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China — hero

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China

The Great Wall and the Forbidden City, the Terracotta Warriors, Guilin's karst hills and Shanghai's skyline, linked by high-speed rail.

Currency
Chinese Yuan (CNY)
Language
Chinese
Best time
April – May & September – November (avoid the first week of October)
Visa
Visa-free (up to 30 days, until 31 December 2026).

The FCDO has no advisory against travel to China.

Still current at: 13 November 2026 Updated: 27 August 2026

Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — the definitive source. Check it close to your travel dates.

Flight cancelled or delayed because of this? Your rights under UK261 / EU261 →

Why visit

Why China

Imperial Beijing, the Terracotta Warriors, Shanghai's riverfront and Guilin's karst hills, linked by high-speed rail and currently visa-free for British visitors for up to 30 days.

  • Great Wall at Mutianyu
  • Xi'an Terracotta Army
  • Chengdu panda base
  • Shanghai skyline & Disneyland
Read more

China is big enough to plan several very different trips. In Beijing we walk the Central Axis past the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven, then head out to the Great Wall at Mutianyu or Simatai. In Shanghai the Bund faces the towers of Pudong across the river, with classical gardens and the canal town of Zhujiajiao within easy reach. Xi'an is the gateway to the Terracotta Warriors and to the old Silk Road, which runs west through Gansu to the Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang.

Further south the scenery takes over: the karst hills and Li River around Guilin, the Old Town of Lijiang in Yunnan, and the giant pandas of Sichuan. Macao and Hong Kong make easy starts or finishes on the southern coast.

High-speed trains link the major cities, and tickets are booked in your own name with your passport. Phone payments with Alipay or Weixin Pay (WeChat Pay) are the norm, and both apps accept foreign Visa and Mastercard cards. British passport holders can currently visit visa-free for up to 30 days, until 31 December 2026, so check the latest rules before you book. We think spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons, and we plan around the busy national holidays.

Where to go

The regions of China

Beijing & the north

The capital holds the set pieces: the Forbidden City (the Palace Museum), the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace. The Beijing Central Axis, which links many of them, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2024. The Great Wall is within day-trip range at Mutianyu and Simatai, and both sections now run night tours. Gubei Water Town sits at the foot of Simatai. See our Beijing guide.

South-west of Beijing, in Shanxi, the walled Ancient City of Ping Yao is on China's World Heritage list. In the far north-east, Harbin's ice and snow festival is the reason to brave midwinter.

Beijing guide → · Pingyao guide →

Shanghai & the Yangtze delta

In Shanghai we pair the historic buildings of the Bund and the classical Yuyuan Garden with the Pudong skyline: the Oriental Pearl Tower, the Shanghai Tower observation deck and the new Shanghai Museum East. Xintiandi's restored shikumen lanes are good for an evening. Zhujiajiao, an old water town by Dianshan Lake, makes an easy half-day trip.

Beyond the city, the Classical Gardens of Suzhou in neighbouring Jiangsu are on the World Heritage list. So is the Grand Canal, which runs through the region.

Shanghai guide →

Xi'an & the Silk Road

Xi'an is the base for the Terracotta Warriors at Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum. The museum uses real-name advance booking, foreign visitors included.

Gansu, to the west, lies on the eastern section of the ancient Silk Road. Its highlights are the Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang, the Jiayuguan Pass at the western end of the Great Wall, and the striped Danxia landforms of Zhangye's national geopark.

Xi'an guide →

Sichuan & Chongqing

Sichuan is giant panda country. The Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries are a World Heritage site, and the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding takes ticket reservations through its official site. Jiuzhaigou Valley is also on the World Heritage list. Chongqing stands on the Yangtze, and the river's Three Gorges are among China's best-known sights.

Parts of western China lie above 2,500 metres, where altitude illness is a risk. Build in gradual ascent if you head into the high country.

Guilin, Yunnan & the southwest

The Guilin karst, part of UNESCO's South China Karst site, is the classic limestone landscape. We think the Li River is the best way to see it, and Guilin rice noodles are the local dish. Further west, the Old Town of Lijiang in Yunnan is a World Heritage site. Lugu Lake is home to the Mosuo people, whose society is matrilineal.

In neighbouring Guizhou, Miao villages are known for their fine needlework. Visit the villages as a guest, and ask before you photograph people.

Lijiang guide →

Macao, Hong Kong & the Pearl River Delta

Macao runs a World Heritage walking route through its historic centre and is a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. Macao and Hong Kong set their own entry rules: on a British passport each currently allows visits of up to six months without a visa.

On the mainland side, Guangzhou and Shenzhen both have direct flights from London, and that makes the south easy to combine with Guilin.

Macao guide →

A pillar, not a footnote

Eat your way through China

The single reason many travellers come back — the food culture worth reshaping a trip around, and the dishes to seek out region by region.

China

Not one cuisine but a continent of them — numbing Sichuan heat, Cantonese dim sum, northern hand-pulled noodles.

'Chinese food' barely means a thing until you pick a region, because cross a single province and it changes beyond recognition. Spend a mid-morning in a Guangzhou tea house and the trolleys keep coming — bamboo steamers of dumplings, char siu and glossy roast meats, the whole leisurely ritual of dim sum. Sit down instead in Sichuan and a mouthful of mapo tofu sets your lips gently buzzing: this is málà, the tingling numbness of Sichuan peppercorn stacked on chilli heat.

The map keeps shifting. The inland west and Hunan burn; the eastern cities turn sweet and delicate, folding hot soup inside Shanghai's xiaolongbao dumplings that scald if you bite too fast; the wheat-eating north and the Muslim far west run on hand-pulled Lanzhou noodles, cumin-dusted lamb skewers and blistered flatbread. Two rituals bind the whole table together: lacquered Peking duck carved into paper-thin skin, and a bubbling hot pot everyone cooks in at once. Then tea — green, oolong or earthy aged pu'er — poured plain, the oldest drink on earth.

Dishes to seek out
  • dim sum (Cantonese small plates)
  • Peking duck
  • xiaolongbao (Shanghai soup dumplings)
  • mapo tofu (numbing Sichuan tofu)
  • kung pao chicken
  • Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles
  • hot pot (huǒguō)
Places to go

Cities and regions worth your time

6 destinations in China — pick a base or link them into a route.

Browse by type

Tap a type to filter the list and the map — tap it again or “All” to see everything.

© OpenFreeMap · OSM · terrain Mapterhorn
Things to do

Nature, culture and the outdoors

  1. The Forbidden City and the Central Axis

    Beijing

    Walk the UNESCO-listed Central Axis from the Palace Museum to the Temple of Heaven. Carry your passport: GOV.UK says to keep it with you at all times, and printed copies are not accepted.

  2. The Great Wall at Mutianyu or Simatai

    Beijing

    Both sections are day trips from the city and now offer night tours. The FCDO advises against hiking alone in isolated areas, including on the Great Wall.

  3. The Terracotta Warriors

    Xi'an

    Book a real-name timed ticket on the museum's official website or WeChat account. The site has two parts, the pits museum and the Lishan Garden, and each takes about 90 minutes. A free shuttle runs between them.

  4. Giant pandas in Chengdu

    Chengdu, Sichuan

    The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding takes reservations through its official site. Sichuan's panda sanctuaries are on the World Heritage list.

  5. The Li River and Guilin's karst hills

    Guilin, Guangxi

    The limestone peaks of the UNESCO-listed Guilin karst, best seen from the river. Pair the trip with a bowl of Guilin rice noodles.

  6. Lijiang's old town

    Yunnan

    The lanes of a World Heritage old town in Yunnan. We like it best early in the morning and in the evening.

  7. Pingyao's walled city

    Shanxi

    The Ancient City of Ping Yao is one of China's World Heritage sites, and its walled streets suit a slow day or two.

  8. Macao's historic centre

    Macao

    Follow the World Heritage route through the old town, then eat well in a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.

  9. Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival

    Harbin, Heilongjiang

    Harbin's winter festival of ice and snow in China's far north. Dress for deep cold. Our event page has this season's dates.

Plan your own trip to China
Guides

All our China guides

Plan

Getting there, getting around and where to stay

Getting there from the UK

There are direct flights from the UK to several Chinese cities. In the summer 2026 season (29 March to 24 October), the China National Tourist Office in London listed these routes:

  • Air China: Heathrow and Gatwick to Beijing and Chengdu, and Gatwick to Shanghai.
  • China Eastern: Heathrow and Gatwick to Shanghai Pudong (PVG).
  • China Southern: Heathrow to Beijing Daxing (PKX) and Guangzhou, and Gatwick to Guangzhou.
  • Hainan Airlines: Manchester and Edinburgh to Beijing.
  • Others: Shenzhen, Tianjin, Capital and Juneyao Airlines fly to Shenzhen, Xi'an, Chongqing, Qingdao and Shanghai (Juneyao from Manchester).

Beijing has two international airports, Capital (PEK) and Daxing (PKX), so check which one your flight uses. Winter schedules differ from summer ones, so confirm routes with the airline before you book.

On arrival you can complete the foreigners' arrival card online in advance, through the National Immigration Administration website, the "NIA 1236" app or the WeChat and Alipay mini programmes. Paper cards and on-site terminals are also available.

Flights to Beijing (PEK) →Flights to Shanghai (PVG) →

Getting around

High-speed rail covers the major cities and is our default between them. Buy tickets at stations, from ticket machines, or on the China Railway 12306 website or app. Tickets are real-name, so you book with your passport details. GOV.UK says you must show your passport both to buy a ticket and to board. Petty theft happens on overnight trains, so lock your cabin door.

Domestic flights reach every province and are worth booking early on busy routes. Big cities have metro systems.

Taxis: use only marked, metered taxis, insist on the metered fare and ask for a receipt. Most drivers do not speak English, so have your destination written in Chinese. The DiDi ride-hailing app works with a foreign phone number if it can receive SMS.

Driving needs a Chinese driving licence, so for most visitors self-drive is not an option.

Staying connected: SIM cards are sold at airport kiosks and operator stores on showing your passport. A pre-bought eSIM with China coverage is an alternative.

Where to stay

Beijing: central, near the Central Axis

We stay centrally, within reach of the Palace Museum, the Temple of Heaven and the metro. For a slower Great Wall visit, Gubei Water Town at the foot of Simatai makes an overnight alternative. Hotels usually register your stay with the police at check-in, which foreign visitors must do within 24 hours of arrival.

Shanghai: the Bund side or Pudong

The west bank (Puxi) puts you near the Bund, Yuyuan Garden and Xintiandi, and suits walkers. Across the river, Pudong has the skyscrapers, the Shanghai Tower and Shanghai Museum East. Both sides are well served by the metro.

Xi'an: the city centre

We base ourselves in central Xi'an and treat the Terracotta Warriors as a day trip. Allow about three hours to see both parts of the museum site.

Guilin and the Li River

Guilin city works as a base for the karst landscapes and the Li River.

Lijiang and Yunnan

Small guesthouses in and around the Old Town of Lijiang give you the lanes early and late in the day. Allow time to adjust if you continue to higher ground.

When to go

Weather & timing in China Right now RIGHT NOW 12°C clear

Best Mar, Oct–Nov · Shoulder Feb, Apr, Dec

Units

Monthly figures are for North (Beijing); other regions of China vary. See every region, month by month →

Next 7 days · North

Forecast · Met Office · Powered by Met Office data

Typical · climate data

Best time to visit

April – May & September – November (avoid the first week of October)

Best for
  • Great Wall
  • Terracotta Army
  • Yangtze
  • Cuisine
At a glance
Sunshine 8.6 hr/day
Rainfall 54 mm/mo
Wettest July · 221.6mm
Driest January · 2.3mm
Part of East Asia →
By season

Units

Spring (Mar–May)

What to expect — Daytime highs average about 21°C with overnight lows near 8°C, and it stays largely dry.

What's best — Cool & crisp, then Warm, then Warm & dry. Apr and May are among the best months here (warm, sunny).

Summer (Jun–Aug)

What to expect — Daytime highs average about 31°C with overnight lows near 21°C — the wettest stretch of the year.

What's best — Shoulder season, then Wet.

Autumn (Sep–Nov)

What to expect — Daytime highs average about 18°C with overnight lows near 8°C.

What's best — Warm, then Mild, then Cool & crisp. Sep and Oct are among the best months here (warm, sun and cloud).

Winter (Dec–Feb)

What to expect — Daytime highs average about 4°C with overnight lows near -6°C, and it stays largely dry.

What's best — Cold.

Live forecast map · Windy.com · temperature with wind, °C and km/h

When to go, region by region

China has 5 climate regions

Each month our cards and map show the region with the best weather that month: Jan South · Feb Southwest · Mar West / Central · Apr–May North · Jun–Jul Southwest · Aug–Oct North · Nov Southwest · Dec South.

Region JFMAMJJASOND
NorthBeijing · best Apr–May, Sep–Oct January: not ideal February: not ideal March: good April: great, shown on the cards May: great, shown on the cards June: not ideal July: not ideal August: not ideal, shown on the cards September: great, shown on the cards October: great, shown on the cards November: not ideal December: not ideal
SouthGuangzhou · best Nov–Jan January: great, shown on the cards February: good March: good April: not ideal May: not ideal June: not ideal July: not ideal August: not ideal September: not ideal October: good November: great December: great, shown on the cards
Yangtze / East CoastShanghai · best Apr–May, Oct–Nov January: not ideal February: not ideal March: good April: great May: great June: not ideal July: not ideal August: not ideal September: good October: great November: great December: not ideal
West / CentralXi'an · best Mar–May, Sep–Oct January: not ideal February: not ideal March: great, shown on the cards April: great May: great June: not ideal July: not ideal August: not ideal September: great October: great November: not ideal December: not ideal
SouthwestKunming · best Nov–Apr January: great February: great, shown on the cards March: great April: great May: good June: not ideal, shown on the cards July: not ideal, shown on the cards August: not ideal September: good October: good November: great, shown on the cards December: great

Great Good Not ideal Shown on our cards that month

Heat, rain and the best months, region by region

China covers several climate zones, so the right month depends on the route. For a classic Beijing–Xi'an–Shanghai trip we aim for April–May or September–November. In April–May and September–October average highs run at about 19–28°C in Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai. By November the north cools to about 10–14°C, while Shanghai and the south stay milder.

Summer heat, rain and humidity

Our climate figures flag these hot months, each averaging a high of 32°C or more:

  • Beijing: June (about 33°C). July and August are also the wettest months.
  • Xi'an: June and July (about 32°C).
  • Shanghai and the Yangtze delta: July (32°C) and August (33°C), both humid. June, July and September are wet.
  • Guangzhou and the south: July (33°C). April to September is wet, and June to September is humid.

No zone averages 35°C or more, but heatwaves can push past the averages. Yunnan stays mild all year at altitude (Kunming highs of about 20–25°C), though June to September is its rainy season.

Early summer brings the plum rain (meiyu) to the Yangtze region. The China Meteorological Administration monitors it alongside South China's pre-flood season and the North China rainy season. The FCDO says typhoon season normally runs from May to November and affects southern and eastern coastal regions, so keep flexible plans on the coast.

Winter

The north is cold and dry from December to February, with Beijing highs of about 2–6°C. That is festival season in Harbin. The south stays mild, with Guangzhou highs of about 20°C.

Holiday crowds

Trains, flights and big sights get very busy during the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year; 15–23 February in 2026) and the National Day "Golden Week" in early October. We avoid both, or book transport well ahead.

Average daily high (°C) by month. Measured 2020–2024.
AreaJFMAMJJASOND
North (Beijing) 261522283332302619113
South (Guangzhou) 202125273031333231282520
Yangtze / East Coast (Shanghai) 101116202529323328231811
West / Central (Xi'an) 7111823283232322719147
Southwest (Kunming) 151723242625252423201815

Colours as on the month tiles above. Bold: hot, 32°C or more (go early or late in the day). Outlined: very hot, 35°C or more. Wet: 150 mm of rain or more.

Heat: Hot (average high 32°C or more): Beijing in June; Xi'an in June and July; Shanghai in July and August, both humid; Guangzhou in July, with humidity from June to September. No zone averages 35°C or more. Wet seasons: Beijing in July–August, Shanghai in June, July and September, Guangzhou from April to September, and Kunming from June to September. Typhoon season on the southern and eastern coasts runs from May to November (FCDO).

A little context

A little history

To read what you're looking at — the empires and eras that shaped China's food, art and streets.

One continuous civilisation for over three thousand years, ruled by dynasties from the Qin who built the first Great Wall to the last Qing emperor
Confucian order, the imperial exam and inventions from paper to gunpowder shaped much of Asia
the 1912 fall of the emperor and the 1949 communist revolution remade the country
a single generation of breakneck growth has made it a superpower, ancient and futuristic at once
Culture

Culture and etiquette

  • China is home to 56 ethnic groups, each with its own customs. We visit minority villages as guests and ask before taking photos of people.
  • Ask permission before photographing inside monasteries and temples. Only officially registered religious organisations may carry out religious activities.
  • Do not photograph security forces or military sites. There are restricted military areas where foreigners can be detained, fined or deported.
  • Carry your passport at all times. It is needed for trains, hotels and many sights, and printed copies are not accepted.
  • Google, Facebook, YouTube and X are blocked. Chinese law says online services such as VPNs must be licensed by the government. Set up maps, translation and payment apps before you travel.
  • Spring Festival is the main family holiday of the year. Expect closures, packed trains and celebrations.
  • Same-sex relationships are legal, but the FCDO notes that public attitudes are less tolerant than in the UK.
Formula 1

Grand Prix weekend in China

Formula 1 season calendar: every race →

Local events

What's on in China

See all China events →
Practical

Entry, money and health

Entry and visas (British passport holders)

Visa-free for British citizens until 31 December 2026. Holders of ordinary British passports can enter China without a visa for up to 30 days. Permitted purposes are business, tourism, visiting family or friends, exchanges and transit. The Chinese Embassy in the UK says the 30 days count from the day after entry, and multiple visa-free entries are allowed. Work, study and journalism still need a visa, as does any stay over 30 days. No extension beyond 2026 had been announced when we checked on 28 October 2026, so check before booking travel for 2027.

Passport: GOV.UK says your passport must be valid for at least six months after arrival and have at least two blank pages. That is stricter than the Chinese Embassy's guidance, so we follow GOV.UK.

240-hour visa-free transit: UK nationals are among the 57 eligible nationalities. You can enter at 65 designated ports and stay up to 240 hours in permitted areas. You need a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region; a return ticket home does not qualify. The 240 hours count from 00:00 the day after entry.

On arrival: you must register your residence with the police within 24 hours, and hotels normally do this at check-in. Hong Kong and Macao have separate entry rules: each allows British visitors up to six months without a visa.

See GOV.UK: China entry requirements.

Money

The currency is the Chinese yuan (renminbi, RMB). The FCDO says cashless payment through smartphone apps such as WeChat and Alipay is almost universal. The Chinese Embassy's payment guide confirms that foreign Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners Club and Discover cards can be added to Alipay and to Weixin Pay (WeChat Pay), and Weixin Pay also takes American Express. Scan the QR code that shows your app's logo.

Foreign bank cards work wherever their logos are displayed at the till. Outside the big cities, card acceptance is patchy and ATMs are limited. ATMs at the port of entry take international cards, and you can exchange money there or at banks and authorised exchanges. Check 100-yuan notes carefully, as counterfeits circulate.

Health

TravelHealthPro recommends hepatitis A, tetanus and typhoid vaccines for most travellers. Hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and others may be advised depending on your trip. China is malaria-free, but dengue occurs in the south, including Guangdong, Hainan, Fujian, Guangxi and Yunnan, so avoid mosquito bites. Altitude illness is a risk above 2,500 metres. If you have heart or lung conditions, check local air quality. A yellow fever certificate is needed only if you arrive from a risk country.

Tap water is generally not safe to drink. Healthcare can be expensive, so take insurance that covers treatment and repatriation. Bring enough prescription medicine and check first that you may bring it in. The ambulance number is 120.

UK government travel advice

When we checked, the FCDO did not advise against travel to any part of China. Its advice was last updated on 27 August 2026. It warns that typhoons (May to November), flooding and earthquakes can disrupt travel, and that terrorist attacks cannot be ruled out.

Travel to Tibet needs a permit, arranged through a specialist agent, and an organised tour. Xinjiang has heavy security, and the British Embassy can offer only limited consular help in either region. China does not recognise dual nationality, and exit bans can last months or years. Read the full advice on GOV.UK before you travel.

Festivals worth planning around

Sources · last checked 28 October 2026

We write this guide from official sources only: GOV.UK, national immigration portals, tourism boards, airports and operators, central banks and met services. Rules change, so check the linked pages before you book.

Before you book

Know before you go

The practical back-matter — safety, drones and the essentials, in one place.

Safety

No FCDO advisory against travel FCDO advice →

Official UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office guidance is the definitive source — check it close to your travel dates.

Drone rules (sub-250g)

  • China
    Effectively impractical for visitors: CAAC real-name registration requires a Chinese phone number, so you can't register before arriving, the most scenic cities are heavily restricted, and enforcement is strict. ⚠ Beijing's urban core is a near-total no-fly zone, and Tibet and Xinjiang carry blanket bans or special-clearance requirements; keep 10km from airports and under 120m; border and military-sensitive areas are strictly off-limits. Rules checked: Jul 2026

National parks, protected sites and religious/heritage venues often have their own rules and permits — always check the specific site before you fly.

The essentials

Plug & voltage Type A/C/I · 220V
Daily budget Mid-range
Region Eastern Asia