NotesFromChina NotesFromChina

Travel Guides

Topic-based series and standalone deep dives. Pick a cluster that matches your trip, or browse individual guides below.

Guide Series

Pre-Trip Prep travel guide cluster

Everything Before You Board

Pre-Trip Prep

13 articles in this series

China Digital Survival travel guide cluster

VPN, eSIM, Payments & Apps

China Digital Survival

5 articles in this series

China Food Guide travel guide cluster

What to Eat in Every City

China Food Guide

8 articles in this series

Getting Around China travel guide cluster

Trains, Bikes, Roads & Transit

Getting Around China

7 articles in this series

Niche Travel Themes travel guide cluster

Tea, Tech, Hidden Gems & Epic Routes

Niche Travel Themes

23 articles in this series

Where to Stay in China travel guide cluster

Hotels, Hostels & Booking Tips

Where to Stay in China

7 articles in this series

More Guides

A Chinese domestic airliner on the apron at a modern terminal with a boarding bridge attached

China Domestic Flights: Booking, Airports & What It Costs (2026)

Oct 28, 2026

Clear turquoise water in a Jiuzhaigou lake with sunken tree trunks visible on the bottom, autumn forest behind

Jiuzhaigou National Park Guide: Booking, Trains & 2026 Costs

Oct 28, 2026

Tourists crossing the wide stone courtyard at the Forbidden City in Beijing under afternoon light

4 Days in Beijing: An Itinerary That Actually Works

Oct 28, 2026

A busy Chinese commercial street at night, lit by shop signs in Chinese

China Travel Trends: What's Actually Happening Right Now

Oct 21, 2026

Dragon boats racing on a river during the Dragon Boat Festival in China

Dragon Boat Festival 2026: Where to Watch, What to Eat & How to Join

Oct 20, 2026

Chinese yuan banknotes on top of passports, planning a China trip budget

China Trip Cost by City: Real Daily Budgets for 10 Destinations

Oct 7, 2026

Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet

Tibet Travel Guide: Permits, Lhasa & Everest for Foreign Travelers

Sep 21, 2026

The Great Wall of China winding along a snowy mountain ridge

China Travel Guide for First-Timers: What I Wish I Knew

Sep 12, 2026

Man carries child on shoulders walking down a crowded street

China Travel with Kids: Family Tips & Realities

Sep 11, 2026

Karst mountains rise above a tranquil river with bamboo trees near Yangshuo

Li River Bamboo Raft Guide: Routes, Tickets & What It's Really Like

Sep 7, 2026

West Lake in Hangzhou with Leifeng Pagoda and lush green hills

Harbin Ice Festival: The World's Largest Ice City at -30°C

Sep 7, 2026

Terraced rice fields reflecting the sky at sunset — summer in China's countryside

China in Summer 2026: Weather, Crowds & Where to Go

Sep 6, 2026

Beijing's Forbidden City on the left, Shanghai's skyline on the right

Beijing vs Shanghai for First-Timers: Which City Should You Visit?

Aug 29, 2026

Frozen Tianchi lake in the Tianshan mountains of Xinjiang

Xinjiang Travel Guide: Permits, Safety & What to Know

Aug 21, 2026

West Lake in Hangzhou with traditional pavilion and lush green hills

Hangzhou Travel Guide: West Lake, Tea & the City Locals Love

Aug 21, 2026

Karst peaks rising above lush green hills near the Li River in Guilin, China

Guilin 3-Day Itinerary: Bamboo Rafts, Karst Peaks & Rice Noodles

Aug 17, 2026

Visitors viewing the Terracotta Army at the UNESCO World Heritage site in Xi'an, China

Xi'an 2-Day Itinerary: Warriors, Walls & the Muslim Quarter

Jul 13, 2026