01START HERE
Payment methods
Cards, Alipay, WeChat Pay and cash — what works, where it works and what to set up before you land.
Last reviewed Aug 2026 · Monthly review
The independent guide to traveling China
China,
made doable.
What to see, how to book it, where to eat and the practical details that make your first trip feel simple — starting with Beijing.
Start with the essentials →DESTINATION / CHINAPILOT CITY / BEIJINGSCROLL TO EXPLORE ↓
01 / YOUR FIRST CITY
Big trip.
Clear way in.
Beijing can feel complicated before you arrive. Moodway turns scattered advice into one calm, useful starting point — built for independent travelers, not tour groups.
02 / CHINA BASICS
Sort the basics.
Then enjoy the city.
Practical guides for the questions that usually take ten tabs, three forums and a lot of second-guessing.
02TRANSPORT
Getting around
A practical guide to the subway, taxis, ride-hailing, trains and the apps that make Beijing easier.
Last reviewed Aug 2026 · Quarterly review
03BOOKING
Tickets & reservations
Which major sights need advance booking, where to reserve and what to bring on the day.
Last reviewed Aug 2026 · Monthly review
04PHONE SETUP
Internet, maps & apps
Connectivity, navigation, translation and the small digital preparations that prevent big headaches.
Last reviewed Aug 2026 · Quarterly review
05AIRPORTS
Arriving in Beijing
From PEK or PKX to your hotel, with sensible options for every arrival time and budget.
Last reviewed Aug 2026 · Quarterly review
06USEFUL CHINESE
Language essentials
The phrases, screenshots and address formats worth keeping on your phone — even with translation apps.
Last reviewed Aug 2026 · Annual review
Dates tell you when we last checked a practical guide — not when it was first published. See something outdated? Tell us and we will review it.
03 / WHAT TO DO
The icons.
And the city around them.
Forbidden City
How to book, when to go and a route that makes sense.
The Great Wall
Mutianyu, Jinshanling or Badaling? Choose by travel style.
Hutongs
Where to walk, eat and stay without treating local life like a theme park.
Eat Beijing
Roast duck is only the beginning: noodles, breakfast, snacks and markets.
04 / PLAN BY TIME
A route you can
actually follow.
Built around realistic travel time, reservation friction and enough space to enjoy where you are.
The Beijing first timer
Imperial core · Great Wall · Hutongs
The icons without turning your visit into a race.
The city, properly
Landmarks · Food · Art · Local neighbourhoods
More breathing room, better meals and a Beijing beyond the checklist.
Beijing in depth
Old city · New city · Mountains · Day trips
For travelers who want context, contrast and time to follow their curiosity.
WHY MOODWAY
China has plenty of information.
The hard part is knowing what still works.
USEFULClear answers before long lists
CURRENTVisible review dates on practical guides
INDEPENDENTNo packages pretending to be advice
05 / GOOD TO KNOW
Simple by
design.
Moodway is starting with Beijing: one city, carefully explained, before we expand across China.
What is Moodway?
An independent travel information site for international visitors to China. We collect the inspiration and practical details you need to plan with confidence.
Can I book a trip here?
Not right now. Moodway is currently an information-first guide, not a travel agency or booking marketplace.
How current is the information?
Practical guides show when they were last reviewed. Fast-changing topics such as payments, tickets and reservations are checked more often than cultural or editorial guides.
Will you cover cities beyond Beijing?
Yes — after the Beijing guide proves useful. Shanghai, Xi’an, Chengdu and Chongqing are natural next steps, but we would rather build one city well than launch empty city pages.