China is a giddy fusion of ultra-modern and ancient. Bullet trains whizz between Singapore-new cities where skyscrapers glistening with neon tower over Athens-old historical centres. Shanghai shimmers over the steaming Huangpo river. Old Xi’an at the end of the Silk Road huddles beneath the spires of the new metropolis, wooden mosques, medieval market-alleys and temples hidden behind massive, gated medieval walls. Vast Beijing sprawls between the Great Wall around the labyrinthine Imperial Forbidden City and the towers of the Temple of Heaven. Surrounding them all and dozens besides is the Chinese countryside – where misty mountain-tops, rhododendron rainforests and deserts of billowing dunes hide relics older than Stonehenge, butterfly-quiet monasteries and caves of Cyclopean stone Buddhas.
Travel restrictions and entry requirements
Direct flights between the UK and mainland China have resumed. But the country has a zero tolerance Covid policy and visas are not currently being issued to general tourists. Travellers are required to quarantine for a minimum of 10 days on arrival. Testing is frequent, random and compulsory and you will be asked to scan in QR codes to show your travel history. Positive checks result in immediate quarantine under which may involve separation from fellow travellers and family members. There are some restrictions of movement within the country – with some provinces requiring 14-day quarantine on arrival from areas where Covid is present. Restrictions are expected to ease in 2023.
Best time to go
China is larger than the US and climate varies enormously. While any month is a good month somewhere, spring and autumn are generally best, with November offering the perfect combination of crisp, dry days and lighter tourist crowds. Winter in the north can be bitterly cold, but balmy in Shanghai and Yunnan. Summer throughout southern and central China is hot and sticky, with temperatures reaching the high thirties in the western lowlands. Spring is the best time to visit the mountains, when the wildflowers are in bloom. April is the rainy season in the south and centre.
Top regions and cities
Beijing
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