One month in China – 27–29 day itineraries

Everything China is famous for in one trip: Beijing and the Great Wall, Xi'an, Shanghai, Chengdu's pandas, the Leshan Giant Buddha and Mount Emei, Chongqing, the Zhangjiajie mountains, the Li River, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. You fly from Shanghai to Chengdu, and Chengdu to Chongqing is 1–1.5 hours by bullet train.

How to join the plans: China's Golden Triangle+: days 1–10 unchanged. Day 11 = day 11 of that plan and day 1 of Pandas, Buddha & a Sea of Clouds: a morning flight from Shanghai to Chengdu – about 2.5–3 hours, usually around ¥500–800 (flights from Shanghai land at both Tianfu TFU and Shuangliu CTU, which is closer to the centre), then a teahouse in People's Park, Kuanzhai Alley and Sichuan opera in the afternoon and evening. Days 12–15 = days 2–5 of the second plan (pandas, Leshan, Emei). Day 16 = day 6 of the second plan and day 1 of From the Avatar Mountains to Hong Kong: shopping in Chengdu in the morning, then instead of flying, a bullet train from Chengdu East to Chongqing – 1–1.5 hours, about ¥100 – and Hongyadong with hotpot in the evening. Days 17–28 = days 2–13 of the third plan, fly home from Hong Kong.

The golden triangle – Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai – then neon-lit Chongqing, the pandas, Leshan and Emei, and finally Dali, Lijiang and Tibetan Shangri-La. Two domestic flights link the plans: Shanghai to Chongqing (about 3 hours) and Chengdu to Kunming (about 1.5 hours). Fly home from Kunming.

How to join the plans: China's Golden Triangle+: days 1–10 unchanged. Day 11 = day 11 of that plan and day 1 of Cyberpunk & Pandas: a flight from Shanghai (Hongqiao SHA or Pudong PVG) to Chongqing – about 2 h 45 min–3 h, usually around ¥450–700 (the train takes 9–12 hours); Hongyadong and hotpot in the evening. Days 12–17 = days 2–7 of the second plan (Chongqing, Chengdu, Leshan, Emei). Day 18 = day 8 of the second plan and day 1 of The Road to Shangri-La: instead of flying home, a flight from Chengdu (Tianfu or Shuangliu) to Kunming – about 1.5 hours, usually around ¥400–700 (the bullet train takes about 6 hours, via Guizhou) – then Green Lake and crossing-the-bridge noodles in the afternoon. Days 19–27 = days 2–10 of the third plan, fly home from Kunming.

Beijing, Tianjin, Xi'an and Chongqing, then the mountains and old towns of Yunnan, and finally Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau and tropical Sanya. A bullet train takes you to Kunming and a flight of 2–2.5 hours to Guangzhou. You end the trip somewhere warm, by the sea.

How to join the plans: Emperors & Hotpot: days 1–9 unchanged. Day 10 = day 10 of that plan and day 1 of The Road to Shangri-La: a morning bullet train from Chongqing West to Kunming South – about 5 hours, around ¥360–420 in second class (or a flight of about 1.5 hours), then Kunming in the afternoon. Days 11–18 = days 2–9 of the second plan (Stone Forest, Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La and back to Kunming). Day 19 = day 10 of the second plan and day 1 of Dim Sum & Palm Trees: Pu'er tea in the morning, then instead of flying home, a flight from Kunming to Guangzhou (Baiyun) – about 2–2.5 hours, usually around ¥300–630 – and a Pearl River cruise in the evening. The bullet train from Kunming South to Guangzhou South takes 6.5–8 hours and often costs more than the flight. Days 20–29 = days 2–11 of the third plan (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Macau, Sanya), fly home from Sanya.