The experience of traveling to China may be very interesting but involves many challenges, as China enjoys a different culture, and despite the increasing number of travelers each year, China is a closed country and is not easy to change in line with global approaches to everyday life.
But that does not mean that tourism in China is not worth the experience! It is a country unique in its culture and enjoys highly diverse tourist attractions as well as vast trade and economic areas and vast areas of nature.
Through proper preparation and knowledge of China travel tips, visitation is made easier, and the holiday experience is an amazing experience that cannot be forgotten.
And there are some important things to know before you travel to China. which will help you prepare smartly, greatly facilitate your journey, and avoid any unexpected difficulties. So we offer this set of top tips before traveling to China that will make your trip successful and enjoyable in Dragon Country.
Buying a VPN app is essential before you travel
China blocks global Internet access via the so-called great Chinese firewall, and this firewall blocks access to Facebook, Google, Twitter, YouTube, and any website or app that uses Facebook or Google to log in (including Gmill and Google Maps) will not be able to use it in China without a VPN. This includes popular travel sites such as Airbnb and other global apps such as Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and even Netflix, all of which are banned in China.
One way to overcome this is to buy a VPN that hides your computer or mobile IP address so it looks like you’re connected from the US or Australia, even if you’re in China. You can access different apps and review your email, but you have to subscribe to the service before you travel.
Payment Methods
Chinese retailers in major cities rely almost entirely on mobile payment apps, and locals don’t use cards. Cash is also on the verge of extinction, but in the absence of a bank account in China’s major banks and WeChat or Alipay portfolios, cash is your best friend.
Major credit cards such as Visa, Mastercard, and American Express are not common or acceptable anywhere other than hotels and supermarkets in tourist areas and are not fully traded outside of Beijing and Shanghai. So the cash must be exchanged before you arrive or used at the ATM immediately after you arrive at the airport. ATMs at major banks will accept foreign bank cards without problem, but most banks will not accept an American Express card.
You can’t use the WeChat Pay app without a Chinese bank account, so your only option for digital payments is Alipay, via the traveler-friendly Tour Card option. Sign up for the app before you arrive, but also keep currencies in a low cash class because if small purchases are needed, many traders will not accept 100 yuan notes.
Local Language
Set up all the addresses you need for your trip in English and Chinese because you’ll need them to reach different places. For example, all hotels have their own Chinese names that don’t match your English name, so it’s always a good idea to keep your names and addresses in both languages to avoid taxi problems and trends.
If you don’t know Chinese fully, you should learn some basics, because unlike many other tourist destinations, English is not common in China, and it is very rare to be able to use it with locals outside foreign hotels and some major tourist attractions, which are more rare outside Beijing and Shanghai.
Use of bathrooms in China
Western toilets with seating seats are common in China only within hotels, world-famous shopping malls, and five-star tourist destinations. But everywhere else, you should expect a squat toilet. Although public bathrooms are common in China, they will always have squat toilets and will never contain toilet paper. So always make sure you have a quantity of paper wipes.
Also, pay attention to the fact that public bathrooms in China may not be too clean away from tourist areas, so we recommend using them only in emergency situations.
China’s electricity systems
All electrical sockets in China use two different types of outlets. The first is the American two-pronged plug, which is the most common for everyday use, and the larger devices sometimes use Australian-style three-axis outlets. To ensure the ability to operate your electronic devices, it is best to buy a travel adapter.
Drinking water in China
Tap water in China is not safe to drink, so most foreign travelers buy bottled water. There are a large number of public water filling plants across China, but in most cases, the water is boiling or warm because Chinese people do not like drinking cold water.
Keep your hotel address in Chinese
Your residence address should always be on your phone in Chinese letters. It can also be recorded on paper for use if your phone breaks down. Without this information, the taxi driver will not be able to know where to go, and certainly the name of the hotel will not be enough. Chinese cities are huge, and there are countless hotels and places to stay.
Wear a mask
Although you no longer need to wear masks in China to prevent coronavirus, it is useful to bring a few of them in case you travel around China during a new wave or if there is a bad flu season, which is a useful step since China is a busy place and some small cities in China have a high air pollution level.
Use the train in China
China’s high-speed train network is very good and is clean and modern; trains go perfectly on time; train rides are usually less expensive than domestic plane travel; and some high-speed train stations are also connected to the city’s subway network, so it makes getting to your final destination easier and cheaper.
Be careful on the road
Chinese drivers do not follow the rules and do not abide by lanes or directions, especially outside Beijing, and crossing the streets is not safe, so try to cross the road in a large group and see each direction when you cross the road.
Use wooden food sticks
You won’t find knives, forks, and spoons in restaurants in China unless you come across a luxurious global steak restaurant. Your only option will always be to use wooden food sticks, so try to get used to them before you arrive, and you can buy a small travel cutlery set if the idea of using chopsticks is too hard for you.
