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Beijing, China
Start with the Great Wall at Mutianyu for a full-on adventure — hike up and toboggan down. Hit the hutongs around Nanluoguxiang for street food and local craft beers at Great Leap Brewing. Catch a Beijing Guoan football match at Workers' Stadium if fixtures align in early October.
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Luoyang, China
Base for the jaw-dropping Longmen Grottoes — over 100,000 Buddhist carvings carved into cliff faces along the Yi River. Day trip to Shaolin Temple, birthplace of kung fu, where you can watch live martial arts performances. Eat Luoyang Water Banquet (水席), a 24-course local tradition, and grab beers in the old town night market.
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Xian, China
The Terracotta Warriors are a non-negotiable full day — hire a bike and explore all three pits. Rent bikes and cycle the top of the ancient 14km City Wall, then destroy a Xi'an craft beer crawl in the Muslim Quarter. Day trip to Huashan Mountain for a borderline insane cliffside plank walk — one of the most thrilling hikes in the world.
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Chongqing, China
Chongqing is the city that never sleeps — neon-lit, vertical, and absolutely wild. Smash a hotpot at a riverside restaurant in Jiefangbei and explore the insane Hongyadong cliffside stilted buildings. Use this as your base for a day trip to Zhangjiajie — fly or take the overnight train for the Avatar floating mountains and glass bridge experience.
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Shanghai, China
End the trip in style on The Bund waterfront and zip up the Shanghai Tower observation deck for insane skyline views. Explore the French Concession for bars, craft beer spots and incredible street food, then go hard in the Yongkang Lu bar street. Check fixtures for Shanghai Port FC or Shanghai Shenhua — October often has Chinese Super League home games.