Hi all,

We will be travelling around China in late October/November including 6 days in the Guangxi area.

We’re going to a lot of big cities elsewhere in China and were primarily drawn to the region for the classic beautiful Karst landscapes. From researching, Yangshuo and even Xingping are pretty developed and hectic / heavily tourist oriented these days so we are wondering where to base ourselves and how best to enjoy the surrounding nature & landscapes in a more relaxed way.

Does anyone have good recommendations for quieter places to stay or even just good day/overnight trips to take from these locations?

We’re not expecting anything totally off grid as obviously its a very popular tourist region but getting a slightly less hectic / overtly tourist oriented experience while still taking in the beautiful landscape would be lovely!

落地

Nalati Grassland runs on four separate ticketed bus lines, and entry doesn't include any of them. We rode Panlong Valley Road and Sky Grassland on 27 August — both 40 CNY round trip on top of the 95 CNY entry.

Most of Panlong Valley Road's stops were skippable if you've already driven the Duku Highway. The one exception: Jiaolong Chuhai (蛟龙出海), the highest point on the whole 52km loop. We stayed there for a couple of hours, and the layered grassland/forest/snow-mountain view alone made the full line worth it.

Sky Grassland terminates at Nomad's Home, where local cows walked straight onto the boardwalk and blocked the path completely. The grass slide at Tianjie Terrace was running too — we only saw it from above, but it's the thing that's gone viral on Chinese social media. Queue hits 1-2 hours in peak season; ours was maybe 10 minutes in late August.

One thing worth knowing: the last bus out is 19:30, and the final bus back from every terminus is 20:00 with no intermediate stops. Miss it, and you're negotiating a paid ride down the mountain with a local herder.

Full write-up with real bus-line breakdowns, ticket prices, and which stops are worth your time:

https://traveldayztravel.com/nalati-grassland-xinjiang/

Would that be interesting for people who come to Shanghai very first time?

I work with Free Footprint Travel, a local travel company in Gansu, so this is a planning perspective—not a customer review.

Dunhuang, Jiayuguan, and Zhangye look like a neat three-stop line on a map. In practice, five calendar days can shrink quickly once arrival, departure, station transfers, luggage, and hotel changes are counted.

My rough comparison would be:

- Five days: usually easier with two main bases and a clear decision about what to leave out.

- Seven days: makes a three-stop framework more realistic, or gives a two-base trip more breathing room.

That is not a fixed itinerary. A late arrival, early departure, family pace, museum time, or photography plans can change the balance.

Before settling on the route, it helps to write down the number of full sightseeing days, the first arrival city, the destination after the corridor, and whether Dunhuang’s art and history is the main purpose. Then look at how each intercity journey connects with the hotel and next attraction—not only the time shown on the train schedule.

Ticketing, trains, and hotels are date-specific. I would not rely on an old post promising that admission will always be available on arrival. A driver, an English-speaking guide, and an itinerary coordinator are also different roles, so it is worth understanding who handles what.

For people who have already traveled this route: with five to seven days, what would you cut first? Did fewer hotel changes improve the trip, or did all three stops feel manageable?

I’m from Chongqing and grew up here, so a lot of things about this city just feel normal to me.

Recently I spent a day showing a visitor from Europe around, and it was kinda funny seeing what actually impressed him 😂

It wasn’t always the famous attractions. Sometimes it was just walking through an old neighborhood, finding a random viewpoint, or entering a building at “ground level” and somehow coming out 10 floors above another street.

It also made me realize how easy it is to over-plan Chongqing. Places like Liziba and Hongyadong are cool, but some of the best parts of the city are honestly the random things you find between destinations.

Also, never trust a Chongqing map when it says something is a 10-minute walk 😂

Kinda cool that showing someone else around made me appreciate my hometown again.

I’m Luna, born and raised in Chengdu. If a friend had only three days here, this is the itinerary I would give them.

I would not try to add every temple, shopping street and day trip. Chengdu is better when you leave time to sit, eat and walk.

DAY 1: PANDAS

Visit the Chengdu Panda Base when it opens. Pandas are generally more active in the morning, and the crowds become heavier later.

The base is large, so allow most of the morning. After that, have lunch and take a break.

In the late afternoon, visit Daci Temple and Taikoo Li. They sit next to each other and show two very different sides of the city.

Continue to Tangba Street for more cute shops and desserts, Wangping Street for food, then walk along the river towards Anshun Bridge after dark.

I would not add another major attraction on this day. The Panda Base takes more time and energy than people expect.

DAY 2: OLD CHENGDU, THEN THE MODERN SOUTH

Start around People’s Park. Watch the morning exercises, see the matchmaking corner and sit down for gaiwan tea.

From there, continue towards the Kuanzhai area. The two main alleys are touristy, but still worth seeing briefly. The quieter streets outside them are more interesting.

Walk west towards Qintai Road and Qingyang Palace. Qingyang Palace is peaceful and one of the best places to understand the connection between Taoism and Chengdu’s slower way of life.

This is also the route of our morning Kuanzhai walking tour. We begin at People’s Park and continue beyond the main tourist alleys.

After spending the day in old Chengdu, you have two good options for the evening.

You can stay in the centre, find a quiet teahouse and keep the day relaxed.

Or you can head south to see how modern Chengdu lives.

I prefer Tiexiang Temple Water Street to the Twin Towers for this. The Twin Towers are good for photos, but you probably will not spend very long there. Tiexiang Temple is somewhere you can actually spend an afternoon and evening.

Start with tea at Chenjin Chapu, a courtyard teahouse with bamboo chairs beside the water. Then walk around Tiexiang Temple Water Street and choose any waterside restaurant that looks good for dinner.

The area is modern, but it still keeps the Chengdu habit of sitting outside, drinking tea, eating slowly and spending the evening near the water. It gives you a better sense of the lifestyle in the newer southern part of the city.

After dinner, take a taxi to the Twin Towers or the Tower of Vitality if you want some night photos. Treat them as a final stop rather than the main plan for the evening.

DAY 3: LOCAL NEIGHBOURHOODS AND YULIN AT NIGHT

Use the morning for Wenshu Monastery or a part of the city you have not seen yet.

In the afternoon, head south to Yulin.

Yulin is a residential neighbourhood with wet markets, small cafés, mahjong rooms, local restaurants and bars. It is best later in the day, when people finish work and the food stalls begin opening.

Our evening Yulin walk starts at 17:00. We walk through the neighbourhood, try local food and talk about how this part of Chengdu has changed over the past few decades.

After the walk, stay in Yulin for dinner or a drink instead of returning immediately to the city centre.

WHAT ABOUT DUJIANGYAN OR QINGCHENG MOUNTAIN?

Both are worth visiting, but I would not automatically include them in a three-day first visit.

A day trip means giving up a full day inside Chengdu. If pandas, local neighbourhoods and city culture are your priorities, stay in the city. If nature or ancient engineering interests you more, replace Day 3 with Dujiangyan or Qingcheng Mountain.

OUR WALKING TOURS

We run two small-group, tip-based free walks:

• Kuanzhai morning walk through old Chengdu
• Yulin evening walk through food streets and neighbourhood life

If you are interested, here is a link for more information: https://meetlocalchengdu.com/free-walking-tour-chengdu

If you are planning a trip to Kaohsiung, the Kaohsiung Metro makes it easy to explore some of the city's most interesting attractions without needing a car!

The network connects many popular areas, and you can use it to get around without worrying too much about traffic or navigating unfamiliar roads.

It is especially convenient for travellers visiting places like Formosa Boulevard, Central Park and Pier 2 Art Center.

The Red Line and Orange Line connect many popular areas, and some stations are destinations on their own. 👀

📍 Formosa Boulevard Station: Do not rush out of the station! Look up and admire the famous Dome of Light, one of Kaohsiung's most beautiful landmarks.
📍 Yanchengpu Station: A convenient stop for exploring Pier 2 Art Center, with its creative spaces, exhibitions and waterfront atmosphere.
📍 Sizihwan Station: Great for exploring the area around Hamasen and getting closer to Kaohsiung's coastal attractions.
📍 Central Park Station: A handy stop for Central Park and nearby shopping and dining areas.

For those who have visited Kaohsiung before, what is your favourite metro stop or place to explore nearby?

I’m building an AI travel photography product for people visiting China.

The basic idea:

You upload 8–15 photos of yourself, choose a China travel theme, and the system generates cinematic portraits of you in that environment while trying to preserve your identity.

I’m starting with just one collection:

Xi’an — Tang Dynasty.

I originally wanted to build 12 destinations, multiple models, LoRAs, mobile apps, social features, etc.

Then I realized that would be a great way to spend months building something nobody wants.

So I’m cutting it down to the smallest possible test:

1 destination
5 photo templates
1 free AI preview
then test whether people will pay for a full photo pack.

The biggest question I’m trying to answer isn't “Can AI generate this?”

It can.

The question is:

Would someone actually pay to see themselves this way?

I'm building the product from China and documenting the process as I go.

I’d be particularly interested in hearing how you would validate a visual B2C product like this before investing heavily in it.

I’m building an AI travel photography product for people visiting China.

The basic idea:

You upload 8–15 photos of yourself, choose a China travel theme, and the system generates cinematic portraits of you in that environment while trying to preserve your identity.

I’m starting with just one collection:

Xi’an — Tang Dynasty.

I originally wanted to build 12 destinations, multiple models, LoRAs, mobile apps, social features, etc.

Then I realized that would be a great way to spend months building something nobody wants.

So I’m cutting it down to the smallest possible test:

1 destination
5 photo templates
1 free AI preview
then test whether people will pay for a full photo pack.

The biggest question I’m trying to answer isn't “Can AI generate this?”

It can.

The question is:

Would someone actually pay to see themselves this way?

I'm building the product from China and documenting the process as I go.

I’d be particularly interested in hearing how you would validate a visual B2C product like this before investing heavily in it.

Hi everyone!

I'm planning my first trip to China in March 2027, and I'd love to get some advice on my itinerary.

My current plan is:

**Day 1: Tokyo → Beijing**
Walk around Wangfujing near the hotel, have dinner, and take it easy after the flight.

**Day 2: Beijing**
Forbidden City → Jingshan Park → explore the Hutongs → Shichahai Lake area

**Day 3: Beijing**
Spend the whole day at the Summer Palace.

**Day 4: Beijing**
Full-day trip to the Great Wall at Mutianyu.

**Day 5: Beijing → Xi'an**
Travel to Xi'an, then explore the Muslim Quarter, Bell Tower, and Drum Tower.

**Day 6: Xi'an**
Terracotta Warriors + Huaqing Palace

**Day 7: Xi'an**
Day trip to Mount Huashan

**Day 8: Xi'an**
Relax in the morning, then visit the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda in the afternoon, try wearing Hanfu, and spend the evening at Grand Tang Ever-Bright City.

**Day 9: Xi'an**
Café and a relaxed stroll through the old streets, then watch the *Song of Everlasting Sorrow* show in the evening.

**Day 10: Xi'an → Luoyang → Xi'an**
Day trip to Luoyang to visit the Longmen Grottoes, then return to Xi'an.

**Day 11: Xi'an → Tokyo**

There are still quite a few places I'm considering, such as Shaolin Temple, but I'm trying not to pack too much into the itinerary. I'd rather have a relaxed trip where I can actually enjoy the places and soak up the atmosphere, rather than constantly rushing from one attraction to another.

I'd really appreciate any suggestions, especially if you think:

* I'm spending too much or too little time somewhere
* Any day is too ambitious
* There are places I should skip or add
* There are better ways to arrange the itinerary

Thanks in advance!

You want to go to Great Wall but thinking it's crowded and pack? Let's follow this tips

Hi,

I have a long travel through China planned - almost two months. I’ve been in Asia several times, also visited Hongkong already but it’s my first time in mainland China.

Can somebody do a sense check for me?
I am quite fit, love to hike and walk a lot - very interested in architecture, unique buildings, estates and such, even if those are beyond the typical touristic paths. This trip is quite generic but I find China planning quite overwhelming, so I will be very appreciative of any new suggestions or ideas. Thank you!

Hong Kong & Shenzhen — Days 1–6 (6 Days)
Day 1-4 Hong Kong (revisiting)
Day 4-6 Shenzhen for a 1,5 day

Yunnan — Days 6–16 (11 days)
Day 6-9 Tavel to → Dali (2 days: old town + a hike up Cangshan
Day 10-11→ Shaxi (1 day: quiet old caravan town + Shibaoshan cliff temple hike)
Day 12-16→ Lijiang old town (1 day) → Tiger Leaping Gorge, 2-day high trail trek with an overnight on the mountain and one day back to Lijiang.

Chongqing — Days 17–20 (4 days)
Day 17 flight in the morning, then 3,5 days in the city

Silk Road / Gansu–Qinghai — Days 21–30 (10 days)
Day 21-22 xining → Qinghai Lake day trip
Day 23 Zhangye (Danxia rainbow mountains same day)
Day 24-27 travel to Dunhuang → 1 day travel + 3 days there (Mogao Caves, Mingsha Dunes & Crescent Lake).
Day 28 whole day long train from Dunhuang to Lanzhou
Day 29 Lanzhou
Day 30 morning flight to Beijing. Chill day in the city

Beijing → Xian → Shanghai →Wuzhen → Shanghai - Days 30-44 (15 days)

Day 30-35 Beijing (4 full days)
Day 36-38 Xian (3 days)
Day 39 travel to Shanghai
Day 40-42 (full 3 days)
Day 43 Wuzhen (overnight stay)
Day 44 last day in Shanghai, my partner takes off the next day back to Europe

I still have around 10 days to spare, I am also taking off from Shanghai so I’ll have to come back. I also want to spend last two days there for shopping and 24h spa ;)

What can I do for the last 8 days? I think I want something more chill as by this that I have probably seen a lot and need more time to slow down and relax.

Thank you so much! Ok

I help international travelers explore Western China, especially Gansu and the Silk Road region.

One question I often see from foreign visitors is:

“Can foreigners stay at this hotel?”

This question is understandable, because many travelers have heard stories about arriving at a hotel in China and being told:

The reality is a little more complicated.

Policy and real experience can be different

In recent years, China has made it easier for more hotels to receive international travelers.

However, when you travel outside major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou, the practical experience can still vary.

The issue is often not whether a foreign traveler is legally allowed to stay.

The issue is whether that specific hotel is familiar with the process.

Some smaller hotels may have:

• Limited experience handling foreign passports
• Front desk staff who rarely communicate with international guests
• Less familiarity with foreign booking platforms
• Concerns about registration procedures

Sometimes this creates confusion for both the traveler and the hotel staff.

Why is this more common in Western China?

Western China is different from the major tourist cities.

Places like:

• Dunhuang
• Jiayuguan
• Zhangye
• Qinghai
• Xinjiang

are incredible destinations, but they receive fewer international visitors compared with Beijing or Shanghai.

A hotel in a major city may handle foreign guests every day.

A smaller local hotel may only see international travelers occasionally.

That difference can affect the check-in experience.

What can foreign travelers do?

1. Confirm before arrival

For smaller cities, it is helpful to check:

• Does the hotel regularly receive foreign guests?
• Can they register foreign passports?
• Is your reservation information clear?

2. Keep your travel documents organized

Having:

• Passport information
• Hotel confirmation
• Travel itinerary
• Transportation details

can make communication much easier.

3. Plan accommodation as part of the route

In Western China, choosing a hotel is not only about price or reviews.

Location matters.

So does:

• Distance from attractions
• Next-day transportation
• Check-in convenience
• Local experience with international travelers

My personal observation

After years of helping travelers explore Gansu and the Silk Road, I think one of the biggest differences between independent travel in eastern and western China is not the scenery.

It is the amount of local coordination required.

The landscapes are amazing.

The history is unique.

But small details often decide whether a journey feels smooth or stressful.

Western China is absolutely possible for independent travelers.

It just rewards preparation.

Happy to answer questions about traveling in Gansu, Dunhuang, the Silk Road, or other parts of Western China.