China’s high-speed rail gets all the attention, and we’ve covered it separately, but the China sleeper train is a genuinely different experience with its own booking system, ticket types, and etiquette. We rode hard sleeper (硬卧) from Ürümqi to Fuyun as part of our Xinjiang trip, and this guide covers what we learned firsthand plus the practical…
China
Altay City Xinjiang isn’t a bucket-list destination on its own. It’s the base most travellers pass through on the way to Kanas and Hemu Village, and that’s exactly how we treated it: two days getting here from Keketuohai, a first night finding our feet, and a full day actually enjoying the city before heading on. This…
Keketuohai National Geopark: Xinjiang Guide
Keketuohai National Geopark (可可托海世界地质公园) sits in Fuyun County, in the Altai region of far-northern Xinjiang, China. It’s a UNESCO Global Geopark, and it’s genuinely under-covered online. There’s almost no English-language travel writing about it. That’s despite granite domes striking enough that Western rock climbers were making expeditions here back in the 2010s. We covered Keketuohai as…
Abuji Lake Hike from Shangri-La, Yunnan: Trails, Cost and Tips
The Abuji Lake hike near Shangri-La is one of our favourite hikes in all of China, and we’ve done a lot of them. Turquoise alpine lakes, yaks wandering about, and a trail that still feels something like a postcard out of Switzerland. It rained on us for most of the way up, and we’d still…
Shangri-La, Yunnan: 3-Day Travel Guide
After finishing the Tiger Leaping Gorge trek, we picked up our luggage and caught a shuttle straight to Shangri-La (香格里拉) for three days. Sitting at around 3,200 metres high in the far north of Yunnan, this is where the province starts to feel less like China and more like a slice of Tibet, with monasteries,…
Teaching English in China 2026: The Strategic Guide
If you are currently researching teaching English in China, you are likely looking for a way to turn travel into a more sustainable, long-term experience. We are two travelers who chose to extend our time abroad and fund our journey by working as English teachers in Guangzhou. We were not looking for a holiday; instead,…
Kunming, China: 2-Day Itinerary
If you’re planning a trip to the Yunnan province in China, Kunming is the perfect starting point. While the city itself is rarely a major holiday destination, its location, transport links lower altitude make it a practical transit hub. We came here from Zhangjiajie to escape the summer heat in June and spent two nights…
6 Essential Apps for China Travel: My Real Expat Toolkit for Daily Life
When packing bags for the mainland, setting up the right apps for china travel remains the single most important step for any visitor. Western platforms like Google Maps, Uber, Instagram, and WhatsApp fail to function due to government firewall blocks. To navigate, eat, shop, and pay across the country, you must adopt the local digital…
Hainan Hiking Trails: 4 Peaks to Explore Beyond the Beaches
Discover the best Hainan hiking trails beyond the beaches. Our guide covers Baishi Ridge, Wuzhi Mountain, and secret peaks for a rugged China adventure.
China Power Bank Rules: A 2026 Flight Survival Guide
Don’t get your gear confiscated! Learn the 2026 China power bank rules for domestic flights, including mandatory CCC marks, QR codes, and capacity limits.
