Travel Guides & Resources

Browse our complete archive of survival guides, regional breakdowns, and expert tips for the modern traveler.
Multiple Fuxinghao high-speed bullet trains, silver with red and orange stripes, are parked at platforms inside Shenzhen North Railway Station at night. Station signs show '深圳北站' and 'Shenzhen North Railway Station'. Overhead metal structures and lighting are visible.

Beijing to Shanghai High-Speed Rail: The Complete Station & Seat Guide

For travelers in 2026, the debate between flying or taking the train from Beijing to Shanghai is effectively over. The [...]

Two modern Chinese high-speed trains, including a silver Fuxing bullet train with red, orange, and gold stripes, parked side-by-side at a bright station platform. A white high-speed train with blue stripes is to the left. A yellow tactile paving strip is visible on the platform.

China High-Speed Rail for Tourists: Booking, Classes & Onboard Experience

For many travelers, the first time stepping into a Chinese railway station is more overwhelming than the flight that brought [...]

A dark green Chinese train car with a prominent yellow stripe is parked at a station platform. The train windows reflect the overhead white metal truss roof structure of the station. Yellow textured safety strips run along the platform edge. Text on the train car reads 'YW 25G 686482 硬卧'.

Slow Travel in China: A Guide to the Iconic Green Trains (K, T, Z)

While China’s futuristic high-speed rail network grabs the headlines, the soul of the country still travels on the "Green Skins" [...]

View from a traditional wooden guesthouse balcony overlooking a rural village built into green mountains, with terraced rice paddies and cultivated fields below. Decorative wooden bells hang from the visible wooden ceiling beams, under a blue sky with white clouds.

Unique Stays in China: Boutique Hotels, Guesthouses & Temple Retreats

Most travelers rushing through the Middle Kingdom end up in generic glass towers in Shanghai or Beijing. They miss the [...]

Panoramic view of Hangzhou West Lake in China, showing Leifeng Pagoda on a tree-covered hill, and a traditional pavilion on a small square island in the clear blue water. Lush green trees, including weeping willows, line the lake's edge, with distant mountains and a modern city skyline visible under a bright blue sky.

Shanghai Day Trips by High-Speed Rail: Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Hidden Gems

Shanghai is an electric metropolis, but the sensory overload of the Bund and Nanjing Road can be intense. Fortunately, the [...]

A festive street scene at dusk adorned with numerous red lanterns and yellow starburst fairy lights hanging from the bare branches of trees. People are walking along the bustling street below, which is lined with traditional-style buildings and glowing shop signs. The sky above is a soft orange and pink.

Seasonal Guide to China’s Festivals: What Travelers Can Actually Do

Most travel guides paint a romantic picture of Chinese festivals: lanterns floating gently down rivers and dragons dancing in empty [...]

A lone person walks along a narrow, winding dirt path between towering, rugged red sandstone walls of the Tianshan Mystic Grand Canyon near Kuqa, Xinjiang, with a sliver of bright blue sky visible above.

Xinjiang By Public Transport: 7–10 Day Route from Urumqi to Kashgar

Most guidebooks will tell you that traveling China’s far west requires a private driver, an expensive tour group, or a [...]

The breathtaking turquoise waters of Five Flower Lake in Jiuzhaigou National Park, China, show submerged tree branches covered in moss. The crystal-clear water reflects the vibrant blue sky with scattered white clouds. The lake is surrounded by a dense forest on steep mountainsides, displaying a mix of evergreen pines and deciduous trees with autumn foliage in shades of orange and yellow. A wooden boardwalk with tourists walking along it is visible on the left bank, and snow-capped mountains rise in the distance under a bright sunny sky.

Jiuzhaigou or Huanglong? How to Choose and Plan Your Sichuan Fairyland Trip

Sichuan Province is home to two of the most spectacular UNESCO World Heritage sites in China: Jiuzhaigou Valley and Huanglong [...]

Several modern silver Fuxing Hao high-speed bullet trains, featuring distinctive red and orange stripes, are parked at platforms within the bustling Shenzhen North Railway Station at night. The illuminated train interiors and the station's intricate overhead structure highlight a busy Chinese transportation hub, with station signs clearly visible.

High-Speed Trains in China: How to Book, Board, and Not Get Lost

Walking into a Chinese train station for the first time can feel like entering a small city. The scale is [...]

An aerial view of the majestic Leshan Giant Buddha, carved into a vibrant red sandstone cliff face. The colossal statue features a serene expression with closed eyes, a gentle smile, and dark, tightly coiled hair-like features, with a red urna on its forehead. Lush green trees partially obscure the lower portion of the statue, while a paved walkway with a red railing is visible in the upper left, alongside the moss-covered, layered rock of the cliff. This iconic Buddhist site is a major attraction near Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

Day Trips from Chengdu: Leshan, Emeishan and 5 Underrated Alternatives

Chengdu is famous for its laid-back teahouse culture and the adorable residents of the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base. However, [...]