Practical Chinese for travellers: essential phrases, apps to install before you go, and how to read a menu and order food in China.
Travel to China
Ten practical Mandarin phrases for travellers in China, covering payment, directions, ordering and asking for help. Each phrase comes with characters, pinyin and audio, plus tips on how to practise before your trip.
Travel to China
A practical list of apps for travelling in China, grouped by need: communication (WeChat, REDnote), navigation and rides (Amap, DiDi), food and local services (Meituan, Dianping), payments (Alipay, WeChat Pay) and Chinese learning. Originally written for 2024 travel.
Travel to China
A practical guide to ordering food in Mandarin: key menu words for cooking methods and flavours, useful phrases from getting a table to paying the bill, popular breakfast and regional dishes, and how to compliment the chef.
Chinese Culture
As of August 2026, UNESCO lists 61 World Heritage properties in China. The original article described a July 2019 snapshot of 55 sites, so its breakdown should be read as historical. The FAQ explains how and why the total changes.