City Kits

Practical city kits for your first China trip

Choose a city by travel difficulty, recommended days, food, transport, hotel areas, and useful Chinese addresses.

Shanghai First Trip Kit

Shanghai · 上海

Easy

Shanghai is China's easiest first landing point for many foreign travelers: international flights, simple metro connections, excellent hotels, and a mix of historic lanes, futuristic skylines, shopping streets, and day trips to water towns.

Recommended days: 3-4 days

Best for: First-timers, Food, Night views, Transit stopovers

The Bund and Huangpu River skyline, Yu Garden and Old City area, Former French Concession streets

Airport, rail station, Bund, Yu Garden, and central pickup addresses.

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Beijing First Trip Kit

Beijing · 北京

Moderate

Beijing is the best city for understanding imperial China, modern politics, and grand-scale landmarks. It rewards slower planning because major sights are large, security checks take time, and museum reservations matter.

Recommended days: 3-5 days

Best for: History, Great Wall, Museums, Classic China

Forbidden City, Tian'anmen Square, Temple of Heaven

Major sights, railway station, and Great Wall transfer addresses.

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Xi'an First Trip Kit

Xi'an · 西安

Easy

Xi'an is compact, atmospheric, and easy to pair with Beijing. The Terracotta Warriors are the headline, but the city wall, Muslim Quarter, pagodas, and noodle culture make it more than a one-sight stop.

Recommended days: 2-3 days

Best for: Terracotta Warriors, Ancient history, Street food, Short add-ons

Terracotta Warriors, Xi'an City Wall, Muslim Quarter

Terracotta Warriors, rail station, city wall, pagoda, and museum addresses.

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Chengdu First Trip Kit

Chengdu · 成都

Easy

Chengdu is one of China's most enjoyable slow-travel cities. It is famous for pandas and Sichuan food, but its real appeal is the pace: tea houses, parks, hot pot dinners, and easy day trips.

Recommended days: 3-4 days

Best for: Pandas, Spicy food, Tea houses, Relaxed city life

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, People's Park tea houses, Wenshu Monastery

Panda base, railway station, parks, monastery, and central dining addresses.

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Hangzhou First Trip Kit

Hangzhou · 杭州

Moderate

Hangzhou is a graceful lake city with gardens, temples, tea fields, and refined food. It is one of the easiest high-speed rail add-ons from Shanghai and works well for travelers who want a softer pace.

Recommended days: 2-3 days

Best for: West Lake, Tea culture, Romantic walks, Shanghai add-ons

West Lake, Lingyin Temple, Longjing tea fields

West Lake, temple, tea village, station, and old street addresses.

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Suzhou First Trip Kit

Suzhou · 苏州

Easy

Suzhou is known for classical gardens, canals, silk history, and refined Jiangnan culture. It is close enough to Shanghai for a day trip, but an overnight stay makes the old town feel calmer.

Recommended days: 1-2 days

Best for: Classical gardens, Canals, Slow walks, Shanghai day trips

Humble Administrator's Garden, Lingering Garden, Pingjiang Road

Gardens, museum, old street, and railway station addresses.

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Guangzhou First Trip Kit

Guangzhou · 广州

Moderate

Guangzhou is one of China's great food capitals and a practical southern gateway. It blends Cantonese heritage, modern towers, leafy neighborhoods, wholesale markets, and easy links to Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macau.

Recommended days: 2-3 days

Best for: Cantonese food, Business travel, Dim sum, Pearl River views

Canton Tower, Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, Shamian Island

Airport, rail stations, old town, riverfront, food streets, and hotel pickup addresses.

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Shenzhen First Trip Kit

Shenzhen · 深圳

Easy

Shenzhen is a young, fast, design-driven city bordering Hong Kong. It is best for travelers interested in modern China, technology districts, contemporary culture, shopping, and easy Greater Bay Area connections.

Recommended days: 1-2 days

Best for: Modern China, Design, Hong Kong connections, Theme parks

OCT Loft Creative Culture Park, Shenzhen Bay Park, Ping An Finance Center viewpoint

Rail stations, border crossings, tech districts, parks, and central hotel addresses.

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