Top 12 tips for traveling in China

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For ages, China’s beauty has been regarded in its serenity. Nothing can prepare first time travelers for the utter uniqueness that is China. It is a vast and culturally diverse country, which makes traveling in it for the first time incredibly daunting. Here are some tips that will be useful for the newcomers as well as for those expats livings in China who desire to travel during their summer vacation. 

1. Keep your baggage light

Try to be as light as possible during your travels around China. Nearly all hotels provide toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, and other toiletries. Most hotels may even provide you with indoor slippers. Plus, traveling light helps you avoid those annoying overweight baggage fees when traveling by air.

2. Use a language translator app

Travelers to China encounter the problem of language barrier. Technology has you covered. Just download a translator app on your smartphone- it will really come in handy. You can pay for one, but the free apps work great. The app called Chinese Dictionary works great, and allows you to scan characters on signs and menus. You can download and use many features for free, but some additional features do cost money. 有道 or ‘you dao’ (pictured below) is also a great app to use for translating full sentences. It’s very, very easy to use for this purpose- once you know how to reach the translation screen via a single tap on the middle option: 翻译.

 3. Avoid visiting tourist spots on holidays

Anyone who has been in China for an extended period of time knows that on holidays there is a rush towards tourist spots. Visiting places on holidays or during the country wide vacations might (actually WILL) be inconvenient for you due to unavailability of seats in busses and trains. Not to mention the sheer number of people at any and every vacation spot. This situation is expressed poetically in the Chinese idiom: ren shan ren hai- 人山人海， which translates to ‘people mountain, people sea.’ Most expats simply avoid traveling as much as possible during national holidays.  

4. Always carry tissues

Without carrying a packet of tissues, one might be embarrassed while using the public toilets. Most of the public toilets do not have tissue paper. However, tissue paper packets are easily available at any 7/11 and other convenience stores.

5. Do not drink tap water

Always carry a water bottle of your own because tap water is not drinkable in most parts of China.

6. Learn some basic courtesy words

For example:  xie-xie - thank you. Qing wen - Please, may I ask? Mai dan - the bill please. Hui shuo ying wen ma? - Can you speak English? Bu hao yi si - I'm sorry/excuse me.

7. Travel with a local

This one is a no brainer. Try to travel with any local Chinese friends you have. This has obvious advantages. It will make your choices on the go much easier because they know the land and the language. Plus, you can even save some money when it comes to bargaining for souvenirs. 

8. Try a variety of food

Another no brainer. Eat. Eat. Eat! Try as many different types of food as possible because China is known for its diverse food. If you’re able to travel to different provinces of China, you’ll notice that just like other parts of the world the different regions have varied styles and flavors of food.  

9. Try to use trains

Using metro trains inside the city and using general trains in inter-city travel is the best choice in China as it saves money and it is very safe and comfortable. 

10. Get your destination written in Chinese

Again, the language barrier might give you a difficult time. If at all possible find your destination in Chinese online or have the hotel staff, a friend, or stranger that speaks English write it out for you. This will save you a lot of anguish.

11. Stay at hostels

Those who want to spend less on lodging can stay in youth hostels which are present in pretty much every city. We recently did a whole article on hostels, you can check it out here.

12. Bargaining

Learn to bargain while shopping from local markets in China because the shopkeepers usually tell higher prices to foreigners. You can use a calculator on your mobile phone to tell the shopkeepers the desired price. Bringing a Chinese friend a long can also help you get a deal!

Sources: ChinaDaily.com & TripAdvisor.com

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