Tourism — Discover China

Cantonese culinary hall! Must-eat: Hong Kong-style cha chaan teng (silk-stocking milk tea + pineapple bun + egg tart + wonton noodles + char siu rice), roast meats (Yung Kee roast goose/Kam's Roast Goose), dim sum (Tim Ho Wan—the cheapest Michelin!), Spicy Crab under the Bridge, claypot rice (Hing Kee at Temple Street), egg waffles/griddle cakes. Lan Fong Yuen (birthplace of silk-stocking milk tea), Kau Kee Beef Brisket (the queuing legend), Australia Dairy Company (scrambled egg toast is unbeatable). Spice level: not spicy!

Hefei is the crayfish capital of China! Every year from June to August, Hefei residents consume an average of 100+ tons of crayfish per day. Ningguo Road Crayfish Street—the entire street is full of crayfish restaurants. Flavors: thirteen-spice/garlic/spicy/braised in oil/steamed. Hefei crayfish are large and plump (high farming standards). Other must-eats: Sanhe rice dumplings, stinky mandarin fish (the top dish of Anhui cuisine—smells stinky, tastes delicious), Li Hongzhang hodgepodge, old hen soup. Spice level: medium spicy (crayfish).

D1: Anhui Museum (New Hall) + Bao Park + Former Residence of Li Hongzhang + Huaihe Road Pedestrian Street; D2: Sanhe Ancient Town (40km from Hefei, water town ancient town + Sanhe rice dumplings) + USTC campus. Hefei to Huangshan high-speed rail 1.5h. Budget: 400-800 yuan. Prices are extremely low.

Ningbo cuisine (Ning-style) is mainly salty and umami, skilled at cooking seafood. Must-eats: Ningbo tangyuan (Gangyagou! black sesame and lard filling, the skin is so glutinous it stretches into threads), seafood noodles (yellow croaker noodles/seafood mixed noodles, the broth is so umami it's moving), red roe pickled crab (raw-marinated swimming crab—Ningbo people's "rice-pressing hammer"), snow vegetable large yellow croaker, Ningbo roasted vegetables. Spice level is completely non-spicy, salty and umami.

D1: Tianyi Pavilion (a must-visit!) + Moon Lake Park + Drum Tower + Nantang Old Street (a snack street); D2: Dongqian Lake (cycling around the lake/Fuquan Mountain tea garden) + Old Bund (20 years earlier than Shanghai's Bund, a bar street). Add a 1-2 day trip to Putuo Mountain (2h by car + boat from Ningbo). Budget: 700-1500 yuan.

Oucai cuisine (a branch of Zhejiang cuisine), mainly featuring seafood. Must-eats: Wenzhou fish balls (not round but strip-shaped! made from mian fish meat + starch rolled into strips, incredibly fresh and bouncy), glutinous rice (the soul of Wenzhou people's breakfast—glutinous rice + minced pork + crushed youtiao + shiitake mushrooms + dried shrimp), Dengzhan cake, pork offal noodles (pork blood + pork intestine + rice noodles), raw river crab (drunken crab—raw marinated swimming crab, challenge level), stir-fried dried rice noodles. Spice level: not spicy, mainly salty and savory.

D1: Yandang Mountain (Lingfeng daytime view + Lingfeng night view—the same peak looks like completely different silhouettes by day and by night!) + Lingyan (flying trapeze performance); D2: Nanxi River (bamboo raft drifting + Lishui Ancient Street + Shiwai Rock) + Jiangxin Island (Pengla of the Ou River). Budget: 800-1800 yuan. 2h by high-speed rail from Hangzhou.

Xinjiang Food Universe Center! Must-eat: Big Plate Chicken + Belt Noodles (Xinjiang's No.1 dish), grilled lamb skewers (red willow skewers are more fragrant than iron skewers), hand-grabbed rice (lamb leg hand-grabbed rice is absolutely superb), baked samsa/thin-skinned buns, naan (eat it hot fresh out of the oven!), stir-fried rice noodles (the lifeblood of Xinjiang girls — "mildly spicy" is a lie — spicy enough to make you question existence), mixed noodles/latiaozi, yogurt + honey. Xinjiang fruits: Hami melon/grapes/Korla pears/pomegranates/figs — sweet to the extreme. Spice level: stir-fried rice noodles are extra spicy! Everything else is not spicy.

D1: Gansu Provincial Museum (the genuine Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow! Free reservation) + Yellow River Mother Sculpture + Zhongshan Bridge + Baita Mountain (panoramic view of the Yellow River and Lanzhou); D2: Waterwheel Expo Park + Wuquan Mountain + Zhengning Road Night Market (milk egg fermented rice wine was featured on "A Bite of China"). Beef noodles must be eaten in the morning! Budget: 400-800 yuan.

Northwest halal food stronghold! Must-eat: hand-grabbed mutton (Yixin Mutton Hand-Grabbed Restaurant — featured on "A Bite of China"), Qinghai liangpi (yellow liangpi + chives, garlic, and vinegar), sheep intestine noodles (sheep intestines stuffed with meat filling, a bold Northwest way of eating), yak yogurt (super sour! eat with white sugar), kangguo mutton, tianpei (a sweet fermented drink made from highland barley, a summer heat-relief wonder), goujiaoniao (strange name but delicious — highland barley flour fried pancake). Spice level: not spicy.

D1: Kumbum Monastery (25km from the city center, half a day) + Dongguan Great Mosque + Mojia Street; D2: Qinghai Lake 1-day tour (Erlangjian Scenic Area / cycling along the East Ring Road / rapeseed flowers in July); 3 days: add Chaka Salt Lake (Mirror of the Sky) + Zhuo'er Mountain (Little Switzerland of the East). Budget: 1000-2000 yuan. Qinghai Lake is most beautiful during the rapeseed flower season in July. Xining is at an altitude of 2260m, so altitude sickness is generally not a concern.

Yanchi Tan sheep = China's most delicious mutton! Sheep raised on Chinese herbs (licorice/bitter bean) and mineral water, with absolutely no gamy smell! Must-eat: hand-grabbed mutton (boiled plain and dipped in salt is delicious enough—absolute confidence in the quality of the mutton), roast whole sheep, sheep offal, mutton saozi noodles, braised snacks. "Ningxia mutton is not gamy" is not marketing—it really is not gamy. Spice level: not spicy.

D1: Western Xia Imperial Tombs + Zhenbeibao Western Film Studio (take photos in the same style as "Fairy Zixia"!) + Huaiyuan Night Market; D2: Sand Lake (desert + lake water + bird island, half a day) + Helan Mountain Rock Art + Han Meilin Art Museum; D3: Shuidonggou (Paleolithic site + Ming Great Wall + Hidden Troop Cave) + China Hui Culture Park. Budget: 800-1800 yuan.

Mongolian cuisine = meat + dairy + noodles! Must-eats: Hand-held mutton (boiled in plain water, dipped in chive flower sauce—the true taste of the meat!), whole roast sheep (only when there are enough people), Mongolian milk tea (it's salty! with milk skin/fried rice/beef jerky), milk tofu/milk skin/yogurt, naked oat noodles (naked oat noodle rolls/naked oat noodle fish), shaomai (Hohhot shaomai has thin wrappers and lots of meat, 8 pieces per liang), sheep offal. Spice level: not spicy!

2 days: D1 Dazhao Temple + Saishang Old Street + Five Pagoda Temple + Inner Mongolia Museum (dinosaur fossils / grassland culture); D2 Xilamuren Grassland 1-day tour (90km from Hohhot, horseback riding / archery / yurt lunch / Naadam performance). 3 days: add Huitengxile Grassland (windmill grassland, more beautiful than Xilamuren) + Xiangshawan (Kubuqi Desert). Budget: 800-2000 yuan. Best time for grassland: June-September.

Xinjiang food ceiling! Must-eat: samsa (baked in a tandoor, lamb/pumpkin filling, freshly out of the oven they burst with juice!), polo (rice simmered in lamb fat + yellow carrots + lamb), big plate chicken + belt noodles, meat skewers (red willow skewers), laghman, naan (all sizes and flavors), yogurt (super sour! add honey), pomegranate juice (October-November), Hami melon (sweet enough to make your teeth ache). Spice level: not spicy, cumin + salt are the main seasonings.

Silk Road cuisine blends East and West! Must-eat: donkey meat with yellow noodles (Dunhuang's signature, donkey meat + yellow noodles + garlic paste and vinegar), Dunhuang liangpi (thicker and chewier than Xi'an liangpi), mutton soup with vermicelli, apricot peel drink (brewed from Li Guang apricots, a summer heat reliever!), roast whole lamb/hand-grabbed mutton, braised lamb with flatbread. Dunhuang fruits: Li Guang apricots (June-July)/grapes (August-September) are super sweet. Spice level is not spicy, mainly salty and savory.

Mogao Caves require advance booking! Type A ticket 238 yuan (8 caves + digital film) at least one week in advance, Type B ticket 100 yuan (4 caves). D1: Mogao Caves (3-4h) + Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake (go in the afternoon, ride camels + sand sledding + watch the sunset + stargazing); D2: Dunhuang West Line — Yumen Pass + Yardang Ghost City (most spectacular at sunset). 3 days: add Yulin Caves (sister caves of Mogao, fewer crowds and exquisite murals) + Western Thousand Buddha Caves. Budget: 1500-3000 yuan.

Bai ethnic flavors! Must-eat: Dali sour and spicy fish (crucian carp + sour papaya + chili), Xizhou baba (flaky baba, both sweet and savory), rushan (made from cow's milk! Grilled/fried and dipped in white sugar), shengpi (pig skin seared over fire and left half-raw—challenge level!), crossing-the-bridge rice noodles, wild mushroom hot pot (mushroom season July-September). Spice level: medium spicy, mainly sour and spicy. Renmin Road in the old town is a snack paradise.

3 days: D1 Dali Ancient Town + Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple + Renmin Road/Yangren Street at night; D2 Erhai Lake loop (car rental 200-300 yuan/day or electric scooter 80 yuan/day): Xizhou Ancient Town (Bai ethnic residences + Xizhou baba) + Shuanglang Ancient Town (Yang Liping's Sun Palace) + Wase Pier sunset; D3 Cangshan Mountain (Ximatan Cableway up to 3920m) + Jizhao Nunnery (the most beautiful nunnery, vegetarian meal 20 yuan). Budget: 1000-2500 yuan.

D1: Boating on the Tuo River (boatmen singing mountain songs) + Jumping Rock + Hong Bridge + Former Residence of Shen Congwen + East Gate Tower + Night view of the stilted houses' lights (absolutely stunning!); D2: Southern Great Wall (Miao frontier wall) + Qiliang Cave (karst cave) + browsing Miao silver jewelry shops. At 6-7 AM the Tuo River has light mist + no crowds—the best time for photos! Budget: 400-800 yuan.

Jinzhong noodle culture! Must-eat: Pingyao beef (Guanyun brand is the most authentic, tender and flavorful), Wantuo (Wantu—a buckwheat noodle product, served cold-tossed or stir-fried hot), Kaolaolao (naked oat rolls, eaten dipped in vinegar), knife-cut noodles, Guoyou Rou (fried pork), Taigu cake. Prices in Pingyao are double inside the ancient city; recommended to eat outside the city walls. Spice level: not spicy, savory-fresh-sour (lots of vinegar).

Buddha Jumps Over the Wall = King of Fujian Cuisine. Abalone + sea cucumber + shark fin + dried scallops + fish maw + pigeon eggs + shiitake mushrooms + pork tendon... with yellow rice wine as the broth base, simmered over low heat for several hours. When the jar is opened, the rich aroma drifts to the neighbors; even Buddha would abandon his meditation and jump over the wall to come! Price: Authentic Buddha Jumps Over the Wall 200-500 yuan per person (Juchunyuan). Everyday must-eats: Fuzhou fish balls (stuffed with filling!), rouyan (meat swallows — the wrapper is made from pounded pork!), guobianhu (rice batter soup), oyster cakes, taro paste, peanut soup, lychee pork. Spice level: completely not spicy — fresh and sweet flavor profile.

D1: Sanfang Qixiang (Nanhou Street + Lin Zexu Memorial Hall + Former Residence of Yan Fu) + Daming Food Street; D2: Gushan (Climb the Eighteen Scenes of Gushan + Yongquan Temple) + Shangxiahang (Fuzhou's version of "Jiangnan Water Town") + Minjiang River Night Cruise. If time permits, add a 1-2 day trip to Pingtan Island (Blue Tears from May to August, offshore windmill fields). Budget: 500-1000 yuan. Fuzhou's cost of living is not high.

Shenzhen is a city of immigrants, where cuisines from all over converge. Chaoshan beef hot pot (Baheli Haiji), Cantonese morning tea/cha chaan teng, Hunan cuisine/Jiangxi cuisine (Shenzhen has many people from Hunan and Jiangxi), coconut chicken (Runyuan Siji—a Shenzhen original!). Shenzhen has no "local cuisine" but has every cuisine. Recommendation: international cuisines around Sea World in Shekou. Spice level: depends on which cuisine you choose.

D1: Shenzhen Bay Park + Talent Park + Coastal City (see Tencent Binhai Mansion) + Sea World (evening music fountain); D2: OCT (choose one of Window of the World/Splendid China/Happy Valley) + OCT Loft (artsy vibe, weekend markets); D3: Dapeng Fortress (birthplace of Shenzhen) + Jiaochangwei Beach (Shenzhen's "Gulangyu"). Budget: 1000-2500 yuan. Metro + high-speed rail from Shenzhen to Hong Kong is extremely convenient.

D1: Chimelong Ocean Kingdom full day (Whale Shark Pavilion/Penguin Pavilion/Iceberg Coaster, fireworks in the evening); D2: Lovers' Road cycling + Zhuhai Fisher Girl + Sun and Moon Shells (Zhuhai Grand Theater) + Yeli Island; D3: Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port to see the bridge + Guishan Island/Wailingding Island (choose one among the hundred islands). Budget: 800-2000 yuan (Chimelong ticket about 400).

Dad's Tea = Haikou people's leisurely lifestyle. A pot of tea (black tea/green tea/partridge tea) + various dim sum (steamed chicken feet/shrimp dumplings/rice noodle rolls/coconut buns/pandan cake), 20-50 yuan per person to sit all afternoon. Must-eat: Wenchang chicken, Jiaji duck, Dongshan goat, coconut chicken hot pot, qingbuliang, Hainan noodles, Lingshui sour noodles. Spice level: Hainan cuisine is not spicy! Yellow lantern chili sauce is spicy but optional.

Laoyou rice noodles = Nanning's calling card, sour bamboo shoots + fermented black beans + chili + garlic + sliced meat + rice noodles, sour, spicy, fresh and savory. Luosifen = Liuzhou specialty (reachable by high-speed rail in 1h), snail broth + sour bamboo shoots + yuba + peanuts + wood ear mushrooms + rice noodles, "stinky" in an addictive way. Other must-eats: lemon duck, rice dumplings (fenjiao), suanye (sour fruits dipped in chili salt), freshly pressed rice noodles. Spice level: medium spicy, sour and spicy as the main profile.

Guiyang = Sour and Spicy Empire! Sour Soup Fish: two types of broth—red sour (fermented maolaguo tomatoes)/white sour (fermented rice water); add jiangtuan (longsnout catfish)/huanglading (yellow catfish) to the pot; the dipping sauce is the soul (burnt chili + mujiangzi oil + fermented tofu + fish mint). Must-eat: Changwang noodles (pork intestines + blood curd + crispy cracklings), Siwawa (Guiyang-style spring rolls, DIY fun), beef rice noodles (Huaxi Feiwan/Wang Ji), Liàn'ài Dòufu Guǒ (love tofu puffs), Lei Family Tofu Balls, crispy cracklings (lard residue snack). Spice level: medium to extra hot! Sour and spicy is the main profile.

2 days: D1 Qianling Mountain Park (see wild macaques for 5 yuan!) + Jiaxiu Tower + Qingyun Road Night Market; D2 Qingyan Ancient Town (600 years of history, a Ming and Qing military stronghold) + Huaxi Park + Guizhou Provincial Museum. 3 days: add a 1-day trip to Huangguoshu Waterfall (130km from Guiyang, Asia's largest waterfall, most spectacular during the high-water season from May to October). Budget: 500-1000 yuan.

Jiangxi cuisine = fresh, spicy, salty, and savory! Nanchang people can't enjoy a meal without spice. Must-eats: Nanchang mixed rice noodles (Shengjinta Zhouji/street stalls) + clay pot soup (simmered soup, various herbs + meat, fresh and nourishing) + stir-fried cured meat with artemisia selengensis (a Poyang Lake specialty, a perfect match for cured meat) + steamed pork with rice flour + Poyang Lake big fish head (steamed with chopped chili). Spice level: medium spicy! The spiciness of Jiangxi cuisine is fresh spiciness, not dry heat or numbing spice.

D1: Tengwang Pavilion (newly renovated but impressive, 50 yuan) + Jiangxi Provincial Museum (gold unearthed from the Marquis of Haihun tomb!) + Bayi Square + Shengjin Tower Food Street; D2: August 1 Uprising Memorial Hall + Meiling National Forest Park + Qiushui Square Fountain (evening). Nanchang mixed rice noodles are a must-eat for breakfast! Budget: 500-1000 yuan. 45 minutes by high-speed rail from Lushan.

D1: Hebei Museum (Jade burial suit sewn with gold thread! Quyang stone carvings! Free) + Zhengding Ancient City (Longxing Temple / Lingxiao Pagoda / Rongguo Mansion); D2: Zhaozhou Bridge (45km from the city center) + Bailin Zen Temple. If time permits, add Xibaipo (red tourism site). The high-speed rail from Shijiazhuang to Beijing takes only 1 hour; you can base yourself in Shijiazhuang to visit Zhengding + Zhaozhou Bridge. Budget: 400-800 yuan, prices are extremely low.

D1: Baotu Spring (The Best Spring Under Heaven) + Wulongtan + Quancheng Square + Furong Street (snack street) + Qushuiting Street (old Jinan life); D2: Daming Lake (free! 3-4km around the lake) + Qianfo Mountain (overlook the whole city) + Black Tiger Spring (locals fetch water with buckets). Jinan = the city of springs, bring an empty bottle to collect spring water and drink! Budget: 500-1000 yuan. Only 25 minutes by high-speed rail from Mount Tai.

Henan people's morning C and evening A: morning Hulatang (C), evening Huimian (A). Hulatang: Xiaozhen/Beiwudu two schools, strong pepper flavor, served with youtiao/shuijianbao. Recommendations: Fang Zhongshan (most famous but also spiciest), Xiaoyao Zhen. Huimian: lamb broth base + wide noodles + fen tiao + qianzhang + wood ear mushrooms, fresh and rich. Recommendations: Xiao Ji/He Ji. Spice level: Hulatang medium spicy (pepper spicy, not chili spicy), Huimian not spicy.

2 days: D1 Henan Museum (free, reservation required, one of China's most underrated museums!) + Erqi Memorial Tower + Dehua Street; D2 Shaolin Temple (Dengfeng, 80km from Zhengzhou, 1.5h drive) + Pagoda Forest + Songyang Academy. 3 days: add Yellow River Scenic Area + Zhengzhou East District CBD. Budget: 600-1200 yuan. Zhengzhou is a transfer hub for Luoyang/Kaifeng, suitable for combined trips.