China — find the right stay, from deciding to booking
“5,000 years of civilization meets futuristic megacities”
China is a land that fuses past and future in astonishing ways — the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and Xi'an's Terracotta Army stand alongside Shanghai and Shenzhen, among the most futuristic cities on Earth. Add spectacular nature like Zhangjiajie and Guilin, regional cuisines galore, and a high-speed rail network that whisks you to every city.
China at a glance
Choose a city in China
Each city has its own things-to-do and food guides plus in-depth ranked hotel reviews with real photos and price comparison — start with the city that fits your trip.
Beijing
Shanghai
Xi'an
Chengdu
Guangzhou
Shenzhen
Hangzhou
Chongqing
Guilin
Suzhou
Nanjing
Ningbo
Zhangjiajie
Lijiang
Shangri-La
Kunming
Dali
Fenghuang
Harbin
Xiamen
Tianjin
Luoyang
Zhengzhou
ChangshaDecide — is China right for you?
Why people love China, how it compares to its neighbors, and which travel style suits you
Magnificent history
The Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the Terracotta Army — a world-class heritage of civilization.
Futuristic megacities
Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen — skyscrapers, maglev trains, and cashless technology.
Spectacular nature
The stone pillars of Zhangjiajie, the Li River at Guilin, and the Yuanyang rice terraces.
Regional cuisines
Peking duck, Cantonese dim sum, fiery Sichuan hotpot — each province has its own character.
High-speed rail
The world's longest network, connecting major cities nationwide quickly and conveniently.
China vs its neighbors
| China | Japan | Vietnam | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily budget (per person) | $34–71 | $71–129 | $26–51 |
| Visa for Thais | Free 30 days (since 2024) | Free 15 days (register first) | Free 30 days |
| Getting around | Good subways · fast high-speed rail between cities | The world's best trains | Buses-Grab · no subway in many cities |
| English | Very little · download a translation app | Little, but signage is thorough | Decent in main tourist areas |
| Known for | Regional cuisines · spectacular scenery · long history | Precision · four seasons · diverse food | Delicious food · nature · cheap prices |
Figures are rough per-person, per-day estimates — your real budget depends on your travel style.
How do you travel?
History & culture
Beijing, Xi'an, Nanjing — a route through thousands of years of Chinese civilization. The Great Wall, Terracotta Army, and Forbidden City are not to be missed.
See this plan → 🌿Nature & scenery
Zhangjiajie, Guilin, Chengdu — spectacular nature like nowhere else, and real pandas are in Chengdu.
See this plan → 🛍️Shopping & big cities
Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen — world-class modern cities for shopping, fashion, gifts, and diverse food.
See this plan →Plan — stay, eat, see
Start with where to stay (the heart of the trip), then add food and sights, and gauge your daily budget.
Find the stay you want
28 ranked reviews
Reviewed10 Guilin Hotels That Actually Slap — Yangshuo & Xingping Picks 2026
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Reviewed10 Best Hotels in Macau, China SAR — Cotai Strip, Peninsula and Taipa Picks for 2026 (Casinos, Egg Tarts and Portuguese Heritage)
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Reviewed10 Suzhou Hotels That Slap — Gusu Old Town & Jinji Lake Picks 2026
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ReviewedBest Hotels in Harbin 2026 — Ice Festival & Central Street
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ReviewedBest Hotels in Chongqing 2026 — Mountain Megacity Views
10 hotels · Read review →
Reviewed7 Best Hotels in Shangri-La, Yunnan (Tibetan Plateau, 2026)
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ReviewedBest Hotels in Dali Ancient Town 2026 — Bai Village Picks
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Reviewed10 Best Hotels in Hangzhou by West Lake (2026)
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Reviewed10 Best Xiamen Hotels — Zhongshan Road & Gulangyu 2026
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Reviewed10 Best Hotels in Ningbo: Tianyi Square & Old Bund (2026)
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Reviewed10 Best Nanjing Hotels — Xinjiekou & Confucius Temple 2026
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Reviewed7 Best Hotels in Lijiang Old Town, Yunnan (2026)
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ReviewedBest Hotels in Chengdu 2026 — Pandas, Hot Pot & Tianfu Square
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Reviewed10 Best Zhangjiajie Hotels — Avatar Mountains & Tianmen 2026
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Reviewed10 Best Fenghuang Hotels — Riverside Ancient Town (2026)
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Reviewed10 Best Changsha Hotels — Wuyi Square & Riverside (2026)
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Reviewed10 Best Xi'an Hotels — Bell Tower & Terracotta Warriors 2026
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Reviewed9 Hotels in Harbin — St Sophia & Ice Festival 2026
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Reviewed10 Best Hotels Near Guangzhou Gift Shop Markets (2026)
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Reviewed8 Best Hotels in Luoyang, China: Longmen Grottoes (2026)
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Reviewed8 Best Hotels Near Kunming Railway Station, China (2026)
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Reviewed10 Best Shanghai Hotels — People's Square & Nanjing Road 2026
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Reviewed10 Best Hotels Near Guangzhou Railway Station (2026)
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ReviewedBest Hotels in Tianjin 2026 — European Flair, 30 Min from Beijing
5 hotels · Read review →
Reviewed5 Best Hotels in Zhengzhou: Shaolin Temple Gateway (2026)
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Reviewed10 Best Hotels in Shenzhen — Dongmen & Luohu Border (2026)
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Reviewed10 Best Hotels in Kunming — City of Eternal Spring (2026)
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Reviewed10 Best Hotels in Beijing — Wangfujing & Forbidden City (2026)
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City-by-city food guides — standout dishes and places to try, with real photos
🍜 EatBeijing Food Guide
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🍜 EatChangsha Food Guide
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🍜 EatChengdu Food Guide
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🍜 EatChongqing Food Guide
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🍜 EatDali Food Guide
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🍜 EatFenghuang Food Guide
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🍜 EatGuangzhou Food Guide
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🍜 EatGuilin Food Guide
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🍜 EatHangzhou Food Guide
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🍜 EatHarbin Food Guide
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🍜 EatKunming Food Guide
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🍜 EatLijiang Food Guide
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🍜 EatLuoyang Food Guide
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🍜 EatNanjing Food Guide
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🍜 EatNingbo Food Guide
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🍜 EatShanghai Food Guide
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🍜 EatShangri La Food Guide
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🍜 EatShenzhen Food Guide
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🍜 EatSuzhou Food Guide
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🍜 EatTianjin Food Guide
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🍜 EatXiamen Food Guide
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🍜 EatXian Food Guide
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🍜 EatZhangjiajie Food Guide
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🍜 EatZhengzhou Food Guide
Read the guide →Signature dishes across China
- 1🦆
Peking Duck
Roast duck with crispy skin, wrapped in pancakes with scallions and sweet sauce — China's national dish.
📍 Beijing - 2🥟
Dim Sum
Dumplings, har gow, and buns sipped with tea — the yum cha culture of Guangdong.
📍 Cantonese / Hong Kong - 3🌶️
Sichuan Hotpot
Mala chili broth that's spicy and tongue-numbing — blanch meat and vegetables and dip in sauce; popular nationwide.
📍 Sichuan - 4🍜
Lanzhou Lamian
Hand-pulled noodles in a clear beef broth fragrant with spices, at Muslim restaurants across China.
📍 Nationwide - 5🥟
Xiaolongbao
Soup-filled buns dipped in vinegar and ginger — mind the hot soup; a Shanghai specialty.
📍 Shanghai
City-by-city sightseeing guides — real photos, locations and unmissable highlights
📸 SeeBeijing Things To Do
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📸 SeeChangsha Things To Do
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📸 SeeChengdu Things To Do
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📸 SeeChongqing Things To Do
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📸 SeeDali Things To Do
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📸 SeeFenghuang Things To Do
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📸 SeeGuangzhou Things To Do
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📸 SeeGuilin Things To Do
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📸 SeeHangzhou Things To Do
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📸 SeeHarbin Things To Do
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📸 SeeKunming Things To Do
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📸 SeeLijiang Things To Do
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📸 SeeLuoyang Things To Do
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📸 SeeNanjing Things To Do
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📸 SeeNingbo Things To Do
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📸 SeeShanghai Things To Do
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📸 SeeShangri La Things To Do
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📸 SeeShenzhen Things To Do
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📸 SeeSuzhou Things To Do
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📸 SeeTianjin Things To Do
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📸 SeeXiamen Things To Do
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📸 SeeXian Things To Do
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📸 SeeZhangjiajie Things To Do
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📸 SeeZhengzhou Things To Do
Read the guide →Top sights across China
- 1🧱
Great Wall
A world wonder thousands of kilometers long; the Badaling and Mutianyu sections are most popular.
📍 Beijing - 2🏯
Forbidden City
The Ming-Qing imperial palace in central Beijing, next to Tiananmen Square.
📍 Beijing - 3🗿
Terracotta Army
Thousands of terracotta figures guarding the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.
📍 Xi'an - 4🌃
The Bund
Shanghai's waterfront, with old European buildings facing the futuristic Pudong skyline at night.
📍 Shanghai - 5⛰️
Zhangjiajie
Sky-piercing stone pillars that inspired the film Avatar, with a glass bridge and cable cars.
📍 Hunan - 6🛶
Guilin / Yangshuo
Oddly shaped limestone peaks by the river — cruise along to see the classic scenery of China.
📍 Guangxi
🚆 Getting around China
High-speed rail
The Gaotie (G-train) connects major cities; book via app or at the station and board with your passport.
City metro
Every big city has comprehensive subways with English signage; you can pay by QR code.
Domestic flights
The country is vast, so flying is easier for long routes like Xinjiang and Tibet.
DiDi
The popular ride-hailing app (like Grab) has an English mode — cheap and convenient.
🛂 Etiquette & culture in China
Cashless
China uses Alipay/WeChat Pay almost everywhere; tourists can now link foreign cards — set it up in advance.
The Great Firewall
Google/Facebook/Line/IG don't work in China — you'll need a VPN or a roaming eSIM that gets through.
Visa
Thais enter China visa-free (check the latest conditions before going) — always carry your passport.
Language
English is rare outside big cities; bring a translation app and your hotel's address in Chinese.
💸 Daily budget — a rough guide
Budget
🛏️ Hostel / 2–3 star hotel $11–26
Eat street food or at local spots and pay easily with Alipay or WeChat Pay.
Comfortable
🛏️ 4-star hotel in the city center $34–71
Take high-speed rail between cities easily — cheaper than domestic flights.
Premium
🛏️ Luxury 5-star hotel $100+
Shanghai and Beijing have world-class luxury hotels, some with gorgeous Huangpu River views.
🗓️ When to visit China
Spring
Mar – MayLovely weather and blooming flowers — the best time to visit.
Summer
Jun – AugHot and rainy with crowds during school holidays — good for the highlands and the north.
Autumn
Sep – NovPleasantly cool, clear skies, and changing leaves — another ideal season.
Winter
Dec – FebBitterly cold in the north, with the Harbin Ice Festival; avoid Chinese New Year when crowds travel en masse.
Book — hotels our team picked
Hand-picked from the highest guest-rated hotels we've reviewed in China — compare prices across 3 sites.
★ 9.8💑 Great for your trip
★ 9.7💑 Great for your trip
★ 9.7💑 Great for your tripWant to see every option in China?
Browse all our ranked stay reviews — every budget and area, with real photos and price comparison.
View the top city guide →FAQ — visiting China
Do Thai travelers need a visa for China?+
Thais currently enter China visa-free, but always check the latest conditions and length of stay before you travel.
Which city should I visit first in China?+
For a first trip, try Beijing (history) + Shanghai (the megacity), or Chengdu (pandas + food), then continue to Zhangjiajie/Guilin for nature.
Can I use Thai apps on the internet in China?+
Mainland China blocks Google/Line/Facebook/IG — you'll need a VPN or a roaming eSIM from outside China to use them.
Tips before you go to China
- Set up a VPN/eSIM that works with Google-Line-IG before entering China.
- Link a card to Alipay/WeChat Pay in advance — many places don't take cash.
- Save your hotel's address in Chinese to show taxi drivers.
- Book high-speed rail tickets in advance during long holidays.