China
Asia · Beijing · CN
China unfolds as a continent-sized tapestry of landscapes and dynasties, where misty limestone karsts rise from emerald rivers in Guilin and vast deserts swallow entire Silk Road caravansaries in the west. Wander through the painted galleries of the Forbidden City one morning and find yourself hiking the plank walks of Mount Hua by afternoon. Street vendors fold dumplings in Harbin's winter markets while tropical mango trees heavy with fruit line the streets of Kunming. The country's culinary range is staggering: numbing Sichuan peppercorns, delicate Cantonese dim sum, hand-pulled noodles in Xi'an's Muslim Quarter, and fiery Hunan stir-fries all compete for your attention. Ancient water towns with stone bridges sit an hour from hyper-modern skyscrapers, and the panda sanctuaries of Chengdu offer front-row encounters that few travelers forget. China rewards the curious traveler with a depth of history and sensory overload that few places on earth can match.
Overview
China is a country in Asia. Its capital is Beijing and the international dialling code is +86. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include Chinese. Local currency is the Chinese Yuan (CNY). Our guide covers 7 airports, including Beijing Capital International Airport, Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. We also list 7 cities in China: Beijing, Chengdu and Guangzhou and more.
Guilin's Karst Peaks and Li River
The Li River drifts between jade-green peaks that look as if they were lifted from a scroll painting and placed into the humid air of southern Guangxi. Boarding a bamboo raft in Yangshuo means surrendering to the current while farmers in conical hats tend water buffalo along terraced banks. At sunrise, the karst silhouettes soften against a pale gold sky and cormorant fishermen release their birds into the shallows. Cycling through the countryside brings you past rice paddies, banyan trees draped in moss, and tiny village teahouses where oolong is poured without ceremony. The Reed Flute Cave nearby glows with artificial lights on stalactites, but it is the quiet boat ride back at dusk, with reflections mirroring every spire in the water below, that stays with you long after you leave.
The Forbidden City's Painted Halls
Passing through the towering Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City, you enter a world of vermillion walls, gilt roof ridges, and hundreds of rooms arranged along a precise north-south axis. Hallways of polished stone lead past throne rooms where emperors once received tribute from across the empire, their ceilings decorated with coiled dragons rendered in gold leaf. The Imperial Garden at the rear is a surprising pocket of quiet, with ancient cypresses, sculpted rockeries, and a teahouse where you can rest your feet. Wandering east toward the lesser-visited palaces reveals intimate courtyards, ceramic displays, and corridors where the crowds thin out entirely. Every doorway frames another composition of carved stone lions, painted beams, and deep red doors that have witnessed six centuries of court intrigue.
Chengdu's Giant Panda Sanctuaries
Nothing prepares you for the sight of a young giant panda tumbling headfirst down a wooden climbing frame at the Chengdu Research Base. The facility sits among bamboo groves and lotus ponds, and arriving early in the morning means watching the keepers distribute baskets of fresh shoots while the pandas munch with an almost meditative focus. Boardwalks wind through shaded enclosures where adults lounge in tree forks and babies cling to their mothers with comical determination. The on-site museum explains conservation efforts with surprising depth, but the real education happens outside, where the sheer clumsiness and charm of these animals makes their fragility feel personal. Afterward, wander the nearby streets of Kuanzhai Alley, where you can sample rabbit-head snacks and jasmine tea in traditional courtyard teahouses.
Sichuan's Fiery Hotpot Culture
In Chengdu, hotpot is less a meal and more a communal ritual. The bubbling pot arrives divided into two halves: one side a deep, oil-slicked red broth loaded with dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns, the other a gentle bone-milk broth perfumed with goji berries and jujubes. Plates of thinly sliced beef, lotus root, enoki mushrooms, and duck blood arrive in a colorful spiral around the pot's rim. Dipping raw morsels into the simmering liquid and fishing them out seconds later to coat in sesame oil and garlic is a sensory experience that builds gradually from warmth to a tingling, mouth-numbing heat. Locals nurse glasses of cold soybean milk between bites. The best establishments are unassuming neighborhood spots where the steam fogs your glasses and the conversation never stops.
Zhangjiajie's Avatar Mountains
The sandstone pillars of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park look less like geological formations and more like the work of a visionary sculptor. Over three thousand quartzite spires rise from dense subtropical forest, their summits often wrapped in drifting mist that transforms the landscape into something otherworldly. Walking along the glass-bottomed bridge suspended between two cliffs gives you a dizzying perspective on the canopy far below. The Bailong Elevator, carved into the side of a sheer cliff face, lifts visitors to the upper plateau in under two minutes, opening onto a network of trails that weave between the pillars. Local Tujia villagers sell smoked meats and corn cakes at the trailheads. This was the landscape that inspired the floating mountains of Avatar, and standing among them, it is easy to understand why.
Compare hotels, cover your trip and stay connected.
- Capital
- Beijing
- Currency
- Chinese Yuan (CNY)
- Languages
- Chinese
- Calling code
- +86
- Internet TLD
- cn
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter China.
Which nationalities can enter China?
Current visa status for tourism for the origins we cover, with links to the detailed requirements.
Airports (7)
All airports →- Beijing Capital International AirportPEK · Beijing
- Chengdu Tianfu International AirportTFU · Chengdu
- Guangzhou Baiyun International AirportCAN · Guangzhou
- Kunming Changshui International AirportKMG · Kunming
- Shanghai Pudong International AirportPVG · Shanghai
- Shenzhen Bao'an International AirportSZX · Shenzhen
- Xi'an Xianyang International AirportXIY · Xi'an
Cities (7)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit China?
For the origins we track, China requires a visa for tourism (Morocco: visa required and United States: visa required). Entry rules depend on your passport, so confirm the current requirements for your own nationality with our entry requirements tool.
What is the capital of China?
Beijing is the capital of China, and the country sits in Asia.
What currency is used in China?
You pay with Chinese Yuan (CNY) in China. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in China?
The languages we list for China are Chinese. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for China?
The dialling code for China is +86 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which airports serve China?
We cover 7 airports for China, including Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (TFU), Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) — and 4 more.
Which cities in China do you cover?
Our guide lists 7 cities for China: Beijing (capital), Chengdu, Guangzhou, Kunming and Shanghai, with more on the full list.