China, with its wildly diverse landscapes and a dizzying array of cultures, offers experiences that reach far beyond the Great Wall—and visiting now is easier than ever.
For years, the country has been an enigma and a challenge for travelers. It’s a vast, deeply historic nation where ancient traditions fuse with hyperfast modernization and where language barriers, digital restrictions, and visa policies often deter casual tourists. But times are changing, and despite its complex global reputation, China has once again opened its doors with newly relaxed entry requirements and a slew of new hotels.
“The current geopolitical divide makes a visit to China all the more important,” says Mei Zhang, founder of China-based tour operator WildChina. “The country is changing rapidly, but despite trade wars and other political tensions, every one of our travelers [comes] back with stories about the Chinese people’s friendliness and hospitality. In these challenging times, it’s even more essential to connect on a people-to-people level. We believe that only through connection, humanity will triumph.”
Visa policies have relaxed
In the past two years, China has made drastic changes to its visa policies, and visiting as a tourist has become easier than ever before. A recently extended visa waiver program allows nationals from 38 countries, including Ireland, Australia, Germany, and Japan, to enter China without a visa for up to 30 days.
American citizens face fewer hurdles too. Last December, China extended its visa-free transit policy and now allows visitors with a U.S. passport (or passports from one of the other 53 eligible countries) to stay in China for up to 10 days.
The only catch (and it’s a big one): You’ll need an onward ticket to another country, such as Japan, Thailand, or South Korea, that is not the same country you flew in from. Trips longer than 10 days or trips booked on a roundtrip ticket from the U.S. (or anywhere else) to China still require a traditional tourist visa.
In Yunnan Province is a growing group of boutique hotels under the Lux Collective umbrella.
Photo by Chris Schalkx
Prepare for a different online experience
Unless you’re one of the TikTok users who has recently switched to Red Note, as the platform is known in the U.S., be prepared for a social media detox when you’re on the ground in China. Access to sites and platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, and even Google Search—many of which are handy resources for travelers—is blocked under the country’s well-known internet-censorship policy.
If you must use these apps, keep in mind that you can only access them if you install a VPN or opt for an international roaming package from your mobile network operator at home.
Your smartphone is your friend
Forget about cash or credit cards if you’re traveling outside major cities. From picking up snacks in the supermarket to ordering a taxi, China’s day-to-day economy is almost entirely smartphone-based. While some shops and restaurants still accept cash payments, most prefer—or require—money via a mobile wallet such as Alipay or WeChat Pay.
Alipay, which can be linked to most international credit cards, is the user-friendlier of the two: The app has an English interface and a straightforward payment system based on QR codes. It also doubles as a platform for various “mini apps” including DiDi Travel (China’s version of Uber or Lyft); a handy translation service; and Tripair, via which you can book train tickets, hotels, and domestic flights.
Since WhatsApp and Messenger are unavailable, WeChat is essential for staying in touch with tour guides or hotel concierges. It’s advised to create accounts on both apps—WeChat and Alipay—well before your trip, as registering within China can be troublesome.
Once you get the hang of these apps, you can use them for heavy logistical lifting, too. “If you bought too many souvenirs, no problem: Order a high-quality carry-on suitcase at 6 p.m., and it arrives at your hotel by 6:30 p.m.,” says Zhang. “And if you’re hungry on the high-speed train, you can order a Starbucks latte to be delivered to your seat at the next stop—it’s mind-boggling how things operate here.”
The Lux Collective recently expanded its footprint of boutique hotels along the Yunnan Province’s Tea Horse Road (left); the new Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, Beijing, is built in the heart of a traditional hutong neighborhood (right)
Photos by Chris Schalkx
A flurry of exciting new hotels
Even though China closed its borders during the COVID-19 pandemic, a booming domestic market kept hotel developers very busy.
Global brands such as Four Seasons have expanded their Chinese portfolio with new hotels in Suzhou, Dalian, and Hangzhou. Four Seasons’ former Shanghai outpost now houses the ultra-sleek Alila Shanghai, which features a serene rooftop courtyard, an excellent contemporary Shanghainese restaurant, and 184 blissfully spacious rooms with design details—geometric floor tiles, wood marquetry—that nod to the city’s nostalgic past.
Mauritius-based hotel group The Lux Collective expanded its Tea Horse Road route, a string of boutique lodges scattered around the Yunnan Province, with the nine-room LUX* Lashi Lake. It also opened a modernist retreat, LUX* Chongzuo, between the karst mountains of the Guangxi province.
The most ambitious newcomer, though, is the Mandarin Oriental Qianmen Beijing, the luxury brand’s second outpost in the Chinese capital. Instead of yet another gleaming skyscraper, this all-suite hotel takes over 42 courtyard houses scattered around a traditional hutong neighborhood near the Forbidden City. Weaving past the narrow alleys on your way to breakfast or dinner, you’ll pass your ni hao–nodding neighbors—real Beijingers going on about their daily lives.
In addition, Zhang notes that “there’s a growing number of local boutique accommodations offering a deeper, more authentic experience,” such as The Well House in Dali Dong Village in the Guizhou Province. “This locally run, eco-conscious boutique stay is crafted from traditional materials and techniques and blends seamlessly with the Dong community’s architecture.”
There’s plenty in the pipeline too: The Lux Collective’s eco-conscious sister brand, Salt, will make its Chinese debut with the opening of Salt of Anji later this year, while the scenic lakeside town of Dali awaits the opening of Marriott’s Dali EDITION. In the little-visited Gansu Province, the Norden camp will relaunch in July after a top-to-bottom refurbishment.
