Travel advice for China
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to China
Book your individual trip, stress-free with local travel experts
written by Greg Dickinson
updated 25.10.2018
One of the world’s leading photographers on disappearing cultural practices, Jo Farrell has spent the past ten years documenting the last known women in China with bound feet. Rough Guides travel editor Greg Dickinson caught up with Jo to discuss her archive of experiences travelling around China with a camera.
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.
customize ⤍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.
customize ⤍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!
customize ⤍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.
customize ⤍5 days / from1992 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.
customize ⤍4 days / from535 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.
customize ⤍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.
customize ⤍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.
customize ⤍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.
customize ⤍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.
customize ⤍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.
customize ⤍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.
customize ⤍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.
customize ⤍5 days / from1355 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.
customize ⤍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.
customize ⤍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.
customize ⤍5 days / from1830 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.
customize ⤍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.
customize ⤍I went to Beijing in 1998 and absolutely loved it. I just couldn’t get enough. I would wake up at 4am or 5am to go out and photograph the elderly men going out in the mornings with their birdcages. I became slightly obsessed with photographing them.
Beijing bird walkers 1998 © Jo Farrell
One day I was photographing some beautiful doorways and realised a man was following me. He came up to me and said: “I speak a little English. I’m a lawyer and I live in this area. These hutongs [narrow alleyways from the Ming dynasty] are ready for demolition, so I’m glad you’re here recording these areas before they go.” If you go to Beijing now, many of the hutongs have vanished in place of new high rise buildings.
A hutong in Beijing in 1998 © Jo Farrell
I was travelling overland from Lhasa to Kathmandu in a 4X4 with four other people. They decided they wanted to go to Base Camp and talked to the driver about it, but they didn’t ask me. I didn’t have any clothes suitable for Everest’s cold conditions and had to buy a monk’s cassock to keep me warm. At Base Camp I spent the night in the monastery and realised there was no glass in the window. Outside it was snowing and there were yaks everywhere; I felt like i was hallucinating!
The most incredible people I met were the women with bound feet [a fashion trend that involved disfiguring a woman's feet into a point and was outlawed 103 years ago], who I’ve documented over the last ten years. The history of China in the last hundred years has been very harsh and quite dramatic with the cultural revolution, the formation of the Republic of China, then the People’s Republic of China and the Great Famine. And these women went through it all with their feet bound, something they thought would give them a better future and a better life. They have the most amazing tales of what life was like; it was an honour to be a voice for them.
Yange Jinge © Jo Farrell
I’ve often found myself doing side projects covering various Chinese traditions. For example last time I was in Shandong I was staying with a lady whose son was the baker of the village. He made this bread they call mantou, a traditional kind of doughy steamed bread. When I first entered her son’s house I was amazed at what was happening. The room was neck-high with steam – you could see heads but no legs – and all the neighbours flocked in to buy their bread. I came back the next day and started photographing.
Great Wall of China 1998 © Jo Farrell
When I first arrived in China pizza, coffee and Japanese food weren’t very popular at all. Now they’re prevalent. Pizza and sushi and coffee are huge in all the cities. In the 1990s there was one hotel I would stay in just because it had espressos. Now coffee is everywhere.
I suppose it’s what most people say: it’s the toilets. The experience at the Great Wall is something I’ll never forget. I went into this kind of chicken shed and there were all these holes in a row, no wall in between, and no door. Just a room of holes – so I just went down to the furthest one from the door and hoped for the best...
Fisherman in Yangshou (Guilin) © Jo Farrell
I spent some time documenting the cormorant fishermen in Guilin – the area most famous for its mountains. The fishermen here tie a string around the birds’ necks and train them to catch fish in their gullet. Then the birds return and the fishermen stroke their necks, take the tie off and they spit out all the fish. The birds here are wonderful. I need to go back again.
Find out more about Jo Farrell’s Living History project here. Explore more of China with the Rough Guide to China. Compare flights, find tours, book hostels and hotels for your trip, and don’t forget to purchase travel insurance before you go.
written by Greg Dickinson
updated 25.10.2018
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