China offers visa-free itineraries for travelers through its various visa-free policies, such as the 144-hour visa-free transit policy and the 72-hour visa-free transit policy. Under these policies, citizens from eligible countries can visit specific regions in China without a visa, provided they meet certain conditions.
China Visa-Free Cities/Regions
The major tourist cities that enjoy visa-free policies are :
- 144-hour visa-free: Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Zhuhai
- 72-hour visa-free: Guilin, Harbin, and Changsha
- 24-hour visa-free: This policy applies to most major cities in China with international airports, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Tianjin.
China Visa-Free Itineraries for Shanghai and the Surrounding Areas
5-Day East China Tour
During this tour, you would visit three major tourist cities in East China: Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Suzhou. Explore the bustling city life, breathtaking natural wonders, and historical water towns in East China. Here is a sample itinerary:
- Days 1–2: Shanghai
- Day 3: Hangzhou
- Day 4: Suzhou
- Day 5: Shanghai Departure
In Shanghai, take a leisurely stroll along the Bund and marvel at the unique blend of Eastern and Western architecture. Visit Yu Garden, a stunning traditional Chinese garden. Experience a bird's-eye view of Shanghai's skyline from Shanghai Tower, the world's second-tallest building.
In Hangzhou, enjoy a relaxing boat ride on West Lake and let the breathtaking natural scenery refresh your heart. Visit a tea plantation, pick some tea leaves, and enjoy a cup of genuine Dragon Well tea right at the source.
In Suzhou, explore Lingering Garden and wander through its corridors and pavilions to get a glimpse of the lifestyle of wealthy individuals in ancient times. Explore a timeless traditional Chinese ancient town — Tongli Ancient Town.
5-Day Shanghai and Hangzhou Highlights Tour
Visit the highlights of Shanghai and Hangzhou in 5 days. Explore the Bund, Shanghai's skyline, West Lake, and an ancient water town with an extensive Chinese garden. Here is the simple itinerary:
- Days 1–2: Shanghai: Explore the old and new parts of Shanghai — the Bund, Shanghai Tower, and Yu Garden
- Day 3: Hangzhou: Visit West Lake and explore a hidden tea plantation in the mountains surrounding West Lake
- Day 4: Wuzhen Water Town: Explore a traditional Chinese lifestyle at Wuzhen Water Town. Take a boat ride along the canal and appreciate the traditional architecture while watching the locals who live by the canal.
- Day 5: Shanghai Departure
Beijing Visa-Free Itinerary: 4-Day Beijing Highlights and Great Wall Night Tour
During 4 days, you can cover the highlights of Beijing, including the Forbidden City, and enjoy an in-depth exploration of the Great Wall of China. See a sample itinerary below
- Day 1: Beijing Arrival
- Day 2: Tian'anmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven
- Day 3: Hiking the Great Wall at Jinshanling, Simatai Great Wall Night Tour
- Day 4: Gubei Water Town and Beijing Departure
Enjoy an in-depth tour of Beijing. Our guide would lead you through a secret route in the Forbidden City away from the crowds, where you would listen to stories of royal family life in quiet and exquisite halls.
Hike along the Great Wall at Jinshanling — the most beautiful partially-repaired section of the wall. You can choose to hike the repaired section or the wild section of the wall. Enjoy an evening at the Great Wall at Simatai. See the Great Wall lit up on the ridgeline.
Relax at Gubei Water Town, an ancient town at the foot of the Great Wall at Simatai.
Pearl River Delta Visa-Free Itinerary (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Zhuhai)
All visitors to Hong Kong and/or Macau are able to visit the surrounding Pearl River Delta (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, etc.) visa-free as long as they go with a registered tour group, such as us, for 144 hours.
See two sample itineraries for visiting Guangzhou and the surrounding areas below.
4-Day Essence of Guangzhou and Shenzhen Tour
- Day 1: Guangzhou arrival
- Day 2: Guangzhou city highlights exploration
- Day 3: Shenzhen Explore
- Day 4: Shenzhen Departure
Begin your tour with traditional dim sum in the morning. Visit the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall and admire the traditional Guangdong-style architecture and elegant decorations. Immerse yourself in Buddhist tranquility at the Temple of the Six Banyan Trees before visiting the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, which was built in 1931 in memory of Sun Yat-sen.
Explore one of China's fastest-developing cities, Shenzhen. Visit Shenzhen Mineral Museum and Splendid China Folk Culture Village
4-Day Guangzhou Highlights and Foshan Culture Tour
During this tour, you would visit the highlights of Guangzhou and explore Foshan, the hometown of martial arts.
Day 1: Guangzhou arrival: Relax and take a Pearl River night tour featuring colorfully-lit buildings along the banks.
Day 2: Guangzhou: Visit Canton Tower, the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, and Shamian Island.
Day 3: Foshan: Discover the martial arts that Foshan is renowned for. Visit the Ancestral Temple. Learn the stories of two masters of martial arts: Yip Man (Ye Wen) and Wong Fei Hung (Huang Feihong). Visit Lingnan Tiandi, once the rich area of Foshan and now a top place to admire the exquisite historical architecture and to seek the traditional culture of Foshan. Visit medieval Nanfeng Kiln in Shiwan. This site shows the high status of Shiwan in Foshan as the "Ceramics Capital of Southern China".
Day 4: Guangzhou departure
The essence of Guilin Visa-Free Tour
Enjoy the tranquil natural beauty of Guilin for 3 days. Explore the highlights in Guilin City and take a Li River cruise. Below is a sample Itinerary:
Day 1: Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Trunk Hill: Visit Reed Flute Cave and see the amazing array of limestone formations highlighted in neon lights. Explore Elephant Trunk Hill, which is the symbol of Guilin.
Day 2: A Li River Cruise and Xianggong Hill: Take the best river boat available to cruise the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo and enjoy the breathtaking natural scenery of hills, water, and peaceful countryside. Visit Xianggong Hill, which is one of the best places to enjoy a bird's-eye view of the ribbon-like Li River meandering through a forest of tooth-like hills.
Day 3: Guilin departure
More details on the essence of Guilin Visa-free tour
China Visa-Free Tours from Hong Kong and Macau
For most visitors, a visa is not required for Hong Kong and/or Macau. You could extend your tour to Shanghai (including the surrounding areas), Beijing, or Chengdu without a visa. See the most popular China visa-free tours from Hong Kong and Macau below:
- 5-Day Yangtze River Delta Bullet Train Tour
- 4-Day Beijing Private Tour
- 3-Day Chengdu Giant Panda, Giant Buddha, and Ancient Town Tour
Tailormade Your China Visa-Free Tours
We can help you design a visa-free tour for you according to your special requirements. Just give us some ideas of your travel plan, and we will create a perfect itinerary for you.