China Honeymoon Itinerary: 10 Romantic Days (2026 Plan)

Most “China honeymoon” articles online are recycled 7-day Beijing-Xi’an-Shanghai itineraries with the word “romantic” sprinkled on top. They list the Forbidden City next to “Peking duck for two” and call it a couple’s trip. This one is different: it is a 10-day route built around what couples actually want — sunset views, walkable old streets, one or two luxury hotels that justify the splurge, and a slow middle leg (Guilin/Yangshuo) where the trip stops being a checklist.

The math: 10 days, 2 people, mid-to-luxury tier, plan $8,000–15,000 USD total ($4,000–7,500 per person) excluding international flights. UK and Korean passport holders both enter visa-free for 30 days in 2026, so newlyweds land in Beijing and start exploring the same day.

The route runs Beijing (3 nights) → Xi’an (2 nights) → Guilin/Yangshuo (2 nights) → Shanghai (3 nights), with a high-speed train linking the first three legs and a flight from Guilin to Shanghai. You can also do this route in reverse (Shanghai → Yangshuo → Xi’an → Beijing) if Shanghai flights are cheaper.

When to go

April–May and September–October are the answer. Cherry blossom season in mid-April makes Beijing’s Yuyuantan Park and Shanghai’s Tongji University crowd-free, and the October Golden Week crowds thin out after the 7th. Avoid Chinese New Year (late January/early February — variable dates), the first week of October, and the late-July typhoon risk window for Shanghai.

Temperature wise, expect 18–26°C in April, 22–32°C in May, and 16–24°C in October. Pack one light layer for Guilin evenings (the karst basin cools down faster than Shanghai).

Day 1–3: Beijing (3 nights)

Day 1: Arrival + Forbidden City

Land at PEK. Immigration is fast for 30-day visa-free (15–30 min). Take the airport express to Dongzhimen (¥25, 30 min) and check into a hotel in the Dongcheng or Chaoyang district.

Drop bags, then walk the Forbidden City (¥60 / $8.50) in the late afternoon — the light at 4 PM through the Hall of Supreme Harmony is the moment. Pre-book online; closed Mondays. Two hours is enough on a couple’s trip; skip the Treasure Gallery and just walk the central axis together.

Climb Jingshan Park (¥2) for the rooftop view, then dinner at Da Dong (大董, multiple branches near Wangfujing) for the modern Peking duck — a whole duck feeds two, ¥300–500 ($42–70), reservation via Trip.com. After dinner, walk the Wangfujing snack street slowly. The candied hawthorn is the taste of the trip.

Day 2: Mutianyu Great Wall + China World Summit Wing sunset

Full day to Mutianyu (¥40 / $5.50 entry, ¥100 / $14 cable car, ¥100 / $14 toboggan down). Hire a private driver (¥800 / $112 round-trip) — the bus is 2 hours each way and you will not enjoy the Wall after a 2-hour commute. Take the cable car up, walk the flat restored section to Tower 20 (~30 min, no stairs), and ride the toboggan down together. Back in Beijing by 5 PM.

Drop the bags at the hotel and head to the China World Summit Wing (国贸三期, 国贸大酒店) — the 80th-floor bar at the China World Trade Center tower, 330m up. Cocktails run ¥120–180 ($17–25) each, but the golden-hour view over central Beijing is worth the splurge. Open to non-guests; no reservation required but come before 6 PM for the sunset.

Dinner at King’s Joy (京兆尹, 雍和宫) for a vegetarian tasting menu (¥580 / $81 per person, book 3–5 days ahead via Trip.com or the concierge) — it’s the only Michelin-three-star vegetarian restaurant in Asia.

Day 3: Temple of Heaven sunrise + Summer Palace + hutong night

Set the alarm for 5:30 AM and walk to Temple of Heaven (¥35 / $5) by 6 AM. The retired locals doing tai chi in the cypress groves is the real scene. One hour, no crowds, golden light through the Echo Wall.

After a slow hotel breakfast, take a DiDi to the Summer Palace (¥60 / $8.50 combined ticket, or ¥30 for the gardens only). Skip the Suzhou Street (tourist trap); walk the Long Corridor, the Seventeen-Arch Bridge, and the boat ride across Kunming Lake (¥40 / $5.50 for a 10-minute rowboat, ~1.5 hours total). Lunch at the on-site restaurant is overpriced; DiDi back to the hutongs for lunch at Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐) for xiaolongbao.

Afternoon: Nanluoguxiang (南锣鼓巷) for a slow walk, then a private rickshaw tour of the surrounding hutongs — bookable through the concierge at any Peninsula or Rosewood hotel for ¥400–600 ($56–84) for 2 hours. Dinner at TRB (前海, 什刹海) for French cuisine in a converted Ming-dynasty temple. Tasting menu ¥800 / $112 per person.

Day 4–5: Xi’an (2 nights)

Day 4: Terracotta Warriors + Tang Dynasty show

High-speed train from Beijing West to Xi’an North (G-series, 4h 30m–5h 30m, ¥623 / $87 second-class, every 20–30 min from 7 AM to 7 PM). Book through Trip.com 3+ days ahead. Arrive Xi’an by 1 PM, check into a hotel inside the City Wall (¥400–800 / $56–112 per night for a 4-star like the Sofitel Legend Xi’an, a 1953 Soviet-style former State Guest House now restored — the only UNESCO-listed hotel building in Xi’an, ¥900–1,500 / $126–210 per night).

Afternoon: hire a private car + guide to the Terracotta Warriors (¥120 / $17 entry, ¥300 / $42 for an English guide through the official site, book 24h ahead). Spend 2.5–3 hours. The Bronze Chariot and Horse exhibition is the highlight.

Back in the old town by 7 PM, dinner at Tong Sheng Xiang (同盛祥) for yangrou paomo (lamb stew with flatbread, ¥40) and biang biang noodles (¥20). Walk through the lantern-lit Muslim Quarter slowly — it’s the most romantic 1 km in China after sunset.

Evening: Tang Dynasty show (¥298 / $42 standard, ¥398 / $56 VIP) at the Shaanxi Grand Opera House. The dance, music, and costumes are touristy in a charming way. Book through Klook for skip-the-line entry.

Day 5: City Wall bike at sunrise + Bell Tower

Hire a tandem bike at the South Gate (永宁门) of the City Wall (¥45 / $6.30 for 2 hours, or ¥90 / $12.60 for a tandem). Ride the 14 km loop at sunrise — the wall is empty between 6:30 and 8 AM, and the view east over the old town rooftops is the best photography moment of the trip. The full loop takes 2 hours at a leisurely pace with photo stops.

After breakfast at the hotel, walk the Bell Tower (¥40 / $5.50) and the Drum Tower next door (¥40 / $5.50). Then check out and take a high-speed train to Guilin North (G-series, 6h–7h, ¥450 / $63 second-class) or fly to Guilin Liangjiang (2h, ¥400–800 / $56–112). The train is more romantic; the flight saves a day for Yangshuo.

Day 6–7: Guilin/Yangshuo (2 nights)

Day 6: Li River cruise + West Street

Pick up a 4-star Li River cruise (漓江, ¥215–450 / $30–63 per person, 4 hours Guilin to Yangshuo) from Zhujiao Pier (竹江码头) at 9 AM. The boat passes the Nine Horse Fresco Hill, the Yellow Cloth Shoal (¥20 banknote scene), and Xingping ancient town. The 4-star boats (¥450) have a sit-down lunch and an open-air top deck; the 3-star boats (¥215) are crowded and the lunch is a box meal. Book the 4-star via Trip.com at least 5 days ahead.

Arrive Yangshuo by 2 PM. Check into Banyan Tree Yangshuo (¥1,500–2,500 / $210–350 per night) — a 5-star resort in a 1960s sugar mill on the Li River, with private balconies overlooking karst peaks. It’s the most consistently rated luxury property in Guangxi and the only one with an in-suite plunge pool option. Couples on a tighter budget: Yangshuo Mountain Retreat (阳朔山畔度假酒店, ¥600–900 / $84–126 per night) on the Yulong River, smaller, quieter, with a Michelin-recommended restaurant.

Late afternoon: cycle the Yulong River rice paddies — bike rental ¥30/day from any of the West Street shops, the loop is 8 km flat. Stop at the Xinglong bamboo-raft crossing (¥120 / $17 for a 30-minute pole-raft ride for two).

Evening: Impression Sanjie Liu (印象·刘三姐) outdoor light show directed by Zhang Yimou — 600 performers on the Li River, 70 minutes, ¥238 / $33 per person. Sit in the VIP area (¥350 / $49) for the unobstructed view. The show runs nightly in good weather; book via Klook.

Dinner at the Cloud 9 restaurant inside the Yangshuo Mountain Retreat (Yunnan/Guangxi fusion, ¥300 / $42 for two with wine) or at Demi Restaurant in West Street (modern Italian, ¥500 / $70 for two).

Day 7: Xingping sunrise + departure to Shanghai

Sunrise at Xianggong Hill (相公山, ¥60 / $8.50 entry, 20 min climb) — the classic karst panorama shot. Bring a tripod if you have one. After sunrise, a slow walk through Xingping ancient town (¥20 entry) for the 1,700-year-old stone streets and the river boat dock that appears on the ¥20 note.

Mid-morning: drive to Guilin Liangjiang airport (1.5 hours) for a flight to Shanghai (2 hours, ¥600–1,000 / $84–140). On arrival, check into a Bund-side hotel for the next three nights.

Day 8–10: Shanghai (3 nights)

Day 8: The Bund + Yu Garden + French Concession

Sleep in. Breakfast at the hotel. Late morning, walk the Bund (外滩) from north to south — 1.5 km, 30 minutes, free. The colonial-era facades on the west side and the Pudong skyline on the east are the most-photographed city view in China.

Lunch at Fu 1088 (福1088, ¥300 / $42 per person, modern Shanghainese in a 1930s villa) or Jesse Restaurant (吉士酒家) for classic local. Walk west into the French Concession — Fuxing Park → Sinan Mansions → Wukang Road → Anfu Road → Tianzifang. Allow 2 hours. Coffee at Manner Coffee (original shop at 268 Nanshan Road, ¥20/cup).

Afternoon: Yu Garden (¥40 / $5.50, closed Mondays) and the bazaar. Try the century-old Nanxiang Xiaolongbao (南翔小笼包, upstairs seating, ¥30–50/steamer).

Evening: Huangpu River night cruise (¥120–180 / $17–25, 1 hour) for the illuminated Pudong skyline. Book via Klook. Dinner at M on the Bund (¥500 / $70 per person) for Western cuisine with the best window view in Shanghai, or at Lost Heaven (花马天堂, Yunnan) for something more atmospheric.

Day 9: Zhujiajiao day trip + Peninsula high tea

Full day to Zhujiajiao water town (朱家角, ¥80 / $11 combined entry, 1 hour from central Shanghai via Metro Line 17). The 1,700-year-old canals and stone bridges are an antidote to skyscraper fatigue. Take a gondola (¥150 / $21 for 15 min, 6 people per boat — share with another couple or two). Lunch at one of the canal-side restaurants for zharou (braised pork belly, ¥6 per piece) and zongzi (sticky rice dumplings, ¥6).

Evening: afternoon tea at The Peninsula Shanghai (¥388 / $54 per person, daily 2:30–5:30 PM, reservation essential) — the lobby is the most beautiful in Shanghai. Then dress up for dinner at Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet (10 seats, ¥6,000+ / $850 per person, book 3 months in advance). Ultraviolet is the world’s most experimental restaurant; the multisensory experience is worth the price once in a lifetime. If booked out, try Mr & Mrs Bund (French, ¥600 / $84 per person) or 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana (Italian, 3 Michelin stars, ¥800 / $112 per person).

Day 10: Pudong + departure

Morning: Shanghai Tower (¥180 / $25, 118th-floor observation deck, tallest in China at 632m). Pre-book online to skip the ticket line. Coffee at the on-site café 118.

Then a slow walk through the Power Station of Art (¥0, free, Shanghai’s contemporary art museum in a converted power plant, 2 hours if you like modern Chinese art) or a final pass through the French Concession for last-minute shopping. Lunch at Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐) in Shanghai IFC Mall for one last xiaolongbao lunch.

Departure: take the Maglev from Longyang Road to Pudong Airport (¥50, 7 minutes at 431 km/h, the fastest public transport in commercial service) or a DiDi (¥120 / $17, 50 min).

Where to stay (by city and budget)

City	Budget (¥300–600 / $42–84)	Mid (¥800–1,500 / $112–210)	Luxury (¥1,800+ / $252+)
Beijing	Hotel Cote Cour (¥600 courtyard hotel, Dongcheng)	Rosewood Beijing (¥1,800, Chaoyang CBD)	The Peninsula Beijing (¥2,500, Wangfujing)
Xi’an	Jin Jiang Inn (¥300, inside City Wall)	Sofitel Legend Xi’an (¥1,200, UNESCO-listed 1953 building)	Sofitel Legend Xi’an (Grand Heritage Suite ¥1,500)
Yangshuo	Yangshuo Mountain Retreat (¥600, Yulong River)	Banyan Tree Yangshuo (¥1,800, Li River)	Banyan Tree Yangshuo (Riverside Suite ¥2,500)
Shanghai	URBN Boutique (¥800, Jing’an, converted 1970s post office)	The Middle House (¥1,500, Jing’an, Piero Lissoni design)	The Peninsula Shanghai (¥3,000, Bund view)

Sample 10-day budget (2 people, mid-tier)

• Hotels: 9 nights × ¥1,200 average = ¥10,800 ($1,512)
• High-speed trains: Beijing → Xi’an (¥1,246), Xi’an → Guilin (¥900), plus Maglev return = ¥2,200 ($308)
• Flights: Guilin → Shanghai, 2 tickets = ¥1,400 ($196)
• Entry tickets & shows: ¥2,000 ($280) (Forbidden City, Terracotta, Tang Dynasty, Impression Liu, Yu Garden, Shanghai Tower, etc.)
• Food (2 people, ¥400/day avg): ¥4,000 ($560)
• Local transport (DiDi + metro): ¥800 ($112)
• 1 splurge meal (Ultraviolet or TRB): ¥1,600 ($224)
• Misc: ¥1,200 ($168)
• Total: ¥24,000 / $3,360 per couple (mid-tier)

Luxury tier (¥3,000/night hotels, Ultraviolet, two long-distance flights) easily reaches ¥60,000 / $8,400 per couple. Hostel/backpacker tier is doable for ¥12,000 / $1,680 per couple with budget hotels and sleeper trains, but the romance does thin out at that budget.

Visa-free entry for honeymooners

UK and Korean passport holders both enter China visa-free for up to 30 days in 2026 under mutual visa exemption agreements.

• UK: 30-day mutual exemption, valid for tourism, family visits, business. Single entry or multiple — no embassy visit required. Source: National Immigration Administration.
• South Korea: 30-day mutual exemption, same terms.

If you are extending to 30+ days or want to add Mongolia, Vietnam, or a Tibet side-trip, apply for a tourist L-visa in advance (£130 for UK, ₩55,000 for KR, 4 working days).

For transit-only honeymooners (e.g., UK → Shanghai → Bali → UK), the 240-hour visa-free transit is also available at Shanghai Pudong, but it requires a confirmed onward ticket to a third country within 240 hours. Most couples skip this in favor of the 30-day rule.

Booking essentials before you go

• eSIM data: see our eSIM guide so you’re online from minute one
• Alipay/WeChat setup: see our Alipay guide — get this done before arrival
• HSR bookings: reserve Beijing → Xi’an and Xi’an → Guilin on Trip.com 5+ days ahead
• VPN if needed: see our VPN guide for Google/Instagram/WhatsApp
• Travel insurance: confirm it covers honeymoon activities (bamboo rafting, Yangshuo cycling, Ultraviolet allergy disclosure)

Book this honeymoon trip

Everything in this 10-day route — the 4 hotels, 2 long-distance train legs, 1 internal flight, every attraction ticket, and the Yangshuo day trip — can be booked on these three platforms. Click through to compare prices for your dates.