Choose your places first, allow most of a day for each move between cities, and sort out entry, payments and your phone before you leave.
Choosing a route
Tea, gardens and water towns point to Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou, which are each under two hours apart by high-speed train. Imperial history points to Beijing and Xi'an. Sichuan food, teahouses and opera point to Chengdu, about three hours' flight from Shanghai.
For a first trip of around ten days, two bases with a day trip or two is usually more enjoyable than a new hotel every night. Remember that a late flight in and an early flight out take up most of two days.
Entry requirements
UK passport holders can visit for up to 30 days without a visa until 31 December 2026. US passport holders need a visa unless their trip qualifies for the 240-hour transit rule. Our visa guide explains both.
Before you leave
Set up Alipay and WeChat Pay with a foreign card. How to pay in China.
Decide how you will get online. Internet, roaming and eSIMs.
Save each hotel's name and address in Chinese, with a map pin.
Download an offline translation pack and test it in airplane mode.
Tell your bank you are travelling, so your first payment in China is not blocked.
Food and access needs
If you have an allergy or a strict diet, write it down in Chinese before you go and show it when you order. Dishes often share stocks, oils and sauces, so ask about those as well as the main ingredient. If anyone in your group has mobility needs, plan for steps: old streets, temples and many stations have plenty of them.
How much help you want
You can add a single cultural day to a trip you have already planned, join one of our small-group journeys, or ask us to design a private route.
Sources & checking details
Entry rules can change. Confirm them with the Chinese embassy or consulate before you book flights.
