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First trip to China
Most people arrive in China expecting the difficulty to be cultural. It is not. Chinese cities are safe, orderly and astonishingly well…
Planning a trip to China
China rewards planning more than almost any destination on earth. Entry rules changed twice in the last two years, the payment system runs on apps rather than cards, and the country is the size of a continent. These guides get the big decisions right before you spend money.
Best time to visit
Ask when to visit China and you will be told "spring or autumn". That is correct and nearly useless, because it says nothing about the fact…
Costs & budget
Prices below are in renminbi (¥, also written CNY or RMB). The dollar conversions here use ¥6.75 to the US dollar, and the euro sits near…
Packing list
The general rule: China manufactures most of the world's consumer goods and sells them to itself at low prices. Forgetting your shampoo,…
How long to go for
There is a reliable formula for a China trip that fails: pick the six famous cities, allocate two nights each, connect them with overnight…
Mistakes to avoid
1. Arriving without Alipay or WeChat Pay set up The single most consequential mistake. China runs on QR payment, your Visa card works…
With children
The reputation is of a difficult country for a family. The reality is a place where a toddler causes a small commotion of approval on a…
Customs on arrival
The visa guide takes you to the immigration desk and lists the customs and health declaration as one item among the things you need. That…
Make-up workdays
This site's festivals page says the State Council publishes the arrangement "including the compensating working weekends", and tells you to…