Skip to main content
Gate8 GLOBAL 🇨🇳Your destinationChina▾
China
The complete guide

China

Everything you need to plan a great trip — from the Great Wall to a futuristic skyline — without the guesswork, especially on the visa rules.

Flight time 10-15h depending on originFrom $700-1,400 round-tripVisa Visa-free up to 30 days for many nationalities (not all)*Time zone GMT+8

China rewards 10-14 days minimum: Beijing (3-4 days, the Great Wall and Forbidden City), Xi'an (1-2 days, the Terracotta Army), and Shanghai (2-3 days, the Bund and French Concession), connected by excellent high-speed rail. Best months are April-May and September-mid-October. Visa rules vary more by nationality than almost anywhere else — many nationalities (most of the EU, UK, Canada, Australia, several Gulf states, Brazil) get 30 days visa-free through 2026, while others (the US, India) still need a visa arranged in advance. Budget from $45/day backpacking, $100-180/day mid-range.

China is not a country you "do" quickly, and it's also not the intimidating, impossible-to-navigate place a lot of outdated advice makes it sound like. It's an enormous, staggeringly varied country where a 2,000-year-old buried army, one of the most photographed skylines on Earth, and a genuinely different regional cuisine every few hundred miles are all part of the same trip — connected, these days, by some of the best high-speed trains in the world.

This guide covers everything: where to go, how many days, when to fly, what it actually costs in USD, and — because this genuinely matters more here than almost anywhere else — the visa rule for your specific passport, not a generic one-size-fits-all answer. Written to be genuinely useful, and updated through the season.

Destinations

All Destinations ←
Beijing
Destinations

Beijing

3–4 days, the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and 800 years of capital-city history.

Shanghai
Destinations

Shanghai

2–3 days, a futuristic skyline, and the gentlest introduction to China.

Xi'an
Destinations

Xi'an

1–2 days for one of the ancient world's genuine wonders, plus phenomenal street food.

Attractions

All Attractions ←
China's Best Attractions
Attractions

China's Best Attractions

What's genuinely worth the trip — from the Great Wall to the Li River.

Food

All Food ←
Chinese Food: What to Eat and What It Costs
Food

Chinese Food: What to Eat and What It Costs

Regional cuisine, must-try dishes, real prices, and how to order without the language.

Practical Info

All Practical Info ←
China Visa & Entry Requirements (2026)
Practical Info

China Visa & Entry Requirements (2026)

The real answer, broken down by passport — this one varies more than almost any other destination.

Money, Safety & Getting Online in China
Practical Info

Money, Safety & Getting Online in China

Mobile payments, real safety risks, and the Great Firewall — the practical stuff that actually trips people up.

Articles & Comparisons

All Articles & Comparisons ←
Beijing or Shanghai: Which Chinese City Is Right for You?
Articles & Comparisons

Beijing or Shanghai: Which Chinese City Is Right for You?

An honest head-to-head — not just 'both are great.'

Best Time to Visit China
Articles & Comparisons

Best Time to Visit China

Spring and autumn win almost everywhere — but two holiday weeks are worth building around.

Questions people actually ask

How many days do I need in China?
10 days is a reasonable minimum for the classic Beijing-Xi'an-Shanghai route. 12-14 days lets you add a couple of relaxed buffer days or a day trip (Suzhou or Hangzhou from Shanghai). 3+ weeks opens up Guilin's Li River karst landscape and Chengdu for pandas and Sichuan food as genuine additions, not rushed detours.
When is the best time to visit China?
April-May and mid-September-mid-October are the strongest windows almost everywhere — mild temperatures, clearer skies, and the best visibility for both the Great Wall and the Li River. Avoid Chinese New Year (February 17, 2026, block out roughly Feb 10-24) and China's National Day holiday (October 1-7), when domestic travel surges dramatically.
How much does a trip to China cost?
Backpacker budget: from $45/day (hostels, street food, public transport, high-speed rail in second class). Mid-range comfort: $100-180/day (3-4 star hotels, restaurant meals, some private transport). A two-week trip for two people, flights included, typically runs $3,500-$5,500 mid-range, more at the luxury end. China remains reasonably affordable relative to its scale of attractions.
Do I need a visa for China?
It depends heavily on your passport — see our full visa & entry guide. As of mid-2026, most of the EU, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, several Gulf states, Brazil, and China's Southeast Asian neighbors get 30 days visa-free through December 31, 2026. The US and India are notable exceptions still requiring a visa arranged in advance.
Is China safe to visit?
Yes, very much so from a crime standpoint — violent crime against tourists is genuinely rare, and China is considered one of the safer major destinations in the world, including for solo travelers. The real friction points are practical: mobile-payment setup and the Great Firewall (you'll want a VPN), not personal danger.
Will I need a VPN in China?
Yes, if you want to use Google, Gmail, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, or most Western news and mapping apps — all blocked by default by China's Great Firewall. Install and test a VPN before you land; VPN websites and app stores are themselves blocked once you're inside the country.
Beijing or Shanghai first?
Either order works well since both have major international airports, but most first-timers land in Beijing (heavier on history and logistics, so tackling it while fresh helps) and end in Shanghai (a gentler, more relaxing final stop before flying home).
Does my credit card work in China?
Inconsistently — international Visa/Mastercard works at big hotels and international chains, but most daily transactions (street food, taxis, small shops) run on Alipay or WeChat Pay. Set up Alipay's international tourist mode (link your existing card, no Chinese bank account needed) before you go.