China
China21 guides across 4 destinations — where to go, when, what it costs and what to eat.
Destinations in China
Practical essentials for China
Renminbi, or yuan (CNY); Hong Kong uses the Hong Kong dollar (HKD) and Macau the Macanese pataca (MOP)
Standard Mandarin is the national language; Cantonese dominates in Hong Kong and Macau, where English and Portuguese respectively are also official, and English is limited on the mainland outside hotels.
Type A/I, 220V 50Hz on the mainland; Type G in Hong Kong and Macau
Metros cover every large city and most visitors pay with a transit QR code in Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to a foreign card, though Shanghai and Beijing now also accept a tapped foreign contactless card, and Hong Kong runs on the Octopus card.
Tipping is not traditionally practised on the mainland and can cause confusion; Hong Kong and Macau restaurants usually add a 10% service charge instead.
Tap water is not drinkable anywhere in mainland China, including the major cities; bottled water is sold everywhere.
Right-hand side on the mainland but left in Hong Kong and Macau; an International Driving Permit has no legal standing in China, so visitors who want to drive must obtain a temporary Chinese provisional permit.
110 police, 120 ambulance, 119 fire; 999 in Hong Kong and Macau
Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.
Recent stories from China
Beijing Off-Season: Its Secret Best Months
Empty palace courtyards, frost on golden roofs and the Great Wall without the queues — the case for Beijing in the months the crowds ignore.
Three Days in Macau: the Peninsula, Taipa and Coloane on Foot
Macau is small enough to cross in under an hour and layered enough to reward three days, so here is exactly how long to give it and the order that makes the days work.
48 Hours in Shanghai: From the Bund to the Clouds
Two perfectly paced days in China's showcase city — riverfront promenades, classical gardens, plane-tree boulevards, soup dumplings and a skyline from the future.
Is Hong Kong Still Worth the Long Flight? An Honest Briefing
An honest account of what Hong Kong does well, roughly what it costs, how many days it actually needs, and who should spend their long-haul budget somewhere else.
Beijing, Ranked: The Experiences That Define China's Capital
The Great Wall snaking over autumn mountains, the vermilion vastness of the Forbidden City, duck carved tableside — Beijing's essential experiences, in order.
Coffee, Cake and People-Watching in Shanghai
Shanghai may run more coffee shops than any other city on earth. A guide to the cafes, the queued-for pastries and the pavements worth sitting on.
What to Eat in Macau: Egg Tarts, Pork Chop Buns and the World's First Fusion Cuisine
Four centuries of Portuguese and Cantonese exchange made Macau a food city like no other. Here is what to eat, dish by dish, and where to find it.
A Rainy Day in Hong Kong: The All-Indoor Route
Rain here arrives sideways and stays. A full day in Hong Kong — dim sum to dinner — that barely requires an umbrella, thanks to the city’s underground and elevated networks.
Green Shanghai: Parks, Gardens and Easy Escapes
Behind the skyline, Shanghai runs on plane trees, morning tai chi and a riverside park several kilometres long. Where the city goes outside — and how to leave it for a day.
Which Side of the Harbour? Choosing Your Hong Kong Base
Island or Kowloon is the first real decision of a Hong Kong trip. A neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood guide to where the landmark hotels sit and what each side gives you.
The great views of Hong Kong, ranked
Few cities reward looking as extravagantly as Hong Kong. From the Peak to the harbourfront to a wild ridge trail, these are the vantage points worth planning a day around.
Hong Kong stays for every wallet: the areas that make sense
Harbour-view legend or Mong Kok guesthouse, the real decision in Hong Kong is which side of the water you wake up on. A district-by-district guide to basing yourself well.