A photograph of China

Country guide

Up to 1 hour in China — page 7

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. Yunju Temple Yunju Temple
    132 30 min

    Yunju Temple

    云居寺

    Yunju Temple is a historic Buddhist temple complex located in Beijing's Fangshan District. The temple holds significant religious and cultural importance, particularly renowned for its association with the engraving of Buddhist sutras on stone tablets.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Beijing
  2. Daxuexixiang Mosque Daxuexixiang Mosque
    133 30 min

    Daxuexixiang Mosque

    大学习巷清真寺

    The Great Learning Lane Mosque, known locally as 大学习巷清真寺, is an Islamic place of worship in Xi’an’s historic urban fabric.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Xi'an
  3. Tin Hau Temple Tin Hau Temple
    134 30 min

    Tin Hau Temple

    天后古廟 Tin Hau Temple

    Tin Hau Temple is a traditional Chinese place of worship dedicated to Tin Hau, the Goddess of the Sea. Her presence reflects Hong Kong’s long relationship with fishing, sailing, and coastal communities.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Hong Kong
  4. Nanshan Mountains (Shenzhen) Nanshan Mountains (Shenzhen)
    135 20 min

    Nanshan Mountains (Shenzhen)

    大南山

    Dananshan Mountain, or 大南山, is an urban green hill in Shenzhen’s Nanshan District near the Shekou peninsula. Its trails lead through subtropical vegetation to elevated viewpoints over Shenzhen, Shenzhen Bay, and the surrounding built-up landscape.

    • High
    • Viewpoint
    • Shenzhen
  5. Macao Cultural Centre Macao Cultural Centre
    136 1 hour

    Macao Cultural Centre

    澳門文化中心 Centro Cultural de Macau

    Macao Cultural Centre is a major performing-arts and exhibition venue operated by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government. Opened in 1999, it provides a home for concerts, theatre, festivals and visual-art presentations.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Macau
  6. Templo de Kun Iam Tong Templo de Kun Iam Tong
    137 30 min

    Templo de Kun Iam Tong

    普濟禪院 (觀音堂) Templo Kun Iam

    Kun Iam Temple, known locally as 普濟禪院, is one of the oldest and most significant Buddhist temples in Macau. It serves as a major place of worship and cultural heritage site, reflecting the territory's deep-rooted Buddhist traditions.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Macau
  7. Cheoc Van Beach Cheoc Van Beach
    138 1 hour

    Cheoc Van Beach

    竹灣海灘 Baia de Cheoc Van

    Cheoc Van Beach, known locally as 竹灣海灘, is a coastal recreation spot in southern Macau. Its Coloane setting offers a quieter contrast to the peninsula’s casinos, shopping streets, and heritage landmarks.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Macau
  8. Dameisha Beach Dameisha Beach
    139 1 hour

    Dameisha Beach

    大梅沙

    Dameisha Beach Park is a coastal recreational area in Shenzhen, China. Its local name is 大梅沙海滨公园. The park sits on the southern coast of the city facing Mirs Bay and the South China Sea.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Shenzhen
  9. Olympic Forest Park Olympic Forest Park
    140 1 hour

    Olympic Forest Park

    奥林匹克森林公园

    Olympic Forest Park is a major public park in Beijing, China, created as part of the legacy infrastructure for the 2008 Summer Olympics. The local name is 奥林匹克森林公园.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Beijing
  10. Shenzhen International Garden and Flower Expo Park Shenzhen International Garden and Flower Expo Park
    141 1 hour

    Shenzhen International Garden and Flower Expo Park

    深圳国际园林花卉博览园

    Shenzhen International Garden and Flower Expo Park is a landscaped public park shaped by its origins as a major horticultural exposition. Its gardens, planted displays, and exposition-era architecture create a setting that combines designed green space with large-scale civic landscaping.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Shenzhen
  11. Red Market Red Market
    142 45 min

    Red Market

    紅街市 Mercado Municipal Almirante Lacerda

    Red Market, or 紅街市, is a functioning wet market in Macau housed in a distinctive red-brick building. It is both an everyday shopping place and an architectural landmark, bringing visitors close to local commerce rather than a staged heritage display.

    • High
    • Market
    • Macau
  12. Chiwan Tianhou Temple Chiwan Tianhou Temple
    143 30 min

    Chiwan Tianhou Temple

    赤湾天后宫

    Chiwan Tianhou Temple, also called 赤湾天后宫, is a historic place of worship in Shenzhen dedicated to Tianhou, the sea goddess Mazu.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Shenzhen
  13. Gankeng Hakka Town Gankeng Hakka Town
    144 45 min

    Gankeng Hakka Town

    甘坑客家小镇

    Gankeng Hakka Town is a cultural heritage destination in Shenzhen’s Longgang District, centred on Hakka architecture, settlement patterns and folk culture.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Shenzhen
  14. HQB Museum HQB Museum
    145 45 min

    HQB Museum

    华强北

    Huaqiangbei is a major commercial district in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. Known widely as one of the world's largest electronics markets, it occupies a significant area in the Futian District.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Shenzhen
  15. Shenzhen Concert Hall Shenzhen Concert Hall
    146 1 hour

    Shenzhen Concert Hall

    深圳音乐厅

    Shenzhen Concert Hall is a major performing arts venue in Shenzhen, China. Its local name is 深圳音乐厅. The building serves as a cultural landmark within the city, contributing to Shenzhen's growing reputation as a destination for arts and entertainment.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Shenzhen
  16. Today Art Museum Today Art Museum
    147 1 hour

    Today Art Museum

    今日美术馆

    Today Art Museum, known locally as 今日美术馆, is a contemporary art institution in Beijing. It operates as a private museum dedicated to presenting modern and contemporary art exhibitions.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Beijing
  17. Beijing Garden Expo Park Beijing Garden Expo Park
    148 1 hour

    Beijing Garden Expo Park

    北京园博园

    Beijing Garden Expo Park is a large landscaped park in Fengtai District, created as the lasting venue of an international garden exposition.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Beijing
  18. Grand Canal Forest Park Grand Canal Forest Park
    149 1 hour

    Grand Canal Forest Park

    大运河森林公园

    Grand Canal Forest Park is a large green space in Beijing’s Tongzhou District beside the historic Grand Canal. It offers a quieter, more open way to experience the waterway, combining woodland, paths and canal-side scenery.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Beijing
  19. Zhongshan Park (Nanshan, China) Zhongshan Park (Nanshan, China)
    150 1 hour

    Zhongshan Park (Nanshan, China)

    中山公园

    Zhongshan Park is an urban green space in Shenzhen, identified locally by the Chinese name 中山公园 and by OpenStreetMap way 203270341.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Shenzhen
  20. Xi'an City God Temple Xi'an City God Temple
    151 30 min

    Xi'an City God Temple

    都城隍庙

    Xi’an City God Temple is a Taoist temple complex in the historic city. Its name refers to the city god, a protective deity in traditional Chinese religious culture.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Xi'an
  21. Tap Seac Gallery Tap Seac Gallery
    152 1 hour

    Tap Seac Gallery

    塔石藝文館 A Galeria Tap Seac

    Tap Seac Gallery is an arts and cultural venue in Macao’s Tap Seac Square area. Known locally as 塔石藝文館, it occupies a building within the Historic Centre of Macao, the UNESCO World Heritage area inscribed in 2005.

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Macau
  22. A-Ma Cultural Village A-Ma Cultural Village
    153 30 min

    A-Ma Cultural Village

    媽祖文化村 Aldeia Cultural de A-Ma

    A-Ma Cultural Village is a hillside religious and cultural complex on Coloane Island devoted to A-Ma, the goddess associated with seafarers. The setting connects worship, traditional Chinese architecture and Macau’s maritime heritage.

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Macau
  23. Pak Tai Temple Pak Tai Temple
    154 30 min

    Pak Tai Temple

    北帝廟 Templo Pak Tai

    Pak Tai Temple, known locally as 北帝廟, is a Taoist temple in Macau dedicated to Pak Tai, the Northern Emperor deity revered for his power over water and protection against evil.

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Macau
  24. Anding Gate (Andingmen)
    155 45 min

    Anding Gate (Andingmen)

    安定门

    Anding Gate, or 安定门, is one of the historic gates in Xi'an's surviving city wall.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Xi'an
  25. Anyuan Gate (Anyuanmen) Anyuan Gate (Anyuanmen)
    156 45 min

    Anyuan Gate (Anyuanmen)

    安远门

    Anyuan Gate, or 安远门, is one of the preserved gates in Xi'an's historic city wall system. The gate belongs to the Ming dynasty defensive enclosure that shaped the city's historic core.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Xi'an

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.