Travel Guides & Articles | Roam China Travel

China Landscape Photography Guide 2026: Best Locations, Light & Seasons

The best landscape photography locations in China — Zhangjiajie's floating sandstone pillars in morning mist, the Yuanyang rice terraces at dawn (the best dawn photography in Asia), Zhangye's rainbow Danxia mountains at sunset, the Crescent Moon Lake at Dunhuang, and the Yellow Mountain (Huangshan) sea of clouds. Optimal months and times for each.

Updated May 2026

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transport

Paying for Public Transport in China 2026: Alipay, WeChat, Transit Cards & Cash

How to pay for buses, metros, and taxis across China as a foreign visitor — adding the Alipay and WeChat transit pass features, city transit cards (the T-Union national card works in 300+ cities), QR code scanning on buses, and what to do if your phone payment doesn't work in a particular city.

Updated May 2026

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seasonal

Qingming Festival in China 2026: Tomb Sweeping, Spring Travel & Cultural Meaning

The Qingming Festival (清明节) — China's Tomb Sweeping Day, falling in early April, when families visit ancestral graves. What it means culturally (the most solemn Chinese holiday), how it affects travel (a 3-day public holiday creates moderate travel surge), which natural sites are at their most beautiful in early April (rapeseed flowers in Anhui, cherry blossoms fading), and what travelers should know.

Updated May 2026

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transport

China River & Ferry Transport Guide 2026: Yangtze, Li River & Island Ferries

Travelling by water in China — the Yangtze River cruise from Chongqing to Yichang (the Three Gorges section), the Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo (the classic bamboo raft option), island ferries to Putuoshan and Hainan's south coast islands, and the Hong Kong to Macau and Zhuhai ferries. Booking and practical tips.

Updated May 2026

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toolkit

China Safety & Health Guide 2026: Drinking Water, Air Quality, Medical Care & Common Issues

Health and safety in China — tap water is not drinkable anywhere in China (always boiled or filtered), the air quality index and when to stay indoors in Beijing and northern cities, food safety and what risks are real vs overstated, finding a doctor (international clinics in major cities, WeChat Doctor app), emergency numbers (120 for ambulance, 110 for police), and travel insurance.

Updated May 2026

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itinerary

Silk Road China Itinerary 2026: 2 Weeks from Xi'an to Kashgar

The classic China Silk Road itinerary — Xi'an (Terracotta Warriors, departure point), Tianshui (Maijishan Grottoes), Zhangye (Danxia Rainbow Mountains), Jiayuguan (western end of the Great Wall), Dunhuang (Mogao Caves, singing sand dunes, crescent moon lake), Turpan (Flaming Mountains, Jiaohe ruins), Urumqi, and Kashgar. Trains, flights, permits.

Updated May 2026

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