Top 5 China Travel Guide Books | 2021 Edition

Did you know that if you look up the phrase “China Travel Guide” on Amazon, it will give you nearly 3,000 options to choose from? Here’s a quick breakdown of the best China travel guide books that I’ve used based on over a decade of traveling around the country. Hopefully you’ll find it useful as you plan for your trip to China!To get more news about China travel advice, you can visit shine news official website.

Will you be spending most of your time in one or two Chinese cities or would you prefer to traverse the country?

If you’ll be spending most of your time in one or two cities, you can also check out my review of these top Beijing travel guide books, top Shanghai travel guide books or a review of all the best Hong Kong books.

For every other traveler who needs a more comprehensive look at traveling to China as a whole, continue scrolling down or use the table of content links below to find the best guide book.If you’re in the planning phase and don’t know exactly where you want to go in China, this is the most thorough guidebook that covers the most area.

Who is This China Travel Guide? The Lonely Planet China is suited for budget backpackers who are wanderers. They don’t know where they will be next week so they rely on this book to figure that out.
Pros: Incredible attention to detail, 190 maps as well as language guides in languages including Mandarin, Cantonese, Tibetan, Uyghur and Portuguese.
Cons: limited pictures and no dedicated subway maps (except for Beijing). It’s also one of the largest and heaviest travel books on China – so consider buying the ebook instead.
For those who like a set itinerary before they ever set foot on an airplane, look no further than the DK Eyewitness Travel Guide series on China.

The visual appeal of this book sets it apart from all the others, with detailed maps, beautiful pictures and 3D illustrations to help you fully appreciate the major landmarks.

Target Audience for this Travel Guide? Budget travelers who don’t like to stray too far from the beaten path. You want to see the major tourist attractions, but you also want to be an informed traveler who appreciates the history and architectural beauty.
Pros: Beautiful maps, including country maps, city maps and subway maps. Pictures and 3D illustrations of the most popular travel destinations.
Cons: DK China has a limited selection of hotels and restaurants, especially when compared to the Lonely Planet. Only covers the most popular tourist destinations.