Trip Report

We just got back from two weeks in Beijing, Xi’an, and Shanghai, and it was easily one of the most eye-opening trips I’ve ever taken. Walking the Great Wall in the morning, seeing the Terracotta Warriors, then riding a maglev train past a skyline that looks like a sci-fi movie set... I’m still processing it. Truly spectacular

But most of all, I was struck by how warmly people welcomed us as travelers. We tried to be thoughtful guests. We learned a little Mandarin for the basics (nǐ hǎo, xièxie, duōshao qián), set up Alipay and WeChat Pay before we left, downloaded a translation app, and tried to follow local customs, like never sticking chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice and not holding up the line at the metro gates. And yes, we resisted the urge to ask for a proper espresso at every meal.

Almost every time we fumbled with a menu or a ticket machine, a stranger stepped in to help, often with a big smile and a lot of patience. Taxi drivers, shop owners, students practicing their English, and one very kind grandmother who made sure we got off at the right subway stop all went out of their way for us.

So I just wanted to say thank you to the Chinese people for your generosity, for sharing your history and food with us, and most of all for treating us as individuals rather than as stand-ins for anyone else. That meant more than you know.

Xièxie and zàijiàn.

Travelling through Chongqing, Xian and Beijing this past week and a half and I’m getting eaten alive.

Am I extra tasty or is this normal? I have generally found big dense cities to have less bug bites and I’m staying in high rise hotels 😅

Hi, I will be traveling in Mainland China in November for three weeks.
I wonder, is 2 GB/day enough to get around using maps and other basic services? I'm not really interested in doom scrolling while on vacation.

I've seen a trip.com esim plan with 2 GB/day at max speed, then unlimited traffic at 384Kbps. I think it's enough, but what do you think?

📍Wangxiangu Scenic Area, Guangxin District, Shangrao, Jiangxi Province

Hello,

I am flying from Shanghai PVG to US LAX and want to check what the carry-on restriction is. I meet size requirement but unsure about weight.

Flying in the states I never ran into issues and when looking on the Delta carry-on page it doesn't specifically mention anything about weight.

However, researching says there is a 10KG limit but the sources are blogs and not directly from PVG/Delta.

TIA!

So this is the issue, I have the opportunity to go to China during the last week of November and first week of December or wait until spring May-April.

I don't love the cold and I wanna visit during the best season. (I wanna visit at least Beijing, Chengdu, shanghai, Zhangjiajie)

What's your advice?

Hey everyone! I'll be travelling around southern China for roughly 10 days in January and would appreciate feedback on my route, and would like to know any changes you guys would make in destinations, and recommendations for favourite things to do there.

My planned stays are Xiamen (2 nights), Yunshuiyao/tulou (1), Chaozhou (2), Shenzhen (2), Guangzhou (3) and Yangshuo (2), and a night in Nanning. I'd also like to do a day trip to Hong Kong from Shenzhen.

I'm interested in traditional towns, architecture, food, scenery, markets and nightlife, particularly Huaqiangbei in Shenzhen and the clothing wholesale markets in Guangzhou.

Does this route make sense, or am I trying to squeeze in too much? Is Hong Kong realistic as a day trip, and are the tulou and Chaozhou worth visiting?

I'd love recommendations for other places, local food and transport between destinations, and also what you guys would change or if there’s anywhere else you would go? Thanks.

Hi fellow travelers!

I will be solo traveling in China for 2 weeks in the near future.

I have some tours booked (Great Wall, Forbidden City etc.) in the 4 or 5 destinations I will be staying in.

What’s a good way people met or meet other travelers besides tours?

I won’t be staying in hostels so that’s out for me.

TIA folks! :)

Hi, is a 3.5h layover in Chengdu Tianfu realistic? We fly from brussels->Chengdu Tianfu->Shanghai. Our luggage won’t be checked through. We also have to go from terminal 1 to terminal 2 (I read online that its only a 15 minute walk).

Hi all,

I'm travelling solo around China in November and will be in Zhangjiajie from 10–12 November, so I'll have one full day for sightseeing on the 11th.

I'm trying to decide between Tianmen Mountain (Heaven's Gate) and Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Avatar Mountains).

I've also read that the main cable car at Tianmen Mountain is currently closed for maintenance. Does anyone know how much this affects the experience? Is it still worth visiting with the alternative routes?

I'm also wondering what the weather is normally like around mid-November. Is it generally foggy or cloudy to the point where the views can be completely blocked, or is there a reasonable chance of getting a clear day? Is it just pot luck?

If you only had one full day in Zhangjiajie at that time of year, which would you choose?

Any advice from people who've visited in November would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hii, my boyfriend and I are planning our first trip to China for end of May-beginning of June 2027. We are flying out of LAX and want to hit Beijing, Shanghai, Zhang Jia Jie, and Chongqing.

What would be the most optimal route for us to hit each spot? Which city should we fly into first? How many days do your recommend in each city? We are planning to do about 14-20 days.

We don't like rushing when traveling, we like to enjoy our time each city. Is this enough time? We will definitely be going back in the future, we just want to have great first trip. Thanks in advance!

November 8 - 11 : Wenzhou
November 11-12 : Wangxian Valley
November 12 - 16: Yixian (We'll visit Hongcu, Tachuan,Huangshan...)
November 16-19: Tianmu Shan
November 19-22: Hangzou
November 22-23: Shaoxing
November 23-27: Shanghai
November 27-28: Shanghái -Pudong

Thanks in advance!

I was considering flying back from PEK early in the morning on April 2nd, the Friday before Qingming festival weekend (the festival is on Monday April 5th). I've heard it can be really crowded around any public holiday. Does this extend to the day before, or do the crowds not pick up until the weekend?