Everything we tell our own guests

Visa & entry

China has become dramatically easier to enter. As of 2026, passport holders from most European countries, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and a long list of others can enter visa-free for tourism for up to 30 days. There is also a 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit policy for many more nationalities arriving through major hubs.

• Visa-free stays are counted from midnight the day after arrival — a 30-day allowance gives you 30 full days.
• You need a passport valid for at least six months, a confirmed onward ticket and an address in China (your first hotel is fine).
• Travellers who need a visa should apply 4–6 weeks ahead; we send an invitation letter and hotel confirmation with your booking.
• Tibet is the exception: it requires a Tibet Travel Permit arranged through a licensed operator — that is us — and we need your passport and visa scan 20 days before arrival.

Best time to go — by region

China is roughly the size of Europe, so "the best time to visit China" is not a real question. It is a question of which China.

Two dates to avoid if you can: the first week of October (National Day) and the week of Chinese New Year. Everything is open, but everything is also full.

Getting around

High-speed rail is the reason multi-city China trips actually work. Beijing to Xi'an is 4.5 hours; Xi'an to Chengdu 3.5; Shanghai to Hangzhou under an hour. Trains are punctual to the minute and stations are airports with better food.

• Book 10–14 days ahead for popular morning departures and for 2nd class on holidays.
• Bring your passport — it is your ticket. Gates read the chip, not a QR code.
• For long western legs (Lhasa, Kashgar, Dunhuang) domestic flights save days; we build them in.
• In cities, metro plus DiDi (the local Uber, English interface) covers almost everything. We arrange a driver when it does not.

Money & apps

China is close to cashless. Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before you fly — both now accept international Visa and Mastercard — and link a card in the app. A small amount of cash (¥300–500) is still useful for temple donation boxes and village markets.

• Alipay has an English "Tour Pass" flow and is the easiest for visitors; WeChat Pay is the fallback.
• eSIM before departure: a travel eSIM keeps Google, WhatsApp and Instagram working without a VPN.
• Maps: Apple Maps works well in China; Google Maps is unreliable. Amap is better but Chinese-only.
• Tipping is not expected. Guides and drivers are paid properly — that is the point.

Food & etiquette

You will not eat "Chinese food" in China. You will eat Sichuan, Cantonese, Shaanxi, Uyghur and Yunnanese, and they have almost nothing in common beyond rice and tea.

• Dishes are shared. Order roughly one dish per person plus rice or noodles.
• Never stand chopsticks upright in rice — it mirrors funeral incense. Rest them on the holder or the bowl edge.
• Your host will over-order. It is hospitality, not a test.
• Tell us about allergies and vegetarianism early; we brief every guide and pre-write the phrases for you.
• Tipping guides is optional; a good guide is better rewarded with a review that helps them get the next booking.

Health & safety

China is one of the safest countries you will travel in. Petty theft is rare, night walking is normal, and lost phones come back more often than you would expect.

• Altitude: Lhasa sits at 3,650 m. We build in a rest day, monitor symptoms and carry oxygen on Tibet routes.
• Water: drink bottled or boiled. Hotel kettles are standard in every room.
• Pharmacies are everywhere and cheap; bring your own prescription medicine in original packaging.
• Insurance is mandatory on our trips — include hiking and altitude cover if your route goes above 3,000 m.
• Emergency: 120 ambulance, 110 police. Your guide's number is faster than both.