Destinations: Explore the Middle Kingdom

From the neon skyline of Shanghai to the yak-filled pastures of Tibet. Browse our complete library of regional guides, sorted by province and city to help you find your perfect corner of China.

A multi-story building with a yellow facade featuring arched balconies decorated with colorful flower and neon light ornaments. The building has a red awning with the yellow sign 'BEERBRO' in the center. Palm trees and other greenery are visible on the balconies. To the right, a red-brick building with windows and balconies is partially visible under a blue sky with clouds.

Guangzhou's Hidden Alleys: A Walking Guide to Liwan and Dongshan

Most travelers associate Guangzhou with the towering Canton Tower or the sprawling Canton Fair. But beneath the futuristic skyline of [...]

View from a wooden balcony overlooking a misty, mountainous landscape. In the mid-ground, traditional wooden buildings with tiled roofs are built on a hillside. In the foreground, lush green trees frame tiered, vibrant green rice terraces. A multi-tiered pagoda with a dark, curved roof sits in the mid-right foreground.

Guizhou by High-Speed Rail: Scenic Routes and Remote Village Access

Traveling through southwest China used to mean enduring grueling, multi-day bus rides over winding mountain passes. Today, the Guiyang-Guangzhou railway [...]

A man with short dark hair wearing a light blue shirt and black pants rows a wooden boat with a canopy and white curtains. There are two passengers seated in the boat. The boat is on a body of green water, with tall green trees and foliage in the background. Lotus pads are visible to the left of the boat.

Beyond West Lake: A Guide to Hangzhou's National Wetland Park (Xixi)

When most travelers think of Hangzhou, they picture the iconic, poetry-inspiring shores of West Lake. But by 2026, West [...]

Cascading travertine terraces filled with vibrant turquoise water, surrounded by bare trees and white mineral deposits.

Jiuzhaigou & Huanglong in One Trip: 4–5 Day Sichuan Nature Itinerary

If you are searching for China's most surreal alpine landscapes, combining the turquoise lakes of Jiuzhaigou with the travertine terraces [...]

A chef in a yellow robe and a conical red and yellow hat is carving a roasted duck on a cart in a restaurant. Sliced Peking duck is served on white platters on a table with various dipping sauces and side dishes, along with glasses of dark liquid.

Beijing Roast Duck Decoded: A Traveler's Guide to the Best Birds in the City

Stepping out of the biting Beijing wind and into a bustling roast duck restaurant, you are immediately hit by the [...]

A close-up view of a stupa decorated with prayer stones, featuring Tibetan script. Colorful prayer flags fan out from the top of the stupa against a blue sky. Colorful prayer flags are strung across the top of the image, creating a vibrant canopy. The stupa is constructed with stones, many of which are inscribed with Tibetan Buddhist symbols and mantras. Prayer scarves in red, blue, yellow, and white are draped over the stupa. A small, golden circular emblem with a wheel of dharma symbol is visible on a red wall to the left, alongside rows of small red prayer tags.

Xi'an's Hidden Spiritual Sanctuary: A Guide to Guangren Tibetan Buddhist Temple

Step away from the relentless crowds of the Terracotta Warriors, and you will find a quiet sanctuary where the rhythmic [...]

An aerial view of the Shenzhen skyline at dusk, featuring modern skyscrapers, including the prominent, needle-shaped Ping An Finance Centre. In the foreground, a contemporary urban park with curved pathways, green spaces, and distinctive white, organic-shaped buildings is visible. Roads with car traffic and illuminated city lights are also present.

The Complete Shenzhen Metro Guide: Reaching Tech Hubs and Hidden Parks

Navigating China’s Silicon Valley used to mean dealing with gridlocked traffic and confusing bus routes. Today, a reliable Shenzhen metro [...]

A close-up overhead view of four bowls of Guilin rice noodles on a wooden table. The bowl in the foreground contains thick noodles topped with slices of dark beef, crispy pork belly, pickled vegetables, peanuts, and lettuce. The other bowls contain noodles with various toppings including eggs, pickled vegetables, meat, and herbs, with some bowls showing broth.

Guilin's Best Street Food: A Foodie's Walking Tour Guide

The moment you step out of your hotel in Guangxi, the humid southern air hits you, carrying the unmistakable scent [...]

A person in a yellow hat and white clothing stands with their arms outstretched in a large, paved courtyard in front of a multi-tiered traditional Chinese temple with dark wood and gray tiled roofs. Mountains are visible in the background under a bright blue sky with scattered white clouds.

Jianshui Travel Guide: Ancient Gates, Tofu, and Confucian Culture in Yunnan

Traveling through Yunnan often means battling intense crowds in Dali and Lijiang. If you want to experience authentic Ming and [...]

A winding stone pathway curves through a dense forest of tall, green bamboo stalks that reach towards the sky, with sunlight filtering through the lush canopy.

Anji Bamboo Forest: A Day Trip Guide from Hangzhou or Shanghai

Escaping the neon-lit concrete jungles of eastern China is easier than you think. Just a short high-speed train ride [...]

A white and blue high-speed train travels on tracks elevated on a bridge, passing in front of a steep, mist-covered hillside covered in lush green tea terraces. A traditional multi-tiered Chinese pagoda sits atop the hill in the distance.

Chengdu to Zhangjiajie by Train: How to Plan the Journey & What to Pack

Swapping the spicy, laid-back teahouses of Chengdu for the towering, mist-shrouded sandstone pillars of Zhangjiajie is a classic Chinese adventure. [...]

A large, tiered ice sculpture shaped like a Christmas tree with a snowflake on top, set against a bright blue sky with white clouds. Smaller ice sculptures are visible in the foreground and to the sides.

Harbin Ice and Snow Festival Guide: Budget, Clothing, and 3-Day Plan

Stepping off the train in Harbin in January hits you like a physical wall of cold. The air is so [...]

A large golden stupa rises above the yellow, blue, and red tiled roof of Lhagong Monastery, with snow-capped mountains in the background under a bright blue sky with white clouds.

Kangding, Tagong and Tibetan Sichuan: Easy Starter Route for First‑Timers

Kangding, Tagong and Tibetan Sichuan: Easy Starter Route for First‑Timers TL;DR: Trip Essentials The Route: A 4 to 5-day loop [...]

A panoramic view of the Nanjing cityscape at sunrise, with a modern skyscraper dominating the skyline and a traditional multi-tiered pagoda in the foreground, nestled among lush green trees.

Nanjing's Morning Rituals: A Guide to the City's Best Breakfast Spots

Forget the standard hotel buffet. To truly understand this former imperial capital, you need to wake up at 6:30 AM [...]

A life-sized bronze chariot pulled by four horses, with a terracotta figure of an attendant seated on the chariot under a large umbrella. The chariot and horses are displayed on a dark gray surface with theatrical lighting, and a glimpse of museum visitors can be seen in the background.

Beyond the Terracotta Army: A Logistical Guide to the Han Yang Ling Museum

If you are planning a trip to Xi'an in 2026, you already know the Terracotta Warriors are a mandatory [...]

A paved road curves through a dense tropical rainforest with tall palm trees and lush greenery. A black SUV is driving up the road, casting a shadow. In the background, the jagged peaks of the Qixianling Seven Finger Mountains rise above the treeline under a hazy sky.

Hainan's Hidden Hot Springs: A Practical Guide to Qixianling

While most travelers flock to the crowded, sun-baked beaches of Sanya, the real magic of Hainan Island lies hidden in [...]

An elevated blue BRT bus travels on a dedicated lane above a multi-lane road and train tracks in Xiamen. A high-speed train is visible on the lower tracks. In the background, numerous modern skyscrapers and buildings form a dense cityscape under a cloudy sky. Green foliage covers the supports of the elevated busway.

Navigating Xiamen's BRT System: A Fast-Track Guide to the City

Sweating in the back of a taxi while stuck in gridlock on Xiahe Road is a frustrating rite of passage [...]

A wide shot of the Wukang Mansion, a prominent Art Deco building in Shanghai, under a clear blue sky. The building has a distinctive curved facade, constructed of red brick with numerous windows and balconies. The lower floors feature arched entrances and gray stone detailing. Several people are visible walking on the street in front of the building.

Beyond the Bund: A Practical Guide to Shanghai's Art Deco Architecture

Shanghai isn't just a cyberpunk skyline of glass and steel. Beneath the towering shadows of Lujiazui lies the largest collection [...]

A giant panda sits surrounded by bamboo, holding a stalk of bamboo in its right paw and eating it. The panda has black patches around its eyes and ears, and a black and white coat. Green leaves and bamboo stalks fill the foreground and background, with a tree trunk visible on the right.

Volunteering with Pandas: A Practical Guide to Research Center Programs

For many travelers heading to China in 2026, working hands-on with giant pandas is a bucket-list dream. However, navigating the [...]

A wide, green meadow filled with small yellow and purple wildflowers in the foreground, with a cluster of wooden buildings and trees in the middle ground. Behind the trees, majestic snow-capped mountains rise under a cloudy blue sky.

Beyond the Peaks: A Guide to the Mandalas of Four Sisters Mountain

Finding genuine spiritual solitude in China’s booming outdoor travel scene can feel impossible. Yet, tucked away on the eastern edge [...]

A large, ancient ginkgo tree with vibrant golden leaves dominates the center of the frame against a bright blue sky. In the foreground, traditional Chinese-style buildings with tiled roofs are visible behind a low, ornate stone wall and several wooden benches. Fallen golden ginkgo leaves carpet the ground.

Beijing’s Western Hills: A Guide to Tanzhe Temple and Beyond

Escaping the concrete density of downtown Beijing requires little more than a subway card and a willingness to head west. [...]

A high-angle, twilight view of a densely packed cityscape of modern skyscrapers in Chongqing, China. Many buildings are illuminated with colorful lights, including vertical bands of yellow, white, and red light on some of the taller structures. A multi-lane road with traffic and streetlights runs through the city below. The foreground features the reflective glass and metal structure of a modern building's roof or observation deck.

Chongqing's Secret Scenic Bus: Route 501 for a Cheap 3D Experience

Chongqing is internationally famous for its mind-bending, multi-layered urban landscape. While thousands of tourists queue for hours to ride the [...]

A nighttime aerial view of a sandy beach with bioluminescent waves crashing ashore. The water glows an intense blue and green, creating trails of light along the shore and around rocks. The background shows a rocky coastline with vegetation and distant lights under a dark sky.

Chasing 'Blue Tears': A Guide to Pingtan Island's Bioluminescence

If you are scrolling through Chinese social media in the spring, you have likely seen the ethereal, glowing blue coastlines [...]

A display of traditional Chinese cheongsam dresses and jackets on mannequins and shelves. The garments feature various patterns like blue and white plaid, blue stripes, and subtle checkered fabrics. Some have mandarin collars and frog fastenings. A tote bag with a cat pattern hangs on the left, and a quilted fabric bag is also visible.

Beyond the Silk Road: A Practical Guide to Custom Cheongsam in Suzhou

For centuries, the misty canal city of Suzhou has been the undisputed capital of Chinese silk. If you are traveling [...]