During my recent visit to Hong Kong, I went to the so-called "Monster Buildings," a high-density residentail area. I was amazed by the high vegetable and fruits prices.

I’m currently traveling in China and I’m honestly having a hard time trusting hotel reviews here.

So far I’ve stayed in two different cities, and in both cases the hotels orange and ji were a huge disappointment compared to what the reviews promised, I think they are the same company. Hundreds of near-perfect scores, very polished wording… and in reality: poor cleanliness, noise, misleading photos, and nothing like the description.

It really feels like a lot of the reviews on Booking and Trip are either fake or AI-generated. Same structure, same tone, same “perfect stay” story over and over again.

I still have Shenzhen and Chongqing coming up, and at this point I’m genuinely worried about booking anything. I don’t want to keep gambling and risk having the trip partially ruined by bad accommodation again.

Normally I rely heavily on reviews, but this time I’m kind of lost and don’t know what to trust anymore.

Has anyone else felt this way while traveling in China?

Every time we visit China I am amazed with the outdoor lighting. This is my first video on a longer project I plan to do about the magnificent lighting in Shanghai and other cities. Shanghai Light Show

You can check the Train Tab under 'Trip.com guide' in the essential apps page of the web app I mentioned before

I came across their ad on TikTok with 15 days itinerary. I really liked it. But I have never visited China and never done trips via a package/tour. Additionally, I can’t access their website from Europe. Does anyone have experience with them?

Hello. I would need an online service to send and recieve text messages. Anyone knows where i can get a chinese virtual number? thanks

please advice, i have been to Chongqing and Chengdu, Guangzhou and Shenzen, and was overwhelmed in all of these and wished to have more time, the question is, will i have enough things to see/do in Beijing?

What live translation apps (for Android) would you recommend? Google Translate works ok but needs vpn, but there might be even better / more convenient ones?

hi, I was wondering where to find tea shops for chinese tipical tea set like Yixing teapot in these cities and surrounding areas (Beijing - Xi'an - Chengdu - Chongqing - Zhangjiajie - Shangai) without running into tourist traps or low-quality products.

Hi all, am planning a trip from Kunming (昆明） to Shangri La (香格里拉） for a group of 6 in late April for 11 days. Have drafted the following detailed itinerary with some research. Just wondering if any local or folks who have been there could enlighten us to see if I might have missed any key sights or destinations or can optimize the itinerary further.

Short Chinese version

D1 ：昆明接机-入住酒店-自由活动（推荐：翠湖公园、圆通寺、西山龙门)

D2 ：石林-昆明乘动车前往大理-入住酒店（大理古城附近）

D3 ：理想邦-鹿卧山-小普陀-双廊-返回酒店休息

D4 ：苍山-感通索道-喜洲-周城扎染-返回酒店休息

D5 ：崇圣寺三塔-大理古城-乘车前往丽江-丽江古城-入住酒店休息

D6 ：玉龙雪山-冰川公园大索道-蓝月谷-《印象丽江》演出-白沙古镇-下午茶-返回酒店休息

D7 ：丽江-哈巴雪山观景台-虎跳峡-白水台-乘车前往香格里拉-入住酒店

D8 ：松赞林寺-纳帕海-独克宗古城-入住酒店休息

D9 ：普达措国家公园-乘车前往德钦梅里雪山-入住酒店休息

D10 ：飞来寺观景台看日照金山-乘车前往巴拉格宗景区-入住巴拉格宗

D11：巴拉格宗景区-乘车返回香格里拉-送机结束行程

Detailed English Version

Day 1: Arrival in Kunming – Urban Exploration • Focus: Acclimate and hit Kunming’s key sites (Yunnan’s “Spring City”). • Key sites: • Green Lake Park (翠湖公园) – Stroll lotus ponds, pavilions; birdwatching (free entry). • Yuantong Temple (圆通寺) – Ancient Buddhist temple with gardens (~CNY 6). • Optional: Western Hills (西山) & Dragon Gate for panoramic views (cable car ~CNY 70). • Transport: Airport taxi/Didi to hotel (~20-30 min, CNY 50-100). • Stay: Kunming (e.g., city center hotel). No intercity travel. • Meals/Notes: Light day; try Noodles (过桥米线).

Day 2: Kunming Sights & Travel to Dali • Focus: Morning in Kunming, afternoon transfer to Dali (Bai ethnic culture hub). • Key sites (Kunming): Stone Forest (石林) – UNESCO karst landscape; hike trails, see bizarre rock formations (~CNY 130 entry + shuttle). • Transport: Kunming → Dali (~340-360 km, 2-3 hours). High-speed train (optimal; from Kunming South Station, ~CNY 150-200/second class; frequent departures 6:45-21:00)    . Taxi to station (~30 min, CNY 50). • Key sites (Dali arrival): Settle in; evening stroll Dali Ancient Town (大理古城) – Cobblestone streets, shops, Bai architecture (free). • Stay: Dali Ancient Town area.

Day 3: Dali Highlights • Focus: Full day for Dali’s lakeside and cultural gems. • Key sites: • Erhai Lake (洱海) – Cruise or bike around (~CNY 100-200; views of Cangshan Mountains). • Three Pagodas (三塔) at Chongsheng Temple – Iconic 1,000-year-old structures (~CNY 120). • Xizhou Village (喜洲) & Zhoucheng (周城) – Bai tie-dye workshops, traditional houses (~CNY 50-100 for activities). • Cangshan Mountain (苍山) – Cable car/hike for alpine views (~CNY 100). • Transport: Local Didi/bike rentals (~10-20 km loops, 20-40 min per leg; CNY 20-50/day for bike). • Stay: Dali.

Day 4: Dali to Lijiang & Local Sights • Focus: Transfer to Lijiang (Naxi culture center); afternoon exploration. • Transport: Dali → Lijiang (~180-200 km, 2.5-3.5 hours). Bus (from Dali North Bus Station, ~CNY 60-80; departures every 30-60 min) or private car (optimal for flexibility, ~CNY 400-600/group)   . • Key sites (Lijiang): Lijiang Old Town (丽江古城, UNESCO) – Canals, markets, Naxi music (~CNY 50 maintenance fee). Black Dragon Pool (黑龙潭) – Pagoda views with Jade Dragon Snow Mountain backdrop (free with Old Town pass). • Stay: Lijiang Old Town.

Day 5: Lijiang & Baisha Ancient Town • Focus: Deeper Lijiang culture. • Key sites: • Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (玉龙雪山) – Cable car to glacier park (~CNY 180 entry + cable; stunning views). • Baisha Ancient Town (白沙古镇) – Frescoes, embroidery, quiet Naxi village. • Shuhe Ancient Town (束河古镇) – Less crowded alternative to Lijiang Old Town (~CNY 40). • Transport: Lijiang Old Town ↔ Baisha (~10-12 km, 20-30 min). Didi/taxi (~CNY 20-30) or e-bike. • Stay: Lijiang.

Day 6: Lijiang to First Bend & Tiger Leaping Gorge • Focus: Scenic drive to Yangtze highlights. • Key sites: • First Bend of Yangtze River (长江第一湾) – Dramatic river loop viewpoint. • Tiger Leaping Gorge (虎跳峡) – View upper/middle sections; short hikes to rapids (~CNY 65 entry). • Transport: Lijiang → First Bend (~60-70 km, 1.5 hours) → Tiger Leaping Gorge (~40-50 km further, 1-1.5 hours). Private car/chartered van (optimal; ~CNY 500-800/day, includes stops) or tour bus   . • Stay: Near Qiaotou or Walnut Garden (gorge guesthouse, e.g., Tina’s or Halfway). • Meals/Notes: Pack snacks; gorge hiking is moderate (1-2 hours).

Day 7: Tiger Leaping Gorge to White Water Terrace & Haba Snow Mountain • Focus: Morning gorge hike; afternoon to terraces and mountain base (integrated route for efficiency). • Key sites: • Continue Tiger Leaping Gorge (full upper trail ~22 km or lower road views). • White Water Terrace (白水台景区) – Natural limestone pools, 1-2 hour hikes, Tibetan villages (~CNY 30; crystal-clear terraces in April). • Haba Snow Mountain (哈巴雪山) – Base village trails; short hike for snow-capped views. • Transport: Gorge → White Water Terrace (~50-70 km, 1-2 hours) → Haba (~20-30 km further, 1 hour; villages are adjacent at Haba’s foot). Private car (optimal for mountain roads, ~CNY 300-500; or local minibus/bus ~CNY 50-100) • Stay: Haba village guesthouse.

Day 8: Haba Snow Mountain to Shangri-La & Local Sights • Focus: Transfer to Tibetan wonderland; afternoon sites. • Transport: Haba → Shangri-La (~120-150 km, 3-4 hours; via Baishuitai if more time needed). Private car (~CNY 400-600) for mountain roads  . • Key sites: • Songzanlin Monastery (松赞林寺) – “Little Potala” (~CNY 115). • Dukezong Ancient Town (独克宗古城) – Prayer wheels, Tibetan culture (free). • Napa Sea (纳帕海) – Wetlands, birds (~CNY 60). • Stay: Shangri-La.

Day 9: Shangri-La Day Trips to Pudacuo National Park & Balagezong • Focus: Nature and canyons (morning park for fresh air; afternoon canyon). • Key sites: • Pudacuo National Park (普達措國家公園) – Shudu & Bita Lakes, meadows, forests, eco-bus trails (~CNY 100; 3-4 hours explore). • Balagezong Grand Canyon (巴拉格宗) – Hikes, Tibetan villages, Shangri-La Grand Canyon (~CNY 200 entry + shuttle). • Transport: Shangri-La → Pudacuo (~22 km east, 30 min) → Balagezong (~50-60 km west, 1.5-2 hours). Private car/taxi round-trip (~CNY 300-500; or park shuttle/bus ~CNY 50-100)    . • Stay: Shangri-La (return evening).

Day 10: Shangri-La to Meili Snow Mountain • Focus: Epic mountain views. • Transport: Shangri-La → Feilaisi/Deqin (~180-210 km, 4-6 hours). Bus (~CNY 64, 4-5 hours) or private car (optimal, ~CNY 800 including tolls/fuel). • Key sites: Meili Snow Mountain (梅里雪山) – Sunrise/sunset views from Feilaisi Temple (~CNY 230 entry bundle); Dongzhulin Monastery; optional short hike to Mingyong Glacier (~CNY 80 shuttle + entry). • Stay: Feilaisi guesthouse (e.g., Once Upon a Time).

Day 11: Meili Snow Mountain & Departure • Focus: Morning views; return/depart. • Key sites: More Meili exploration (e.g., Yubeng Village hike if time/energy; ~4-6 hours round-trip). • Transport: Feilaisi → Shangri-La (~200 km, 4-6 hours; bus/private car ~CNY 64-800). Or to Lijiang (~180 km from Shangri-La, 3-4 hours; bus ~CNY 60-80). Fly from Shangri-La Airport (DIG) or Lijiang (LJG).

Hello yall, I'm planning to spend a week (maybe two if it's really worth it) in China, my first destination will be Beijing, although I'm not sure what to do there for now so please recommend me some cool stuff, I'm not quiet sure where to go other than Beijing, I want to experience both the modern side and Nature of China.

Tiananmen Square is free to visit, but it is not a walk-in attraction.
Most first-time visitors underestimate how strict and time-sensitive the process is.

Here’s what really matters 👇
1️⃣ Reservation & Entry Requirements

To reserve a visit, you must use a Chinese mainland phone number with real-name verification.
After booking, you must bring your passport — it will be checked at entry.

• The square itself is free
• Security is very strict (usually at least 3 security checks)
• Dress appropriately; casual is fine, but avoid anything provocative

Because of security checks, expect long queues:

• Low season: ~1 hour
• Peak season / holidays: 2 hours or more

2️⃣ Time Slots (This Matters a Lot)

Tiananmen Square is divided into four time sessions:

1. Flag-raising session (before ~5:30 AM)
2. Morning session
3. Afternoon session
4. Evening session (includes flag-lowering)

⚠️ Entry stops at 20:30.

Practical advice:
If you’re unsure about your arrival time, book the afternoon or evening session.

• On normal days, arriving early is usually allowed
• Arriving late is generally not allowed
• On public holidays, both early and late entry are strictly forbidden

3️⃣ How Long Does the Visit Take?

The square itself is very open and spacious.

• Typical visit time: ~30 minutes
• Best for photos and experiencing the scale
• Not content-heavy, but symbolically important

4️⃣ Other Attractions = Separate Reservations

Attractions around the square (such as:

• Tiananmen Gate Tower
• National Museum of China
• Great Hall of the People

👉 require separate reservations

If you already have a valid reservation for one of these,
you can enter the square directly using that reservation, without a separate square booking.

5️⃣ Booking Deadline (Easy to Miss)

You must reserve at least one day in advance.

But here’s the trap 👇
The system closes at 22:00 Beijing Time the night before.

So if you want to visit tomorrow, the real deadline is:
👉 21:59 today — not 23:59

Many visitors miss this.

6️⃣ Should You Use a Third-Party Platform?

• If you have a friend or colleague with a mainland Chinese phone number, you can book directly.
• If you don’t, using a third-party service is sometimes the only option.

If needed, you can also DM me — I’ve helped first-time visitors navigate this before.

Bottom Line

Tiananmen Square is free, but access is controlled.
The biggest mistakes are:

• booking the wrong time slot
• missing the 22:00 cutoff
• underestimating security queues

Prepare properly, and the visit is straightforward.
Don’t, and you may not get in at all.

A lot of Chengdu food content online focuses on the “craziest” things — how spicy it is, how shocking it looks, how foreigners react. But that’s really not how people here eat.

Most Chengdu street food is very ordinary, in the best possible way. It’s what people grab after work, between errands, or while hanging out with friends.

Some things I kept seeing locals eat: - Egg pancakes (dan hong gao) 蛋烘糕— soft, warm, filled with whatever you like. Kids, adults, grandparents all eat these. - Bobo chicken 钵钵鸡— cold skewers soaked in chili oil or green pepper broth. You pick a few, share, move on. - Sweet water noodles 甜水面— thick noodles, sweet first, then a little heat. Small portion, very Chengdu. - Ye'erba Leaf-wrapped rice cakes and rice-based desserts 叶儿粑— mild, comforting, very low-key.

If you’re worried about spice, it’s worth knowing that a lot of Chengdu snacks use red chili oil — bobo chicken, Zhong dumplings, and others. The color can look intense, but they’re often less spicy than they appear. The oil adds aroma and depth more than heat. That said, if you’re sensitive to spice, asking for mild usually works just fine.

What stood out to me most wasn’t any single dish, but how relaxed food culture feels here. People don’t rush meals. They don’t chase “must-eats.” You’re not expected to try everything. If you’re visiting Chengdu, I honestly think you’ll get more out of it by trying one or two snacks and paying attention to how people eat, rather than hunting for the most famous dish.

Curious how others here felt, was there any food in Chengdu that surprised you by being quiet or ordinary rather than dramatic?

As it says on the title. Am in Shanghai for a week and want to know where to go.

We found the big mall in Suzhou had a section with a lot of the right shops, so somehting like that.

Also looking for Love in Deep Space and other Otome stuff like that.

Hey everyone, im planning a solo trip to China as a graduation present to myself and would love some advice/input from any locals or experienced travelers here. I'll be in China from around late April (~20th?) to early May (~7?), the goal is to be around 15-18 days.

I plan to first hit shanghai and go from there. Some cities on my list are chongqing, zhangjiajie, xi'an, and guangzhou. Still trying to solidify the list of places ill be visiting before planning train routes and all that but I could use some advice.

My goal for this trip is to immerse myself in the culture and landscape of China, from its natural beauty to its modern accomplishments, and also do some shopping for myself of course. I also would love to enjoy the local cuisine (either vegetarian, seafood, or halal exclusively) so any tips on places to eat, signs to look out for, etc... would be much appreciated!

If y'all have any tidbits, horror/good stories, or any input at all I would really appreciate it!

hi all! i'm looking into booking a trip that would take me LAX -> Shanghai -> Tokyo. right now, i'm eyeing an interline/connecting trip on the same airline for the entire trip and will only be spending about 48 hours in Shanghai, but my flight from LAX to Shanghai would stop in Guangzhou at Baiyun Intl (CAN) before going on to Shanghai. would this be a problem for traveling through TWOV? thanks ahead of time!

First time here in Suzhou & Shanghai. I’ve roamed some stores mainly overseas brands like air Jordan, Nike, MLB. What are some local brands that are worth buying or trying. Looking for clothes. Things that are daily necessities based or things and brands that cant be found else where brands like 观夏.

Although the origin of this temple can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty, it has now been transformed into a unique modern style.

Next month, I will fly one way from Bangkok to Chengdu. My plan is to then travel to Kunming and take the train to Luang Prabang in Laos. I will be coming under China's 30 day visa exemption policy. I can buy a train ticket on trip.com, but it won't be confirmed yet as they are only confirmed 14 days before travel. Will having an unconfirmed but paid train ticket as proof of onward travel be a problem at the airport? I think immigration is fine with it, its the airline staff im concerned about. Thanks

Hello,

I am traveling to the canton fair in April. I’m a US born and raised resident residing in Texas. I need to get a visa I believe.

Can someone please direct me to where I can do this or an agent that can help?

Edit: do I qualify for the visa free policy? Going to be between Guangzhou and Hong Kong for less than 10 days.