Yiwu Travel Guide

Yiwu City Basics

Location: Central Zhejiang Province, administered by Jinhua City, on the southern edge of the Yangtze River Delta.

City Identity: Known globally as the "World Supermarket" and "Capital of Small Commodities,"  home to Yiwu International Trade City, the world's largest wholesale market for small goods.

International Role: One of China's most important trade gateways and the county-level city with the highest number of foreign visitors. It holds China's first county-level authority to issue visas and hosts over 10,000 foreign-invested businesses.

Business & Travel Environment: Highly international and business-friendly, with comprehensive foreign services including a one-stop immigration center. Yiwu Airport offers 240-hour visa-free transit, making medium- and long-stay business travel especially convenient.

Top Things to See & Experience in Yiwu

Yiwu's must-see experience centers on trade. Yiwu International Trade City, the world's largest wholesale market, is both a sourcing hub and a living showcase of global commerce. Spread across five massive districts, it lets visitors witness how millions of products, logistics networks, and international buyers connect China to the world in real time.

For industry insight, the Yiwu International Expo Center hosts major events such as the China Yiwu International Commodities Fair, along with hundreds of professional exhibitions each year. It's the best place to spot market trends and business opportunities. To see the future of trade, visit Beixiazhu E-commerce Town, a live-streaming hub where short videos and online sales are reshaping how products are sold globally.

Beyond business, Yiwu offers culture and leisure. Fotang Ancient Town reveals the city's historic side with well-preserved streets and hands-on intangible heritage experiences like traditional printing and local opera. Yiwu Place (Yiwu Tiandi) is a lively night-economy district packed with international restaurants, fashion, and art spaces, while Taohuawu in Shangxi Town blooms with peach flowers in spring, ideal for a quick countryside escape.

Food is a highlight in itself. Yiwu's international community means you can enjoy Middle Eastern, South Asian, and global cuisines in one evening - especially around Yiwu Tiandi - then head to Duantou Night Market to sample popular street food from across China.

Nearby Cities & Easy Side Trips

Thanks to dense high-speed rail links, Yiwu is perfect for a "business + leisure" route. Hangzhou (≈30 minutes) offers West Lake and tech culture; Shanghai (≈1.5–2.5 hours) serves as an international gateway; Hengdian World Studios in Dongyang (≈40 minutes by car) delivers a unique film-set experience; and Jinhua (≈20 minutes) is known for scenic caves and famous Jinhua ham.

Getting There & Around Yiwu

Yiwu is easy to reach by air and rail. Yiwu Airport offers flights to more than 30 domestic and international destinations, including Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Seoul, and Hong Kong. The airport is about 13 km from Yiwu International Trade City and the International Expo Center, with taxi fares around RMB 50.

High-speed trains make travel especially convenient: about 30 minutes from Hangzhou, 1.5 hours from Shanghai or Ningbo.

Driving and long-distance buses are also straightforward thanks to a well-developed expressway network linking major cities in the Yangtze River Delta.

ETripChina offers private transfers to and from the neighboring cities. 

Best Time to Visit

Yiwu works year-round for business travel, but it's important to avoid Chinese New Year (late January to early February), when markets close and commercial activity slows. The busiest and most international period is late October, during the China Yiwu International Commodities Fair. Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–November) are also ideal, with frequent exhibitions and comfortable weather. For leisure travelers, spring (March–May) brings peach blossoms, while autumn offers clear skies for city exploring.

Must-Try Food in Yiwu

Yiwu is known as an international food city thanks to its large foreign community. Middle

Eastern cuisine is a highlight - think Turkish kebabs, Arabic flatbread, and hummus - especially around Yiwu Tiandi and well-known foreign-run restaurants.

Local specialties include Yiwu brown sugar twists, Donghe meat pies, and Shangxi beef offal. For variety, head to Duantou Night Market, where you can sample street food from all over China, from Xinjiang barbecue to Henan hot soup and Yunnan rice noodles, in one lively evening.