China, without the guesswork.
Source-checked guides, an honest city map and a human desk for the parts you would rather not learn at the airport. Built for independent travelers, not tour buses.
Visa-free for 50 passports. 240-hour transit for 57. Check your route before you book.
Start with a city that fits, not a list that impresses.
Our editorial read on English-friendliness, payments, transport and first-timer ease — not a mystery score.
Ease 3.8 Beijing
The capital is a greatest-hits trip on its own: palaces, a wall you can walk, and neighbourhoods that reward getting lost.
Ease 4.5 Shanghai
China’s easiest landing pad: a walkable core, serious food and a skyline that earns its reputation.
Ease 3.3 Xi’an
The Silk Road capital packs 3,000 years of history into a walled city you can cycle in an afternoon.
Ease 3.8 Chengdu
Sichuan’s capital is China at its most relaxed: pandas in the morning, tea in the park, hotpot after dark.
Ease 2.5 Guilin & Yangshuo
The landscape on the back of the ¥20 note: limestone towers, rice paddies and a river that rewards an early start.
Ease 2.3 Zhangjiajie
The Avatar mountains are real: a national forest of vertical pillars, glass walkways and cable cars.
Scores are an editorial assessment of English signage, payment acceptance, transit ease and first-timer friction. They are not surveys.
All 17 citiesPick a city. See where it sits. Then decide.
Google Maps, a shortlist of cities that work for foreigners, and the practical bits that change the trip.
Approximate city positions on a longitude/latitude plot. No borders shown; switch to Google Maps for real geography.
Beijing 北京
Imperial scale, hutong mornings. Plan for 4–5 days; best light april–may, september–october.
City plot is an approximate longitude/latitude view; Google Maps is the real geography. Scores are editorial; verify opening hours and entry rules before you travel.
Compare all 17 cities →The five things that decide whether the trip feels easy.
240-hour visa-free transit in China: the rules that actually matter
Who qualifies for China's 10-day transit waiver, which ports and regions you can use, and the onward-ticket mistakes that get travelers denied boarding.
Alipay and WeChat Pay for foreigners: set up both before you fly
A practical setup guide for foreign cards, the fees that surprise people, limits, verification, and what to do when a QR code will not scan.
China train travel for foreigners: 12306, passports and station survival
How to book high-speed rail with a foreign passport, which seat class to choose, and why you need to arrive at the station earlier than you think.
China visa-free entry in 2026: who can go, and for how long
The two visa-free routes most tourists use: 30-day unilateral entry for 50 passports, and 240-hour transit for 57. Official rules, traps, and how to check your case.
Internet in China: eSIM, local SIM and VPNs without the guesswork
How to stay connected in China: which eSIMs bypass the firewall, when you need a local number, and how to set up a VPN before you land.
The apps that actually make China easier (and the ones that do not)
A short, tested stack for payments, maps, taxis, trains, translation and food — plus what to install before you lose Google.
Steal a route. Change the pace. Make it yours.
7 days in China for the first time: Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai
A realistic one-week first trip with high-speed rail, the Great Wall, the Terracotta Army and enough time to actually eat.
The 240-hour transit trip: Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou
How to use China's 10-day transit waiver for a Yangtze Delta trip — legally, realistically, and without crossing outside the permitted area.
10 days in China: Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu and Shanghai
The classic 10-day route with pandas, hotpot and high-speed rail — paced so you are not changing hotels every night.
Less content. More useful sentences.
Most China guides are either a list of attractions or a sales page for a tour. This is the desk we wanted: plain answers, primary sources, and a human when the decision is too specific for a blog post.
How we check thingsSource-checked, not copied
Every practical guide cites the official rule or primary source behind it, with the date we last checked it.
Free before you pay
The guides, city data and map stay free. You only pay if you want a human to review or build your route.
No tour markup
We are not a tour operator. Tickets and hotels are booked at cost, and you keep control of every reservation.
Free until you want a human.
Flat fees in USD. No booking markups. No payment until we confirm the scope fits.
Route Check
You have a draft route. We find the days that do not work before you book anything.
- Written review of your dates, cities and transport
- Over-packed days, awkward transfers and booking traps flagged
- One revised route with realistic travel times
Custom Itinerary
Most usefulA day-by-day China route built around your pace, interests and tolerance for early trains.
- 30-minute call or voice-note briefing
- Day-by-day route with realistic transit times
- Neighbourhood and hotel-area recommendations
Full Trip Desk
We plan the trip, help you book the fiddly parts, and stay reachable while you are in China.
- Everything in Custom Itinerary
- Booking coordination for trains, drivers and key attractions
- Restaurant, app and payment setup walkthrough
Family & Group Desk
A route that works for grandparents, children and the one person who refuses to wake up early.
- Pace and accessibility review
- Connecting rooms and transfer planning
- Food, allergy and picky-eater notes
Prices are for planning services, not tours. Flights, hotels and tickets are booked at cost when you ask us to coordinate them.
See what is includedThe questions everyone asks.
Short answers. Deeper links where the details matter.
Do I need a visa to visit China?
It depends on your passport and route. Eligible passports can use 30-day visa-free entry; 57 nationalities can use 240-hour visa-free transit if they are continuing to a third country. Everyone else needs a tourist visa. Check the entry guide before booking.
Can I use my credit card in China?
Major hotels and some upscale restaurants accept international cards, but most everyday places do not. Link your Visa or Mastercard to Alipay and WeChat Pay before you fly, and keep ¥300–500 in cash as a backup.
Is China safe for tourists?
Violent crime against tourists is rare and cities are heavily policed. The bigger risks are traffic, scams around tourist attractions, and getting stuck without a working payment app. Normal city precautions apply.
How many days do I need for a first trip?
Seven days is enough for Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai at a quick pace. Ten to fourteen days lets you add Chengdu, Guilin or Hangzhou without spending every other day in transit.
Do I need to speak Chinese?
No. Alipay, Amap, DiDi and a translation app cover most situations. English thins out outside hotels and major sights, so save Chinese addresses and learn a few phrases.
Does China Tailor Made book tours?
We are not a tour operator. We write itineraries, review routes, coordinate selected bookings at cost, and stay reachable during your trip. You keep control of your reservations.