1. Don’t go in the summer unless you wanna spend most time indoor (shopping malls). My family leave Chongqing for cooler areas like Yunnan for entire summer

2. Also don’t go in the winter (nov-Jan), it could get around 3 degrees without heater and humid cold is worse than dry cold.

3. We put hot pepper in almost everything but you’d still find non spicy stuff (just not local stuff), so don’t worry too much

4. The night view is the best thing to see in my opinion so go to the river side bars or restaurant

5. Lots of hills, but taxi is super cheap, especially if you use Chinese uber (didi), it’s cheaper than regular yellow cabs on the street.

6. Anything else u wanna know? Just ask me

I'm getting ready for another trip to China (it's been 3 years, too long if you ask me lol). I looked at my Alipay app again today and saw this new Travel Wallet feature. Maybe it's not new, I just don't remember it being there.

From what I understand, it's for tourists to transfer funds to an Alipay wallet and you can use it for payments. It makes it sound like you can use it for anything including P2P, so I was wondering if it's a good way to get around the occasional issues with merchants whose accounts aren't set up to take payments from international cards. We ran into that issue last time with random street vendors.

Has anyone used it?

Checked out this new rooftop bar during blue hour and the view was beautiful. It was surprisingly quiet too, which made it even better.

The stream drifts slowly, bugs creep along at their own pace.

Wind stirs the chimes, ringing once, then falling quiet.

Rain taps the leaves, one drop, then another.

The Sanfu Days, the hottest stretch of the year, have quietly arrived.

Elders often say, “Within Sanfu lies midsummer; calm your heart, and coolness comes.”

This season carries the ancient wisdom of living in tune with nature.

The term Sanfu originates in the Qin and Han dynasties.

In ancient Chinese cosmology, summer belongs to fiery energy. Fire suppresses metal energy, forcing it to lie dormant , this hidden state is what “Fu” stands for.

Sanfu is split into Early Fu, Middle Fu and Late Fu.

Middle Fu brings the heaviest heat and dampness of the whole year.

Old seasonal customs have endured for centuries: Dumplings for Early Fu, noodles for Middle Fu, pancakes with eggs for Late Fu. Warm meals bring soft sweat, letting midsummer yang energy dispel dampness trapped inside our bodies.

It is also the ideal time for treating winter illnesses during summer.

Without air conditioning, ancient people survived the heat through quiet rest, careful not to overindulge in cold food and drinks.

As Early Fu begins, let us tend to care for ourselves, following the nature’s rhythm. May you find peace in body and mind, and pass these sultry days gently.

I a travelling three week to China in August and I want to do a trip from Shanghai to Beijing while passing through more central china.

I want to use the night train in priority.
Do you think there anything I missed, is there some city I should dropped etc ?

I’m Chinese living in the Netherlands for a long time, so quite familiar with travelling in Europe and in China, so let me know if u have any questions, happy to answer!

Hi everyone, how is this route for someone who prefers nature and off-the-beaten-path scenery?

Hi everyone,

I'm traveling to China soon and I have a question about travel insurance.

My regular health insurance includes emergency medical coverage abroad up to €10,000, as well as medical repatriation and the usual emergency assistance. I'm wondering if that's generally enough for a trip to China, or if it's worth buying a separate travel insurance policy with higher medical coverage.

I don't really know how expensive medical treatment is in China, especially if I had to go to a private hospital or needed emergency care.

Has anyone traveled there with similar coverage? Was it enough, or would you recommend getting additional travel insurance?

Thanks in advance!

I'm planning to travel up to 30 days in China in a couple months, haven't made any fully concrete plans however.

But I'm actively rehabbing an ACL injury which I had surgery on 5 or so months ago, which means I don't have full knee flexion, walking and stuff is totally fine. Just no deep squats.

Will I have trouble finding sit down toilets in all areas? Or will I just have to plan accordingly?

Hi everyone,

I’ve been prescribed oxycodone by my doctor for the past 12 months, and I have all the documentation to prove it, including prescriptions, medical records, invoices, and everything related to my treatment.

In about two months, I’ll be moving to Guangzhou, China. I’ve already confirmed that I’m allowed to move there, so that’s not an issue.
I’m wondering if anyone has experience with continuing an oxycodone prescription in China. Is it difficult to find a doctor in Guangzhou who would continue prescribing it if I provide all my medical documentation? Or is it possible to take my existing prescriptions and records to a local pharmacy and have the medication dispensed there?

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through a similar situation or knows how this works in practice. Thanks in advance!

I’ve been in Beijing for 2 days and have some time before a flight coming up. I’ve seen the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and the Temple of Heaven. I was going to do the Summer Palace but it might make getting to the airport close and be similar to the other things I’ve seen. Tomorrow I’ll be at Simatai. Any thoughts on ways to fill the last few hours. I’m staying very close to Tiananmen Square.

So Beijing has a million famous spots ，Forbidden City, Great Wall, Summer Palace, hutongs... During Trump's state visit, the two big sightseeing stops were the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven. Forbidden City makes sense, everyone goes there. But the Temple of Heaven pick got me curious.
Fun fact most tourists don't know: the Temple of Heaven wasn't just a pretty park，it's where Chinese emperors used to hold ceremonies to "Shangdi" (上帝), which literally translates to "God." Yes, that's also the exact word Chinese Bibles use for God today. So there's a fun theory going around that this stop had a little extra meaning for Trump. 😄
And here's the thing ，state visit itineraries are negotiated by both sides beforehand, nothing is random. So somebody, somewhere, definitely wanted the Temple of Heaven on that list.
I'll drop some photos in the comments. Either way, if you're heading to Beijing, don't skip the Temple of Heaven，now you know there's more to it than the pretty blue roof.

Hi everyone!

My husband and I spent two weeks in Japan this past May/June and absolutely fell in love with East Asia. We’re already planning our next trip, and we’ve decided to spend 3–4 weeks exploring China next spring.
Our tentative dates are March 20 to mid-April, flying from Vancouver. We’re completely open to traveling around the country, so long train rides or domestic flights aren’t an issue.

We’re mainly looking for recommendations on the must-see places in China. We felt that two weeks in Japan was not enough to see all the major areas. We love sightseeing, nature, history, unique landscapes, and memorable experiences. While we enjoy good food, we wouldn’t consider ourselves huge foodies, so our itinerary doesn’t need to revolve around restaurants.

I’d also love to finish the trip with a few relaxing beach days if possible. I was originally looking at Hainan, but I’ve heard it can get quite expensive. If there are other great beach destinations in China, or should we end the trip in a nearby country instead.I’d love to hear all the suggestions!!

If you had 3–4 weeks in China, where would you go and why? I’d really appreciate any itinerary ideas or recommendations!