When we decided to go to China for the first time, the first thing we thought was, “This is going to be complicated.” Everyone told us planning a trip there was a nightmare: visas, apps, internet restrictions, you name it. But it turned out to be the complete opposite: everything worked smoothly, nothing felt confusing, and the whole experience was extremely easy. Just like China as a whole.
If you’re thinking about going to China and already feel overwhelmed by what you’ve read online, this guide is for you. Here’s exactly how we planned our trip and how you can do it without stress.
Decide where to go
China is gigantic, and it’s impossible to see it all if you don’t have unlimited time. Plan your visit realistically, making sure to avoid spending too much time on buses, trains, and flights, and actually enjoy the places you visit.
We’ve seen people following itineraries that felt like a sprint: spending one night in one place only to check the highlights, leaving early in the morning to spend just another night somewhere else, and so on. China is a place that needs to be lived and breathed, and rushing it will take away more than half of the experience.
We sacrificed Chengdu and Guilin to spend more time in Zhangjiajie and Xi’an and couldn’t have made a better choice.
Familiarize with Chinese apps
China runs on apps and it’s (almost) completely cashless. WeChat and Alipay reign, and you can do literally everything with them. They’re built for a Chinese-speaking audience, but they integrate AI to translate content and chats, so you don’t have to worry if you want to grab a taxi (Didi is integrated), pay for dinner, or talk to someone. We installed both and used both after linking our international credit cards to them. In almost three weeks, we never took cash!
Get a VPN and install an e-sim to your mobile
China is famous for the Great Firewall, meaning that accessing the web as we know it from there is impossible. Get a VPN and install it before you arrive to be able to navigate like if you were in your home country. Pair it with an e-sim to get install connectivity when you land.
Check your requirements’ entry
Citizens of certain countries can travel without a visa to China, others can stay visa-free for a specific and short amount of time, others can get it upon arrival. Make sure you check the rules for your country and allow plenty of time to request all the documents you may need to enter the country.
Book transports early
China is enormous, and locals move from one place to another using buses, trains, and flights. Make sure your itinerary is lined up and book as many public transports as you can (if not all of them) to make sure you find space. We never had an issue with any transport because we went all in and booked everything in advance, but we saw people struggling to reach specific places because there were no seats left.
Pack strategically
You don’t need a lot of things in China because anything you can think of, you can buy there. And packing is something you can start thinking of as soon as you start planning. Bring your usual prescription and over-the-counter meds (painkillers, allergy tablets, stomach remedies); many Western brands aren’t sold locally, and packaging is only in Chinese. Remember to pack a travel adapter and also some tissues.
Make a copy of your passport
You need to bring your passport everywhere you go in China: from entering national monuments to the metro, and so on. In many cases, you also need to pass security checks, so it’s good practice to keep a copy of your passport in your room and also have one on your smartphone. China is extremely safe, but there are millions of people around you, and being cautious is always recommended.
Choose the right time to go
You’ve probably heard this many times, but China’s size means the weather changes drastically between regions. Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) are the best all-round seasons.
Avoid Golden Week (early October) and Lunar New Year, when transport and hotels are packed. We went between April and may and, aside from the usual and expected crowd, we had no hard time.
Book entry tickets for major attractions in advance
Just like transports, attractions also are best booked in advance. Some attractions (like the Forbidden City, Terracotta Warriors, or Zhangjiajie National Forest Park) require online booking and a real-name ticket linked to your passport. Many sell out days ahead, especially during weekends or holidays. Booking in advance and making sure that you got the name correctly attached to the ticket is a lifesaver.
Tip: many travellers are prompted to think they have to join international tours to visit certain places. You can do everything by yourself and just book a ticket for an attraction, no need to go all-in with an organized tour.
Book a transfer from the airport when you arrive
After a long flight, the last thing you want is to figure out taxis or metro lines in a new language. Booking a transfer in advance makes your arrival in China much smoother: drivers wait for you at the terminal, and you can pay online through trusted platforms like Trip.com or Klook.
We did it and it made everything easier, especially after a red-eye flight and a long line at immigration.
Planning a trip to China doesn’t have to be a nightmare
In the end, planning our trip to China was much easier than we thought. A few smart steps made all the difference and once there, we could just enjoy it all and get surprised. China might look intimidating from afar, but it isn’t. Plan a little, stay flexible, and you’ll see how simple and rewarding it can be.