The Best China Travel Guide & Unique Chinese Restaurant ideas 2022
The Best China Travel Guide & Unique Chinese Restaurant ideas 2022
We are happy to share with you our travel guide about China, that will help you to plan your vacation here from scratch: we offer you the best flights, tours , unique chinese restaurants and even the best shopping spots! Enjoy reading our guide!
Table of Contents
China Map
Informations
China is a country in East Asia. It is the world’s most populous country, with a population of around 1.4 billion. The country is officially divided into 23 provinces, five autonomous regions, four direct-controlled municipalities (Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Chongqing), and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.
When to travel: September and October are probably the best months for a trip.
Language: The official language is Mandarin.
Currency: Chinese Yuan (CNY) aprox. 1$=6.3 CNY 1€=7.7 CNY
Food Prices: Meal in a cheap restaurant=4 USD, Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant=23 USD.
You can find more information about the visa here.
Things to do
Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is traditionally understood to be a border security system that was built in northern China during the Ming Dynasty. The complex was built in sections at different times using different construction techniques in the Ming Dynasty.
New summer palace
The New Summer Palace is an imperial palace. It is located in the northwest of Beijing a few hundred meters west of the ruins of the Old Summer Palace. It is one of the highlights of Chinese garden art, although it has been destroyed several times and had to be rebuilt. Today it is one of the big visitor magnets in the Chinese capital and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.
Waitan
The Bund is the internationally better-known English name for a long waterfront promenade in the Chinese city of Shanghai, on the western bank of the Huangpu River across from the Pudong Special Economic Zone. Her Chinese name is Waitan. It has been redesigned in preparation for Expo 2010 since 2008 and extended from 1.5 kilometers to 2.6 kilometers.
Jiuzhaigou
Jiǔzhàigōu is a nature reserve in the Chinese province of Sichuan and has been part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage since 1992.Jiuzhaigou is best known for its unique mountain landscape with a multitude of lakes and waterfalls, in which numerous species of birds and rare mammals such as the giant panda, the little panda and the golden snub-nosed monkey can be found.
Oriental Pearl Tower
The Oriental Pearl Tower is located in the Pudong district of Shanghai and, with a height of 468 meters, is currently the third tallest television tower in Asia and the fifth tallest in the world. Until the completion of the Shanghai World Financial Center, it was also the tallest structure in China.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is a national park in Zhangjiajie City. It is located in the province of Hunan, in the central east of the People’s Republic of ChinaIn August 2016, the longest glass-floor bridge in the world at 430 meters and also the highest glass-floor bridge at a distance of up to 300 meters from the ground was opened in the park.
Shanghai World Financial Center
The Shanghai World Financial Center is a supertall skyscraper located in the Pudong district of Shanghai. It is a mixed-use skyscraper, consisting of offices, hotels, conference rooms, observation decks, and ground-floor shopping malls. Park Hyatt Shanghai is the tower’s hotel component, comprising 174 rooms and suites occupying the 79th to the 93rd floors, which at the time of completion was the highest hotel in the world. It is now the third-highest hotel in the world after the Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, which occupies floors 102 to 118 of the International Commerce Centre.
Huanglong
Huanglong is a scenic and historic interest area in the northwest part of Sichuan, China. It is located in the southern part of the Minshan mountain range, 370 kilometres (230 mi) north-northwest of the capital Chengdu.
Canton Tower
The Canton Tower is a television and observation tower in Guangzhou, China, and at 600 meters, it is the fifth tallest building in the world. The extraordinary architecture consists of a hyperbolic structure of two offset ellipses .
Huangguoshu Waterfall
The Huangguoshu waterfall is located near the city of Anshun in the Chinese province of Guizhou and is considered to be the largest waterfall in China as well as in Asia. It is located in the middle of the Huangguoshu National Park named after him.
Humble Official's Garden
The Humble Official’s Garden or the Unsuccessful Politician’s Garden is one of the classic gardens in east China’s Suzhou city. It is located in the northeast of the historic district in the Gusu district. Today it contains 32 pavilions and other architectural objects, few of which have anything in common with the original of the Ming Dynasty.
Shaolin
Shaolin is the name of a Buddhist monastic order in China and its members. Shaolin also refers to the monastery of origin of the order, which is located on Songshan Mountain in Dengfeng in Henan Province in the heart of China. It is famous for its martial arts style, better known as “Shaolin Kung Fu”. The monastery is also considered to be the birthplace of historical Chan Buddhism, the forerunner of Zen.
Elephant Trunk Hill
The Elephant Trunk Hill is a hill, landmark and tourist attraction in Guilin, Guangxi, China. It is not only one of the major tourist attractions of Guilin, an international tourist city, but also the symbol of Guilin, which uses elephant trunk mountain and osmanthus flower as its city emblem. In 1986, Xiang Shan park was built in accordance with Xiang Shan mountain. The main part of the park is Xiang Shan mountain and water moon, the ancient building Yun Feng temple, the love island, and the Ming dynasty building Pu Xian pagoda. Elephant Trunk Hill is the symbol of the city of Guilin.
Kranichpagode
The pagoda of the yellow crane is an art-historically significant building in Wǔhàn, Hubei Province in the People’s Republic of China.
Nanshan Temple
Nanshan Temple is a Buddhist temple located in Sanya, Hainan province, China. The temple’s name originates from a popular Buddhist expression. ‘Good fortune is much as the East Sea; longevity is high as Nanshan’).
Bell Tower of Xi'an
The Bell Tower of Xi’an built in 1384 during the early Ming Dynasty, is a symbol of the city of Xi’an and one of the grandest of its kind in China. The tower is a brick and timber structure and close to 40 m high. It is located in the center of Xi’an, at the intersection of the four streets of the east, west, south and north. It is the largest and most preserved one amongst the many bell towers left over from ancient China.
Where to stay
A good night’s sleep is particularly important when you are travelling. China offers its guests a host of luxurious, charming and also out-of-the-ordinary accommodation.
Whether in the heart of the city, near the lake or surrounded by nature – China’s hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses guarantee a relaxing and invigorating stay.
We managed to find the best three companies that offer hotels, holiday homes and transportation. These are: Booking.com,Trip.com and Vrbo. We have already tested these companies and we warmly recommend them. As a result this will just bring you good deals for your next vacation.
Top Hotels in Beijing: Empark Prime Hotel Beijing, Marco Polo Parkside, Grand Millennium Beijing .
Top Hotels in Shanghai: Waldorf Astoria Shanghai, Shanghai Parkyard Hotel, The Hongta Hotel .
Top Hotels in Guangzhou: Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou, The Ritz-Carlton, Fraser Suites Guangzhou .
Where to eat
Traditional food to try in China
- Peking duck is a famous dish from Beijing, enjoying world fame, and considered as one of China national dishes. Peking duck is savored for its thin and crispy skin.
- Wonton soup Wontons are a kind of Chinese dumpling.
- Fried rice is a dish made from fried cooked rice and other ingredients, often including eggs, vegetables, seafood, or meat. Fried rice is one of the most common Chinese foods.
- Twice-cooked pork or double-cooked pork
- Sichuan pork, or ‘poached pork slices is a famous Sichuan cuisine dish. Pork, with a coating made from egg-white and starch to preserve its freshness and tenderness, is boiled in broth.
- Hot pot is one of the most popular dishes in China, especially in Sichuan Province or Chongqing. People cook in and eat from a simmering pot of soup stock (broth) on a gas/induction hob in the middle of the dining table with foodstuffs and condiments around the pot.
- Dim sum is one of the most popular Cantonese cuisine dishes. It contains a large range of small dishes, including dumplings, rolls, cakes, and meat, seafood, dessert, and vegetable preparations.
- Chinese dumplings consist of minced meat and/or chopped vegetables wrapped in a thin dough skin.
- Ma Po tofu is one of the most famous dishes in Chuan Cuisine with a history of more than 100 years. It consists of beancurd along with some minced meat (pork or beef) in a spicy sauce.
- Chow mein is the Cantonese pronunciation of the Mandarin chǎomiàn, which means ‘stir-fried noodles’.
- Xiǎolóngbāo are a kind of baozi (Chinese steamed bun). They are popular in Jiangsu and Shanghai.
- Zhajiangmian is one of the most popular Shandong Cuisine dishes. It is a thick wheat noodle dish topped with zhajiang sauce.
- Kung Pao Chicken is a famous Sichuan-style specialty, popular with both Chinese and foreigners. The major ingredients are diced chicken, dried chili, cucumber, and fried peanuts (or cashews).
- Sweet and sour pork has a bright orange-red color, and a delicious sweet and sour taste.
Unique restaurants in China
Restaurant 99 Yurts In Beijing this restaurant features a huge complex of Mongolian tents, and each dinner party gets their own private one. There is also traditional Mongolian music, singing and dancing, and of course Mongolian food.
Hot Box in Shanghai- collection of hot sauces from all around the world
Robot Restaurant In Kunshan City – 15 robots cook and serve the food in this restaurant.
Hai Di Lao In Beijing – Servers will perform their famous “noodle dance” for you right at the side of the table, where they perform tricks with the long noodle dough
Lv Bo Lang In Beijing – This restaurant business is over 400 years old.
Country Kitchen In Beijing They use a wood fired oven, and focus on what they call “lost recipes
Hello Kitty Bistro Bianco In Shanghai – Hello Kitty themed cafe
Quanjude famous for perfecting the art of serving delicious Peking Duck.
Baoyuan Dumplings In Beijing
Friends Movie Cafe in Beijing
The Forbidden City Beijing is one of the most unusual and enchanting locations in all of China, and it’s one of those must-see attractions.
Haichang Polar Ocean World Restaurant In Tianjin is definitely an interesting attraction, but it’s their restaurant that really takes the cake. As the image suggests, this restaurant is actually located underwater for the ultimate seafood dining experience.
Ultraviolet is unique, modern, breathtaking, and one of the most interesting restaurants in China. Located in Beijing, this restaurant is world famous for its stunning “multi-sensory” dining experience that includes taste, sound, smell, and sight.
Tips and Tricks
- Install Pleco – the best app for Chinese language for travellers.
- Use the Yuan currency only.
- Don’t tip. This might go against your personal beliefs, but Chinese don’t tip and neither should you. This will only confuse them or some may even find it insulting.
- Buy a VPN. There are a lot of useful websites that are not accessible in China (like Facebook or Google!) We recommend ExpressVPN.
- Use sleeper trains – doorless compartments with bunks to travel overnight since distances between cities can be quite large.
- Avoid plane and travel by train
- There are so many reason to take the bus in China and one of them is that it tends to be cheaper than the subway
- Beware of the Chinese holidays before you book your vacation!
- Toilet tissue is rarely found in public restrooms in China. Carry your own supplies.
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Viator and Get Your Guide : the best activities in town!
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Shopping
China excels in handmade items, partly because of long traditions of exquisite artisanship and partly because labor is still comparatively inexpensive. Take your time, look closely at quality and ask questions, but don’t take all the answers at face value! Many visitors come looking for antiques, and hunting in the flea markets can be great fun. When you think about shopping here is good to know that China excels in the production of: porcelain, furniture, art, jade, carpets, drones, pearl jewellery, ceramics and silver coins.
Each city has its own specialty. Some of the best buys are:
Beijing: cloisonné; fresh water pearls
Shanghai: silk carpets, qipaos
Hangzhou: Longjing tea, silk
Suzhou: silk Guilin: scroll paintings,
South China Sea pearls
Tibet: thangka (tanka: sheep skin wall hangings)
Xi’an: replicas of the Terracotta Warriors, Tang Dynasty hand painted china, antique furniture
Yunnan: mounted butterflies, Pu’er tea; Dali batik (tie-dyed fabric)
Xinjiang: carpets, jade articles (for which please see our warnings below), dried fruit
Guangzhou: wholesale markets for clothes, shoes, toys, electronic products and more.
Where to shop in China
Wangfujing Street Beijing- great for buying food and souvenirs
Chunxi Road, Chengdu – clothes and food
Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street, Guangzhou – chlotes
Barkhor Street, Tibet – souvenirs and food
The Bund Shanghai – high brands chlotes and bags
China Wholesale Market Xi’an – chlotes and electronics
Getting around
Renting a car won’t be an option, since no international driver’s license is valid in China! But you can still travel easy and fast between cities:
Chinese airlines are safe and comfortable. There are over 1,200 routes and nearly 1,000 are domestic routes. The most popular airports for domestic travel are in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing.
When you board the bus, at the front door there will be a coin box where you are expected to pay for your fare.
The Chinese railway connects almost every place in China – even the most remote ones – and is the backbone of the Chinese traffic network. The domestic trains are divided into five categories: High-speed/bullet trains Fast trains Tourist trains Express trains Normal trains
Chinese metro systems are immaculate. They transfer large amounts of people, are very frequent and nearly always on time. This contributes to diminishing the traffic jams and above ground transit. The Shanghai Metro is the longest metro system in the world.
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Getting here
What is the best way to travel to China?
Flying is the fastest and most convenient way to travel from most countries in the world to China. China air transport hubs are: Guangzhou. Shanghai.
China is one of the most amazing countries in the world that is deservedly on nearly every traveller’s bucket list. There aren’t that many countries that possess such various geographical climates, rich biodiversity, stunning landscapes and culture that persisted as the result of over 4,000 years of accumulated historical heritage.
Plane Flying is the fastest and most convenient way to travel from most countries in the world to China.
China air transport hubs are: Guangzhou, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Beijing, Chengdu
The biggest and most used airlines are: Air China China Eastern Airlines China Southern Airlines Hainan Airlines
International flights connect China with major cities all around the world.
The only two cities in China that have two airports are Shanghai and Beijing.
You can get to China from many European cities, such as Amsterdam, Milan, Rome, Brussels, Paris, Frankfurt, Manchester, Madrid, London, Zurich, Barcelona and Helsinki.
From USA most flights originate in San Francisco, Detroit, Los Angeles, Seattle or Chicago and terminate in either Beijing or Shanghai.
Train
The most usual way to get from Europe to China via train is to hop on the Trans-Siberian railway. The Trans-Siberian train is a lot easier to arrange when it comes to booking a ticket or organizing your visas. And it is significantly faster.
We do not suggest driving because you could only drive to China, not inside the country. International driver’s licenses are not valid in China.
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