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The Independent Travel Chinese doctors shrink tumour of baby still in womb in major breakthroughTravel and Tour World Laos Neighboring Nations Spark Record Breaking Visitor Surges Throughout For Ultimate Travel Discovery, Find Out NowTravel and Tour World Shenzhen Expands Southeast Asia Cruise Travel as Dream Opens New Homeport Season Across Five CountriesTravel and Tour World China Ranks 8th Globally as Tourism Infrastructure and Healthcare Technology ExpandConde Nast Traveler 5 Top Hotels in Beijing 2026: Readers' Choice AwardsConde Nast Traveler 10 Top Hotels in China 2026: Readers' Choice AwardsTravel and Tour World Indonesia Connects with China and More Across 113 Countries as 41st Trade Expo 2026 Targets Major Travel And GDP GrowthTravel and Tour World China Boosts Australia Tourism as Chinese Travellers Return to Cairns and Great Barrier ReefSimple Flying Inside The US' Potentially Controversial $24 Billion Deal To Sell F-35 Stealth Jets To Saudi ArabiaCruise Industry News Two Adora Ships Set Sail on National DayTravel and Tour World China Tourism Gets New Luxury Stay as Financial City Chengdu MGallery Collection OpensThe Independent Travel China responds to criticism after iconic US brand’s ‘morally bankrupt’ move to open first cafes in XinjiangThe Independent Travel Japan falls out of top 10 destinations for Chinese travellers during Golden Week amid diplomatic tensionsTravel and Tour World China Aligns With France And More Unveiling Tourism Ambitions Across Ancient WondersThe Independent Travel Chinese doctors shrink tumour of baby still in womb in major breakthroughTravel and Tour World Laos Neighboring Nations Spark Record Breaking Visitor Surges Throughout For Ultimate Travel Discovery, Find Out NowTravel and Tour World Shenzhen Expands Southeast Asia Cruise Travel as Dream Opens New Homeport Season Across Five CountriesTravel and Tour World China Ranks 8th Globally as Tourism Infrastructure and Healthcare Technology ExpandConde Nast Traveler 5 Top Hotels in Beijing 2026: Readers' Choice AwardsConde Nast Traveler 10 Top Hotels in China 2026: Readers' Choice AwardsTravel and Tour World Indonesia Connects with China and More Across 113 Countries as 41st Trade Expo 2026 Targets Major Travel And GDP GrowthTravel and Tour World China Boosts Australia Tourism as Chinese Travellers Return to Cairns and Great Barrier ReefSimple Flying Inside The US' Potentially Controversial $24 Billion Deal To Sell F-35 Stealth Jets To Saudi ArabiaCruise Industry News Two Adora Ships Set Sail on National DayTravel and Tour World China Tourism Gets New Luxury Stay as Financial City Chengdu MGallery Collection OpensThe Independent Travel China responds to criticism after iconic US brand’s ‘morally bankrupt’ move to open first cafes in XinjiangThe Independent Travel Japan falls out of top 10 destinations for Chinese travellers during Golden Week amid diplomatic tensionsTravel and Tour World China Aligns With France And More Unveiling Tourism Ambitions Across Ancient Wonders
China – ChinaBeijing – ChinaGreat Wall at Mutianyu – ChinaShanghai – ChinaXi'an – ChinaGuilin – China
📍 China📷 Stefan Fussan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
🌍 Asia🗓️ Best: Apr–May and Sep–Oct

China ✓

ChengduGreat WallShanghai

Great Wall, ancient capitals and futuristic megacities

🕒 –:– local time32 stories this week8 sources 6 top placesCapital Beijing

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China📸 Photo album · 9 photos · Ultra-HD
China📜 History of China

The story of China

China is one of the world's oldest continuous civilisations. Neolithic farming cultures grew millet along the Yellow River and rice along the Yangtze, and by the second millennium BC the Shang dynasty was casting magnificent bronzes and writing on oracle bones – the ancestors of today's Chinese characters. The Zhou dynasty that followed saw the age of Confucius and Laozi, whose ideas still shape Chinese life.

In 221 BC Qin Shi Huang unified the warring states into a single empire, standardising writing and weights and leaving behind the Terracotta Army. The Han dynasty opened the Silk Road, and later dynasties such as the Tang and Song presided over golden ages of poetry, painting, printing and trade. The Mongol Yuan dynasty ruled in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, the Ming built much of the Great Wall seen today and the Forbidden City, and the Manchu Qing expanded the empire to its greatest extent.

Read the full history

The nineteenth century brought conflict with Western powers and Japan, internal rebellions and pressure for reform. The last emperor abdicated after the 1911 revolution, and the Republic of China struggled with warlords, civil war and Japanese invasion. In 1949 the Communist Party founded the People's Republic of China in Beijing, while the Republic of China government relocated to Taiwan. Decades of turbulent change followed, until economic reforms launched in 1978 opened the country to the world.

Since then China has transformed with astonishing speed into a global economic power, with gleaming megacities and the world's largest high-speed rail network. For travellers, this means ancient temples, imperial palaces, classical gardens and timeless villages sit just a fast train ride from futuristic skylines – along with some of the world's most spectacular mountains, rivers and karst landscapes and one of its greatest food cultures.

Timeline

  1. c. 1600-1046 BCShang dynasty, earliest Chinese writing on oracle bones
  2. 551 BCTraditional birth year of Confucius
  3. 221 BCQin Shi Huang unifies China as its first emperor
  4. 618-907Tang dynasty golden age of culture and trade
  5. 1420Ming emperors move the capital to Beijing's new Forbidden City
  6. 1912Republic of China replaces the last imperial dynasty
  7. 1949People's Republic of China founded
  8. 1978Reform and opening-up begins
China✨ 10 best things to do in China

Things to do in China

  1. Hike the Great WallWalk restored and wild sections such as Mutianyu or Jinshanling as the wall snakes over mountain ridges.
  2. Explore the Forbidden CityPass through vast courtyards and golden-roofed halls of the imperial palace in Beijing.
  3. Meet the Terracotta ArmyStand before thousands of life-size clay warriors guarding Qin Shi Huang's tomb near Xi'an.
  4. Cruise the Li RiverFloat between Guilin and Yangshuo through a dreamlike landscape of karst peaks and bamboo groves.
  5. See the Bund at nightWatch Shanghai's colonial waterfront face off against the neon towers of Pudong across the river.
  6. Wander Zhangjiajie's pillarsWalk among thousands of towering sandstone columns wrapped in mist and forest.
  7. Meet giant pandas in ChengduVisit a breeding centre early in the morning, then try fiery Sichuan hotpot.
  8. Stroll a classical garden in SuzhouLose yourself in rockeries, pavilions and carp ponds designed for contemplation.
  9. Ride the bullet trainZip between cities at up to 350 km/h on the world's largest high-speed rail network.
  10. Eat your way through Xi'an's Muslim QuarterSnack on hand-pulled noodles, roujiamo and lamb skewers in lantern-lit lanes.
China🗺️ Where to visit in China

Where to go in China

  • BeijingNorth · imperial capitalThe Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, hutong lanes and the Great Wall within reach.
  • ShanghaiEast coast · megacityArt deco Bund, futuristic skyline, French Concession streets and superb dining.
  • Xi'anShaanxi · ancient capitalHome of the Terracotta Army, intact city walls and the eastern end of the Silk Road.
  • 📍
    Guilin & YangshuoGuangxi · karst sceneryLimestone peaks, rice fields and rivers ideal for cycling and bamboo rafting.
  • ChengduSichuan · pandas & foodA relaxed teahouse city known for pandas and some of China's spiciest cuisine.
  • 📍
    ZhangjiajieHunan · national parkOtherworldly sandstone pillars, glass walkways and cable cars.
  • 📍
    Hangzhou & SuzhouYangtze delta · lakes & gardensWest Lake's willows and pagodas and Suzhou's UNESCO-listed classical gardens.
  • 📍
    Yunnan (Lijiang & Dali)Southwest · old towns & mountainsEthnic minority cultures, cobbled old towns and Tiger Leaping Gorge beneath snow peaks.
China✨ Must-do experiences
  • Walk a section of the Great Wall
  • See the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an
  • Cruise the Li River among karst hills
  • Ride a high-speed train between cities
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China🍽️ Taste of China
  • Peking duck – crispy roast duck with pancakes
  • Xiaolongbao – soup-filled dumplings from Shanghai
  • Hotpot – spicy broth for cooking meat and vegetables at the table
  • Jiaozi – boiled or fried dumplings
China🌦️ Weather & best time to visit China

Best time to visit China

China's climate varies enormously, from bitterly cold winters in the north to subtropical warmth in the south and monsoon summers in the east. Beijing is dry with hot summers and freezing winters, while the south is humid and rainy from spring through summer.

BestApril-May and September-October – mild, mostly dry weather across most regions and beautiful spring blossom or autumn colours.
ShoulderMarch and November – cooler but quieter, and good value; southern regions remain pleasant.
AvoidMajor national holidays (Chinese New Year, early May and the first week of October) when transport and sights are packed; also July-August heat and rain in many areas.
2°☀️Jan
6°☀️Feb
13°☀️Mar
21°💧Apr
27°💧May
31°💧💧Jun
31°💧💧💧Jul
30°💧💧Aug
26°💧Sep
19°💧Oct
10°☀️Nov
3°☀️Dec

Typical daytime highs and rain in Beijing (approximate averages).

China🎉 Festivals & events in China
  • January-February
    Chinese New Year (Spring Festival)The biggest holiday of the year, with family reunions, fireworks, temple fairs and lion dances.
  • February-March (15th day of the lunar new year)
    Lantern FestivalLantern displays, riddles and sweet rice dumplings mark the end of New Year celebrations.
  • May-June
    Dragon Boat FestivalTeams race long, dragon-headed boats to drums, and families eat sticky rice zongzi.
  • September-October
    Mid-Autumn FestivalFamilies gather to admire the full moon and share mooncakes.
  • January-February
    Harbin Ice and Snow FestivalHuge illuminated ice palaces and snow sculptures rise in the northeastern city of Harbin.
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China🧭 China itinerary ideas

How many days in China?

7 daysClassic Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai

Day 1-3 explore Beijing's Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and a Great Wall section. Day 4-5 take the bullet train to Xi'an for the Terracotta Army and city walls. Day 6-7 finish in Shanghai on the Bund and in old neighbourhoods.

14 daysCities and landscapes

Day 1-3 Beijing and the Great Wall, Day 4-5 Xi'an, then Day 6-7 Chengdu for pandas and food. Day 8-10 fly to Guilin and Yangshuo for the Li River and cycling. Day 11-14 end with Hangzhou, Suzhou and Shanghai.

China🎒 Backpacking China – tips & hacks

Backpacker budget: about $35–55 a day

  • Book trains through the official railway app or a trusted agent; second-class high-speed and overnight sleeper trains are excellent value.
  • Hostels are plentiful and sociable in Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Chengdu and Yangshuo.
  • Set up mobile payments linked to a foreign card before you arrive – many small vendors prefer them over cash.
  • Download offline maps and a translation app before you arrive, as many foreign apps, maps and websites are blocked or unreliable.
  • Eat where locals queue: noodle shops, dumpling houses and night markets are cheap and delicious.
China🛡️ Safety & money in China

Stay safe

  • China is generally very safe for travellers, with low levels of violent crime.
  • Carry your passport at all times – hotels must register it and it's needed for trains and many sights.
  • Watch out for tea-house and art-student scams in tourist areas of big cities.
  • Respect local laws and avoid photographing military or sensitive sites; some regions such as Tibet require special permits.

Money

  • Mobile payment apps dominate; set them up with an international card, but carry some cash as a backup.
  • ATMs at major banks generally accept foreign cards, and international cards are increasingly accepted in big hotels and stores.
  • Tipping is not customary in China, except sometimes for tour guides and drivers.

Emergency: 110 police · 119 fire · 120 ambulance

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China🛬 Getting to China

Major international gateways include Beijing Capital and Daxing, Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou Baiyun, Chengdu and Shenzhen. High-speed trains link mainland China with Hong Kong, and land borders connect to several neighbouring countries.

✈️ Cheap flights to China: airports, flight times & best time to fly →

China💡 Did you know? 5 facts about China
  • Despite its size, all of China officially runs on a single time zone, Beijing time.
  • The Great Wall is not a single wall but a network of walls and fortifications built over many centuries.
  • Paper, printing, gunpowder and the compass are traditionally called China's 'Four Great Inventions'.
  • China has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than almost any other country.
  • Giant pandas are native only to the mountains of central China, mainly Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu.
China❓ China travel FAQ

China travel questions

Is China safe for tourists?

Yes, China is generally very safe, with low crime and heavy security in cities. Take normal precautions against petty scams and always carry your passport.

Do I need a visa for China?

It depends on your passport – some nationalities have visa-free or transit options while others need a visa in advance. Check the official government site or Chinese embassy before you travel.

What is the best time to visit China?

Spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October) are best for most regions. Avoid national holiday weeks when crowds are enormous.

Can I get around China without speaking Chinese?

Yes, especially in big cities, where metro and train signs are in English. A translation app and addresses written in Chinese characters help a lot with taxis and restaurants.

How many days do I need in China?

Seven to ten days covers the classic Beijing–Xi'an–Shanghai route. Two weeks or more lets you add landscapes like Guilin, Zhangjiajie or Yunnan.

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China💰 What a trip costs
$$price level
$35–55backpacker / day
$90–170mid-range / day

Approximate daily cost per person (stay, food, local transport).

China🚌 Getting around

A huge high-speed rail network and domestic flights link major cities. Cities have excellent metros, and taxis are booked through local apps.

China🛕 Sacred & spiritual places
  • Temple of Heaven – Imperial altar complex where emperors prayed for good harvests
  • Mount Emei – Sacred Buddhist mountain with temples and misty peaks
  • Shaolin Temple – Historic Buddhist monastery, birthplace of Shaolin kung fu
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China🤝 Local etiquette
  • Do not stick chopsticks upright in rice
  • Mobile payment apps are used almost everywhere – set one up before you go
  • Offer and receive items such as business cards with both hands

📰 Older China stories Everything our agents ever found – keeps loading as you scroll

🧭 Nearby countries

Mongolia
MongoliaEndless steppe, nomad gers and the Gobi Desert
Bhutan
BhutanHimalayan kingdom of fortress monasteries and prayer flags
Myanmar
MyanmarGolden pagodas, temple plains and calm lakes
Macau
MacauPortuguese heritage, glittering resorts and egg tarts
Laos
LaosGolden temples, Mekong sunsets and lush mountains
Hong Kong
Hong KongSkyline harbour views, dim sum and green island hikes
Bangladesh
BangladeshRivers, mangrove forests and the world's longest beach
Nepal
NepalHimalayan treks, ancient temples and jungle safaris
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