A photograph of China

Country guide

1 to 2 hours in China — page 4

China covers 9.6 million km², third largest of any country, and holds more than 1.4 billion people — about 17 per cent of everyone alive. It is divided into 33...

Photograph · Severin.stalder · CC BY-SA 3.0

39,927 Places
6Cities

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

China covers 9.6 million km², third largest of any country, and holds more than 1.4 billion people — about 17 per cent of everyone alive. It is divided into 33 province-level divisions, two of them special administrative regions.

Beijing is the capital; Shanghai is the most populous city by urban area. Between them the land runs from the Central Plain and the Yangtze and Yellow rivers out to desert, plateau, subtropical and temperate forest, and the Himalayas in the southwest. The first decision a visitor makes here is therefore not which sight to see but which climate to travel in.

Checked 2026-08-25

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information

Language spoken
Standard Chinese; regional languages are widely used
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+86 mainland · +852 Hong Kong · +853 Macao
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Renminbi (CNY); HKD and MOP in the SARs
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
110 police · 120 medical on the mainland
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type A, C and I · 220 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No single verified statement covers mainland China and both SARs

Planning a visit

Seasonal closures come from recorded opening hours.

  1. January: seasonal closure recorded
  2. February: seasonal closure recorded
  3. March: seasonal closure recorded
  4. April: seasonal closure recorded
  5. May: seasonal closure recorded
  6. June: seasonal closure recorded
  7. July: seasonal closure recorded
  8. August: seasonal closure recorded
  9. September: no seasonality data recorded — this month
  10. October: seasonal closure recorded
  11. November: seasonal closure recorded
  12. December: seasonal closure recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Shaanxi History Museum Shaanxi History Museum
    57 1 hr 30 min

    Shaanxi History Museum

    陕西历史博物馆

    Shaanxi History Museum is a major museum in Xi'an, a city shaped by the history of successive Chinese capitals. Its collections span prehistoric communities, the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang dynasties, and archaeological discoveries from Shaanxi.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Xi'an
  2. China Science and Technology Museum China Science and Technology Museum
    58 1 hr 30 min

    China Science and Technology Museum

    中国科学技术馆

    China Science and Technology Museum is Beijing's national-scale institution for public science education, located beside Olympic Green. Its main exhibition programme explains fundamental science, engineering, life, environment and technological development through large interactive galleries rather than a traditional object-only collection.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Beijing
  3. National Natural History Museum of China National Natural History Museum of China
    59 1 hr 30 min

    National Natural History Museum of China

    国家自然博物馆

    The National Natural History Museum of China is Beijing's principal museum for zoology, palaeontology, botany and human origins. Located at Tianqiao, it combines specimen collections, scientific research and public education, with dinosaur skeletons among its best-known displays.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Beijing
  4. Beijing Zoo Beijing Zoo
    60 1 hr 30 min

    Beijing Zoo

    北京动物园

    Beijing Zoo is a zoological park in Beijing, China. Its local name is 北京动物园. The zoo occupies a significant area in the Xicheng District and represents one of the older established zoological institutions in the country.

    • High
    • Family attraction
    • Beijing
  5. Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum
    61 1 hr 30 min

    Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum

    上海犹太难民纪念馆

    The Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum commemorates the approximately 20,000 Jewish refugees who found shelter in Shanghai during World War II, primarily in the Tilanqiao area of Hongkew.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Shanghai
  6. Broadway Cinematheque Broadway Cinematheque
    62 2 hours

    Broadway Cinematheque

    百老匯電影中心 Broadway Cinematheque

    Broadway Cinematheque is a cinema complex in Hong Kong operated by Broadway Circuit, a major local cinema chain. The venue serves as a cultural hub dedicated to art-house, independent, and world cinema, distinguishing itself from mainstream multiplexes.

    • High
    • Entertainment venue
    • Hong Kong
  7. Shanghai Natural History Museum Shanghai Natural History Museum
    63 1 hr 30 min

    Shanghai Natural History Museum

    上海自然博物馆

    Shanghai Natural History Museum is a science-focused museum at 510 West Beijing Road, inside Jing’an Sculpture Park in central Shanghai.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Shanghai
  8. Beijing Lu Xun Museum Beijing Lu Xun Museum
    64 1 hr 30 min

    Beijing Lu Xun Museum

    鲁迅博物馆

    Beijing Lu Xun Museum is dedicated to the life, writing and cultural legacy of Lu Xun, one of modern China’s most influential authors.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Beijing
  9. Former Residence of Soong Ching-ling Former Residence of Soong Ching-ling
    65 1 hr 30 min

    Former Residence of Soong Ching-ling

    宋庆龄故居

    The Former Residence of Soong Ching-ling is a historic house museum in Beijing’s Shichahai area.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Beijing
  10. Museum of Sacred Art and Crypt Museum of Sacred Art and Crypt
    66 1 hr 30 min

    Museum of Sacred Art and Crypt

    天主教藝術博物館 Museu de Arte Sacra e Cripta

    Museum of Sacred Art and Crypt occupies the lower level of the Ruins of St. Paul’s in Macao’s historic center. It preserves religious art and architectural remains connected with the former Church of Mater Dei and College of St.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Macau
  11. Power Station of Art Power Station of Art
    67 1 hr 30 min

    Power Station of Art

    上海当代艺术博物馆

    The Power Station of Art is a contemporary art museum in Shanghai, China. Its local name is 上海当代艺术博物馆. The museum occupies a converted former power station building, representing an industrial heritage adaptive reuse project.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Shanghai
  12. Museum of Macau Museum of Macau
    68 1 hr 30 min

    Museum of Macau

    澳門博物館 Museu de Macau

    Macao Museum is a cultural institution located within the Mount Fortress complex in the historic centre of Macau, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The museum occupies a prominent position overlooking the city, integrated into the seventeenth-century Portuguese military fortification.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Macau
  13. Macau Museum of Art Macau Museum of Art
    69 1 hr 30 min

    Macau Museum of Art

    澳門藝術博物館 Museu de Arte de Macau

    The Macao Museum of Art is the largest visual arts museum in Macau, dedicated to collecting, preserving, and exhibiting artworks. It occupies a purpose-built facility in the Macau Cultural Centre complex near the Outer Harbour.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Macau
  14. Astropark Astropark
    70 1 hr 30 min

    Astropark

    天文公園 Astropark

    Astropark, also known as 天文公園, is an astronomy-themed public park in Hong Kong devoted to stargazing and astronomical education.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  15. China Railway Museum China Railway Museum
    71 1 hr 30 min

    China Railway Museum

    中国铁道博物馆(东郊展馆)

    The China Railway Museum is a national museum in Beijing dedicated to the history of Chinese railways.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Beijing
  16. Communications Museum Communications Museum
    72 1 hr 30 min

    Communications Museum

    通訊博物館 Museu das Comunicações

    Communications Museum introduces the history and development of communication technology in Macao. Its subject reaches from postal services and telecommunications to broadcasting and the systems that connect people across distance.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Macau
  17. Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall
    73 1 hr 30 min

    Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall

    北京市规划展览馆

    Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall is a central exhibition venue focused on the capital’s urban form, development and future plans. Near Qianmen, it places Beijing’s immense scale into a visual format that visitors can understand through maps, models and diagrams.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Beijing
  18. China National Film Museum China National Film Museum
    74 1 hr 30 min

    China National Film Museum

    中国电影博物馆

    China National Film Museum is a national institution devoted to the history, technology and culture of Chinese cinema.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Beijing
  19. Handover Gifts Museum of Macao Handover Gifts Museum of Macao
    75 1 hr 30 min

    Handover Gifts Museum of Macao

    澳門回歸賀禮陳列館 Museu das Ofertas sobre a Transferência de Soberania de Macau

    Handover Gifts Museum of Macao presents commemorative gifts given to Macao by Chinese provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions after the 1999 handover. The museum turns a major political transition into a visual encounter with regional craft traditions.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Macau
  20. Propaganda Poster Art Centre Propaganda Poster Art Centre
    76 1 hr 30 min

    Propaganda Poster Art Centre

    上海宣传画艺术中心

    The Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre is the English name used for Shanghai Yang Peiming Propaganda Poster Collection Art Museum (上海杨培明宣传画收藏艺术馆). Shanghai’s Changning District government identifies it as a private museum founded by Yang Peiming.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Shanghai
  21. Rockbund Art Museum Rockbund Art Museum
    77 1 hr 30 min

    Rockbund Art Museum

    上海外滩美术馆

    Rockbund Art Museum is a contemporary art institution located in Shanghai's historic Bund district.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Shanghai
  22. Shenzhen Museum Shenzhen Museum
    78 1 hr 30 min

    Shenzhen Museum

    深圳博物馆历史民俗馆

    Shenzhen Museum is a municipal cultural institution in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, known locally as 深圳博物馆. It is a useful stop for travelers who want context for the city's transformation from a small fishing settlement into a major modern metropolis.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Shenzhen
  23. Hong Kong Racing Museum Hong Kong Racing Museum
    79 1 hr 30 min

    Hong Kong Racing Museum

    香港賽馬博物館 The Hong Kong Racing Museum

    Hong Kong Racing Museum explores the history and culture of horse racing in Hong Kong. It sits within the Happy Valley Racecourse complex and is operated by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  24. Fong Yuen Study Hall Fong Yuen Study Hall
    80 1 hr 30 min

    Fong Yuen Study Hall

    芳園書室 Fong Yuen Study Hall

    Fong Yuen Study Hall, known locally as 芳園書室, is a historic study hall in Hong Kong.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  25. Jao Tsung-I Academy Jao Tsung-I Academy
    81 1 hr 30 min

    Jao Tsung-I Academy

    饒宗頤文化館 Jao Tsung-I Academy

    Jao Tsung-I Academy is a cultural institution in Hong Kong dedicated to Professor Jao Tsung-I, a major Chinese scholar in the humanities.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to China be?

Twelve to eighteen days can link Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai by high-speed rail, with Shenzhen as a southern extension. Hong Kong and Macao need separate border planning and should not be treated as ordinary domestic stops on the same timetable.

What entry documents are needed for China?

Entry rules differ between mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao, even within one journey. Check the official immigration authority for every border segment and match the permission to the passport, purpose, and exact itinerary.

What is the best way to travel around China?

High-speed rail and domestic flights cover mainland distances, while metros handle most urban journeys. Hong Kong uses Octopus and separate border controls, and Macao has its own formalities, so prepare payment and identity requirements for each jurisdiction.

When is a practical time to visit China?

April to May and September to October are only broad mainland planning windows. Beijing, Shanghai, the south, Hong Kong, and Macao have different heat, rain, and holiday pressures; the least flexible regional leg should set the dates.

What money and payment basics apply in China?

Mainland China uses renminbi (CNY), while Hong Kong and Macao use HKD and MOP. Payment systems and card acceptance differ across those jurisdictions, so prepare the appropriate local method before crossing each border.

What practical safety details should I save for China?

On the mainland, save 110 for police and 120 for medical help; Hong Kong and Macao use separate emergency systems. Mainland electricity is recorded as 220 V with Type A, C, and I sockets, while tap-water guidance is not recorded.