Tourism China2049First hand China travel information
DEEN
First hand China travel information
Tourism China2049

First hand China travel information

Experienced instead of copied: visa free China travel, Beijing, Hainan, Shanghai, Huangshan, Xidi, Qinhuangdao and Northeast China explained in practical terms.

Experienced instead of copied

First hand China travel information: the operator has personally visited many of the places described here, including Hainan, Beijing, Dandong, Shanghai, Qiandao Lake, Huangshan, Xidi, Qinhuangdao, Dalian, Shenyang, the Great Wall from Beijing and the Ming Tombs.

This site is not a random list of famous sights. It arranges places by how they actually feel for German speaking China travellers, how they can be connected sensibly and what practical details matter before the trip.

Beijing in morning light as a quiet first impression
Beijing in morning light as a quiet first impression

The beginning: China suddenly became easier

For German, Swiss and Austrian travellers, China became noticeably easier from late 2023 and 2024. At first, short stays of up to 15 days were possible without a visa. Since late 2024, many eligible travellers from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and other countries can enter for up to 30 days per stay without a visa, currently until 31 December 2026.

I used this new option early. In 2024 I happened to be in Almaty in Kazakhstan and continued from there into China. I expected a complicated travel destination. What surprised me positively was how well many things worked in practice. Since then, five further trips to different places in China followed.

The most important lesson for me was not the visa, but the internet: Google, WhatsApp, YouTube and other familiar services do not work in China on normal local connections the way they do at home. A suitable eSIM can be the key to keeping many of them reachable. The cheapest eSIM for mainland China that I found on my trips was on Trip.com.

China eSIM: prepare internet before travelling
China eSIMChina eSIM

Prepare Google, WhatsApp, YouTube, hotels and flights before travelling.

Hotels in ChinaHotels in China

Firm mattresses, large beds, good four star hotels and Trip.com from own experience.

HainanHainan

Tropics, beach, Sanya, Haikou and Wuzhishan as a softer China entry point.

Beijing for the first timeBeijing for the first time

Forbidden City, Lama Temple, urban axes and a clear way into China.

Great Water Wall and Ming TombsGreat Water Wall and Ming Tombs

The Great Wall from Beijing, water section and Ming Tombs as a sensible day plan.

Shanghai skylineShanghai skyline

The Bund, Pudong, metro and modern urban energy.

Xi'anXi'an

City wall, Terracotta Army and historical depth.

Huangshan, Xidi, Qiandao LakeHuangshan, Xidi, Qiandao Lake

Mountains, village architecture and Qiandao Lake as a strong landscape route.

QinhuangdaoQinhuangdao

Bohai Sea, coast and Shanhaiguan away from the standard route.

Dandong, Dalian, ShenyangDandong, Dalian, Shenyang

Northeast China with river, bridge, coast and major city weight.

Three good entry points

Start softlyHainan

Sea, tropical landscape and island pace. Good when China should not begin with maximum big city intensity.

Start classicallyBeijing

Forbidden City, Lama Temple, Great Wall and Ming Tombs. Very clear when China should become tangible for the first time.

Start modernShanghai

Skyline, the Bund, metro and international urban energy. An easier entry into China’s present.

Frequently asked questions about travel in China

Short answers from first hand experience about eSIM, train tickets, hotels, passports and Trip.com.

Do Google, WhatsApp and YouTube work with an eSIM in China?

In my experience, yes. With most European eSIMs and with all China eSIMs I have bought through Trip.com so far, Western apps worked well in mainland China. For Google, WhatsApp, YouTube, maps and translation, a suitable eSIM is the easiest solution for me. More details are on the China eSIM page.

Can I book a China train ticket with a German or Swiss passport?

Yes. The important point is that name and passport number match the booking exactly. When booking through Trip.com, the passport number is stored with the ticket. At the station, the passport is practically the ticket. With a German or Swiss passport, it is usually better to use the staffed manual gate because many automatic gates are designed around Chinese ID cards. More details are on the train travel in China page.

What is my experience with Trip.com for train travel in China?

Very good. I would do it again and continue to use Trip.com for train tickets in China. The direct Chinese railway platform is cheaper, but for many foreign travellers it is much harder to use. Trip.com is the more convenient solution for me, even if a small fee is added.

Is hotel check in in China a problem with a foreign passport?

In my experience, no. Hotels in China can check in foreign guests with a passport. Sometimes staff search through the passport for a while, especially if they are looking for a visa or are not immediately familiar with visa free entry. Stay calm and offer to help them find the right page.

Are hotel mattresses in China hard?

Often yes. Many mattresses in China are firmer than in Germany, Austria or Switzerland. Sometimes there are two sides or a topper, sometimes not. This is not necessarily a defect, but often simply the local standard. My own hotel tips are on the hotels in China page.

How long does the high speed train from Beijing South to Shanghai take?

The Beijing South to Shanghai route is about 1,318 kilometres long. The fastest services take roughly four and a half hours. For that distance, this is extremely convenient: city centre to city centre, no airport transfer and often a very smooth ride at more than 300 km/h.

Which hotel in Wuzhishan on Hainan do I recommend?

My concrete tip is the JI Hotel, Wuzhishan, Hainan. During my stay it felt very new, modern, clean and practical. Wuzhishan is also a good base if you want to experience Hainan beyond the beach.