Q.Which guide should I read first?
A.Start with the payment guide and the entry checklist — they cover the two things you need before landing.
Guides
China Travel Guides for First-Time Visitors
A practical library for the questions that affect your first days in China — entry, payment, internet, transport, safety and city planning.
ChecklistPaymentVisa / EntryInternetTransportSafety
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City Planning
How to Plan Your First China Itinerary: 7, 10, 14, 21 and 30-Day Routes
Build a realistic first China itinerary by choosing the right number of cities, allowing for transfer days, and matching the route to your pace, season and interests.
Updated Sep 10, 2026
Food Basics
How to Order Food in China Without Speaking Chinese: Menus, QR Ordering and Dietary Restrictions
Use Chinese menus and QR ordering, communicate dietary needs, solve App failures and order more safely in China without speaking Chinese.
Transport
DiDi and Taxis in China for Foreign Visitors: Pickup, Payment and Backup Plans
Set up DiDi, choose a legal pickup point, avoid airport and station confusion, communicate with drivers and recover when payment or location sharing fails.
City Planning
How to Book China Attraction Tickets with a Foreign Passport
A practical guide to official attraction websites, passport-name entry, booking windows, payment problems and sold-out recovery for overseas visitors in China.
All articles
All Published Guides
Browse the complete published guide list.
City Planning
How to Plan Your First China Itinerary: 7, 10, 14, 21 and 30-Day Routes
Build a realistic first China itinerary by choosing the right number of cities, allowing for transfer days, and matching the route to your pace, season and interests.
Food Basics
How to Order Food in China Without Speaking Chinese: Menus, QR Ordering and Dietary Restrictions
Use Chinese menus and QR ordering, communicate dietary needs, solve App failures and order more safely in China without speaking Chinese.
Transport
DiDi and Taxis in China for Foreign Visitors: Pickup, Payment and Backup Plans
Set up DiDi, choose a legal pickup point, avoid airport and station confusion, communicate with drivers and recover when payment or location sharing fails.
City Planning
How to Book China Attraction Tickets with a Foreign Passport
A practical guide to official attraction websites, passport-name entry, booking windows, payment problems and sold-out recovery for overseas visitors in China.
Visa / Entry
Do You Need a Visa for China? A 2026 Entry Guide for Tourists
Work out whether your short trip to mainland China fits ordinary visa-free entry, 240-hour visa-free transit, or requires an L tourist visa—and learn what to verify before you book.
Visa / Entry
China Tourist Tax Refund 2026: Eligibility, Shopping Rules and Airport Steps
Learn who qualifies for China’s tourist VAT refund, what to request while shopping, how Customs verification works and which airport mistakes can invalidate a claim.
Transport
How to Get from a China Airport to Your Hotel: Taxi, Metro, DiDi, or Transfer
Choose the easiest airport-to-hotel option for your arrival time, luggage, mobile data and pickup confidence, with practical backup plans if the first option fails.
Transport
China Train Station Guide for Foreign Travelers: Passport, Security and Boarding
A step-by-step guide to using a mainland China train station with a foreign passport, from choosing the correct station and clearing security to finding the gate, boarding and getting help when a passport reader fails.
Hotel
Checking into Hotels in Mainland China as a Foreign Visitor
Learn what foreign guests need at China hotel check-in, how accommodation registration works, and what to do if reception cannot or will not check you in.
Internet
Will Your Phone Work in China? Internet Guide for Tourists
A practical internet and app setup guide for first-time China visitors, covering eSIMs, roaming, local SIMs, VPN cautions, maps, translation, payment verification, and arrival-day backup plans.
Checklist
First Trip to China Checklist: What to Plan, Book, Set Up, and Watch For
A friendly first-trip China checklist for overseas visitors, covering what to plan, book, set up, and watch for before and during a China trip.
Transport
How to Book China High-Speed Train Tickets with a Passport
A practical guide for foreign visitors booking China high-speed train tickets with a passport, including 12306, station entry, ID checks, ticket changes, refunds and first-time visitor mistakes.
Payment
China Payment Guide for Tourists: Alipay, WeChat Pay, Cards, Cash Backup, and Payment Fails
A practical China payment guide for first-time overseas visitors, covering Alipay, WeChat Pay, overseas cards, cash backup, QR payments, and what to do when payment fails.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q.Are these guides kept up to date?
A.We review and update guides regularly. Check the date at the top of each article for the latest revision.
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