China, designed around you.

Custom China travel planning and remote concierge support for Australian travellers who want a smoother, more flexible, and less stressful trip.

Plan My China Trip View Packages

Perfect for first-time China visitors, couples, families, small groups, and travellers who prefer flexible, privately planned trips.

The Hall of Supreme Harmony courtyard in the Forbidden City, Beijing
Bilingual supportEnglish & Mandarin, before and during your trip
Remote concierge8am–11pm China time while you travel
Why we exist

China is extraordinary. Getting it right can be hard.

Language, payments, apps, bookings, transport, local platforms — and tours that rush you through a checklist. We plan around all of it.

Language & local apps

Menus, signs, taxis and booking platforms mostly run in Chinese. We prepare you with the right apps and stay on hand to help you communicate.

Payments

China is largely cashless and card terminals are rare. We guide you through Alipay and WeChat Pay setup before you fly, with sensible backups.

Bookings & transport

High-speed rail, attraction reservations and ride-hailing all work differently. We map the practical details into your daily plan.

Tours that rush you

Standard tours can feel fixed and checklist-driven. Your trip is built around your pace, interests, comfort level and budget instead.

Sample routes

Sample China routes, fully customised to you.

These routes are starting points, not fixed tours — we adjust pace, hotel areas, food, transport and experiences to your travel style.

The Shanghai skyline seen from the Bund at night
5–10 days

Elegant · historic · romantic

Jiangnan Classics

Shanghai · Suzhou · Wuxi · Nanjing · Hangzhou · Wuzhen

  • The Bund, classical gardens & West Lake
  • Wuzhen ancient water town
Great for first-time visitors Details
The Great Wall of China winding over mountains
5–10 days

For history lovers

Beijing & Xi'an

Great Wall · Forbidden City · Terracotta Warriors

  • Temple of Heaven & hutong culture
  • Xi'an City Wall & Muslim Quarter
Tang-style culture add-ons Details
A giant panda eating bamboo
6–11 days

Food · nature · city energy

Chengdu, Chongqing & Jiuzhaigou

Pandas · hotpot · national park scenery

  • Chengdu pandas, teahouses & Sichuan food
  • Chongqing night views & mountain city
Dramatic landscapes Details
View all eight sample routes
Pricing & packages

Choose how much support you want.

From a professionally designed route to remote concierge support while you're in China.

Essential Plan

Independent travellers who need a professionally designed route

Starting priceFrom AUD $399
  • Custom day-by-day itinerary
  • Hotel area & transport suggestions
  • App & payment preparation checklist
See full pricing
Recommended

Guided Remotely

First-time China visitors who want support while travelling

Starting priceFrom AUD $699
  • Everything in Essential Plan
  • WhatsApp support during the trip
  • Chinese communication assistance
See full pricing

Premium Private Trip

Families, small groups, multi-city trips, or higher-touch travel

Starting priceFrom AUD $1,799
  • Higher-touch planning & coordination
  • Guides, drivers & transfers coordinated
  • Suited to complex or multi-city trips
See full pricing

Final pricing depends on trip length, group size, number of cities, travel style and support level. Local guides, airport transfers, private vehicles, attraction tickets, hotels, meals and flights are quoted separately.

A Clear, Three-Stage Planning Process

You do not need to pay the full service fee upfront. Our fees are divided into three stages, with each payment linked to a clear stage of planning and support.

  1. 20%Trip StrategyPaid after the service agreement is signed and before planning begins.
  2. 50%Detailed Planning & Booking CoordinationPaid once you approve the initial itinerary direction.
  3. 30%Remote Travel SupportPaid one day before your trip begins, which activates remote support.

Before planning begins, you will receive a service agreement outlining the scope of work, payment stages, revision process, booking conditions and cancellation terms.

See the full three-stage process

How it works

From first call to touchdown, in six clear steps.

No call centres and no cookie-cutter tours — just a clear process with a real person behind it.

1

Free Discovery Call

We learn about your dates, group size, travel style, budget, must-see places and concerns.

2

Tailored Proposal

We recommend the most suitable route, package and support level for your trip.

3

Custom Itinerary Design

We build a practical day-by-day plan with transport, hotel areas, experiences, food and preparation notes.

4

Pre-Trip Briefing

A 30–60 minute online briefing covering apps, payments, transport, bookings, local etiquette and key reminders.

5

Travel With Support

With remote concierge support, we help with day-to-day questions, adjustments and basic Chinese communication while you're in China.

6

Enjoy China Your Way

No rushed checklist. No one-size-fits-all tour. Your trip stays flexible, personal and manageable.

Book a Free Discovery Call See what's included
Why travel with us

Planning that starts with you, not a brochure.

Customised, not formulaic

Your trip is built around your pace, interests and comfort level — never squeezed into a fixed template.

Designed for first-time visitors

We help with the parts that often feel confusing: payments, apps, transport, booking platforms, language and local expectations.

Bilingual communication support

We understand both English-speaking traveller expectations and Chinese local systems — and bridge the two.

Flexible travel style

Slow travel, food-focused trips, photography, family-friendly plans, luxury add-ons, culture, history, shopping or nature can all be built in.

Practical on-the-ground knowledge

We focus on what travellers actually need once they land — not just pretty itinerary descriptions.

Ready when you are

Start with a free, no-obligation discovery call and see if we're the right fit for your trip.

Plan My China Trip

Aerial view of the Shanghai skyline at dusk
About us

Independent planning, with local insight.

China Trip Design is an independent travel planning and remote concierge service created for Australian travellers who want to explore China with more confidence, flexibility and local insight.

We help travellers design personalised China trips that go beyond rushed group tours and generic checklists. Whether you are visiting China for the first time, travelling with family, planning a multi-city trip, or simply want someone bilingual to help you prepare, we make the process clearer from planning to arrival.

We specialise in custom itineraries, pre-trip preparation, local app guidance, transport planning, cultural experiences and optional remote support while you travel.

Meet the founder

China Trip Design was founded by Lisa Yan, who was born and raised in China and is now based in Melbourne, Australia. As a native Mandarin speaker with strong English communication skills, Lisa understands both the local Chinese travel environment and the practical concerns Australian travellers often have when visiting China for the first time — from itinerary planning and local apps to transport, payments, language barriers and real-time support once you're on the ground.

We are a travel planning and support service. We are not a visa agency, migration agent, insurer, airline, hotel provider, or emergency service provider.
Good to know

Questions travellers ask us first.

Do I need a visa to visit China from Australia?
Under the current policy, eligible Australian ordinary passport holders may enter China visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism, business, family visits, exchanges and transit — extended until 31 December 2026. Travellers who don't meet the requirements still need an appropriate visa. Always confirm with official Chinese embassy or consulate sources; we provide general travel information only.
Is this suitable for first-time travellers to China?
Yes — the service is designed to reduce confusion around language, payments, apps, transport and bookings, which are the areas first-time visitors find hardest.
Do you provide 24/7 support?
Remote support is available from 8:00am to 11:00pm China time. Overnight support is reserved for genuine travel emergencies only.
Are you a travel agency?
We provide travel planning and remote concierge support. Flights, hotels, guides, vehicles and tickets are arranged or quoted separately through third parties where applicable.
How does the payment process work?
Our professional service fee is milestone-based and divided into three stages: 20% for trip strategy, 50% for detailed planning and booking coordination, and 30% to activate remote travel support shortly before departure. See the full three-stage service process.

Read all frequently asked questions

Ready to see China your way?

Tell us about your dream trip. Your enquiry is free, friendly and comes with no obligation.

Plan My China Trip Book a Free Discovery Call
Plan My China Trip