TopTrip
China province by province: Yunnan, the northeast, and the roads between.
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Planning a Slow Travel Route Through Yunnan’s Lesser-Visited Villages
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Jinghong After Dark The Mekong Night Markets and Dai Temple Mornings
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Eating in Jianshui Old Town The Tofu and Well Water That Define It
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Gejiu Beyond the Tin Mines The Lake and the Road to the Yuanyang Terraces
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Changchun and the Last Emperor The Puppet Palace and a Soviet Film Studio
Guides for countries
By region
Latest articles
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From Guiyang to Congjiang — A Week in Guizhou by Bus and on Foot
Independent travel from Guiyang to Congjiang in Guizhou: buses, minibuses, journey times, seasonal road conditions, and village guesthouses explained.
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Jianshui Ancient City Guide Confucian Temples Tofu Culture and the Double Dragon Bridge
Jianshui has a Ming dynasty seventeen-arch bridge, one of China's largest Confucian temples, and tofu grilled on street corners—and almost every Yunnan itinerary skips it.
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Getting Around Shangri-La and Reaching Tiger Leaping Gorge From the Plateau
Shangri-La has no high-speed rail—Diqing Airport taxis, shared minivans to Tiger Leaping Gorge, and private drivers are how you move across the high plateau at 3,200 metres.
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Best Time to Visit Shangri-La for Alpine Flowers and Monastery Festivals
Shangri-La's high plateau only truly opens from June to October—alpine flowers peak in early summer, October skies are crystalline, and winter freezes guesthouses shut.
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Things to Do in Shangri-La From Songzanlin Monastery to Pudacuo Alpine Lakes
Songzanlin Monastery's gilded halls, Pudacuo's alpine lakes at 3,500 metres, and Dukezong's rebuilt lanes with a giant prayer wheel—Shangri-La rewards those who acclimatise before exploring.
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Where to Stay in Shangri-La at 3200 Metres Without Ruining Your Acclimatisation
Shangri-La accommodation is a choice between Dukezong old town atmosphere at full altitude and the newer county town with lower elevation and oxygen-equipped rooms—your lungs will have a preference.
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Songzanlin Monastery Visitor Guide – What to See, When to Go and How to Behave
Songzanlin Monastery is Shangri-La's Tibetan Buddhist heart, often called the Little Potala Palace. Know the photography rules, opening hours, and how to behave inside.
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Shangri-La at 3200 Metres – Tibetan Yunnan and the Altitude Nobody Warns You About
Shangri-La sits at 3,200 metres on the Tibetan plateau, and the altitude is the first thing you'll feel. Plan around acclimatisation, monasteries, and alpine walks.
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Changbaishan Volcano and Crater Lake, Jilin Province Travel Guide
Changbaishan's three slopes offer radically different access to Heaven Lake, from the North Slope's hot springs to the West Slope's 1,400-step ascent.
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Harbin Food Worth Freezing For From Guo Bao Rou to Madier Ice Cream
Harbin food spans Russian-influenced smoked sausage and sourdough rye to Dongbei guo bao rou and the local ritual of eating Madier ice cream outdoors on Zhongyang Street at minus-20°C.