Entry policy
Latest China Entry Update
Beijing Travel Is Busy Again in 2026
Beijing's 2026 inbound travel rebound is now a practical visitor story: busier ports, more visa-free arrivals, and more services to set up before the first day.
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Siye China
China travel guides for first-time visitors
Start with where to go, then prepare the practical details that make arrival easier: entry updates, internet, payments, maps, ride-hailing, and essential apps.
Featured destination
Guangzhou 3-Day Travel Guide
Canton Tower, Shamian, Yongqing Fang, dim sum, Pearl River views, metro tips, and booking notes.
Destination discovery
Start with Guangzhou
Before you fly
Before You Go Checklist
Cover the basics before you choose city routes: data, payment, transport, documents, and backups.
- Prepare mobile data
- Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay
- Download maps, DiDi, and translation tools
- Save hotel addresses in Chinese
- Check entry rules for your passport
- Keep backup cards, cash, and documents
Destination discovery
City and regional travel guides
Use these destination cards for first-trip routing, food, neighborhoods, coast, and side trips before diving into eSIM or payment details.
City and regional travel guides
Food side trip
Shunde Food Side Trip
Plan fish, porridge hot pot, milk desserts, roast goose, Daliang, and Ronggui from Guangzhou.
Open guide
Riverfront and neighborhoods
Shanghai 3-Day Travel Guide
Plan the Bund, Yu Garden, Wukang Mansion, Anfu Road, Jing'an, Lujiazui, Disney, and local food.
Open guide
Lake, temples and tea
Hangzhou 3-Day Travel Guide
West Lake, Lingyin Temple, Faxi Temple, Longjing tea, Xixi Wetland, the Grand Canal, and local food.
Open guide
Coast, beer and red roofs
Qingdao 3-Day Travel Guide
Zhanqiao Pier, Signal Hill, Badaguan, May Fourth Square, Xiaomaidao, Beer Museum, seafood, and Laoshan.
Open guide
Regional rail route
Shandong Coast Itinerary
Plan Qingdao, Weihai, Yantai, Penglai, Jinan, high-speed rail, coast weather, and city pacing.
Open guide
Imperial city guide
Beijing 5-Day Travel Guide
Forbidden City, Jingshan, Temple of Heaven, Mutianyu Great Wall, Summer Palace, hutongs, and food.
Open guide
City and coast guide
Shenzhen 2-Day Travel Guide
Nantou Ancient Town, MixC World, Shenzhen Bay Park, Judiaosha, Yangmeikeng, and Dapeng coast.
Open guide
Food and coast guide
Shantou 2-Day Travel Guide
Old-port arcades, Chaoshan food, Queshi Scenic Area, Nan'ao Island, Qing'ao Bay, and bay walks.
Open guide
Coast and theme park guide
Zhuhai 2-Day Travel Guide
Lovers' Road, Fisher Girl, Sun Moon Shell, Chimelong, seafood, and Macau or Hong Kong transfers.
Open guide
Mountain and old-town route
Yunnan 8-Day Travel Guide
Plan Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Shangri-La, trains, food, and altitude pacing.
Open guideTravel answers
Source-Checked Answers for First-Day China Travel Problems
Start with the questions that can derail a first day in China: documents, payments, apps, maps, phone numbers, and ride-hailing.
Source-Checked Answers for First-Day China Travel Problems
Travel answer Do I need to carry my passport in China? Know when the original passport matters for hotels, trains, attractions, and official checks. Read answer Travel answer Can foreigners use Alipay in China? What usually works, what can still fail, and which backup to carry. Read answer Travel answer What apps should I download before visiting China? A compact app stack for payments, maps, ride-hailing, trains, and translation. Read answer Travel answer Can I use Google Maps in China? Know the limits and what to prepare before you rely on map apps. Read answer Travel answer Do I need a Chinese phone number in China? Understand which visitor tasks can still ask for local-number verification. Read answer Travel answer Can tourists use DiDi without a Chinese phone number? Prepare the account, payment path, pickup instructions, and transport fallback. Read answer
Photo credits
- Guangzhou 3-Day Travel Guide: Canton Tower Pearl River TV Station 20210518.jpg by Nissangeniss , CC BY-SA 4.0 .
- Shunde Food Side Trip: Foshan Shunde Qinghui Yuan 2024-05-11 16.03.07.jpg by 古海岸遗址 , CC BY-SA 4.0 .
- Shanghai 3-Day Travel Guide: Lujiazui skyline by night from Bund, fully illuminated.jpg by Daniel Case , CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Hangzhou 3-Day Travel Guide: West Lake IMG 8795 leifeng pagoda.jpg by Bjoertvedt , CC BY-SA 4.0 .
- Qingdao 3-Day Travel Guide: 20240729 Zhanqiao 02.jpg by Windmemories , CC BY-SA 4.0 .
- Shandong Coast Itinerary: Yantai2017.jpg by HaoLinFotos , CC BY-SA 4.0 .
- Shenzhen 2-Day Travel Guide: Night View of Office Buildings in Shenzhen Bay.jpg by Sparktour , CC BY-SA 4.0 .
- Shantou 2-Day Travel Guide: 20230203 Nan'ao Bridge.jpg by Windmemories , CC BY-SA 4.0 .
- Zhuhai 2-Day Travel Guide: Zhuhai Fisher Girl statue dllu.jpg by Dllu , CC BY-SA 4.0 .
