China

This guide covers mainland China — Hong Kong and Macau have separate entry rules. Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality, so confirm the rules for your own passport before booking. China has expanded visa-free entry significantly: as of early 2026, citizens of dozens of countries — including most of Europe, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and Canada — can enter visa-free for up to 30 days. The United States is not on that unilateral list, so most US passport holders still need a tourist (L) visa.

Separately, China runs a generous visa-free transit scheme: travellers from many countries (including the US) passing through to a third country can stay up to 240 hours (10 days) without a visa, entering via a designated port with an onward ticket. If you are not covered by visa-free entry or transit, apply for a tourist visa in advance through a Chinese embassy or visa centre.

Visa-free policies are trial programmes that change frequently. Always verify the rules — eligibility, permitted stay and entry ports — for your specific passport with China's National Immigration Administration and your nearest Chinese embassy before booking flights.

The currency is the renminbi (RMB), with the basic unit the yuan (¥). China runs largely on two mobile payment apps — Alipay and WeChat Pay — used via QR codes for almost everything. Both now work for foreign visitors: download them before you arrive, register with your home phone number and passport, and link an international Visa or Mastercard. Setting up both is wise, as one occasionally fails where the other works.

Linking a foreign card can trigger verification checks that take a day or more, so set this up well before departure. Carry some cash as a backup — vendors must accept it by law, though some are reluctant. Foreign credit cards work at international hotels and larger establishments but not reliably elsewhere; ATMs at major banks (Bank of China, ICBC) accept foreign cards.

Tipping is not customary in mainland China — it is not expected in restaurants or taxis. The main exception is guides and drivers on private or organised tours, where a tip is appreciated.

A handshake or a simple smile and nod works for greetings. Learning a few words — 'nǐ hǎo' (hello), 'xièxie' (thank you) — is appreciated, and a translation app is invaluable, since English is limited outside major hotels and tourist sites.

Meals are served family-style with shared dishes. A few chopstick rules matter: never stand chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice, don't tap them on bowls, and don't pass food chopstick-to-chopstick. Hosts are generous and usually insist on paying; a token offer is courteous. The concept of 'face' (miànzi) underpins interactions — avoid causing public embarrassment, criticising someone in front of others, or losing your temper.

If giving a gift, present it with both hands; avoid clocks, white or yellow flowers, and gifts in sets of four (the number sounds like 'death'). Politically sensitive topics are best avoided in conversation.

China's main international gateways are Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Shenzhen. Between cities, the high-speed rail network is the standout — vast, fast, punctual and comfortable, often beating flying. Book through the official 12306 platform (English interface, accepts foreign cards) or a trusted app like Trip.com; your passport is your ticket — just scan it at the gate.

Within cities, metro systems are excellent, cheap and signed in English in more than 50 cities. For door-to-door trips, DiDi is the dominant ride-hailing app — it has an English interface, accepts foreign cards and includes in-app translation, and is generally preferable to flagging street taxis.

One practical reality: many Western apps you'd rely on to navigate — Google Maps in particular — are blocked. Download offline maps, use Apple Maps, or arrange a VPN before you arrive (see Staying connected).

China's 'Great Firewall' blocks many Western services — Google, Maps, Gmail, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and X among them. On a standard Chinese SIM or local Wi-Fi these will not load, so plan your tools around this before you travel.

The simplest workaround for most visitors is a travel eSIM bought before departure. Because many travel eSIMs route data through international gateways, they often let you use Google, WhatsApp and the rest as you would at home — but check that the eSIM explicitly advertises this. The alternative, a VPN, must be installed and tested before you arrive: most VPN provider websites are themselves blocked inside China.

Wi-Fi is widespread in hotels, cafés and airports, but it runs through the same filtering, so it doesn't solve the access problem on its own.

Mainland China is a very safe destination for travellers — violent crime against foreigners is rare. The US State Department rates it Level 2 ('exercise increased caution'), with concerns centred on arbitrary law enforcement and exit bans rather than street danger. Petty crime — pickpocketing in crowded markets and on transport — does occur, so keep an eye on your belongings.

The main thing to watch for is scams targeting tourists. The classic is the 'tea house' scam — a friendly English-speaking stranger near a major sight invites you to a teahouse, and you're then hit with an enormous bill; the 'art student' scam is a close cousin. Be polite but cautious with unsolicited approaches, and don't follow strangers to a venue you didn't choose.

Do not drink the tap water anywhere in China — bottled water is cheap and sold everywhere (tap water is fine for showering and brushing teeth). Emergency numbers are 110 (police), 120 (ambulance) and 119 (fire), though English-speaking operators are not guaranteed. Bring enough of any prescription medication with a copy of the prescription, and arrange comprehensive travel insurance — good care can be expensive and upfront payment is often required.

Power: mains electricity is 220V, 50Hz. The most common socket is Type I (the angled three-pin plug also used in Australia), with Type A (flat two-pin) also widespread. Bring a universal adapter, and check any device rated only for 110V.

Language: the official language is Standard Mandarin Chinese, written in simplified characters; many regional languages are also spoken. English is limited outside major hotels and big-city tourist areas — a translation app, and your destinations saved in Chinese characters, help a lot.

Best time to visit: spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) offer the most pleasant weather. Avoid the major domestic holidays — Chinese New Year (late January or February) and the National Day 'Golden Week' (early October) — when transport and attractions are extremely crowded.

Time zone: despite its size, all of mainland China runs on a single time zone — China Standard Time (UTC+8) — with no daylight saving.