Beijing
Imperial scale and hutong scale in the same afternoon. The capital rewards planning more than any other city in China.
Open the Beijing guideChina, without the guesswork.
Real routes, realistic timings, and hotels picked by how close they are to the entrance — not by star rating.
Every fact has a date
Prices, opening hours and reservation rules carry an official source and a date we checked them. When something cannot be verified, the page says so instead of guessing.
Destinations
We publish slowly, from official sources and first-hand checks. These cities are in the current publication wave.
Guilin
Karst peaks, a river that looks edited, and a countryside you can still cycle without a tour bus in the frame.
Open the Guilin guide
Xi'an
The start of the Silk Road, the resting place of an emperor's army, and a wall you can cycle in 90 minutes. Give it three days, not one.
Open the Xi'an guideHow-to guides
The questions that decide whether a trip works: tickets, transport, timing.
Paying in China with a foreign card: Alipay and WeChat Pay setup
How foreign cards link to China's two payment apps, what to set up before you fly, where cash still matters, and which steps actually fail on arrival.
Read the guideGetting online in China: eSIM, roaming or a local SIM
What foreign visitors can actually buy for mobile data in China, the passport rules for a local SIM, and how eSIM fits before and after you land.
Read the guideChina high-speed rail with a passport: booking, gates and refunds
How foreign visitors book Chinese train tickets on the official 12306 English site, verify a passport, get through the gates, and what changes cost.
Read the guideForbidden City reservation guide: release time, passport rules and no-show penalties
The exact booking window, which document works, how the entry slots work, and the no-show rule that can block your passport from booking for 60 days.
Read the guideMutianyu or Badaling: how to choose your Great Wall section
A decision framework for Beijing's two best-known Great Wall sections, with Mutianyu's official hours and transport verified and the gaps named honestly.
Read the guideHow to get to Mutianyu Great Wall: buses, shuttles and the return trip
The public bus route, the tourist shuttles from three city points, the return window that decides your day, and the hours to plan around.
Read the guideTerracotta Army tickets and transport: the execution guide
How to buy a Terracotta Army ticket with a passport, how to reach the site from Xi'an without a tour, and how to plan the hours so both sites fit.
Read the guideWhere to stay in Beijing: areas that save you time
How to pick a Beijing base around your mornings, with the transport facts that make some addresses much better than others, and what to check before booking.
Read the guideThree days in Xi'an: an itinerary built around the army
A three-day Xi'an plan that puts the Terracotta Army on the right morning, keeps the city evenings intact, and flags what needs booking ahead.
Read the guideYangshuo in two days: a plan built around the river
How to use two days in Yangshuo without rushing: arrive by the Li River, sleep in town, and spend the second day on a sectional raft or the countryside.
Read the guideWhat every page gives you
The same checklist, applied to every city, attraction and guide.
Getting there, precisely
Metro line, exit number, bus route, and the realistic door-to-door time — not the distance in kilometres.
Timing that works
Opening hours, last entry, the two-hour window when tour groups are absent, and the seasons to avoid.
A Chinese address card
The Chinese name and address you can show a driver, with a copy button and print-friendly layout.
Facts with a date
Every price, hour and reservation rule carries a source and a last-verified date. When we cannot verify, we say so.