Six incredible places to visit in visa-free China (beyond the Great Wall) ...Middle East

I first visited China post-university, and soon discovered that this country of 1.4 billion people and over 5,000 years of civilisation is one of the world’s great destinations. So when, in 2010, the chance arose to move to Beijing for a job, I grabbed it with both hands.

Although I spent several years living in China, few friends or family members managed to visit. That was because travelling to China involved application forms, in-person visa appointments, invitation letters and fees of £100 plus.

But not in 2026. In February, China announced that UK nationals can visit for up to 30 days visa-free, meaning now is the perfect time to plan a trip.

Since the change, specialist tour operator Wendy Wu Tours has seen a 75 per cent year-on-year increase in passengers on its China trips. “The introduction of visa-free travel has made visiting China easier than ever, removing a significant hurdle for many people,” Wendy Wu, the company’s founder, said.

While big-hitting sites like the Great Wall, Beijing’s Forbidden City and Shanghai’s French Concession will attract many first-time visitors, here are some alternatives to add to your itinerary.

Xi’an

China’s ancient capital is best known for its Terracotta Warriors, a life-sized army that has silently stood guard over the tomb of China’s first Emperor, Qin Shi Huang, for more than 2,000 years. Yet were it not for farmers digging a well here in Shaanxi province in 1974, the famous clay figures might never have been discovered.

The mausoleum is spectacular; I spent hours gazing at the formidable soldiers, each one with individual clothing, hair and facial features.

Yet, while most visitors travel to Xi’an to see the sculptures, there’s far more to the metropolis. The city was the starting point of the Silk Road, and as such contains a fascinating fusion of cultures, architecture and cuisines within its Ming-era city walls. Marvel at the Great Mosque, built in a blend of Chinese and Islamic styles, climb the 64-metre-tall Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, and tuck into yangrou paomo – a spicy bowl of shredded flatbread soaked in mutton broth.

Yangshuo

Yangshuo, in southwest China’s Guangxi region, has magical landscapes of humped karst mountains, rice paddies and meandering rivers, and is arguably the destination that left the strongest impression on me. Hire a bike through an outfit like Bike Asia and cycle through dreamy valleys that have inspired Chinese artists and poets for centuries. Or take a leisurely bamboo raft ride along the Yi River, passing pagodas, temples and rural villages.

The river is also the setting for the twice-nightly Impression Sanjie Liu show. If you don’t speak Mandarin, you won’t understand a word of the performance, but that doesn’t matter in the slightest. Created by Zhang Yimou, the man behind the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2008 Olympics and the 2022 Winter Olympics (both held in Beijing), it’s an extravaganza of singing, dancing and light, featuring about 600 performers, including local fishermen.

Chengdu

The laid-back lifestyle is one of the biggest draws of Chengdu, where you can sip jasmine tea (typically served with watermelon seeds) in wonderfully atmospheric teahouses while watching pensioners play xiangqi (“Chinese chess”) or mahjong as they have done for centuries.

The leafy parks are filled with locals practising tai chi or waiting for tao er – a local practice involving steady-handed ear specialists using long, thin, feathered tools to extract excess wax from customers’ ear canals. (It’s an experience I found surprisingly satisfying.)

Yet, the capital of Sichuan province’s top obsession is pandas. Visitors can see China’s cuddliest national icon up close at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, where the bears live in a forested, bamboo-rich environment designed to mimic their natural habitat. Be prepared for crowds and try to arrive in the morning when the notoriously indolent animals are at their most active.

Pingyao

The Unesco-listed ancient walled city of Pingyao is where I found the China of my imagination – a time-warp of red-lantern-hung lanes, willow-pattern pagodas and elegant courtyard homes.

It was the birthplace of Chinese banking, but after the banks collapsed in 1911, Pingyao fell on hard times. Its poverty – and remote location in central Shanxi province – ensured it escaped the Red Guards’ rage during Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Today, several historic former banks serve as museums.

There are no cars in the compact, one-square-mile city, so the only way to explore is on foot. Ming-Qing Street, the main thoroughfare, is lined with traditional hotels and teahouses, although the best view of Pingyao is from above; walking along the top of its well-preserved Ming dynasty walls remains one of my China highlights.

Hainan

When sightseeing amid the crowds of the mainland gets too much, escape to Hainan. This tropical island in the South China Sea was once where political exiles were banished, but it’s now a beach holiday destination nicknamed “China’s Hawaii”.

I recommend cycling past rice-growing valleys and verdant rainforests in the Central Highlands, hiking through a tropical rainforest at Yanoda, and exploring the traditional villages around Bo’ao. Or just enjoy the ​​coconut palm-lined sand and inviting turquoise waters.

Harbin

Yes, Harbin, way up in the northerly Heilongjiang province, is frighteningly cold – especially in January and February when temperatures can plummet to -30C. However, if you’re planning ahead for next winter, it’s where you’ll find the world’s most spectacular ice festival.

Imaginative and extraordinarily detailed carvings, some of which are of famous landmarks such as the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall, are made using blocks of ice from the frozen Songhua River. The best time to explore the incredible ice city is at night when the creations are lit up with coloured lights to create a magical effect.

You can also hit the slopes at Yabuli, China’s largest ski resort, about 180km away.

Know before you go

Cash vs cards 

China is a cashless society: download and familiarise yourself with WeChat Pay or Alipay in advance, as overseas credit cards aren’t always accepted. 

Apps and maps 

Social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube are all blocked by China’s Great Firewall. To keep in touch with loved ones back home, download WeChat (China’s answer to WhatsApp) before your departure; your friends and family will need to do so too. Similarly, Google Maps doesn’t work in China. The local equivalent is Baidu Maps, but be prepared to enter your destination in pinyin (Chinese words spelt out using the Latin alphabet) rather than English. 

Timing 

Try not to travel during Chinese New Year, Spring Festival or other public holidays when it feels like the whole of China is on the move.

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