Our Location:
No. 99, Jiazi Road, Chengdu
Understanding China, One Trip at a Time
Local China Travel Guides, Honest Advice, and Real Experiences Beyond the Tourist Trail
About Chris Lee & TripChina.me
Hi, I’m Chris Lee — founder of TripChina.me. And I’m a Chinese local currently living in Chengdu, one of the most relaxed, food-obsessed, and culture-rich cities in China.
I’m not a tour guide, influencer, or big travel company. I’m just a regular guy who loves traveling across China, exploring old neighborhoods, comparing regional food, sitting in quiet teahouses, and figuring out which places are actually worth visiting — and which ones are overhyped online.
Over the years, I’ve also traveled abroad and met people from all over the world. And one thing became very clear to me:
A lot of people outside China still don’t really know what traveling in China is actually like.
Some information online is outdated. Some of it is exaggerated. And a surprising amount is written by people who never truly lived here, never navigated daily life here, and never experienced China beyond the standard tourist route.
But real China is much more layered than that.It’s not just famous landmarks and bucket-list attractions.
- It’s the Beijing hutong that still feels lived-in.
- The tiny noodle shop locals line up for in Xi’an.
- The teahouse in Chengdu where nobody is in a hurry.
- The hidden alley restaurant in Guangzhou with incredible dim sum.
- The feeling of arriving in Chongqing at night and realizing the city actually looks cyberpunk in real life.
That’s the China I want people to experience. And that’s exactly why I created TripChina.me.
Why TripChina.me Is Different
I wanted to create the kind of China travel website I wish existed for my foreign friends visiting China.
Not a rushed “10 cities in 7 days” itinerary.
Not a generic SEO blog recycling the same tourist checklist.
And definitely not another surface-level guide written by someone who doesn’t actually live here.
TripChina.me is built from a local perspective — practical, honest, detailed, and experience-focused.
My goal is simple:
To help international travelers experience China more deeply, avoid common misunderstandings, save time and money, and discover a more local, authentic side of China along the way.
That means helping you:
- figure out which places in China are genuinely worth your time
- avoid tourist traps and common first-time mistakes
- discover neighborhoods, food streets, markets, and local experiences most visitors miss
- understand how to travel China more confidently and efficiently
- experience the culture behind the destination — not just the landmarks themselves
Because China is not just a place you visit. It’s a place you slowly come to understand.
What You’ll Find on TripChina.me
On TripChina.me, I focus on the kind of information travelers actually need before coming to China — practical, local, honest, and experience-driven.
That includes things like:
- the best Beijing tips for first-time visitors
- hidden neighborhoods and local food spots in cities like Shanghai, Chengdu, and Guangzhou
- honest reviews of famous places like Zhangjiajie, Lijiang, and the Li River in Guilin
- practical guides for trains, Alipay, eSIMs, and traveling around China more smoothly
- Chinese food, tea culture, traditional crafts, and everyday life explained from a local perspective
Most importantly, I try to help travelers experience a side of China that feels more real, more human, and less rushed.
Because the best parts of China are often the things most guidebooks barely talk about.
A Little More About Me
When I’m not working on TripChina.me, you’ll probably find me:
- drinking tea in a Chengdu teahouse
- exploring old streets and local neighborhoods
- researching traditional Chinese crafts and regional culture
- searching for small local restaurants tourists usually miss
- or planning my next trip abroad
Traveling outside China helped me understand how confusing China can sometimes feel for first-time visitors.
Living in China helped me understand how much beauty and humanity many travelers never get to see.
TripChina.me exists somewhere in the middle of those two worlds.
It’s my way of building a bridge between them.
If you want to experience a more local, more thoughtful, and more authentic side of China — welcome.
You’ve got a local friend here.
— Chris Lee
Founder of TripChina.me
