China – My Tried and Tested 2-week Itinerary

China has always had a place on my bucket list, but its complicated and pricey visa regulations had me putting it off for ages. Until earlier this year, that is, when the government updated their entry regulations allowing Brits (like me) visa-free travel! And that was it. My China trip was on, and I got to work planning a two-week itinerary.

My plan was to fly into Chongqing, then travel by train to Zhangjiajie, Chengdu, Xi’an, and finally Beijing, where I would catch a flight home.

I'll go into more detail about what I got up to in each of those cities below, but first, here are a few things to note…

Ease of travel

Right off the bat, the first thing that struck me after landing was just how efficient the country is. Queues moved quickly, taxis often arrived less than a minute after ordering them, trains were boarded seamlessly and left on time; it was all very impressive.

In general, everyone I interacted with was very friendly and happy to try and help me. Although it's worth noting that many people do not speak English, so I mostly communicated with locals through language translation apps.

I only travelled to big cities and popular tourist areas, but I always felt incredibly safe. Streets were well lit, and if I had found myself in any kind of danger, there always seemed to be an open convenience store nearby that I could dip into for help.

One particular aspect of travel through China that I appreciated was the lack of “hassle.” Street vendors and shopkeepers rarely tried to push me to buying their products/tours, which meant I could usually shop around in peace. Although sales assistants did occasionally shadow me around a store, just in case I needed their help.

Internet

If you connect to Wi-Fi or use a Chinese SIM, you will find that a lot of your apps do not work. To get around this, you can either install a VPN or an eSIM. I opted for an eSIM from Airalo, and I was able to continue using all of my apps as usual. I found that 10 GB just about saw me through my two-week trip, but if you're a big social media user, I'd suggest 15 GB.

Cash and payments

Pretty much all payments are made through apps like WeChat and Alipay. It's best to make an account and link your card to these before you travel, since you may need to wait a while for your details to be verified. When paying, either you or the vendor will need to scan a QR code from one of your apps. It's all very quick and efficient once you get your head around it, but it can become a bit panic-inducing if you're low on battery. Thankfully, most cities are filled with rentable street-side power banks if you ever get caught off guard.

I only saw physical cash once during our trip. A taxi driver “accidentally” overcharged me for a ride, and refunded me the difference in notes. But I didn't have any issues spending it in 7-Eleven.

Train travel within China

The high-speed train network within China is extensive, efficient, and affordable. In my opinion, it's the best way to move around the country. Even the train stations were impressively spacious and swish-looking. The trains themselves were also very comfortable with tables, charging ports, and a food ordering service.

The easiest place to book tickets is trip.com, where the tickets will be linked to your passport. You can book up to two weeks in advance of your journey, but be aware that popular routes often sell out close to the departure date.

Toilets

Honestly, I am a huge fan of the toilet situation in China. Public toilets are everywhere, and they are mostly very clean. Just to be up front, 99% of the time, the public toilets will be squat toilets. But don't let that intimidate you if you are unfamiliar. They are very easy to use, and I promise you'll get the hang of it quicker than you think. Just remember to bring a pack of tissues with you whenever you leave your hotel.

And if you really miss the comfort of a western-style toilet, fear not, as most hotels have them installed.

Food

I can only talk about food from my vegetarian perspective. I am sure if you are a meat-lover who enjoys trying new flavours, textures, and spices, this will be your idea of food heaven! However, as someone who primarily eats a meat-free diet, I’ll admit that I did struggle. Vegetarianism isn't really a thing in China (let alone veganism), and most restaurants that I visited did not serve any large meat-free dishes.

To get around this, I would either politely ask if they were able to prepare one of the listed meals without meat, or I would order a selection of smaller vegetable side dishes.

All the food I ate was delicious. However, with my limited options, it did become slightly repetitive over the course of my trip.

If you have specific dietary preferences, I would suggest saving a few translated key phrases into your notes app to show restaurant staff so your mealtimes run as smoothly as possible.

I do need to shout out one specific vegetarian restaurant in Beijing that I will probably remember for the rest of my life. Tianchu Miaoxiang is an affordable, Michelin-starred veggie restaurant. And honestly, I would fly back in a heartbeat just to try their kung pao (faux) chicken one more time.

Useful apps to download before your arrival

• Alipay – In my opinion, this is the most important app of them all. This is where you will make the majority of your payments. It also has a useful translation feature.
• AMap – Works like Google Maps.
• DiDi – This is a taxi-hailing app similar to Uber. Taxis are very affordable here, and I used this service frequently to bounce around the cities.
• WeChat – This is a messaging platform similar to WhatsApp. I could never get mine to work properly, so it probably isn't as essential as the other apps I have listed.

My Itinerary

Chongqing (3 nights)

Chongqing has recently gained a reputation on social media for being the ultimate “cyberpunk city.” And after visiting, I’d say that’s a pretty fair title. By day, it’s another bundle of concrete high-rises, but by night, the neon lights transport you to a grungy sci-fi comic strip. From 3D billboards and robots to drone shows and motorcycle photoshoots, it’s a lot.

Crowds were inevitable wherever I wandered in the city centre, although I did visit over China’s Labour Day holiday, which likely added to the busyness.

Things to do:

• See the view of Hongyadong from Qiansimen Bridge at night.
• Try hot pot. I ate a great veggie version here.
• Explore the ancient streets of Shibati and Xiahao Lane.
• Soak up some nature at the Nanshan Botanical Gardens. 
• If you've got time, see the train passing through the residential building near Liziba Station and view a multilayer perspective at Kuixing Tower.

Hotel recommendation: Glenview ITC Plaza Chongqing

Zhangjiajie (3 nights)

Even if you haven’t seen photos of this place online before, it may still look familiar; James Cameron took a lot of inspiration from this national park when creating the fantasy world of Pandora in the movie Avatar. The sea of column-like rock formations really does look out of this world.

Due to its size, you can only purchase 4-day ticket packages to the park. However, you can visit all the main sites in 2 days if you plan your route. That’s what I did, and I truly felt like I had enough time to comfortably see most things. If you want to also see the nearby Tianmen Mountain, then I would recommend staying an extra day.

I’d recommend booking your tickets through trip.com so your tickets will be linked to your passport — just don’t forget to bring it with you when you visit! You will be prompted to select an entry time, but you can easily change it for free at the ticket counter if you miss your slot.

The East Gate is the main entrance, and there are many hotels, restaurants, and cafés around that area. They’ve done an impressive job at decorating the riverbanks with lanterns and fairy lights, which gives the place a very family-friendly vibe. 

Hotel recommendations: Pullman Zhangjiajie Hotel

Chengdu (3 nights)

To put it plainly, Chengdu is panda mad. And who can blame them? They’re adorable, and the city happens to be home to over 200 of them. Despite the number of panda centres around the city, I chose to visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, which is the largest and most popular place to see them.

I was slightly apprehensive before going in and truly hoped the pandas’ welfare was prioritised over the tourists’. Despite reading generally positive reviews online, I was visiting towards the end of a national holiday week, so overcrowding was also a concern. 

Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised! The pandas looked completely content in their roomy enclosures, munching on a seemingly endless supply of bamboo. I arrived in the morning with a slow trickle of visitors, although I felt like the park remained relatively calm until I left around midday.  

Non-panda-related things to do:

• Visit Wenshu Yuan Monastery.
• Stroll through People’s Park. Look out for ‘Love Lane’ inside the park— it’s a place where people pin paper flyers describing themselves to a notice board in the hopes of finding a partner.
• Wander around Wide and Narrow Alley. This is what remains of the old town. It’s a great place to see traditional Chinese architecture and visit Tea Houses.

Hotel recommendation: Grand ParcVue Hotel Residence Chengdu 

Xi’An (I only spent 1 night, but it deserved more)

I had two missions with my Xi-An stop: to break up the long journey between Chengdu and Beijing and to see the terracotta warriors. It was a fairly tight schedule, but they were both a success. Although this annoyingly came with a huge amount of FOMO, since there were plenty of other sites in the city that I missed out on—guess I’ll just have to come back!

I will say the Terracotta Warriors were very impressive and made the short stop worth it. If you intend to do a speedy visit like me, just know that the warriors are about a 50-minute drive from Xi'an. Handily, there is free luggage storage on site for anyone trying to squeeze the visit into a layover.

Things (I wish I had time) to do in Xi’an:

• Rent a bike and ride along the Xi’an City Wall.
• Day trip to Mount Huashan (AKA the most dangerous hike in the world).
• Visit the Great Mosque and the Huimin Jie Muslim Market.
  

Hotel recommendation: Novotel Xi’an The Bell Tower

Beijing (3 nights)

Beijing was my favourite city that I visited on the whole trip. Of course, it had its fair share of skyscrapers, but there was something about it that felt a little more low-key to me. This may have been because I based myself in one of the Hutongs, a collection of neighbourhoods with narrow lanes and traditional-style homes. I found them incredibly peaceful and a nice change of pace to conclude my very busy trip.

I was also a big fan of Beijing's many parks and green spaces. Some of them charge a small entrance fee, but their quality more than justifies it.

And of course, I have to mention the Great Wall, since you’ve got a number of well-restored sections less than a 2-hour drive away.

I chose to visit the Mutianyu section, and I’d highly recommend it. I certainly wasn’t the only visitor, but there were enough quiet parts to make it feel peaceful. Just be warned: some sections are steeper than you might think. Prepare for a workout.

Things to do in Beijing:

• Souvenir shop at Panjiayuan Antique Market.
• Find a peaceful spot to people-watch near the Temple of Heaven.
• Try Peking Duck.

In case you're wondering why Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City didn’t make the list above, it’s because, truthfully, I didn’t enjoy them that much. There were multiple queues and security checks to get in, which took over an hour. And once inside, the immense crowds and midday heat really affected my experience. If they’ve both got a firm spot on your bucket list, I’d recommend visiting early and leaving your backpack at home so you can bypass some of the bag-check queues. 

Hotel recommendation: Happy Dragon Imperial Garden Courtyard 

And that’s about it, until my next trip back — which I’m sure won’t be too long away! If you have any recommendations, please share them in the comments.

If you're curious what it’s like to fly with Chinese airlines, you can read Navigator Larissa’s review of China Southern here, or watch my own review of China Eastern here.