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China (North)
The north is the historic heart of the country, home to the capital city of Beijing. You can hike the ancient steps of the Great Wall or wander through the massive Forbidden City. It is the best place to feel the deep history of the old empire.
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Did you know?
Whispering Sands – The singing sand dunes of Dunhuang make a loud, booming cello-like sound when the wind blows across the dry desert particles.
Overview
Months
May, June, July, August, September
Vacation type
Family
Expenses
0-50€, <150€, <200€, <100€, Over 200€
Temperature
10-20°C, 20-25°C
Rainfall
0-50mm, 50-100mm, 100-150mm
Safety
Very safe
Continent
Asia
Currency
Yuan
Languages
Mandarin
Currency Converter
When to visit
The best time to visit Northern China is during the autumn months of September and October. During this short window, the heavy summer monsoon rains stop, the humidity drops, and the region experiences crisp, clear weather with brilliant blue skies. Daytime temperatures sit comfortably between 15°C and 25°C (59°F to 77°F). This is the absolute best time to hike the Great Wall surrounded by changing autumn foliage and to explore the imperial sites in Beijing without suffering from heat exhaustion.
The summer season (June to August) is hot, very humid, and rainy across the North China Plain, with temperatures regularly hitting 35°C (95°F). It is also the peak domestic travel season, meaning major sites like the Forbidden City and Terracotta Warriors are packed to maximum capacity.
Winter (November to March) brings a harsh, bone-chilling Siberian weather system. In Beijing, Xi'an, and Qingdao, temperatures hover around or below freezing, and the region often suffers from poor air quality (smog) due to winter heating. However, in the far northeast (Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces), winter is actually a major tourist draw. Cities like Harbin fully embrace the freezing temperatures (often dropping to -25°C / -13°F) to host massive, world-renowned ice and snow sculpture festivals from late December through February.
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Plan the whole vacation, including flights, transportation, hotels and tours with Expedia *
Climate Data
Peak Season: September to October (Autumn) & June to August (Summer)
Average Sunny Hours per Day: 7 to 9 hours.
Rain Frequency: 8 to 12 days per month in summer; 2 to 4 days in autumn.
Rainy Hours per Day: 1 to 3 hours.
Intensity: Heavy summer thunderstorms and monsoon downpours; mostly dry in autumn.
Duration: Summer rains often hit in the late afternoon and can cause flight delays. Autumn skies remain clear for days at a time.
Off-Peak Season: November to March (Siberian Winter)
(Note: This is off-peak for Beijing and Xi'an, but peak season for Harbin and ski resorts near the North Korean border).
Average Sunny Hours per Day: 5 to 7 hours.
Rain Frequency: 2 to 5 days per month (falling exclusively as snow).
Rainy Hours per Day: 1 to 3 hours of snowfall.
Intensity: Bitter, dry, biting winds sweeping down from Mongolia and Siberia.
Duration: The deep freeze lasts for months. Lakes and rivers freeze solid, and snowpack in the northeast remains until April.
Climate Chart
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Data Source: Global Historical Climatology Network
ClimateCharts.net
Weather, Crowds and Costs
Per one person
Tourist Season: September-October & July-August
Budget Vacation ($40-70/day)
Accommodation: $15-25/night (clean hostel dorms in Beijing's hutongs or Xi'an's city center, budget business hotels).
Food: $10-15/day (steamed buns, Xi'an roujiamo meat sandwiches, massive bowls of street noodles, dumplings).
Activities: $10-20/day (subway tickets to the Summer Palace, walking the Xi'an city walls, public parks).
Transportation: $5-10/day (extensive and cheap city metro systems, public buses).
Other Costs: $3/day (bottled water, street snacks).
Mid-Range Vacation ($100-220/day)
Accommodation: $60-120/night (comfortable 3- and 4-star hotels, restored traditional courtyard hotels in Pingyao or Beijing).
Food: $25-50/day (Peking duck dinners, Qingdao seafood restaurants, craft beer bars).
Activities: $30-70/day (Great Wall cable car tickets, Terracotta Army entry with audio guides, Harbin Ice World tickets).
Transportation: $20-40/day (second-class high-speed rail tickets between cities, Didi ride-hailing cars).
Other Costs: $8/day (tips for guides, coffee, luggage storage).
Luxury Vacation ($300-700+/day)
Accommodation: $200-500+/night (5-star international luxury hotels like the Peninsula in Beijing, high-end historic properties, luxury ski resorts in Changbaishan).
Food: $80-150/day (fine-dining imperial banquets, premium roasted duck, imported wines).
Activities: $100-200+/day (private English-speaking historians for the Forbidden City, VIP access at historical sites, private Great Wall hiking guides).
Transportation: $80-150/day (first-class bullet train seats, private chauffeured transfers, domestic flights).
Other Costs: $30+/day (silk garments, high-end tea, spa access).
Off-Peak Season: November-March
Budget Vacation ($30-50/day)
Accommodation: $12-20/night (discounted central city hotels and heated hostels).
Food: $8-15/day (hot pot, winter stews, local bakeries).
Activities: $5-15/day (off-season entry rates to national monuments and museums).
Transportation: $4-8/day (city subway, standard trains).
Other Costs: $4/day (hot tea, hand warmers).
Mid-Range Vacation ($75-140/day)
Accommodation: $45-80/night (business and boutique hotels at winter promotional rates).
Food: $20-40/day (indoor dining, extensive regional hot pot meals).
Activities: $20-40/day (indoor museum tours, discounted cultural shows).
Transportation: $15-30/day (high-speed rail, city taxis).
Other Costs: $6/day (warm cafe stops, laundry).
Luxury Vacation ($200-450+/day)
Accommodation: $150-300+/night (premium 5-star city hotels offering winter discounts).
Food: $50-100/day (upscale hotel dining, private rooms at famous duck restaurants).
Activities: $70-130/day (private indoor cultural tours, VIP theater tickets).
Transportation: $50-90/day (private heated vehicle transfers).
Other Costs: $20/day (artisan shopping, winter gear).
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You can find accomendations that fit your trip and budget on Booking.com, Vrbo and Hotels.com
Best Regions to visit
Cities
1. Beijing
- The sprawling capital of China, holding the political center, massive imperial palaces, vast public squares, and traditional narrow alleyways called hutongs.
2. Xi'an (Shaanxi)
- One of the oldest cities in the world and the eastern starting point of the Silk Road, renowned for its massive intact Ming-era city walls and the Terracotta Army.
3. Qingdao (Shandong)
- A coastal port city on the Yellow Sea famous for its German colonial architecture, sandy beaches, and being the birthplace of Tsingtao Beer.
4. Harbin (Heilongjiang)
- Known as the "Ice City" due to its proximity to Siberia, featuring distinct Russian architecture, cobblestone streets, and the largest ice sculpture festival in the world.
5. Pingyao (Shanxi)
- An exceptionally well-preserved walled ancient city that served as the financial center of China during the Qing Dynasty, featuring gray stone courtyards and red lanterns.
6. Dalian (Liaoning)
- A modern, wealthy port city in the northeast known for its seafood, clean air, coastal drives, and historical Russian and Japanese districts.
7. Tianjin
- A massive coastal metropolis just 30 minutes from Beijing by bullet train, featuring a historic center filled with European-style concessions and architecture along the Hai River.
Beijing
Did you know?
Ice Festival – Harbin hosts a massive winter event where workers carve entire castles and skyscrapers out of thick river ice and light them up with neon colors.
Islands
1. Changshan Archipelago (Liaoning)
- A group of islands off the coast of Dalian in the Yellow Sea, popular with domestic tourists for summer seafood, clean swimming beaches, and relaxed fishing villages.
2. Liugong Island (Shandong)
- A small island in the bay of Weihai, historically significant as the birthplace of China's first modern navy and the site of the Sino-Japanese War museum.
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Find the perfect place to stay in any of these top cities and islands with Booking.com, Hotels.com and Vrbo – offering entire homes and apartments for a comfortable and private experience.
Things to see
Natural Attractions
1. Mount Tai / Taishan (Shandong)
- The most sacred of China's Five Great Mountains. Millions of pilgrims and tourists climb its thousands of stone steps every year to watch the sunrise from the summit.
2. Changbaishan / Heaven Lake (Jilin)
- A massive volcanic crater lake situated perfectly on the border between China and North Korea, surrounded by dense alpine forests and hot springs.
3. Hulunbuir Grasslands (Inner Mongolia)
- One of the most pristine and vast steppe grasslands in the world, stretching toward the Russian and Mongolian borders, populated by nomadic herders.
4. Panjin Red Beach (Liaoning)
- A massive coastal wetland that turns a brilliant, vibrant crimson color every autumn due to the lifecycle of a specific type of seepweed, attracting rare red-crowned cranes.
Historical and Cultural Sites
1. The Great Wall of China (Beijing/Hebei)
- The iconic stone fortification spanning the northern ridges. Sections like Mutianyu and Jinshanling offer spectacular, restored hiking, while Jiankou offers rugged, wild, and unrestored wall climbing.
2. The Forbidden City (Beijing)
- The largest imperial palace complex in the world, serving as the home of Chinese emperors for almost 500 years, containing 980 surviving timber buildings.
3. Terracotta Army (Xi'an)
- A subterranean collection of over 8,000 life-sized clay soldiers, horses, and chariots buried with Qin Shi Huang, China's first emperor, to protect him in the afterlife.
4. Yungang Grottoes (Datong, Shanxi)
- A UNESCO World Heritage site featuring 252 caves and over 51,000 Buddhist statues carved directly into the cliff sides during the 5th and 6th centuries.
5. Temple of Heaven (Beijing)
- An imperial complex of religious buildings where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties led annual ceremonies praying to Heaven for good harvests.
Unique Experiences
1. Tobogganing Down the Great Wall
- After hiking the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, visitors can ride a metal wheeled sled down a long, winding stainless steel toboggan track through the forest to the bottom of the mountain.
2. Cycling the Xi'an City Wall
- Renting a bicycle to ride the entire 14-kilometer (8.5-mile) rectangular perimeter of the massive, intact Ming Dynasty wall that surrounds the old city of Xi'an.
3. Drinking Beer from a Bag in Qingdao
- Buying fresh, unpasteurized Tsingtao draft beer from kegs on the street, which vendors famously pour into clear plastic bags tied with a straw for locals to drink while walking.
4. Exploring Harbin's Ice and Snow World
- Walking among massive, full-scale illuminated castles and monuments built entirely out of ice blocks dragged from the frozen Songhua River, braving -20°C temperatures.
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The best way to explore major cities and must-see attractions is by booking guided tours.* They offer convenience, local insights, and often save time when visiting popular sights.
Great Wall of China
Unique Accomondations/Foodspots
Accommodations
Commune by Great Wall
Location: Badaling, Beijing, China
A striking architectural resort composed of private villas designed by prominent Asian architects, scattered across a dramatic mountain valley alongside a private, undisturbed stretch of the Great Wall.
Restaurants / Bars
The Schoolhouse at Mutianyu
Location: Mutianyu, Huairou District, Beijing, China
A charming, rustic-chic dining destination housed in a converted village schoolhouse near the Great Wall, celebrated for its comforting regional country fare, artisan beers, and picturesque valley views.
Tours to do
1. Beijing Great Wall & Summer Palace Day Tour
- A comprehensive guided excursion from central Beijing. The tour bypasses the overcrowded Badaling section to visit the Mutianyu Great Wall, taking a cable car up to walk the watchtowers and taking the toboggan down. Following a traditional local lunch, the afternoon is spent exploring the imperial gardens, temples, and the marble boat at the Summer Palace.
Duration: Full day (approx. 9 to 10 hours).
Best Time: September to October and April to May.
Average Cost: $65 – $110 per person (includes private or shared transport, entrance tickets, cable car/toboggan fees, and English-speaking guide).
2. Xi'an Terracotta Warriors & Muslim Quarter Tour
- A historic day trip combining archaeology with culinary exploration. The morning is spent driving outside the city to the massive excavation pits of the Terracotta Army, accompanied by a historian guide to explain the ongoing unearthing process. The afternoon returns to Xi'an to walk the ancient city walls, finishing with a food walking tour through the bustling, smoke-filled alleys of the Muslim Quarter.
Duration: Full day (approx. 8 hours).
Best Time: Year-round (the warriors are covered by massive aircraft hangar-style roofs).
Average Cost: $50 – $90 per person (includes transport, museum entry, and guide).
3. Harbin Winter Ice Festival Safari
- A guided winter expedition based in Harbin. The tour includes a walk down the cobblestones of Zhongyang Street to see Russian architecture and the Saint Sophia Cathedral. The afternoon and evening are spent inside the Harbin Ice and Snow World, navigating the massive illuminated ice structures and snow sculptures, followed by a warming local hot pot dinner.
Duration: Full day / Evening (approx. 7 hours).
Best Time: Late December to late February.
Average Cost: $80 – $130 per person (includes private heated transport, expensive Ice World entrance tickets, and guide).
4. Pingyao Ancient City Heritage Walk
- A cultural walking tour through the UNESCO-listed walled city of Pingyao. A local guide leads visitors through the narrow, traffic-free alleys to explore the Rishengchang Draft Bank (China's first bank), traditional courtyard homes, the ancient city walls, and the Ming-Qing street, complete with a tasting of the region's famous aged black vinegar.
Duration: Half-day (approx. 4 to 5 hours).
Best Time: September to October.
Average Cost: $35 – $60 per person (includes walking guide and multi-site entry pass).
Xi'an Terracotta Warriors
How to get around
1. High-Speed Rail (CRH)
- North China boasts the most advanced and dense bullet train network on Earth. You can travel from Beijing to Xi'an (1,200 km) in just 4.5 hours. Trains are flawlessly punctual, clean, and fast (up to 350 km/h). Tickets must be booked in advance via the official 12306 app or Trip.com using your passport.
2. City Subways
- Beijing, Xi'an, Qingdao, Dalian, and Harbin all have massive, incredibly efficient, and cheap underground metro systems. Signage and ticket machines are universally available in English.
3. Domestic Flights
- For longer jumps (e.g., Xi'an to Harbin), domestic flights are efficient. Beijing has two massive hubs: Beijing Capital (PEK) and the futuristic, starfish-shaped Beijing Daxing (PKX).
4. Taxis and Didi
- Hailing a taxi on the street is becoming rare. You must download DiDi (the Chinese equivalent of Uber) via the Alipay or WeChat app to call cars. It offers an English interface and auto-translates messages between you and the driver.
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You can find great car rental deals for your vacation on Expedia *
Did you know?
Great Wall Sea End – At Shanhaiguan, the Great Wall of China officially plunges straight into the ocean waves at a spot known as the "Old Dragon's Head."
What to eat
1. Peking Duck (Beijing Kaoya)
- The world-famous imperial dish of the capital. Specially bred ducks are roasted in wood-fired ovens until the skin is shatteringly crisp and the meat is tender. The duck is sliced tableside and served with thin mandarin pancakes, sweet bean sauce, scallions, and cucumber sticks.
2. Biang Biang Noodles (Xi'an)
- A signature dish of the Shaanxi province. These are incredibly thick, long, and wide hand-pulled wheat noodles (sometimes called "belt noodles"). They are boiled and topped with chili powder, garlic, and hot oil, often served with chunks of braised pork or beef.
3. Roujiamo (Xi'an Meat Burger)
- Often described as the world's oldest hamburger. Slow-braised, highly spiced pork belly (or beef/lamb in Muslim areas) is finely chopped and stuffed inside a pan-baked, crispy flatbread.
4. Harbin Dumplings & Russian Sausage
- Reflecting its proximity to Siberia, Harbin's food is heavy and warming. Local jiaozi (dumplings) are stuffed with pork and pickled cabbage. The city is also famous for Harbin Red Sausage (Hongchang), a smoky, garlic-heavy cured meat brought by Russian immigrants a century ago.
Peking Duck
Flights
Flight prices are approximate and vary by departure city, airline, and booking time. Check airlines or travel platforms for the latest details.
* Please note: All prices are rough estimates for orientation purposes only and may vary by region.
Main Airports: Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK)
Flight Prices and Seasons:
From Europe
- Average Round-Trip Cost: €300 to €700.
- Cheapest Months: January to March and September.
- Peak Prices: Summer (June to August) and December holidays.
From North America
- Average Round-Trip Cost: $500 to $1,000.
- Cheapest Months: February to March and September to November.
- Peak Prices: Summer and December holidays.
From Asia
- Average Round-Trip Cost: $100 to $500 (regional flights).
- Cheapest Months: February to March and September to November.
- Peak Prices: Summer months and December holidays.
From Australia
- Average Round-Trip Cost: $400 to $800.
- Cheapest Months: February to March and September.
- Peak Prices: December holidays and summer months.
From Africa
- Average Round-Trip Cost: $600 to $1,200.
- Cheapest Months: February and November.
- Peak Prices: Summer and December holidays.
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You can find the best flight deals with Skyscanner or plan the whole vacation, including flights, transportation, hotels and tours with Expedia *
Airport Location
Visa
Visa & Entry Requirements (2026)
Visa-Free Entry (Up to 30 Days)
China currently has a unilateral visa-free policy in effect until December 31, 2026.
Eligible countries: Citizens of over 70 countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Allowed purposes: Tourism, business meetings, visiting family or friends, and transit.
Strictly prohibited: Paid employment, long-term studies, and journalism.
Visa-Free Transit
240-Hour (10-Day) Transit: Available to citizens of 54 countries (including the USA). You must have a confirmed onward ticket to a third country and enter through specific designated ports (e.g., Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou).
24-Hour Transit: Applies to almost all nationalities at international airports, provided you have an onward ticket. You generally cannot leave the transit area unless granted a temporary entry permit.
Regular Visas (If the exemption doesn't apply)
Who needs it: Citizens of countries not on the visa-free list (e.g., USA, India, South Africa), or anyone planning to stay longer than 30 days.
Common types: 'L' Visa (Tourist), 'M' Visa (Business), 'Z' Visa (Work).
Process: Must be applied for in advance through a Chinese Embassy, Consulate, or official Visa Application Center.
General Rules at the Border
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from your date of entry.
Immigration will require proof of a confirmed return or onward flight ticket.
You should have proof of accommodation (like a hotel reservation) ready to show.
Important things to know
1. Payments
- The local currency is the Renminbi (CNY). Credit cards are accepted in major cities, but cash (especially in smaller denominations) is advisable.
2. Tap Water
- Tap water is generally not safe to drink. Bottled water is recommended.
3. Electricity
- The voltage is 220V, and plug types A, C, and I (two flat pins) are used. An adapter may be needed for devices from other regions.
4. Tipping in Restaurants
- Tipping is not customary and not expected, but rounding up the bill is appreciated in some tourist areas.
5. SIM Cards
- Local SIM cards are available from
providers like China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom. They can be purchased at stores, offering various prepaid data plans.
6. Driving Side
- In China, people drive on the right side of the road.
Souveniers
1. Beijing Cloisonné (Jingtailan)
- An intricate, ancient enamelware technique where copper vessels are decorated with thin metal wires to create compartments, which are then filled with brightly colored enamel paste and fired.
2. Shanxi Aged Vinegar (Lao Chencu)
- Considered the finest vinegar in China, this black, smoky, and intensely complex liquid is brewed from sorghum and aged in clay pots. It is sold in beautiful bottles across Pingyao and Taiyuan.
3. Replica Terracotta Warriors (Xi'an)
- Artisan workshops on the outskirts of Xi'an use the same local clay and firing techniques as the ancient builders to create miniature, highly detailed replicas of the famous soldiers.
Beijing Cloisonné
Location
Reviews
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