planning
All travel guides tagged with "planning".
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seasonalChina in Summer 2026: Best Destinations June, July & August Despite the Heat
China in summer — northern cities are hot and humid (Beijing 35°C+), but the high-altitude destinations are cool and spectacular. The best summer China destinations: Qinghai Lake cycling, Qilian Mountain meadows, the Yunnan plateau (Lijiang at altitude), Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang (warm days, cool nights), Jilin Changbai Mountain. What to avoid and what's worth the heat.
Updated May 2026
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toolkitChina Travel Mistakes to Avoid 2026: What First-Timers Get Wrong
The 15 most common China travel mistakes — not setting up mobile payment before arriving (everything requires Alipay or WeChat Pay), not booking train tickets early enough for Golden Week, underestimating distances (Beijing to Xi'an is a 5-hour train, not a short hop), not downloading offline maps (internet is unreliable in many scenic areas), forgetting that passport registration is required at check-in at every hotel.
Updated May 2026
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toolkitBringing Pets to China 2026: Import Rules, Pet-Friendly Hotels & Dog-Friendly Travel
Travelling with pets to China — the import requirements (microchip, rabies vaccination at least 30 days before, specific health certificate formats that vary by nationality and are notoriously complex), quarantine possibilities, pet-friendly accommodation in major cities (surprisingly common), and the reality of flying with a dog or cat in cabin on Chinese domestic flights.
Updated May 2026
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toolkit2 Weeks in China for First-Timers 2026: The Classic Route That Covers the Essentials
The perfect 2-week China itinerary for first-time visitors — 3 days Beijing, 2 days Xi'an, 3 days Chengdu (with Panda Base and either Jiuzhaigou or Leshan), 4 days Shanghai. Why this route works, what train connections to book and when, realistic daily budgets, and what you'll want to come back for.
Updated May 2026
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visaChina Visa on Arrival & Port Entry Guide 2026: Which Nationalities Qualify
China's visa-on-arrival and port entry options in 2026 — the Hainan 30-day visa-free policy (by far the most generous, applicable to 59 nationalities), the 72-hour and 144-hour transit visa exemptions, the 15-day visa-free bilateral agreements, and the countries where China visa on arrival is available at specific ports. Updated for 2026 policy changes.
Updated May 2026
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seasonalChina Winter Travel Guide 2026: Best Places to Go December to February
China in winter — where to go and what to avoid. The north in winter: Harbin ice festival (magical), Beijing winter (cold but functional with far fewer tourists), Xi'an winter (cold but all indoor museums work). The south: Yunnan is perfect in winter (Lijiang gets snow, Xishuangbanna is warm), Sanya/Hainan is peak season, Hong Kong is ideal.
Updated May 2026
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