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 vibrant overhead shot of a large, black Yin-Yang hot pot with bubbling red chili oil and clear broths, surrounded by numerous plates of raw ingredients on a wooden table. These include thinly sliced beef, fish fillets, tripe, meatballs, lotus root, potatoes, dark tofu or blood curd, seasoned chicken feet, two bowls of dipping sauce, and two plates of fried rice.

A Guide to the Best Hot Pot Restaurants in Chengdu for First-Time Visitors

Arriving in Sichuan's capital without eating hot pot is like visiting Paris and skipping the Eiffel Tower. The moment you [...]

Elevated panoramic view of Hong Kong's Shek O peninsula, featuring a coastal village with numerous buildings, two sandy beaches, a lush green golf course, and verdant hills. Several small rocky islands are visible in the deep blue ocean under a partly cloudy sky.

Hiking the Dragon's Back: A DIY Guide to Hong Kong's Most Iconic Trail

If you want to trade the deafening roar of Central’s double-decker buses for panoramic views of the South China Sea, [...]

Towering sandstone pillars covered in green trees are reflected in a calm, dark green lake. On the far shore, a wooden walkway and paved path with numerous visitors are visible, framed by lush foliage under a partly cloudy blue sky.

Zhangjiajie Gate Strategy: Which Entrance to Choose and Why It Matters

Navigating the 690-square-kilometer expanse of the Avatar mountains requires more than just a map; it requires a bulletproof Zhangjiajie entrance [...]

A tall, snow-capped mountain with a cloud resting on its sunlit peak is reflected in the calm, blue waters of a lake. Along the rocky shore in the foreground are blue ice formations and a curved wooden boardwalk.

Xinjiang Road Trip Basics: Urumqi to Karakul Lake & Pamir Highway

The wind whipping off the Pamir plateau carries the distinct scent of glacial dust and roasted lamb from roadside skewers. [...]

A giant panda lies on its back on wet, muddy ground, surrounded by green bamboo branches and leaves. Its mouth is slightly open, showing its tongue, and one paw with visible claws is raised, interacting with a bamboo stalk.

Chengdu Panda Volunteer Programs: A Day with China's National Treasure

For many travelers, a trip to the Middle Kingdom is defined by a singular dream: seeing a giant panda up [...]

Multiple hands operating chrome beer taps against a gold-colored wall, pouring amber craft beer into various stemmed glasses. The glasses are branded with the black script 'xuan' and show a foamy head on the beer.

Beijing Craft Beer Guide: Best Breweries in the Hutongs

If you think Beijing’s drinking culture is strictly limited to baijiu toasts and light lagers, you are in for a [...]

A large table laden with a grand feast, centered around a copper hotpot filled with orange broth. Surrounding the hotpot are numerous plates of Yunnanese dishes, including sliced mango, various salads, fried snacks, a wrapped dish, and a prominent mushroom-themed display with Chinese characters. The setting is a traditional wooden-paneled restaurant with large windows offering a scenic view of a lake, lush green trees, and distant people.

Yunnan's Mushroom Hotpot: A Traveler's Guide to a Fungal Feast

There is a saying in Yunnan: "If you eat wild mushrooms and don't see the little green men, you didn't [...]

Panoramic view of Gulangyu Island's historic architecture, including a white building with a red dome, surrounded by trees in the foreground. A body of water with various ferries and boats separates it from the modern Xiamen city skyline in the background, which features numerous skyscrapers, a suspension bridge, and a Ferris wheel under a clear sky.

Gulangyu Ferry Guide: How to Book Tickets as a Foreigner

If you are planning a trip to Xiamen, Gulangyu Island is undoubtedly on your itinerary. However, getting there is not [...]

A classical Chinese garden featuring a tranquil pond with numerous green lotus leaves, reflecting traditional grey-tiled roof buildings and lush green trees. On the left, a white wall contains a circular moon gate, with a small stone bridge crossing a narrow section of the pond leading to it. Large decorative rocks are placed around the pond's edge.

Suzhou Classical Gardens: Which Ones to Visit and Why

Most travelers arrive in Suzhou with a romanticized vision of scholars sipping tea in silent pavilions. The reality of 2026? [...]

A large stone Buddha statue in profile, with a hand raised, occupies the right side of the frame, slightly out of focus. In the left background, an illuminated, orange-red brick pagoda with multiple tiers and arched windows stands against a purple and blue dusk sky. A flock of birds flies in the upper left, and dark trees are visible at the pagoda's base.

Xi'an After Dark: A Local's Guide to Night Markets Beyond the Muslim Quarter

If you follow the flag-waving tour guides in Xi'an, they will inevitably herd you onto Beiyuanmen Street (the main "Muslim [...]

Two ornate Chinese temple buildings with dark roofs stand on separate, twin peaks of a tall, narrow mountain, connected by a small stone arch bridge. Winding wooden staircases are built into the reddish-brown, moss-covered rock faces, leading up to the summits. Distant green mountains are visible in the background under a partly cloudy sky with pink and blue hues.

Hiking Fanjingshan: A Complete Guide to Guizhou's Temple in the Sky

Imagine a giant stone thumb pressing a button into the clouds. That is Fanjingshan. Located in the Wuling Mountain range [...]

A white and green Chongqing monorail train curves on an elevated track, heading towards the viewer. In the background, a dense city skyline features many modern skyscrapers and residential buildings under a bright blue sky with large white clouds. A prominent tall building with a distinctive pointed top dominates the center of the skyline. To the left, a wide river flows, with a bridge visible in the distance, and a yellow taxi drives on a road beneath the monorail track.

Chongqing Metro Guide: Navigating the Vertical City with Ease

If you rely solely on 2D maps in Chongqing, you will get lost. Known as China’s "Mountain City" (or more [...]

An ancient, multi-story octagonal stone pagoda from Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou, Fujian province, featuring intricate carvings, multiple tiered roofs with upturned eaves, and a spired finial at its peak. The pagoda is surrounded by lush green trees and landscaped pathways with people walking, set against a backdrop of a modern city skyline under a partly cloudy blue sky.

Quanzhou: A 3-Day Guide to China's Hidden Maritime Silk Road Gem

If you ask most travelers about Fujian province, they will talk about the colonial charm of Xiamen or the earthen [...]

Rows of ancient Terracotta Warriors standing in formation within an excavated pit, with some warriors partially unearthed and others fully restored, at the historical site in Xi'an, China.

DIY Guide to the Terracotta Warriors: Bus Routes, Tickets & Avoiding Crowds

Standing face-to-face with the Terracotta Army is a bucket-list moment, but the reality of visiting China’s most famous excavation site [...]

An aerial, top-down view of a vibrant green tea plantation with numerous tea pickers. The tea bushes are arranged in neat, parallel rows, with a winding dirt path cutting diagonally through the fields. Many pickers, wearing colorful hats and carrying baskets, are scattered along the path.

Hiking Meijiawu Tea Village: A Tranquil Escape from Hangzhou

While the broken bridge of West Lake is often shoulder-to-shoulder with tourists, a short drive southwest reveals a completely different [...]

An expansive aerial view of the Dongchuan Red Land, showing a village situated amidst rolling hills with striking red soil terraced fields and patches of green crops. Distant mountains rise in the background under a blue sky, and winding dirt roads traverse the landscape.

Dongchuan Red Land: How to Visit China’s Most Colorful Landscape

Imagine a landscape that looks less like Earth and more like an oil painting left out in the rain. Located [...]

A red and blue airport express train with open doors stopped at a brightly lit indoor subway platform. The platform features reflective gray tiles and glass screen doors. People are visible through the train windows, and the station roof has a distinctive curved, ribbed design.

A Traveler's Guide to the Beijing Capital Airport Express Train

Landing in Beijing is an assault on the senses in the best way possible, but navigating your way out of [...]

A first-person view showing a person's arm holding a steel safety cable and their foot on a rocky mountain path. An orange safety lanyard from a harness is clipped to a thick metal chain secured to the rock. Ahead, a narrow path constructed from horizontal metal beams is built into the side of a steep cliff. In the background, dramatic, rugged mountains covered in green trees rise under a cloudy sky.

Hua Shan Survival Guide: Conquering China's Most Dangerous Hike

Mount Hua (Hua Shan) is not just a hike; it is a rite of passage for travelers in China. Famous [...]

A white high-speed CRH train with blue accents travels on an elevated concrete railway bridge. Below the bridge are green trees and small village houses. In the background, numerous green, conical karst mountains stretch into the distance under a golden orange sunset sky.

Hong Kong to Guilin by High-Speed Rail: A Complete Cross-Border Guide

The journey from the neon-soaked streets of Kowloon to the misty karst peaks of Guilin used to be an arduous [...]

High-angle view of the Shanghai skyline at sunset, showing the Huangpu River winding through the city. On the far side, iconic Pudong skyscrapers including the Shanghai Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center, and Jin Mao Tower are brightly lit against an orange and grey sky. Buildings and roads on the near side are also illuminated, with trees and a park visible in the foreground.

Where to Stay in Shanghai: Best Areas for First-Time Visitors

Choosing where to stay in Shanghai determines the entire rhythm of your trip. With a population pushing 29 million in [...]

Thousands of small, brightly colored triangular flags strung across a clear blue sky. The flags are arranged in vibrant swirling patterns of white, blue, yellow, red, pink, and black, forming a dense, decorative canopy.

A Guide to Sichuan's Off-the-Beaten-Path Tibetan Towns

Most travelers land in Chengdu, say hello to a panda, eat a hotpot, and fly home. They miss the reality [...]

A narrow canal in Nanxun Water Town with three dark wooden boats carrying passengers. On the left, a historic wooden building features two large woven lanterns with black calligraphy and red tassels. On the right, an old building with stone walls and dark wooden trim lines the canal. Lush green trees and a distant stone arch bridge are visible in the background.

Nanxun: The Most Authentic Water Town Day Trip from Hangzhou

If you are looking for a Nanxun water town guide that steers you away from the commercialized "Disney-fied" ancient towns, [...]

Aerial view of the winding Yulong River flowing through a valley, flanked by vibrant green and golden-yellow terraced rice paddies. Numerous dark green, conical limestone karst mountains rise steeply, receding into the hazy distance. Several small boats traverse the river, and small white buildings are visible on the riverbanks.

Cycling the Yulong River: A Step-by-Step Guide to Yangshuo's Scenic Route

The karst peaks of Yangshuo are iconic, but viewing them from a crowded tour bus defeats the purpose. The true [...]

A wide shot of a mountainous landscape featuring numerous hills and peaks with distinct horizontal stripes of vibrant red, orange, yellow, and light grey rock. The arid terrain shows signs of erosion under a clear, pale blue sky.

Discovering China's Ancient Silk Road: A Journey Through Gansu Province

The air in Northwest China hits you differently—it is dry, ancient, and smells faintly of roasted cumin and dust. For [...]