Self-Launched Budget China: Beijing to Hong Kong

Arrive in Beijing at any time. Take the Airport Express train from Beijing Capital International Airport to the city centre (~£4, 25 mins) or from Daxing Airport take the high-speed rail link (~£5). Check into your hostel in the Dongcheng or Gulou area — both are centrally located and well-connected. Spend the evening exploring the lively hutong alleyways and grab dinner at a local noodle spot.

🚌Airport Express train to city centre (~£4)

🛏Generator-style hostel or budget guesthouse in Dongcheng district — e.g. Leo Hostel or YHA Beijing — dorm from ~£10/night

• →Arrive and settle in
• →Explore Nanluoguxiang hutong alley
• →Dinner at a local noodle restaurant

Head to Mutianyu Great Wall — one of the best-preserved sections, with 22 watchtowers and stunning mountain ridge views. Take bus 916 from Dongzhimen bus terminal to Huairou (~£1.50), then a shuttle bus to the wall entrance (~£1). Entry to Mutianyu is ~£10 and the cable car up/toboggan down is ~£10. Return to Beijing in the late afternoon and explore Wangfujing Street for street food in the evening.

🚌Bus 916 from Dongzhimen to Huairou (~£1.50), local shuttle to wall (~£1)

🛏Budget hostel, Dongcheng district (~£10/night dorm)

• →Mutianyu Great Wall visit (self-booked, ~£10 entry + ~£10 cable car/toboggan)
• →22 watchtowers and ridge walk
• →Wangfujing Street evening street food

Spend the day exploring Beijing's imperial heart. Tiananmen Square is free to enter. The Forbidden City (Palace Museum) costs ~£10 and must be booked in advance online at pm.cultural.cn — book at least a few days ahead as tickets sell out. In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Heaven (~£5 entry) where locals practise tai chi and traditional music in the park. Use the metro (Line 1 and Line 5) to get between sites — ~£0.50 per trip.

🚌Beijing metro Line 1 & Line 5 (~£0.50 per trip)

🛏Budget hostel, Dongcheng district (~£10/night dorm)

• →Tiananmen Square (free entry)
• →Forbidden City / Palace Museum (~£10, pre-book online)
• →Temple of Heaven (~£5 entry)
• →Local metro travel between sites

Morning free to visit the Summer Palace (~£5) or explore the 798 Art District (free). In the evening, board an overnight hard-sleeper train to Xi'an — book via Trip.com or 12go.asia. The Z19 or T41 overnight trains depart Beijing West and arrive Xi'an early morning (~£25–35 for a 6-berth hard sleeper). This replaces one night's accommodation cost and is a classic Chinese rail experience.

🚌Overnight hard-sleeper train Beijing West → Xi'an (~£25-35, book via Trip.com)

🛏Overnight sleeper train (6-berth hard sleeper, ~£25-35 — replaces accommodation cost)

• →Morning: Summer Palace (~£5) or 798 Art District (free)
• →Evening departure on overnight sleeper train to Xi'an

Arrive Xi'an early morning. Drop bags at your hostel near the city walls. Spend the morning on a self-guided orientation walk around the ancient city centre. In the afternoon, explore the vibrant Muslim Quarter — a maze of alleyways filled with street food stalls, spice vendors, and the stunning Great Mosque of Xi'an (entry ~£3). Try local specialities like rou jia mo (Chinese pulled pork burger) and yangrou paomo (lamb bread soup).

🚌Walk or local bus from Xi'an railway station (~£0.30)

🛏Shuyuan Youth Hostel or similar near city walls — dorm from ~£9/night

• →Self-guided orientation walk around Xi'an city centre
• →Muslim Quarter exploration and street food
• →Great Mosque of Xi'an (~£3 entry)

Morning: take bus 306 or tourist bus from Xi'an railway station east square to the Terracotta Warriors Museum (~£1.50 each way). Entry costs ~£18 — book online in advance at huaqingchi.com or via GetYourGuide for a guided version (~£25 including transport). Afternoon: rent a bike at the South Gate of Xi'an's ancient city walls (~£5 for 2 hours) and cycle the full 14km perimeter — a fantastic way to absorb the city's history and views.

🚌Bus 306 to Terracotta Warriors (~£1.50), bike rental on city walls (~£5)

🛏Shuyuan Youth Hostel or similar — dorm from ~£9/night

• →Terracotta Warriors Museum (~£18 entry, self-visit or ~£25 via GetYourGuide with guide)
• →City wall cycling (~£5 bike rental, 2 hrs)
• →Bus 306 to/from Terracotta Warriors (~£1.50 each way)

Morning free in Xi'an — revisit the Muslim Quarter for breakfast or visit the Shaanxi History Museum (free entry, pre-book online). In the evening, board an overnight train to Shanghai. Book the D- or Z-series overnight trains from Xi'an North or Xi'an station via Trip.com (~£30–45 for a hard sleeper). Arrive Shanghai the following morning.

🚌Overnight hard-sleeper train Xi'an → Shanghai (~£30-45, book via Trip.com)

🛏Overnight sleeper train (~£30-45 hard sleeper — replaces accommodation cost)

• →Shaanxi History Museum (free, pre-book)
• →Explore local parks or small lanes
• →Evening departure on overnight sleeper to Shanghai

Arrive Shanghai in the morning. Check into your hostel in the Former French Concession — a characterful neighbourhood of tree-lined streets, independent cafés, and art deco buildings. Spend the afternoon on The Bund waterfront, taking in the famous skyline views across the Huangpu River to Pudong's skyscrapers. In the evening, cross to Pudong via ferry (~£0.30) and ride the lift to the observation deck of the Shanghai Tower or Oriental Pearl Tower (~£15–20).

🚌Metro from Shanghai station to French Concession (~£0.60), Huangpu River ferry (~£0.30)

🛏Captain Hostel or Le Tour Travellers' Rest, French Concession — dorm from ~£12/night

• →The Bund waterfront walk (free)
• →Former French Concession exploration
• →Pudong skyline views — Shanghai Tower observation deck (~£20) or Oriental Pearl Tower (~£15)
• →Huangpu River ferry (~£0.30)

Morning: visit Yu Garden (~£5 entry) and the surrounding bazaar area in the Old City. Afternoon: explore Tianzifang art district in the French Concession (free). Evening: book a Chinese acrobatic show at the Shanghai Circus World or ERA Intersection of Time — tickets from ~£20 via GetYourGuide or direct at the venue. A world-class performance not to be missed.

🚌Shanghai metro (~£0.60 per trip)

🛏Captain Hostel or similar — dorm from ~£12/night

• →Yu Garden (~£5 entry)
• →Tianzifang art district (free)
• →Chinese Acrobatic Show (~£20, book via GetYourGuide or direct)

Take a half-day trip to Zhujiajiao, a beautifully preserved ancient water town on the outskirts of Shanghai. Take bus Huzhu Line from People's Square (~£2 each way, ~1hr). Wander the stone bridges, canals, and Ming/Qing dynasty architecture — entry to the town is free, individual gardens and temples cost ~£1-3 each. Return to Shanghai in the late afternoon for a final evening exploring Xintiandi or Jing'an.

🚌Bus Huzhu Line from People's Square (~£2 each way)

🛏Captain Hostel or similar — dorm from ~£12/night

• →Zhujiajiao Ancient Water Town (free entry, optional temples ~£1-3 each)
• →Canal boat ride (~£3)
• →Evening in Xintiandi or Jing'an district

Take the high-speed G-train from Shanghai Hongqiao station to Guilin North (~£45–60, approximately 5.5–6.5 hours). Book in advance via Trip.com. Arrive in Guilin in the afternoon and check into your hostel near the city centre or the Li River. In the evening, stroll along the Two Rivers and Four Lakes scenic area — beautifully lit at night — and try local Guilin rice noodles (mifen) for dinner (~£1.50).

🚌High-speed G-train Shanghai Hongqiao → Guilin North (~£45-60, book via Trip.com)

🛏Guilin Wada Hostel or similar — dorm from ~£9/night

• →High-speed train Shanghai → Guilin North (~£45-60)
• →Two Rivers and Four Lakes evening walk (free)
• →Guilin rice noodles dinner (~£1.50)

Take the iconic Li River cruise from Guilin (or Zhujiang Pier) to Yangshuo — one of the most scenic journeys in China, drifting past dramatic karst limestone peaks and rural villages. Official cruise boats cost ~£30–35; a cheaper alternative is to take a local bamboo raft from Xingping (~£8–12) after reaching Xingping by bus (~£4). Arrive in Yangshuo in the afternoon. Yangshuo's West Street is lively and packed with cafés, bars, and local restaurants.

🚌Li River cruise or local bus to Xingping + bamboo raft (~£4 bus + £10 raft)

🛏The Village Yangshuo Hostel or Yangshuo Mountain Retreat (budget room) — from ~£10/night

• →Li River cruise Guilin → Yangshuo (~£30-35 official, or budget bamboo raft from Xingping ~£10)
• →Arrive Yangshuo, explore West Street
• →Sunset views over karst peaks

Rent a bicycle in Yangshuo (~£3–5/day) and explore the stunning karst countryside — ride through rice paddies, tiny villages, and along the Yulong River. Stop at the Dragon Bridge (free) and the Yulong River bamboo rafting area (~£8). In the evening, consider the famous Impression Liu Sanjie outdoor light show directed by Zhang Yimou (~£20, book via GetYourGuide or direct).

🚌Bicycle (~£4/day rental)

🛏Yangshuo hostel — dorm from ~£10/night

• →Countryside cycling (~£4 bike rental)
• →Yulong River bamboo raft (~£8)
• →Impression Liu Sanjie light show (~£20, optional — book via GetYourGuide)

Morning: join a local Chinese cooking class in Yangshuo — these typically include a market tour to learn about local ingredients, then hands-on cooking of Cantonese-influenced dishes (~£25–35, book via GetYourGuide or directly with Yangshuo Cooking School). Afternoon: Yangshuo is a world-famous rock climbing destination — rent gear and hire a local guide for a half-day karst climbing session (~£25–35 via ChinaClimb or local outfitters on West Street).

🚌Walking / bicycle

🛏Yangshuo hostel — dorm from ~£10/night

• →Chinese cooking class with market tour (~£25-35, book via GetYourGuide)
• →Rock climbing on karst peaks (~£25-35 with local guide)
• →Free evening in Yangshuo

Take a morning bus from Yangshuo bus station to Guilin (~£3, 1hr), then an onward high-speed train from Guilin North to Guangzhou South (~£25–30, ~1.5hrs). Alternatively, take a direct long-distance bus from Yangshuo to Guangzhou (~£15, ~4hrs). Arrive in Guangzhou (Canton) — China's culinary capital — in the afternoon. Check in near the Shamian Island or Beijing Road area. Evening: explore the Qingping Market and try authentic Cantonese dim sum.

🚌Bus Yangshuo → Guilin (~£3) + high-speed train Guilin → Guangzhou South (~£25-30)

🛏Guangzhou Riverside International Youth Hostel or similar — dorm from ~£11/night

• →Bus Yangshuo → Guilin (~£3) then high-speed train to Guangzhou (~£25-30)
• →Shamian Island colonial architecture walk (free)
• →Cantonese dim sum dinner (~£8)

Spend the day exploring Guangzhou's cultural highlights. Visit the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall (~£5) for stunning Cantonese folk art and architecture. Walk through the vibrant Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street. In the afternoon, take the metro to Canton Tower for panoramic city views (~£12 observation deck). Guangzhou is famous for its food — this is the home of dim sum, so graze throughout the day at local teahouses (yum cha from ~£5).

🚌Guangzhou metro (~£0.50 per trip)

🛏Guangzhou Riverside International Youth Hostel — dorm from ~£11/night

• →Chen Clan Ancestral Hall (~£5)
• →Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street (free)
• →Canton Tower observation deck (~£12)
• →Yum cha at a traditional Cantonese teahouse (~£5-8)

Take the high-speed G-train from Guangzhou South to Hong Kong West Kowloon — the journey takes just 48 minutes and costs ~£18–25 (book in advance via Trip.com or MTR's XRL service). Go through border formalities at Guangzhou South station before boarding — have your passport and Hong Kong entry details ready. Arrive in Kowloon and check into your hostel in Mong Kok or Jordan. Evening: explore the Temple Street Night Market and take the Star Ferry across Victoria Harbour (~£0.40).

🚌High-speed XRL train Guangzhou → Hong Kong (~£18-25); Star Ferry (~£0.40); MTR Octopus card

🛏Mei Ho House Youth Hostel (Sham Shui Po) or Chungking Mansions budget guesthouse — from ~£18/night

• →High-speed train Guangzhou South → Hong Kong West Kowloon (~£18-25, 48 mins)
• →Temple Street Night Market (free entry)
• →Star Ferry across Victoria Harbour (~£0.40)

Final day in Hong Kong — make the most of this extraordinary city. Take the Peak Tram up to Victoria Peak for iconic skyline views (~£12 return). Explore Central and Sheung Wan's street art and independent shops. Cross to Hong Kong Island's Aberdeen for a sampan boat ride (~£5). Grab a last dim sum lunch in a local cha chaan teng (Hong Kong milk tea café). Depart from Hong Kong International Airport via the Airport Express (~£10) whenever your flight departs.

🚌MTR / Peak Tram (~£12 return); Airport Express to HKIA (~£10)

🛏Check out — depart from Hong Kong International Airport

• →Peak Tram to Victoria Peak (~£12 return)
• →Central & Sheung Wan exploration (free)
• →Aberdeen sampan boat ride (~£5)
• →Final dim sum lunch (~£8)
• →Airport Express to HKIA (~£10)