Tours are operating in Portland, China, and Cambodia! Click here for our COVID-19 Health & Safety precautions.
Published on March 15, 2023
After three years, China is reopening its border to tourists, effective immediately! Based on what we’ve seen in other parts of the world post-pandemic, the best time to visit a reopened country is early – before all of the crowds return. We’ve got all the details you need to start planning your next trip to China below.
Chinese embassies around the world will now be issuing new Type L (Tourist) visas for the first time since March 2020. The process to apply for a tourist visa is different depending on which country you are in, but it will be the same as it was before the pandemic. You can find a list of Chinese embassies around the world here.
If you have a valid tourist visa that was issues prior to the pandemic (March 28, 2020, to be exact), you can now use that to enter China as a tourist. Many Chinese embassies offer multi-entry tourist visas that are good for up to 10 years – so now is the time to catch up on your China travel!
Foreign citizens, from certain countries, traveling to a third country or region through China by plane, ship or train may stay up to 144 hours in China without a visa. You can apply for this upon arrival with the Chinese border patrol. Your city of arrival will depend on how long you are able to stay without a visa. Cities like Beijing and Shanghai offer 144 hour visa-free transit, while cities like Chengdu and Xian offer 72 hour visa-free transit. Check with your local Chinese embassy to find out if your nationality is able to take advantage of visa-free transit in China.
We offer food-focused journeys throughout China, including multi-day trips and morning or evening food tours, in all of China’s best foodie destinations. You can browse our morning or evening food tour options to get your appetite whet, and take a look at our upcoming multi-day trips to dive in to off the beaten path destinations you can only find with us. Contact us if you have any questions!
Did you know that the East Foothills of Helan Mountain in Ningxia is China’s first officially recognized wine appellation and is now home to some of the best wineries in all of China? Here are five interesting facts about China’s answer to Bordeaux…
Xizhou is the name of a village just outside Dali’s old town in China’s Yunnan province. Baba is local slang for bread. Xizhou Baba is the greatest thing since sliced bread – literally! As you walk along the cobble stone streets of Xizhou, it won’t take you long to recognize old charcoal ovens that bake this famous local street food. Peek inside a Baba shop, and you’ll see fresh dough being kneaded and prepared by hand. You’ve got to try this addictive snack yourself!
Xizhou is the name of a village just outside Dali’s old town in China’s Yunnan province. Baba is local slang for bread. Xizhou Baba is the greatest thing since sliced bread – literally! As you walk along the cobble stone streets of Xizhou, it won’t take you long to recognize old charcoal ovens that bake this famous local street food. Peek inside a Baba shop, and you’ll see fresh dough being kneaded and prepared by hand. You’ve got to try this addictive snack yourself!
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Tours are operating in Portland, China, and Cambodia! Click here for our COVID-19 Health & Safety precautions.
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