Travel advice for China
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to China
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written by Kieran Meeke
updated 5.09.2019
There’s so much more to China than the Great Wall, Forbidden City and the Terracotta Army. One of our favourite places to explore is Yunnan province in the south-west of the country, which varies in landscape from tropical lowlands to Himalayan snows. With towering canyons, ethereal rock formations and cities that seem lost in time, there's plenty to capture the imagination – that's why we included it in our Rough Guide to 2019. Here's our must-see Yunnan top ten:
8 days / from2208 USD
Sichuan Specialities: Chengdu, Temples and Pandas
Discover the Buddhist history and the natural wonders of Sichuan. From bustling Chengdu and its giant pandas, to the national parks and lake districts of Sichuan Province, to the giant Buddha statue at Leshan, this trip is perfect for those who want to discover this culturally rich part of China.
view tour ⤍5 days / from838 USD
Family Time in Guilin and Yangshuo
This 5-day family trip is a magnificent opportunity to experience the beautiful outdoor settings of Guilin and Yangshuo. Walk, cycle and raft through awe-inspiring scenery, including dramatic limestone karst mountains, and learn about the everyday lives of the Zhuang and Yao ethnic groups.
view tour ⤍8 days / from1962 USD
Sichuan Family Adventure
Sichuan is home to a rich and vibrant culture, stunning scenery and wildlife, and delicious cuisine. Spend time with Chengdu's giant pandas, trek around Mount Qingcheng, stand in awe of the world’s largest Buddha at Leshan, and much more, all with this exciting trip, which is perfect for families!
view tour ⤍8 days / from2479 USD
Tantalising Tibet
Tibet, known as the Rooftop of the World, is one of the most spiritual and atmospheric places on earth: ancient monasteries are carved into the mountain and festooned with colourful prayer flags. Discover the secrets of this uniquely spiritual land with this once-in-a-lifetime trip.
view tour ⤍5 days / from3300 USD
Hong Kong Deluxe
Hong Kong makes a memorable introduction to the Chinese world. Glamorous, hectic, exciting and spectacular, with fabulous food, nightlife and shopping, this is a place like no other. Explore the city at your own pace, enjoying life’s little luxuries at every turn.
view tour ⤍4 days / from1040 USD
Hong Kong in a Nutshell
A teeming, exotic and alluring metropolis, Hong Kong is uniquely rich in both cultural diversity and contrasts. In fact, there is so much packed into Hong Kong, it can be hard to know where to start, which is where this unique trip comes in.
view tour ⤍9 days / from2137 USD
The People and Cultures of Guizhou
Discover the fascinating people and cultures of Guizhou, one of China's most diverse regions. Learn about the everyday lives of the Zhuang and Yao ethnic groups, whilst you enjoy their colourful customs and traditions, and pass through awe-inspiring scenery such as otherworldly rice terraces.
view tour ⤍14 days / from3346 USD
The Mystical Worlds of Shangri-La & Tibet
A perfect introduction to the mystical worlds of Shangri-La and Tibet. From the breathtaking plateaus and valleys, to the historical Buddhist monasteries and villages, this trip provides a unique insight into the culture and traditions of the Tibetan people.
view tour ⤍16 days / from5521 USD
Along the Silk Road
Travel along the Silk Road, and discover the best of China with this fascinating in-depth trip. Starting in Beijing, experience the Forbidden City, the Yellow River, the Great Wall of China, Heavenly Lake, the Terracotta Army of Warriors and much more, all with this unique, detailed trip.
view tour ⤍11 days / from3462 USD
The Best of China
From well-preserved tombs to The Great Wall, this tour of China packs in all the essentials. From the bright city lights of Beijing and Shanghai to breathtaking rolling landscapes, meandering rivers and ancient treasures, there’s much to delight all visitors to China.
view tour ⤍7 days / from1465 USD
China's Old Water Towns
The area around Shanghai is home to some of China's best-kept travel secrets. Ancient water towns – picturesque towns constructed on a network of canals, featuring classical weeping gardens and romantic arched bridges – grace the area. Explore China's old water towns on this unique trip.
view tour ⤍12 days / from2436 USD
Cultural China and Majestic Yangtze River Cruise
China is a vast and varied land, seemingly full to the brim of mega cities, dramatic limestone mountains and endless countryside. This trip takes in the best the country has to offer, visiting the historic cities of Beijing, Xian and Shanghai, before cruising down the Yangtze River.
view tour ⤍11 days / from2841 USD
Incredible Yunnan
Culturally rich and ethnically diverse, Yunnan is one of China’s most fascinating regions. Explore this scenic southwestern province, great to travel to year round, from the capital Kunming to the well-preserved ancient city of Jianshui, famous for its old walls.
view tour ⤍5 days / from2300 USD
Hong Kong Highlights
Hong Kong is a vibrant and appealing city, with its waterside location and towering skyscrapers, it offers the visitor modernity and tradition, the exotic and efficient. Perfect for a family break, there’s plenty to keep everyone entertained from Central to the New Territories and beyond.
view tour ⤍9 days / from2560 USD
Beijing and The Great Wall of China
Following a short stay in Beijing, with its awe-inspiring Forbidden City, you will venture through the majestic Great Wall lands of Changping and Simatai, and marvel in the vibrancy of the water town of Gubei, a magnificent collage of Great Wall, mountains, lakes and ancient villages.
view tour ⤍13 days / from4686 USD
Complete China: Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai
Following a stay in resplendent Beijing, visit the awe-inspiring Forbidden City, Great Wall, and the Terracotta Army of Xi’an. Travel into the Himalayas, before hiking to the Tiger Leaping Gorge. Continue to Chengdu, home of the giant panda, before entering the mythical valley of Shangri-La.
view tour ⤍5 days / from2850 USD
Hong Kong Island Insights
The bustling and dynamic city of Hong Kong is brimming with opportunities to explore its colonial past and rich Chinese heritage and culture. The perfect destination for the intrepid explorer, this unique trip won’t leave you disappointed.
view tour ⤍11 days / from3360 USD
China and Tibet – An Unforgettable Adventure
From tombs and monasteries to world-famous squares and walls, this trip takes in both China and Tibet for an unforgettable journey. Explore Beijing and all its spectacular attractions and take in the stunning natural surroundings around Chengdu and on into Tibet.
view tour ⤍Named for an adventurous tiger who is said to have jumped the 25-metre gap across the gorge to escape a hunter, Tiger Leaping Gorge is one of the world’s deepest river canyons. The scenery is spectacular – snow-capped mountains rise 3,790 meters above sea level, soaring high above a rushing Jinsha River, a tributary of the Yangtze. Hiking along the canyon is popular, with guesthouses along the way that are a good source of income for the Naxi people who carry on their traditional way of life here.
Lit up at night by red lanterns that reflect off its many waterways, Lijiang’s Unesco-listed Old Town is a picture postcard of China come to life. Cobbled streets, wooden bridges, hand-tiled houses and weathered trees add to the ancient feel of the place. The town is hugely popular with Chinese tourists and the bars and restaurants thrum with activity. Sure, it’s a tourist trap, but a lively one with some lovely quiet corners to escape the crowds.
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Every region of China has its own cuisine and Yunnanese food tends to be spicier than you might expect. Barbecue is popular, with beef, lamb or fish skewered, grilled and served with herb-rich sauces. Fried cheese and stir-fried insects, such as silkworms and bamboo grubs, are more unusual local specialities. Slow-cooked soups of beef, chicken or pork, or all three, are also popular and wild Yunnan mushrooms are much sought after.
The former city of Zhongdian was renamed Shangri-La in 2001 to promote tourism in reference to the 1933 novel Lost Horizon – where stranded pilot Hugh Conway finds a hidden utopia high in the mountains of Tibet. The new Shangri-La sits near the border with Tibet at 3,000 metres above sea level. It's a great place to go to experience Tibetan culture, which still remains dominant here. Visit the picturesque Songzanlin Tibetan monastery, spin a prayer wheel or buy a yak wool sweater. Much of Shangri-La is not as authentic as it looks, but get out into the countryside, hiking or on horseback, and you'll find a way of life that is still authentic.
Home to the Dai people, whose language, costumes, culture and food link to their descendants in Thailand, Myanmar and Laos, the prefecture of Xishuangbanna has a tropical feel. In the capital city Jinghong, daytime temperatures remain balmy even in winter and palm trees tower over Buddhist shrines and tropical gardens. It’s an interesting place to learn more about Dai culture and sample – or buy – Yunnan tea in one of the many photogenic old shops.
Yunnan tea – proper name pu’er tea – has a reputation as the world’s finest tea. It was once so valued that it was traded for Tibetan warhorses along the dizzying Tea Horse Road across the Himalayas. The beverage is made from fermented green tea leaves pressed into shapes known as 'tea cakes' that are aged for several months before being drunk.
The province’s black and green teas are equally interesting, sometimes harvested from ancient trees rather than the more familiar monoculture bushes of other areas. The richness of the moss, lichens and epiphytes on the trees add to the flavour of the finished product. Arrange a plantation tour to learn more about the process, and get a taste of the coveted brew.
Morning mist over a tea plantation, Yunnan © ArtWell/Shutterstock
Most visitors to Yunnan province fly in through the airport at Kunming, the capital. It’s was an important trading hub on the Silk Road for centuries, visited by Marco Polo. Known as the “City of Eternal Spring” for its mild climate, it’s Asia’s largest flower-growing centre. A visit to a flower market is a must, as is the World Horti-Expo grounds. Head to Green Lake Park for a spot of people watching as local residents exercise, play music or just enjoy the park.
About 350km south of Kunming, the multi-coloured ripples of the Yuanyang rice terraces have been tended by the Hani people for over 1,000 years. For the very best views, come between November and April, after the harvest, when the terraces have been flooded and reflect the evening or morning light. Recognised by Unesco in 2013, the sight of them might be familiar from countless photos but remain an awesome sight in person at any time of year.
Dali sits on the shores of Erhai Lake and you could do worse than walk, bike or boat around its blue waters, surrounded by snow-capped mountains. The Cloud Pass hiking trail in the Cangshan Mountains, which rise to 4,000 metres, will give you a memorable overview of lake and town. Dali Old Town has long been a hippy hang out and remains so, with vintage clothes shops and plenty of busking musicians.
Yunnan province has a number of natural wonders but the UNESCO-listed limestone rocks at Shilin literally stand out. Like a Chinese painting come to life, they resemble a cave with the roof taken off – fingers of stone reaching for the sky. Some are said to look like animals or people, but the most impressive thing is the sheer number of towering rocks standing in formation.
Read our guide to the best things to do in China and find more reasons for visiting China.
Top image: Lijiang old town with the jade dragon snow mountains in the background © Thawatchai W/Shutterstock
written by Kieran Meeke
updated 5.09.2019
Kieran has lived in 12 countries – including Yemen and Mozambique – and written about countless others, specialising in long-form features that get beneath the surface. This love of exploring the quirky and hidden in every destination saw him run the Secret London website for 15 years, but more recently has taken him on long distance walking and horse-riding adventures. Follow him on Instagram @kieran_meeke.
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From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to China