China Guide
China Guide
Practical, specialist-written guidance for traveling China with less guesswork. The same judgment we use for trip design, published as useful notes.
China essentials
Sort these before you fly
Visa & Entry
6 guidesVisa-free transit, entry rules and what to have ready at the border.
Payments & Apps
13 guidesAlipay, WeChat Pay, eSIMs and the apps that make daily life in China work.
Transport
16 guidesHigh-speed rail, 12306 tickets, metro, Didi and getting between cities.
Planning & Safety
36 guidesPacking, health, emergencies and the decisions to make before you book.
Start here
Six practical reads for a first trip
In the order most people need them.
- Visa-Free Transit in China 2026: 240-Hour Guide (US OK)Visa & Entry
- Alipay for Foreigners 2026: Link a Visa or Mastercard Before You FlyPayments & Apps
- Can Foreigners Buy 12306 Tickets? Yes, With a PassportTransport
- eSIM and SIM in China for Foreigners 2026: What Works on LandingPayments & Apps
- First-Time China Visitor Checklist (2026)Planning & Safety
- 10-Day China Itinerary 2026: 240-Hour Visa-Free RouteItineraries
40 guides
Itineraries
Day-by-day routes for first visits, short stays and private journeys.
47 guides
Food
Regional dishes, tea and where locals actually order them.
91 guides
Photography
City-by-city photo locations, timing and practical shooting notes.
60 guides
Culture & Craft
Opera, embroidery, teahouses, old towns and heritage sites, with context.
3 guides
Shopping
Tax refunds, what to buy and where locals shop, with the rules that apply to visitors.
2 guides
Medical & Wellness
Check-ups and hospital visits at international departments: how booking and support work.
Specialist knowledge
LocalKey is not just writing about China. We use this knowledge to design the trip.
Visa-free routing, payment setup, emergency planning, city pacing, and experience selection are not side topics. They are the operating layer behind private China tours.
Free planning tools
Quick checks before you ask us to design the trip.
Use the visa-free route checker and Shanghai itinerary builder as China Guide resources. They are free lead-in tools, separate from our paid Private China Tours.
Browse ToolsPlan with a specialist
Rather have it planned for you?
The same specialists who write these guides design private trips, 1:1 around your dates. Choose how much support you want on the ground.