Registration Note that this is only relevant to those who will stay in private apartments or houses in China and not in hotels. All visitors to China need to register with the police in each city where they stay for more than 24 hours. You have 72 hours to register in rural areas. If you are... ( more )

Extending a Chinese Visa What: It is possible to extend a Chinese tourist (L) visa two times for up to a maximum of 30 days each time. So if you had a 30 day tourist visa you could extend it twice for an additional 30 days each time, staying in China for 90 days. It is also possible to extend a... ( more )

Yangshuo     阳朔 Situated in the midst of some of China’s most stunning scenery and positioned between two sublime rivers, Yangshuo boasts a truly idyllic locale. Around the town, the green, karst hills take on fanciful forms and appear to undulate endlessly into the... ( more )

Dali     大理 Offering a well-preserved old town, stunning natural scenery, and an array of western restaurants and bars, Dali has long been a backpacker favorite. The old town, with its Ming Dynasty architecture and partial city walls, is wonderfully atmospheric. And the immense... ( more )

Lijiang     丽江 Tucked away in north-west Yunnan Province, not too far from the border with Tibet, is the magical little town of Lijiang. Home to the Naxi people, the old town of Lijiang is a well-preserved microcosm of bygone times, a relic of the past. Here traditional wooden... ( more )

Kunming     昆明 In the wonderfully relaxed Yunnan Province, even the capital city is chilled-out. While it is home to several million people, Kunming is a world away from China’s bustling mega cities, both figuratively and literally. Although it is developing rapidly... ( more )

Chongqing     重庆 Chongqing is an immense, dazzling mess of a city. In some ways its existence seems just plain wrong. While its location on hilly terrain at the convergence of the Jialing and Yangtze rivers held great strategic value in times past, it seems preposterous to... ( more )

Guilin     桂林 The weird and wonderful limestone hills of the Guilin region are renowned throughout China and, increasingly, throughout the world. This strange landscape of karst mountains sprouting erratically from the earth spreads for hundreds of kilometers around the city... ( more )

Tiger Leaping Gorge   (虎跳峡)A couple of hours drive north-west of Lijiang is one of China’s most stunning natural wonders. Tiger Leaping Gorge is one of the deepest river canyons in the world. Here the mighty Yangtze River (known in Yunnan Province as the Jinsha River) gushes between... ( more )

Longji Rice Terraces (Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terraces)   (龙脊梯田)The spectacular Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terraces, rolling hills covered from foot to summit with rice paddies, are a must-see for anyone who has a day or two to spare. With a history dating back to the Yuan Dynasty... ( more )