ExploCountry guide · Eastern Asia
China travel guide: visa, best time, weather, holidays and plugs
Entry rules for every passport, the best months to go, live weather, public holidays and the plug you need for China. Capital: Beijing.
Do you need a visa for China?
It depends on your passport. Of the 198 other passports in our data, 67 passports can enter China without a visa.
All 198 passports for China · Visa checker · Passport validity checker for China
China at a glance
- Capital
- Beijing
- Region
- Eastern Asia, Asia
- Currency
- Chinese yuan (¥, CNY)
- Languages
- Chinese
- Calling code
- +86
- Drives on the
- right
- Power
- Type A, C, I · 220 V · 50 Hz
Best time to visit China
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
Apr–May, Sep–Oct. Mild weather between hot summers and cold winters.
General guidance on weather, crowds and wildlife, not a forecast. The chart below shows what the weather actually did last year.
Weather in Beijing
Month by month last year
- Daily high and low (°C), monthly average
- Rain (mm in the month)
Next public holidays in China
Nationwide holidays only, from Nager.Date. Check dates locally before you book: they can move.
Power plugs and voltage in China
- Type Atwo flat pins
- Type Ctwo round pins
- Type Itwo angled flat pins and an earth pin
Mains power is 220 V at 50 Hz. Phone and laptop chargers usually accept 100 to 240 V, so they only need the right plug. Hair dryers, kettles and other single-voltage appliances need a matching voltage or a converter.
Do I need an adapter for China?
Hand-curated, so a good first answer: confirm before you fly.
More before you go
- Passport validity. Many countries want 3 to 6 months of validity left. Check your dates for China or read the six-month rule explained.
- Other places you can go. Where can I go? lists the places your passport reaches that are also in season, and the passport ranking shows how yours compares.
Nearby countries
Questions
Do I need a visa for China?
It depends on your passport. Of the 198 other passports in our data, 67 passports can enter China without a visa, 3 passports can apply for an e-Visa and 128 passports need a visa in advance. Pick your passport on this page, or see the full list on the all-passports page for China.
When is the best time to visit China?
Apr–May, Sep–Oct. Mild weather between hot summers and cold winters.
What plug type and voltage does China use?
China uses plug types A, C, I at 220 V and 50 Hz. Check that your devices accept that voltage before you plug them in. Plug data is hand-curated, so confirm before you fly.
Which side of the road do they drive on in China?
Traffic keeps to the right in China.
What currency does China use?
Chinese yuan (¥, CNY).
What is the calling code for China?
+86.
What is the capital of China?
Beijing.
How up to date is this information?
Entry rules come from the open Passport Index dataset, last updated 18 February 2026. Governments change rules often, so check with the embassy or the official immigration site before you book. Weather and public holidays on this page are fetched live from Open-Meteo and Nager.Date.
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Get ExploEntry rules come from the open Passport Index dataset by Ilya Ilyankou (MIT), last updated 18 February 2026. Governments change rules often, so treat this as a guide and check with the embassy or the official immigration site before you book.