China tours & vacations
Ready to dive into one of the world's oldest cultures?
The Terracotta Warriors, the Forbidden City, the Great Wall – China is home to some of the world's most intriguing historical sites. It’s also packed with remarkable landscapes, impressive modern architecture and a cuisine that’ll surprise and delight even the most seasoned taste buds. Whether you’re getting lost in the neon-lit streets of Shanghai and Beijing, cycling along the karst-studded banks of the Yangzi River or feasting on a fiery Chengdu hot pot, you’ll be struck by how diverse this land can be.
Our China trips
Let's create an exclusive trip for your group.
Explore Tailor-Made tripsChina tour reviews
Filter by rating
Tibet: Beijing to Kathmandu Overland
Beijing to Hong Kong Adventure
Tibet: Beijing to Kathmandu Overland
Explore China
Premium China
Articles of China
You might also like
China at a glance
CAPITAL CITY
Beijing (population approximately 22 million)
POPULATION
Approximately 1.4 billion
CURRENCY
Renminbi (CNY)
LANGUAGE
Mandarin, Cantonese and many other dialects
TIME ZONE
(GMT+08:00) Beijing, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Urumqi
CALLING CODE
+86
ELECTRICITY
Type A (North American/Japanese 2-pin) Type C (European 2-pin) Type I (Australian/New Zealand & Chinese/Argentine 2/3-pin)
Learn more about China
Best time to visit China
From the rugged mountain interior of Emei Shan to the glittering coastal city of Shanghai, China is home to diverse landscapes and climates. Depending on what time of year you visit China and where you go, you can experience unrelenting heat and humidity in summer and thick snow cover throughout winter.
China’s northern regions have hot and dry summers, while destinations on the eastern coastlines and in the south are more humid and have a greater chance of monsoon rains and typhoons. There’s a chance of snow across most of the country, but it's more likely in the northern reaches (Beijing and surrounding areas).
Late winter and early spring can often bring a dust storm rolling in from the Gobi Desert to Beijing and northern China. Rainfall in Shanghai and the east coast is abundant between April and September but almost non-existent for large chunks of the year in Central and Western parts of the country.
Tourism generally peaks in summer, so if you’re not into crowds, you may want to avoid June, July and August. If you’d still like the weather to be somewhat warm, a shoulder season month like November or May might be best – you’ll usually only need a light jacket or fleece, but the bulk of the crowds are gone.
History and culture
China's early history was full of dynastic rule and imperialist expansion. Each dynasty contributed something different to the history books from the Great Wall during the Qin and Ming dynasties to the Tang Dynasty’s artistic expression. The Republic of China was formed in Nanjing in 1912 after a military uprising. Mao Zedong became Chairman of the People's Republic of China in 1949 and society was systematically converted to communism. Dramatic population, cultural and economic changes led to mass starvation and famine, the impact of which rippled for years.
More recently, China saw Hong Kong and Macau returned from foreign rule and enjoyed a period of rapid economic growth. It basked in the international spotlight as the host city of the 2008 Summer Olympics, and with a growing global influence, China is now a global superpower.
China’s cultural identity is dominated by the Han, but there are another 105 million people who identify from over 50 other ethnic minorities, including the Zhuang (southern China), Hui (northwest China) and Uyghur (Central Asia) – each with unique traditions and customs.
As one of the world's oldest civilizations, China has gifted the world everything from martial arts to mah-jong. Not to mention its world-famous cuisine! Mythology and spirituality are infused in dance, art, music and literature, and many contemporary customs are also attributed to its ancient past.
Despite its modernization, much of China clings to age-old traditions, including the Five Elements theory of wood, fire, earth, metal and water; the yin and the yang; the Chinese Lunar Calendar and Zodiac. This culture clash is strong in large cities like Beijing where hutongs and temples stand alongside modern skyscrapers.
Geography and environment
China is the third-largest nation in the world (by total land area) after Russia and Canada. It shares its border with 14 countries including Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia in the north, and India, Laos and Vietnam in the south.
Soaring peaks, high plateaus and deserts occupy the western half of this vast country. In the southwest, Mount Everest and the Himalayas form the border with India, Nepal and Bhutan. In the north, the Taklamakan and Gobi deserts stretch from west to east along the Mongolian border. The terrain slopes into broad plains and deltas in the east. Two major rivers flow through central China – the Yellow River in the north and the Yangzi in the south – where rice paddies flourish.
Along with 16 other countries, China is known as ‘megadiverse’ – a grouped classification of biodiverse countries that contain over 70% of the world’s endemic flora and fauna. China itself is home to over 550 species of mammals, 1221 species of birds, 146,000 types of flora and 10,000 species of fungi.
Eating and drinking
Whether it’s slurping down a mouth-numbing Sichuan hotpot in Chengdu or waving down the dim sum trolley at a yum cha, you won’t go hungry in China.
While nearly every region has its own cooking style, it has traditionally been categorized into eight major schools of cooking: Anhui, Cantonese, Fuijan, Hunan, Jiangsu, Shandong, Sichuan and Zhejiang. These styles are also grouped into northern, southern, western and eastern.
Rich and hearty northern cuisine – flavoured with lots of salt, ginger, garlic and soy sauce – fed the emperors. Southern cuisine – particularly from the Cantonese school – is what you’ve likely sampled at your local Chinatown, such as dim sum. Western cuisine brings the heat thanks to Sichuan peppercorns, and Eastern cuisine tends to be sweeter in flavor and features a variety of vegetables and seafood.
Dishes to try in China
1. Sichuan hot pot
Taste a bit of Chinese history by dipping into a fiery Sichuan hot pot filled with meat, vegetables, noodles and chilli. While each region in China has different varieties, Sichuan claims the spiciest.
2. Cantonese dim sum (yum cha)
Sitting down to a dim sum banquet is one of Hong Kong's great culinary experiences. Bamboo baskets of salty dumplings and pots of cleansing tea change hands in this traditional feast that will fill your bell for hours.
3. Green tea
China is home to one of the world's largest tea-drinking cultures, with most locals sipping a few cups daily. Green tea may have recently become popular in Western societies, but it’s been used as a medicine in China for thousands of years.
4. Peking duck
This famous roast duck dish from Beijing dates back to Imperial China. It has to be one of the best flavour combos in the world: succulent slices of duck served between delicate pancakes with green onions and a sweet hoisin sauce.
5. Street snacks
Much of Asia's best food is found in markets, hole-in-the-wall restaurants and street-side stalls. Think baozi (steamed stuffed buns), jiaozi (dumplings), jianbing (fried chive pancakes), yang rou chan (lamb kebabs) and so much more. China may be famous for giant feasts served on a lazy susan, but don't forget to check out its budget bites.
Money matters
Credit cards are accepted by most hotels and big vendors in major cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. They’re less likely to work in smaller cities or towns.
WeChat and Alipay are the most prominent payment methods in China. We strongly suggest you set up either WeChat or Alipay on your phone before arriving. You'll need to link a credit or debit card to the app and set up a data roaming package so that you can make payments locally. A transaction fee may also be charged for foreign accounts. Please check the terms and conditions when setting up an account.
ATM access is most widely accessible and reliable with Bank of China or HSBC. That said, it's rare to make cash payments in China nowadays, and even if vendors accept cash, they may not have the right change.
China travel FAQs
Travellers from most countries need a visa to enter China. For more information, please visit the official government website or the Essential Trip Information.
Visas are the responsibility of the individual traveller. Entry requirements can change at any time, so it's important that you check for the latest information.
You can check the entry requirements for your nationality on your government's foreign travel advisories, consular websites or on our visa requirements page.
Absolutely. All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.
For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance
Tipping isn’t expected in mainland China and can even be considered rude in some situations. However, it’s becoming more common for travellers to give a small tip to hospitality staff in tourist areas. Tipping culture differs in Hong Kong and higher-end or Western-style restaurants in major cities like Beijing and Hong Kong where taxi drivers, restaurants and service staff will generally expect a tip.
What to pack and wear in China will depend on where you go and the time of year you visit. The climate varies a lot throughout the country so bring layered clothing to adjust on the go. Essentials include comfortable walking shoes, a rain jacket, a day bag and a reusable dust mask as dust storms are common in some regions.
While water quality is improving, drinking tap water still isn't recommended in China due to pollution and natural contamination of water supplies.
For environmental reasons, try to avoid buying bottled water and fill a reusable bottle with filtered water where possible. Some hotels may have drinking water available, often boiled for tea – your leader can advise you on this. It's also advisable to avoid ice in drinks and to peel fruit and vegetables before eating.
Internet access is generally good in hotels and tourist areas, but it's limited in more remote areas. Some fast-food chains, restaurants and cafes have free wi-fi available, but may require a Chinese phone number to receive the login code. The login prompts may also be in Chinese.
Chinese governments and authorities keep strong controls over internet access and many Western websites, including social media and news outlets, are censored. Sites and apps including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google products (YouTube, Maps, Gmail, Drive), WhatsApp, Snapchat and Dropbox, as well as many international news outlets, will not work.
You may wish to download the WeChat app during your visit, which is the country’s most popular communication app. It’s kind of like WhatsApp crossed with Facebook.
For many travellers, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is used to limit this censorship. If you’re insistent on using certain websites abroad, look into purchasing a reputable VPN – keep in mind most of the free ones, and some of the paid VPNs, won't work. If you do go down this route, still consider what you access online while in China, as some content could land you in hot water with authorities.
With all this in mind, you’ve got the opportunity to switch off and enjoy the sights – that’s one way of looking at it!
Cell phone coverage is generally excellent in China's cities, and still very good in remote and rural areas.
If you have an unlocked phone, buying a local SIM on arrival is probably the cheapest and most reliable option to stay connected.
If you wish to use global roaming, be sure to contact your service provider to understand how much this will cost, as it's often very expensive.
Squat toilets are most common in China, though Western-style flushable toilets can sometimes be found in modern hotels and restaurants. Be sure to carry your own toilet paper and hand sanitiser as these are rarely provided, especially in public places.
Although China has a long way to go in terms of LGBTQIA+ rights, it’s a relatively safe destination for LGBTQIA+ tourists who exercise discretion. Chinese people are generally tolerant and homophobic-related violence is rare. Low-key gay scenes can be found in larger cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.
We recommend visiting Equaldex or ILGA before you travel for more detailed and up-to-date advice.
If you’re travelling with Intrepid, you’ll be roomed with a passenger of the same gender as per your passport information. If you don’t identify with the gender assigned on your passport, please let us know when booking and we’ll arrange the rooming configuration accordingly. A single supplement is available on some trips for travellers who don’t wish to share a room.
China is visited by travellers from all over the world and is generally a safe country to travel to as long as you know where you’re going, stay alert and obey local laws.
That said, China’s government does keep quite a tight lid on websites, news coverage and other foreign influences, and internet censorship and public surveillance are common. Demonstrations and protests are prohibited in public places in China, and if you find yourself in one, or you take a photo or video of the event, this could land you in trouble.
From Australia?
Go to: Smart Traveller
From Canada?
Go to: Canada Travel Information
From the UK?
Go to: UK Foreign Travel Advice
From New Zealand?
Go to: Safe Travel
From the US?
Go to: US Department of State
The World Health Organisation also provides useful health information.
Yes, all Intrepid trips support the Intrepid Foundation. Trips to this country directly support our global Intrepid Foundation partners Eden Reforestation Projects and World Bicycle Relief. Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.
Eden Reforestation Projects
Eden Reforestation Projects are helping to mitigate climate change by restoring forests worldwide; they also hire locally and create job opportunities within vulnerable communities. Donations from our trips support restoration across planting sites in 10 countries around the globe.
Find out more or make a donation
World Bicycle Relief
World Bicycle Relief provides people in low-income communities with bicycles to mobilise school kids, health workers, and farmers in far-out areas – giving them access to vital education, healthcare, and income. Donations help provide Buffalo Bicycles – specifically designed to withstand the rugged terrain and harsh environment of rural regions – to those who need them most.
Find out more or make a donation
We are committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. We do our best to help you see the world, regardless of physical or mental limitations.
We are always happy to talk to travellers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them toward the most suitable itinerary for their needs and, where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.