How Awecool: China is Reopening to Tourism

After nearly three years, it’s finally happening.

It’s time to dust off those Chinese tourism visas.

Starting from 15 March, China will once again be accepting applications for tourism visas.

Better yet, if you had a Chinese tourism visa issued before 28 March 2020 — that is, the date China sealed itself off from the world — those will return to being valid.

My pointless question is– will visa holders get those three years back somehow? Consider that a Chinese visa is valid even in an expired passport. It would be a pain to keep track off, but wouldn’t the onus be on the visa holder?

Personally, China is one of my favorite countries to visit. Sure, it helps that I can speak and read some Chinese, no question. But just look at some of these places that you could visit while in the mainland:

For starters, there’s the quartzite sandstone stalagmites of Wulingyuan, Zhangjiajie city, in Hunan province; pretty cool views landing at that airport, too!

Then there’s Tiananmen Square, and then entrance to the Forbidden City, located in the Chinese capital Beijing.

Or, perhaps you want to come face-to-face with the 230-foot Leshan Giant Buddha in Sichuan, begun in 713CE by the monk Haitong to watch over ships passing through the rivers directly below it. It was finally completed ~803CE.

I realize this post sounds preachy, but I’m honestly excited for China to be open again. The natural settings, the food, the random bumper cars and alpine slides around cities … it all greatly appeals to me.

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Any questions about visiting China? Let me know!