I’ve been to this part of Great Wall twice but it’s been a while. I plan to go with one other person on Jan 2. I want to book a private car that will sit and wait for us for the return. I don’t need a tour guide. Questions;

1. is it ok to wait until I arrive Beijing on 12/30 to book the 1/2 car to Great Wall and do this via hotel concierge? (Staying at nice hotel).
2. or should I book ahead with Viator, Get Your Guide, or other tour company? Any reco?
3. do I need to pre book Gondola and Slide at Mutianyu or just buy when I get there? I’d like to see what weather is as I can shift the date to another day that week if needed.

Thx!

Questions about this train:

1. I read that Premium 1st is sometimes a biz class lie flat seat and sometimes a first class seat. How to know which is on the train I choose, assuming this is true?
2. on Trip.com, I can select two seats next to each other for me and companion in regular 1st or Biz class but not in Premium 1st- why? Will system know to put us together given I book both tickets at same booking?
3. is Premium 1st worth an extra $50 each? Do u get lounge in station?
4. I plan to use trip.com because I cannot register on 12306 app or website. I just get a blank screen when I try.

Thanks!

Hi, I've been looking into options for eSims to use in China. Apparently some eSims are very slow in China? If anyone has any advice/recommendations it would be appreciated.

I don't need a phone number, need acceptable speed and data (Probably 10-20gb for 3 weeks) and want it to bypass the firewall.

Oh, also if there's an eSim that'll cover Singapore too that would be great (couple hour layover there)

Wanting to travel from Shanghai to Chongqing later this month. Would it be cheaper to buy the plane tickets on trip.com or at some agency in China? Thanks

Hey everyone I’m actually arriving in Beijing in a couple of hours and I’m staying for 4 days. I really don’t have a set itinerary but my plan was to visit Longqing but now I’m seeing conflicting information that it could be closed in preparation for the winter carnival.

Is the whole park closed or just the boat tour?

Is it worth going without the boat tour?

What other outside of the city non-great wall tours would you recommend?

Thanks!

I am travelling to Bejing, and Chengdu on my way to Vietnam. i will not be leaving the airport. Can i take a small amount of Duloxetine (SNRI) if it is in the original packaging with my name and dose on?

Hi folks,

We have a 16 hour layover in Shanghai coming up and I've got WeChat Pay setup already. During the layover I'd like to use WeChat to pay for stuff (food, layover hotel). I'd also like the option to check maps (I guess Baidu maps?) to go somewhere from the airport hotel and not get lost.

Question: will mobile data on international roaming on my German Sim card be enough for this? Or will I need an esim for China?

TIA

I have 4 days and am planning on going to Chongqing and possibly Chengdu, please give me suggestions on how long it is worth staying in Chongqing as I am also considering a day trip to Zhangjiajie as well.

I have seen people recommend a 2 day split each in Chongqing and Chengdu, is this enough time to cover the main attractions as I would also like to experience the nightlife in the city (or cities).

Are there any considerations I should think of in terms of travel/transportation and is it easier to fly back to Melbourne from one or the other?

Hi all,

I’m visiting Shangri-La in December and want to do a traditional Tibetan attire photoshoot around the city, the monastery, and nearby scenic spots.

Should I book in advance with a specific agency, or can I arrange this on the spot at local shops? How long does the whole process (makeup, dressing, photoshoot) usually take?

Any recommendations for shops or tips would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m traveling in China this December and planning to use high-speed trains for some segments of my trip. I’m wondering whether I need to book tickets in advance or if it’s generally safe to buy them on the same day for more flexibility.

Here’s my train itinerary:

1. Chongqing → Chengdu
2. Shangri-La → Lijiang
3. Lijiang → Dali
4. Dali → Kunming

I understand December isn’t peak tourist season, but is it still busy due to winter holidays or other factors? Are there significant risks of trains selling out, especially for popular routes like Chongqing to Chengdu?

I’d prefer to keep my plans flexible in case I want to amend my itinerary last minute, but I don’t want to risk being stranded without a ticket.

Would love to hear from anyone with experience traveling these routes or during December in general. Thanks!

Hi everyone!

I have a long layover in Kunming—I'll arrive around noon and leave the next morning at 8.20 a.m. I’m staying near Green Lake for the night and was wondering if it’s feasible (or worth it) to visit the Stone Forest (Shilin) during my layover time.

From what I’ve researched, it’s about 1.5-2 hours away by car or train from Kunming, and it seems like an incredible spot to visit. However, I’m unsure if the travel time, entry costs, and effort are worth it for such a short trip.

For those who’ve been to the Stone Forest or know Kunming well, do you think it’s worth trying to squeeze in a trip there during my layover? Would I have enough time to explore and still enjoy the experience?

Any tips on transportation, timing, or whether I should stick to exploring Kunming city instead would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance! 😊

I will spend 7 days in yunnan and would like to get some recommendations please for the hotels. For example : would you stay in Dali old town as hotel choice ? Thanks.

I was using this app to do my research before travelling to china, and now it suddenly crashes and i can no longer open it. I have tried reinstalling the app, restarting my phone, but none have helped. Anyone has a solution?

I'm an American flying from Korea to Hanoi and have an option for a 7pm-5pm(+1) layover in Xi'an* or a 13 hour layover (10am-11pm) in Shanghai. I've been living in Korea and am leaving for good, so I thought it would be nice to see China for one day given the chance, even though it'll probably be hectic. Also, these options are around $120 cheaper than flying direct.

Which option would you choose? I know the cities are really different, Shanghai bright lights look cool but I thought such a crowded city may be really overwhelming, where as Xi'an seems smaller and a bit more relaxed. I speak no Mandarin and will probably get an esim before arrival.

*The Xi'an option has two transfers, first Incheon-Qingdao for a 1.5 hour layover (!) then Qingdao-Xi'an.

Hello! My group of friends are planning to visit China in January next year.

We are still puzzle on the transportation from Tiger leaping gorge to Shangrila.

Our plan is to take bus from Lijiang Old Town to visit Tiger Leaping Gorge then from there we would go straight to Shangrila. But could not find what’s the best mode of transportation to take from TLG to Shangrila.

Visiting China for 9 days and currently struggling with an itinerary for my last day in Chongqing.

I’m planning to arrive in Chongqing sometime in the afternoon (via train from Chengdu). Subsequently will be flying out of Chongqing airport on a redeye flight that same day (need to be at the airport around midnight). So in that roughly 10-12 hours of time, i dont think it makes sense to book a hotel?

What i was thinking is to get a ticket for one of those 24H massage places, maybe get a massage and some food in. Leave my luggage there and continue to explore the city and have dinner, return to the massage place to chill out until about 11pm before heading to the airport.

Just wanted to seek your advice/opinions on whether this would be a viable plan, as well as some insights on how these 24h places operate and if you have any recommendations for which specific outlet to visit? Thanks!!

Can I use my Amex or other credit cards for Alipay or is applying for ICBC debit card better in terms of seamless transaction

Travelling to Harbin in 2 weeks time with a 2.5h layover at Guangzhou airport Looking to purchase a physical sim card that allows me to make calls either during transit at Guangzhou or at Harbin upon arrival.

Anyone knows if there's a sim card shop:

1. within the transit area at Guangzhou airport
2. If I should head out to the public area to purchase and reenter airside with 2.5h transit
3. There's sim card for sale at Harbin airport

Hi all!

I am a Spanish citizen and I’d like to visit Beijing this month. I have airline benefits and can fly standby from the US. I was wondering if anyone here has done this before.

What documents are usually asked for during the immigration interview? Is a standby outbound ticket required? Can I just tell the officer that I am planning on leaving in 10 days or should I book a standby ticket and just present it as is?

Thank you!

Hello!

As the title says, I’m wondering which would be better to visit: Furong or Fenghuang?

I’ve got a day to visit one but not sure which one is better? Would it be possible to do both?

I’ll be going to Zhangjiajie at the end of the day.

Thanks!

Hello, my girlfriend and I are planning to go to China during the month of February for 2 weeks.

Can you help me with the itinerary?

Knowing that we arrive in Shanghai and that we leave from Shanghai.

We were advised to go to Shanghai, Hangzhou and Suzhou but I don’t know if these destinations are optimal in the middle of winter.

Thank you for the help:D

Does anyone know which US cell phone provider’s phone works best in China(Shanghai) using US phone number, also the cheapest. Thank you.

I am in my mid 20’s and have typically traveled through Contiki and G-adventures, but now my parents would like to use a travel company like those that doesn’t have an age restriction. They are looking to visit China in 2026 for about a month, and would like at least 2 weeks planned with a travel company like G-adventures. They are in their early 60’s and fairly active, so light hiking isn’t an issue. No flights included would be fine since they would prefer to buy their own flights. What would be your recommendations?

Hii guys,

Now that china has a 30 days non visa policy for my country,I'm planning to backpack it. This is my itinary at the moment do you guys have any tips or advice? Beijing 3 night arriving in morning Then nightrain to datong 2 nights staying there Train to pingyoa 1 or 2 nights Maybe the nightmare from pingyoa to Xi'an 2 nights Train to Chengdu 3 nights Train to chongqing 2 nights Train to Fenghuang 2 nights Train to zhangjaje 2 nights Train to guillin 4 nights And then Train to hong kong

Hello,

I will visit China for the first time very soon and will arrive at Hongqiao airport. Will stay in Shanghai for 6 days, but plan to go on several day trips to other cities via Hongqiao railway station. So I'm looking for a hotel that is not far away or at least easily accessible by metro from there.

What I am also looking for:

1. Good English speaking staff, as I don't speak Chinese and don't want to rely on translation apps
2. next metro station within 8 min. walking distance if possible
3. budget is flexible, but I would prefer to stay under 100 USD/EUR per night
4. should accept foreigners
5. good wi-fi

Any recommendations?

Hi everyone,

I’m gearing up for a trip to Sichuan and Yunnan this December and need some advice on booking day trips outside the main cities. I’ve come across options on Trip.com, but I also know there are plenty of local travel agencies that might offer similar tours. I’m trying to figure out which route makes more sense for me.

Here’s the kind of day trips I’m talking about:

• From Chengdu: Leshan Giant Buddha, Mount Qing Cheng + Dujiangyan Irrigation System.
• From Lijiang: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Tiger Leaping Gorge.
• From Shangri-La: Pudacuo National Park and Balagezong Grand Canyon.
• From Dali: Cangshan Mountain, Erhai Lake.

Is it better to book these trips ahead of time on platforms like Trip.com, or should I wait until I’m there to book through local agencies? For those who’ve gone the local route, how reliable and safe are these agencies? Is booking locally significantly cheaper, or does the convenience of booking online outweigh any savings? Do you have any personal recommendations for local tour operators in these areas? I’m looking for the best balance of cost, convenience, and safety. If anyone has firsthand experience or tips, I’d love to hear from you. Thanks so much in advance!

Hello,

Is it possible to do Zhangjiajie Forest Park, Tianmen Mountain, Glass Bridge, Furong Town in one day, maybe one day and a half?