Destinations in China
From the imperial capitals of the north to the karst landscapes of the south — handpicked travel guides for every region of China.
China is the size of a continent and changes character every few hundred kilometres. A first-time visitor might fit Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai into two weeks — three cities that already show you 3,000 years of imperial history, a sea of terracotta, and a skyline that defines the 21st century. A return trip opens up Sichuan's spicy food and pandas, Yunnan's rice terraces, or Xinjiang's Silk Road oases.
The destinations below are grouped by region so you can plan a realistic route — flight times between far-flung cities can be longer than you expect, and the high-speed rail network makes regional clusters easier to combine. Each guide covers visas, transport, what to eat, where to sleep, and the practical tips that the big guidebooks tend to skip.
North China
Imperial capitals, the Great Wall and the cradle of Chinese civilisation.
Beijing
Beijing blends imperial palaces, Ming-dynasty hutongs and world-class Peking duck across seven UNESCO sites.
Harbin
Harbin blends Russian architecture with the world's largest ice festival, Siberian dumplings and minus 30°C winters.
East China
Shanghai, canal towns and the Yangtze delta economic heartland.
Shanghai
Shanghai blends 1930s Art Deco architecture with futuristic skyscrapers, street dumplings and 24-million-strong energy.
Hangzhou
Hangzhou blends West Lake pagodas, Longjing tea terraces and Song-dynasty temples with high-speed rail links to Shanghai.
Suzhou
Classical gardens, silk markets and canal-town charm just 30 minutes by high-speed rail from Shanghai.
South China
Subtropical coasts, Cantonese food and karst landscapes.
Guilin
Guilin's karst limestone peaks rise above the Li River, creating China's most iconic landscape for river cruises and cycling.
Yangshuo
Yangshuo sits among China's most dramatic karst peaks, with the Li River winding past villages, rice paddies and rock climbers' cliffs.
Lijiang
Ancient Naxi town ringed by 5,000m peaks, cobbled lanes, canals and UNESCO Old Town courtyards.
Dali
Ancient Bai capital below snow peaks, known for marble crafts, Old Town stone lanes and Erhai Lake cycling.
Guangzhou
Guangzhou blends ancient trading heritage with bold Cantonese cuisine and a subtropical skyline along the Pearl River.
Central China
The Yangtze heartland — Xi’an, Chongqing and Zhangjiajie.
Chengdu
Chengdu blends laid-back teahouse culture with world-famous Sichuan cuisine and giant pandas in the city's mountainous heart.
Xi'an
Xi'an: ancient capital of 13 dynasties, home to the Terracotta Army and China's best street food in the Muslim Quarter.
Chongqing
Mountain city built on steep hills where hotpot was invented and skyscrapers rise above the Yangtze River confluence.
Zhangjiajie
Zhangjiajie's towering sandstone pillars inspired Avatar's floating mountains and cover 369 square kilometers of parkland.
Not sure where to start?
Browse our curated multi-city routes — pre-built itineraries that combine these destinations in the smartest order.