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đ¨đŗThings to Do in China
From the Great Wall to the Terracotta Army - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them.
Travel guide - last updated September 2026
Most first trips to China anchor around Beijing (the Great Wall, the Forbidden City) and Xi'an (the Terracotta Army), then branch toward either Shanghai's modern skyline or the karst landscapes further south. China's high-speed rail network makes covering long distances between these regions far faster than it looks on a map. Here are 10 places worth building a trip around.
Top attractions
The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.
The Great Wall of China
Stretching thousands of kilometers, though most visitors see one restored section near Beijing - Mutianyu is less crowded and better preserved than the closer, busier Badaling.
đ Mutianyu, near Beijing
đ For Mutianyu, take bus 916 Express from Dongzhimen to Huairou Beidajie and change to the h23 or h24 shuttle; the Beijing-Mutianyu tourist bus from Qianmen is the simpler option in season.
Forbidden City, Beijing
The imperial palace complex at the heart of Beijing, home to Chinese emperors for nearly 500 years. It's vast - allow at least half a day, and book tickets online in advance since walk-up sales are limited.
đ Beijing
đ Nearest station: Tiananmen East on subway line 1 for the Meridian Gate entrance; you exit at the north Shenwumen gate, near Beihai Park, so plan the return from there.
Terracotta Army, Xi'an
Thousands of life-sized clay soldiers buried to guard China's first emperor, discovered by farmers digging a well in 1974. Pit 1, the largest excavation hall, is the highlight most visitors focus on.
đ Xi'an
đ Take tourist bus 5 (306) from Xi'an railway station's east square, about an hour to the museum gates; the Xi'an metro line 9 reaches Huaqing Pool nearby.
The Bund, Shanghai
A riverside promenade lined with early 20th-century architecture, facing the futuristic Pudong skyline directly across the water - most dramatic at night when both sides light up.
đ Shanghai
đ Nearest station: East Nanjing Road on metro lines 2 and 10, a five-minute walk to the waterfront promenade; Yuyuan Garden on line 10 covers the southern end.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
Towering sandstone pillars that reportedly inspired the floating mountains in the film Avatar, in Hunan province. The glass-bottomed Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge is a popular add-on nearby.
đ Zhangjiajie, Hunan
đ Zhangjiajie West station is on the high-speed line from Changsha, and buses run from the city's central terminal to the Wulingyuan and Forest Park gates in about 40 minutes.
Giant Panda Base, Chengdu
A research and breeding center where giant pandas can be seen up close in something closer to natural habitat than a typical zoo enclosure. Go early - pandas are most active in the cooler morning hours.
đ Chengdu, Sichuan
đ Nearest station: Panda Avenue on Chengdu metro line 3, then the free shuttle or bus 198 for the last couple of kilometres - arrive at opening time, when the pandas are fed.
Li River & Guilin/Yangshuo
Karst limestone peaks along the Li River, the classic image on China's 20-yuan banknote. A river cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo is the standard way to see the landscape.
đ Guilin & Yangshuo, Guangxi
đ Guilin and Yangshuo both have high-speed stations on the Guiyang-Guangzhou line; the classic way between them is the four-hour river cruise from Zhujiang pier rather than the 30-minute train.
Jiuzhaigou Valley
A nature reserve in Sichuan known for multi-colored alpine lakes and waterfalls, with water so clear the lake beds are visible from the surface.
đ Jiuzhaigou, Sichuan
đ There is no railway: buses run from Chengdu's Chadianzi terminal in about eight hours, or fly to Jiuzhai Huanglong airport and take the 90-minute shuttle to the valley gate.
Potala Palace, Lhasa
The former residence of the Dalai Lama, in Tibet at over 3,600 meters altitude. Travel to Tibet requires a separate permit arranged through a licensed tour operator in addition to a Chinese visa.
đ Lhasa, Tibet
đ Lhasa station is the end of the Qinghai-Tibet railway, the highest line in the world, about 20 minutes from the palace by bus 91 - remember that foreign visitors need a Tibet Travel Permit arranged in advance.
Xi'an Muslim Quarter
A street-food district near the Great Mosque, known for biang biang noodles and roujiamo (China's answer to a hamburger) - a good counterpoint to the history-heavy sights nearby.
đ Xi'an
đ Nearest station: Bell Tower on Xi'an metro lines 2 and 6 - the quarter's food street begins just behind the Drum Tower, a few minutes' walk from the exit.
Mark China, get the stamp
In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.
Open MyPassportStoryPlanning questions
How many days do you need in China?
10 days covers Beijing and Xi'an well, or Beijing plus Shanghai. Two weeks lets you add Guilin/Yangshuo or Chengdu's pandas without rushing the itinerary.
What's the best time to visit China?
April-May and September-October have the most comfortable weather across most of the country. Summer is hot and humid in the south; winter is cold in the north but the Great Wall and Forbidden City are far less crowded.
Is China good for a first-time visit?
It's manageable with some preparation - a visa is required for most nationalities, and a VPN is worth arranging before arrival since many common apps and sites are blocked. The high-speed rail network is excellent once you're there.
Do I need a visa to visit China?
Most nationalities need a visa to enter mainland China, arranged in advance through a Chinese embassy or consulate; some nationalities qualify for short visa-free transit under specific conditions. Check the official visa information for your nationality: cs.mfa.gov.cn.
What are some things to do in China on a tight budget?
Many public parks and squares are free to enter, second-class high-speed rail is affordable for the distances it covers, and street food markets offer a full meal for a fraction of a restaurant's price.
Can I rent a car in China, and what licence do I need?
This is the one country on this list where the honest answer is mostly no. China does not recognise foreign licences or the International Driving Permit: to drive legally you must obtain a temporary Chinese licence, which involves a written test and is normally arranged through the rental company or at the vehicle administration office, and takes at least a day. Most visitors skip it entirely - the high-speed rail network reaches every sight here, and hiring a car with a driver is straightforward and cheap by comparison. If you do want to drive, the requirements are set out on the government portal at gov.cn, with entry and residence rules at nia.gov.cn; the main rental firms are CAR Inc and eHi.