Ways to Obtain Chinese-English Tourism Maps and Guides

1. Online Resources

• Official Websites
• China National Tourism Administration Website (http://www.cnta.gov.cn): Provides official English guides for traveling in China, covering visa policies, popular cities, and attraction introductions.

• Provincial and Municipal Tourism Bureau Websites: For example, Beijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau (english.visitbeijing.com.cn) and Shanghai Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau (en.shanghai.gov.cn), offering city-specific downloadable Chinese-English tourism maps and tips.

• International Travel Platforms

• Lonely Planet: Authoritative English travel guidebooks covering major cities and attractions in China, purchasable as e-books or paperbacks via their website (lonelyplanet.com).

• TripAdvisor: Offers user-generated Chinese-English attraction reviews and practical guides, supporting online browsing or PDF downloads.

• Digital Map Tools

• Google Maps: Offline maps can be downloaded outside China; some attractions are labeled in English.
• Amap (高德地图) or Baidu Maps (百度地图): More accurate when used within China, supports switching to English interface (some functions require internet connection).

• Maps.me: Supports offline downloads, covering English maps of major Chinese cities.

• E-book Platforms

• Amazon Kindle or Apple Books: Search "China Travel Guide" to purchase bilingual e-books in Chinese and English.
• Douban Reading (read.douban.com): Some free or paid travel guides published by local Chinese authors.

2. Offline Resources

• Airports and Hotels
• International Airports upon Entry: Service desks at airports like Beijing Capital Airport, Shanghai Pudong Airport, Guangzhou Baiyun Airport usually offer free Chinese-English tourism maps and city guides.

• Hotel Front Desks: Four-star and above hotels generally have Chinese-English local tourism manuals available.

• Tourism Information Centers

• City Visitor Centers: Such as Qianmen Visitor Center in Beijing and Bund Tourist Information Center in Shanghai, providing free printed maps and attraction recommendations.

• Attraction Entrances: Popular spots like the Forbidden City and the Great Wall often have Chinese-English guide maps available at ticket counters.

• Physical Bookstores

• Xinhua Bookstore: A large chain bookstore in China, some stores have a tourism section where you can buy bilingual books like China National Geography.
• Foreign Language Bookstores: Such as Wangfujing Foreign Language Bookstore in Beijing and Shanghai Foreign Language Bookstore, specializing in English versions of Chinese travel guides (such as Lonely Planet, DK Eyewitness series).

3. Recommended Practical Tools

• WeChat Mini Programs
• "Explore China": Offers multi-language attraction introductions and map navigation.

• "TravelChinaGuide": Covers transportation, accommodation, and reservation information for attractions.

• APP Recommendations

• Mafengwo (马蜂窝): Supports English interface, providing real user travel diaries and route planning.
• TripAdvisor: Allows searching for nearby attractions and restaurants with English reviews.

4. Precautions

• Version Updates: Printed maps may have outdated information; it is recommended to cross-check with online tools.
• Language Accuracy: There might be differences in English translations of some attractions, so it's advisable to verify official names beforehand (using pinyin comparison).
• Emergency Backup: Remote areas may lack English materials, so it is recommended to download offline maps or print key information in advance.