
Getting around
Getting around China
The high-speed rail network is the best in the world and the reason China is easy to travel: more than 48,000km of it, Beijing to Shanghai in four and a half hours, and tickets bought in the Trip.com app or at stations with your passport.
Book a few days ahead, particularly around holidays, and carry your passport — it is your ticket and is checked at the gate.
In cities, metro systems are extensive, cheap and signed in English, and DiDi is the ride-hailing app. Everything is paid through Alipay or WeChat Pay, both of which now accept foreign cards — set them up before you arrive, because cash is genuinely awkward and some places no longer handle it well.
Costs
What China costs
China is cheaper than most people expect. Dorms start around €10, street noodles are €1.50 to €3, metro rides cost under a euro, and a high-speed train across the country is €50 to €80.
A comfortable day is €30 to €50. Shanghai and Beijing run higher than Chengdu, Xi'an or Yangshuo, and entry tickets to major sites at €8 to €20 add up over a route.
The payment system is the thing to prepare. Alipay and WeChat Pay now link to foreign cards and cover essentially everything, and while cash is still legal tender, many small vendors no longer keep change. Set both up while you still have unrestricted internet.
Safety
Staying safe in China
China has very low street crime and is comfortable to walk around at night, including for solo travellers. Petty theft exists at major stations and tourist sites at ordinary levels.
The practical difficulties are logistical rather than dangerous: the language barrier is real outside major hotels, the internet restrictions block the apps you rely on, and scams aimed at foreigners — the tea ceremony scam and art student scam in Beijing and Shanghai — involve friendly English speakers leading you to a venue with an enormous bill. The rule is the same as everywhere: do not follow a stranger to a bar or shop.
Politically, avoid photographing police or military sites and be aware that discussing sensitive topics publicly, or on Chinese apps, is not private. Xinjiang and Tibet have separate permit and access requirements.
Entry and documents
Entry and documents
This is the part that has changed most. Most EU, UK, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand passports can now enter visa-free for up to 30 days, under a scheme that currently runs to 31 December 2026. US citizens still need a visa, but like many other nationalities can use 240-hour visa-free transit at a large number of ports.
Both schemes have been expanded repeatedly and are described as trials, so check the official Chinese embassy position for your nationality close to booking — this is the most fast-moving entry situation in this guide.
Where visa-free does not apply, tourist visas are applied for in advance with an itinerary and accommodation bookings. Passports need six months' validity.
When to go
Spring and autumn are the answer. Avoid the two Golden Week holidays, when hundreds of millions of people travel at once and every site is overwhelmed.
Jan
Cold in the north. Harbin ice festival and pre-new year quiet
Feb
Chinese New Year. The largest human migration on earth
Mar
Warming, and quiet after the new year rush
Apr
Excellent. Blossom, mild weather and clear days
May
Very good, but the May Golden Week fills everything
Jun
Hot and humid in the south. Rainy season begins
Jul
Hot and wet. Cheapest month in the big cities
Aug
Still hot. Domestic school holidays fill the sites
Sep
Excellent. Warm, clearer air, good light
Oct
The best weather, ruined for the first week by Golden Week
Nov
Cool, clear and quiet. Underrated
Dec
Cold in the north, mild in the south. Very few visitors
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs for Beijing, which has extreme seasons. The south is subtropical. The two Golden Weeks — early May and the first week of October — and Chinese New Year are when domestic travel makes everything impossible.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel and how long for. Per night, for one person, in euro equivalents of yuan.
Excludes high-speed rail between cities at €50–80 a leg. Major site tickets run €8–20 each and add up over a route.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
What's on
What is on while you are there
Three dates dominate the calendar, and all three are when not to travel.
Staff pick
30 Sep – 6 Oct
China Open Tennis Tournament
Beijing
The China Open Tennis Tournament is a premier event on the ATP and WTA tours, attracting top players from around the world to compete…
Staff pick
18 October
Beijing MarathonCCC
Beijing
The Beijing International Marathon is a prestigious annual race that has drawn runners from around the world since 1981. Starting at the iconic Tiananmen…
Staff pick
20 December
Guangzhou Marathon
Guangzhou
The Guangzhou Marathon, held in Guangzhou, China, is a celebrated event that brings together elite athletes and fitness enthusiasts from around the world. Established…
Staff pick
17 October
World Triathlon Cup Beijing
Beijing
The World Triathlon Cup Beijing brings elite triathletes from around the globe to China, for a thrilling test of endurance and skill over the…
Staff pick
30 Oct – 8 Nov
Beijing Queer Film Festival
Beijing
The Beijing Queer Film Festival, also known as Love Queer Cinema Week, is China’s longest-running grassroots LGBTQIA+ film event, founded in 2001. Navigating strict…
Staff pick
1–6 December
World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m)
Beijing
The World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) brings together the world’s top swimmers for a thrilling showcase of speed and skill in a 25-meter pool.…
1–11 October
Joker Xue
Chengdu
Joker Xue brings a theatrical concert experience to Chengdu's Sports Park, where dramatic themes of transformation and power play out through light, shadow, and…
4–5 October
Zhou Chuanxiong
Beijing
Steve Chou, known as the "Godfather of Love Songs," brings his upgraded "Unforgettable, Reunion Plus" stadium tour to Beijing. His catalog spans generations of…
Hostels
Where to stay in China
The highest-rated hostels in the country, live from Hostelworld. Note that not all Chinese accommodation accepts foreign guests, so booking through a platform avoids the problem.
Shanghai Desti Youth Hostel - Jing 'an Temple
Shanghai
Dorms from €27 a night
See dates and book
The Great Wall Box House
Beijing
Dorms from €20 a night
See dates and book
POSHPACKER | Chengdu Mix Hostel
Chengdu
Dorms from €7 a night
See dates and book
Only Cafe And Backpacker
Chongqing
Dorms from €8 a night
See dates and book
Han Tang Inn Hostel
Xi'an
Dorms from €18 a night
See dates and book
Dayin Garden Hostel - Oriental Pearl & Lujiazui
Shanghai
Dorms from €11 a night
See dates and book
Peking International Youth Hostel
Beijing
Dorms from €23 a night
See dates and book
POSHPACKER | Chengdu Flipflop Hostel
Chengdu
Dorms from €7 a night
See dates and book
Desti Youth Park Hostel - Chongqing
Chongqing
Dorms from €11 a night
See dates and book
Xi'an Desti Youth Park Hostel Bell & Drum Tower
Xi'an
Dorms from €5 a night
See dates and book
Sonderia Hostel & Bar-Lazybones Hostel
Chengdu
Dorms from €7 a night
See dates and book
Chongqing Riverside Hostel
Chongqing
Dorms from €6 a night
See dates and book
China travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
Do I still need a visa for China?
For most EU, UK, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand passports, no: they can enter visa-free for up to 30 days, under a scheme that currently runs to the end of 2026. US citizens still need a visa, though 240-hour visa-free transit is available at many ports. Check your nationality close to booking, as the schemes keep changing.
What do I need to set up before I fly?
Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to your card, because almost everything is paid by app, and a VPN, because Google, WhatsApp and Instagram are blocked and the VPN will not download once you are there. A translation app with a camera function is the third.
Is China cheap?
Cheaper than most people expect. Dorms from €10, noodles at €1.50 to €3, metro rides under a euro, and a day between €30 and €50. High-speed trains at €50 to €80 a leg are the main extra.
Which part of the Great Wall should I visit?
Jinshanling or Gubeikou if you want quiet and real walking — both are partly unrestored and far emptier. Mutianyu is restored and manageable. Badaling is the closest to Beijing and by far the most crowded.
When should I avoid travelling in China?
Chinese New Year, the first week of May and the first week of October. All three are national holidays when hundreds of millions of people travel at once, transport books out and every major site is overwhelmed.
Is the language barrier a problem?
It is real outside major hotels and tourist sites, but manageable. A translation app with camera function handles menus and signs, metro systems are signed in English, and the payment apps have English interfaces.
Is China safe for travellers?
Street crime is very low and cities are comfortable at night. The things to watch are scams involving friendly English speakers leading you to a tea house or gallery with a huge bill, and the practical difficulties of language and internet restrictions.
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