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Here’s the thing.

China is a huge country with so much variation from north to south and west to east.

It’s easy to feel vulnerable and think China is too large to explore on your own.

Heck, we did.

We booked a GAdventure tour for part of our stay but still had 15 days by ourselves. We worried we had made a big mistake.

But we wondered if we could converse if we would get lost, if the food was ok to eat, and if it was safe. So many thoughts passed through our heads. Maybe we underestimated our ability to survive a month in China.

But like most decisions, having a good night’s sleep and reading some blogs got us out of crisis mode and plucked up our courage to be enchanted by creating our itinerary for China.

And we can say now with confidence, don’t be scared to explore away from the main cities of Beijing and Shanghai or the popular areas of Xian and Yangshou.

If China is one of your bucket list travel destinations, let China lure you to its captivating must-see places to explore.

We understand if you’re still nervous about visiting China, so we have some helpful suggestions and tips. So you can create your itinerary for China knowing you are in for a fantastic time.

We have found 10 amazing places to experience the best of China—a few big cities and some off-the-beaten-track places.

So let’s get started.

 

Organize your VISA for China

If your country of residence is in the UK, Australia, Canada, or EU countries, you must apply for a Visa through the online Chinese Visa Application Service Center (CVASC).

Otherwise, you will need to make your Visa application at a Chinese Consular Office in your city or country. The documentation required will be listed on the appropriate website.

(In New Zealand, visit the Chinese Consular Visa Office in Wellington)

Some of the documentation required for the Visa application is:

• valid passport
• recent passport-sized photographs
• confirmation of outward travel from China
• confirmation of hotel accommodation

The visa process does ask for a lot of information, so grab a coffee and allow at least an hour to complete the documentation. For example, they want to know:

• who are your brothers and sisters
• your parent’s details
• where will you be staying in China
• and much, much more

So make sure that the coffee is large.

 

Is China Expensive to Visit?

We are comfort travellers, so we always look for authentic and trustworthy deals when booking, especially for accommodation.

What we found in China was an increase in our daily travel expenses to cover accommodation, especially in the larger cities.

We used 4-star hotels because the ratings and reviews were far better than 3-star or below.

We felt that the 4-star hotels were more like 3-star, but at least the rooms were clean, and the toilet was separated from the shower.

(Yes, we have had bathrooms with the shower over the toilet!)

On the other hand, food was relatively inexpensive, even at restaurants. We tend to eat where the locals eat for authentic food, but also to mingle.

The bargain was public transport and high-speed trains. Compared to train prices in Europe and the UK, the Chinese high-speed trains were about half the cost, cleaner and on time.

Booking.com for a 10% discount.

Travel Tips for China

Before you embark on your trip to China, you need to:

• Add What’s App to your smartphone
• Add WeChat to your smartphone (used most by the Chinese)
• Organize an email address (not Gmail, which is blocked)
• Purchase an RFID card for your wallet
• Learn Mandarin for hello, thank you, where is …

Facebook and Gmail are blocked in China. We suggest you organize a different email provider before you leave your home country.

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a way around this. Again, set this up before you enter China so you have access to emails.

But there are no worries about Wi-Fi in China.

It doesn’t seem to matter if you are in a large city or some remote village; there’s always Wifi with a common password of 12345678.

Hello – Ni hao

Thank you – Xiexie (sounds like sher, sher)

Goodbye – Zaijian (sounds like tie chian)

Where is – Nali (sounds like Na li)

Please – Qing (sounds like Ching)

 

Travel by Fast Train in China

Train travel in China is efficient, reasonably priced and the best way to see more of China.

Between the major cities—and we aren’t just talking about Beijing and Shanghai—fast trains run on time, are clean, and take the stress away from flying.

We used China Highlights to book our online train travel.

You will need the following for the ticketing process:

• A valid passport
• VISA or Mastercard (PayPal is also accepted for online ticketing)
• choose to have the ticket sent to your hotel (easiest option) or
• choose to collect the ticket at the train station (if short on time)

A commission ranges between USD5-USD15, and the ticket can be sent directly to your hotel or collected from the train station.

Otherwise, train tickets can only be purchased within 20 days of departure from the train station.

Types of Trains and Reserved Seats

When booking your train travel, you have choices for the type of train and seat you book.

1. G Class Trains – are the most expensive, but they are the fastest at 300 km/h
2. D Class Trains – have more stops than Class G trains at a speed of 250 km/h
3. C Class Trains – travel shorter distances between urban towns and cities

Seat reservation is First Class, Business Class or Second Class, the latter being the class most booked.

Important information for train travel:

• Before entering any train station, you will pass through a security check.
• Access to the train platform is allowed about 5 minutes before the train’s arrival.
• You have about 1-2 minutes to board when the train arrives. Yikes, you need to be quick.

Check for National Chinese Holidays

Knowing when significant holidays occur in China will help you plan your travel.

To avoid being overwhelmed by people, please be aware of the dates below when travelling in China, especially May 1st.

If you are visiting during these months, book trains well in advance to be assured of a ticket.

• January to February – Spring Festival
• 1st May – National Holiday
• July – August – Summer holidays

 

10 Amazing Places to Visit in China

China is significant in the size of the country, its cities, and its population. To say, at times, we were overwhelmed is an understatement.

Our home country, New Zealand, has a total population of 5 million, so standing in one of the largest train stations, Shanghai Hongqiao, which has a total area of 1.3 million square meters, we felt insignificant.

Shanghai Hongqiao is currently the largest train station in Asia. Using trains was one of the best ways to get around China.

We felt safe, could converse by learning a smattering of Mandarin, and were ready for the allure of our China experience.

 

 

1. Shaolin Monastery and Longmen Grottoes

Shaolin Monastery is one of the lesser-known places in China. It is certainly unique as it is the training place for Kung Fu.

It may not be at the top of your bucket list of places to visit in China, but it is worth considering a 2-day short break at Shaolin Temple in Henan Province.

It’s certainly a talking point for any traveller.

The Shaolin Temple dates to the 5th century and continues today to teach young boys Shaolin Kung Fu and Buddhism to the monks.

By staying at a Guesthouse, you can observe the daily routine of some of the 30,000 students in training. Witnessing the dedication of boys as young as 6 years old each day practising King Fu and completing their school lessons gives you a different perspective on daily life.

During your stay, you can take the Cable car to Song Shan Mountain for a cliff walk to the Huang Zhai Temple. Not for the faint-hearted. While the cable car is enjoyable, the cliff walk is sometimes narrow. Even if the views are fantastic, watch your step.

A day trip from Shaolin Monastery is the Longmen Grottoes to view over 100,000 Buddhas carved into the rocks during the North Wei dynasty. It is very impressive to see the incredible carvings from centuries ago.

Take a train from Beijing or Xian to Zhengzhou, then take a bus to each place.

For a unique experience in China, book a guesthouse stay at Shaolin Monastery.

Related Post: Five Best Things to See in Xian

2. Amazing Beauty of Hangzhou

Hangzhou is south of Shanghai and one of the best places to visit in China, even for local Chinese.

Steeped in history, you’ll be enthralled with West Lake, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since the 9th century, West Lake has been a place of inspiration for artists and poets.

West Lake showcases its unforgettable gardens, pavilions, temples and bridges, making it a popular destination.

With lake cruises or cycle tours, West Lake is easy to navigate and explore.

Hangzhou was one of our favourite places to visit in China.

Related Post: Beauty of West Lake in Hangzhou

3. Walk the City Wall of Nanjing

Nanjing means ‘Southern Capital’, and held this position at various times from 229BC to 1949.

The city has an incredible history through the reign of various dynasties but also a period of sadness in 1937 when the invading Imperial Army of Japan massacred 300,000 Nanjingese.

Points of Interest to visit in Nanjing:

• Xuanwu Lake Park
• Confucius Temple
• Nanjing City Wall
• Presidential Palace
• Purple Mountain
• Memorial Hall of the Victims of Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders

Besides walking the Nanjing City Wall, visiting the famous Presidential Palace is a must-see in Nanjing.

At the Presidential Palace on 1st January 1912, the founder of the Republic of China, Sun Yat-sen presidency began. It was then known as the Headquarters of the Nationalist Government.

To visit the mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen, you will need to take the metro to Purple Mountain.

Related Post: 7 Unique Things to See in Nanjing

4. Longji Rice Terraces Trek and Homestay

While trekking isn’t on everyone’s bucket list, for us, it was more about experiencing the visual beauty of Longsheng rice terraces.

How often have you seen photos of these incredible rice terraces scaling up the sides of mountains?

It’s incredible to think these rice terraces date to the Yuan Dynasty (13-14th century). What a tribute to those people who, even today, still use manual methods to harvest the rice.

We chose a 3-night, 2-day stay at Longji Rice Terraces, easily accessed from Guilin.

This website, China Highlights, has more information on how to get from Guilin to Longji and the best time to visit.

For a personal experience of Longji Rice Terraces Trek and Ping’an Village Homestay, we have more information on planning your trip in the post below.

Related Post: How to Experience a Trek and HomeStay in Longji

5. Three Days in Yangshuo

Visiting Yangshuo in the Guangxi region was on our bucket list for views of its incredible mountain karst and pinnacle landscapes.

With river cruises along the Li River, cycle tours in the Yulong River Ecological Park or a hike up Moon Hill, Yangshuo town makes a perfect 3-day stop on your China itinerary.

The town does have a resort feel, so the nightlife is colourful.

But Yangshou is perfect for experiencing the dawn sunrise at Xiang Gong Mountain, a site used by National Geographical photographers. The view overlooking the Li River as the sun rises over the karst mountains is something you will remember forever.

We also took a side trip to tea plantations at Seven Fairies Peak to learn about tea growing and the tea ceremony in China.

Related Post: Popular Highlights of Yangshuo

Organize your Travel Insurance for China

When organizing your travel insurance to visit places in Asia, purchase a robust policy. When you need urgent medical attention, a hospital where English is spoken is essential to ensure you receive the best medical care. It will also mean you understand what is happening.

It’s one of the reasons we chose Cover-More.

Although we have had only minor claims over the past three years, Cover-More’s online response and payment were efficient. It’s all done without any hassle.

6. Cycle the Xian City Wall

Xian City was an unexpected visit.

Most travelers only know Xian for the UNESCO Terracotta Warriors, 40km drive from Xian city. A city they never get to visit. A huge mistake.

At the eastern end of the Silk Road, Xian City was also the capital city of 13 dynasties.

Xian is a fascinating city that offers food and shopping in the Muslim Quarter. Xi’an has an expansive variation for food lovers to sample, from noodles and dumplings to lamb cooked with spices and kabobs.

Or cycle the 14 kms Xian city walls built during the Ming dynasty.

Related Post: Best of Xian in 48 Hours

Don’t be scared to try Street Food.

Whenever we are unsure of new food or street food, we pop a Travelan for extra tummy protection. Its active ingredient is 200 mg of hyperimmune colostrum enriched with anti-E.coli antibodies. Natural and gluten-free.

No one wants to spend their time sitting on a toilet or in desperate need of a toilet.

A friend introduced us to Travelan, and it was one of the best travel gifts. Knowing our stomach had an “extra lining” before we ate gave us the confidence to try so many new foods throughout Asia.

We got through four months of Asia without any problems, apart from Terry not taking Travelan before eating fried grasshoppers.

 

7. Find the Old and New of Shanghai

Shanghai is a stimulating city to spend 7 days exploring.

The city is diverse, with a French Quarter, modern Pudong, The Bund, and People’s Park.

Exploring Shanghai on foot or using the metro will allow you to explore most of the must-see places in Shanghai.

Within the city, you can relax in the Yuan Gardens, wander through the hutong of Tanzifang or go shopping on Nanjing Road.

Go for a drink at a bar in Yongkang Lu, watch the sunset at The Bund, and enjoy dinner at the French Concession.

There are new foods every day, like local Chinese Pancake Street food, Shanghainese food, and French cuisine.

Shanghai’s diversity makes it a perfect stopover to experience China and its surrounding cities of Hangzhou and Nanjing—or water towns of Xiteng, Wuzhen, and Suzhou.

Related Post: Where to Spend 7 Days in Shanghai

8. Best of Beijing in 3 Days

Beijing, China’s capital city, is one of the historical places to visit for the Forbidden City and the Great China Wall.

It is an easy city to navigate by metro (in English) to see famous temples and Hutongs.

Savour foods like Peking Duck, try ethnic foods in Hutongs or relax in one of the many bars in the Xicheng district.

To book your tour of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, check out the reviews, tour itineraries and prices with Viator.

What about the Smog in Beijing?

If you have concerns about the smog in Beijing, you can purchase masks in local convenience stores. We didn’t need them for Beijing as the weather was sunny and clear for our stay in June. However, we did use them for our cycle in Xian.

Related Post: How to See 10 Best Things in Beijing

9. What is the Famous Thing to Do in China

It would have to be walking the Great Wall of China. The incredible structure is one of the most historical places in China, along with the Xian Terracotta Warriors, making it an important bucket list must-see of China.

From Beijing, tour groups organized to spend a half-day or the whole day walking a section of the Great Wall of China.

We walked the Mutianyu Great Wall of China section with our tour group. And most of it was deserted, so at times, we were the only two people to be seen.

The Great Wall is often referred to as the backbone of a dinosaur as it traverses the ridge. Once you start walking the wall between some of the towers, you soon realize how steep they are with their narrow steps.

The bonus for your exertion is the views are phenomenal.

After paying an entrance fee for Mutianyu, you can either walk up to Tower 8 or take the cable car—the restored section of Mutianyu traverses from Tower 1 to Tower 20.

To read more about the best time to walk the wall and experience climbing an unrestored section, check out the post below.

Related Post: Walking Two Different Sections of the Great China Wall

10. Book a Hong Kong Stopover

Hong Kong is a surprising stopover for travellers to Europe. Having the Chinese aspect of  Kowloon and the British feel of Hong Kong island makes 48 hours in Hong Kong captivating.

If everything Chinese is your preference, then Kowloon has daily and night markets for shopping, authentic Chinese dishes to savour and a place to watch the light show every evening on Victoria Harbour.

For a more British feel, seek out Hong Kong Island for the famous Peak Tram to Victoria Peak for unbeatable views of the Hong Kong skyline.

If you are short on time, book a half-day or a full-day tour with Viator.

Related Post: 5 Choices for a Hong Kong Stopover

 

Are you ready to visit China?

If, like us, you are ready to plan and book your itinerary of China, at least you know it isn’t as scary as you first thought.

Subways in the major cities have instructions in English at platforms, ticket machines, and carriages, making getting to and from the airports a breeze.

Even in the remotest of villages, China still connects you with the outside world with fast wifi. So, the family knows where you are and how you are.

Having some of the lesser-known places to visit, some of them unique will make your self-planned China itinerary much more rewarding. You’ll have awesome stories to tell.

China is a nice place to visit for a remarkable travel experience.