Although China is an amazing historical country, you need to mentally prepare yourself that it will be a challenging place to visit, especially if you want to see more than just the famous places like Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, and etc. Once you leave these westernized cities things will be harder. I have been living and travelling China for a year now, and these tips come from my own experience, coworkers, friends, and other travelers I have encountered here in China. These are what we wish we knew in advance and the things we have picked up and learned along the way. I put this guide together in order to help ease your trip so that you are not hit with any surprises like we were.
1. Visa: Mainland China vs Hong Kong & Macau
The first and most important step in planning a trip to China is getting a Chinese Visa. You must obtain a visa before you can enter mainland China. You cannot obtain one on arrival, and you will not be able to enter China without a visa.
On the application, you will need to be extremely detailed and specific! They are very strict so you need to provide as much detail as possible about your trip. To avoid rejection I have narrowed it down to two things you must include in your application, so you don't have to go back and forth with the embassy.
1) You must book a hotel for every single night during your stay in China and then provide booking confirmations in your application. This means even if you are only staying in one area for one night and in another for the remaining time of your trip, you need to include it in your application. Just putting the city or province name will not suffice.
2) On your application, you need to provide the full itinerary and proof of onward travel.
If you are a US citizens, click here to visit the Chinese Embassy website for all the details on filling out the application and the link to obtaining the visa application.
HONG KONG & MACAU
You don't need a visa to enter either one of these places. With a US passport, you can stay visa-free up to 90 days in Hong Kong and up to 30 days in Macau. For more up to date details please visit Hong Kong's or Macau's Immigration Department/embassy website.
2. VPN
China has a massive firewall which blocks all access to Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google. Yes, they blocked Google! This means, if you have Gmail you will be out of luck. A VPN is a Virtual Private Network that disguises the computer’s IP address making it seem like you are connected from another country like the US or Japan even though you are in China, which then allows you to bypass the firewall and access all blocked apps and websites.
Let me say this, without a VPN you will not last a week in China yet alone a month! Not having a VPN means no access to the outside world whatsoever! So, please make sure to purchase/download a VPN before arriving in China. Since access to many VPN companies is blocked, it will be difficult and frustrating to access a VPN if you are already in China. One way to get around it, is through Internet Explorer. You can use Internet Explorer to access yahoo search and download a VPN. that's what I did, but be aware if I had downloaded a VPN while I was in the US that could have been avoided.
These are two VPN apps I have been using so far they are not perfect but they have lasted me this long.
FOR PC: Psiphon-115 (completely free)
For IOS devices: 闪电VPN-这是一款VPN高效网络加速神器 by Xulai Chen
(one time payment only)
(click picture to download)
You do not need a VPN if you are visiting Hong Kong or Macau.
3. Food
I hope you didn't come for some authentic orange chicken because they don't even have regular orange chicken. Matter fact, Chinese people will laugh if you mention orange chicken. That stuff is nonexistent here. Chinese people don't eat all the "Chinese" food that we eat in the US. You will quickly realize that many of the Chinese food served in the US has been utterly changed and Americanized.
Chinese food is different but authentically delicious. There are many different dishes made in different style and ways, and it feels like you are eating something new every time. Most of the food is very delicious! There are so many fresh fruits vendors and snack stands which mostly serve many amazing vegan and vegetarian options.
Most Chinese menus are in Chinese characters so use my google translator app from above to snap a pic to have it instantly translated for you. Make sure you always have napkins or pocket tissues on you. Some restaurants sell them. They don't just give them out for free and stands usually don't have any.
4.The language barrier is real
Although the most common languages spoken in China are Mandarin and Cantonese, the Chinese language is actually composed of many different dialects. Even though it normally pays to know the basics, however in China, knowing only the basics will not get you far. The language barrier is a real pain in the butt. Having a Chinese translating app on your phone only helps to an extent since there are so many different dialects, not even Google translator can handle it at times. Especially if it is Cantonese. So be prepared to use your body language and your acting skills at times and you’ll get by.
These two apps are my ultimate favorite and I'm sure they will come in handy for you as they have for me.
5. Cash
China has its own credit cards and doesn't accept foreign cards yet. So if you want to avoid many frustrating trips to the ATM’s, bring cash. Also, not all ATM's take foreign cards and the only bank that has worked for me hustle free so far is the Agricultural Bank of China aka ABC Bank.
6. Toiletry
Always always always carry pocket tissues with you at all times. You'll thank me later! There is a pretty high chance you will have to use a squat toilet at some point, so don't be afraid you're not going to fall.
7. Let the staring begin & the paparazzi rolling
For me, the starring began the minute I touched down in China. Yea, I wasn't even out of the airport yet. So if you're black, god Luck!
Overall though, as a foreigner in China, be prepared to have a lot of cameras in your face. Especially if you are visiting the less westernized areas. No matter how much you try to blend in you will end up in the spotlight. Many people are very polite when asking for pictures but they come with a crowd. From my experience, I can tell you that it always only takes one brave soul to ask for a picture and before you know it, there will be a crowd trying to get their pictures taken. The crowd will grow bigger and bigger and before you know it, you will be looking for escape routes. You may enjoy the attention at first, but I promise you, you will get annoyed and tired of it fast.
Some people will be snapping pictures from a distance. Especially when you are at restaurants, restrooms, malls, trains, planes, and etc. The annoying part is they think they are being sneaky but they never are. So be prepared to have cameras pointed at you.
Don't feel obligated to take pictures with anyone, feel free to say No.
8. Accommodation
Chinese hotels don't update their listings on foreign websites, so you should always book with Ctrip. It's much secure and the best website for finding cheap hotels across China, and it usually has good hotel deals going on. It also has listings that you can't find on foreign websites such as TripAdvisor or booking.com so when in China, play it safe and go with Ctrip.
Never book without checking any reviews in China. Especially if you are booking with any Chinese brand hotels. They tend to lie in their description to attract tourists. Chinese brand hotels are cheap but not very cozy. Be aware that Chinese beds are not the same as western's beds, they are usually hard and not so soft. Also, many staff don't speak English at all, so make sure your hotel has English speaking staff. If your budget allows, go for International hotels such as Holiday Inn which often offers super cheap last minute deals.
Airbnb is an option in China but if you don't speak the language, I would advise against it. However, if you are travelling to Hong Kong definitely do Airbnb.
If you prefer hostels use HostelWorld.com to book, just be sure to always check the exact location on the map and make sure they speak English.
9. Transportation
There are many ways to travel between destinations in China. From flights to metros to regular/bullet trains to taxis and City/Travel buses.
FLYING
Since China is a huge country, there are many reasonable domestic flights between destinations that you can book using Ctrip. However, keep in mind there is an 80% chance your flight will get delayed. I'm not talking about a 2 hour delay I'm talking about 5 to 8-hour delays. I had to deal with this multiple times, so if you can take the train between destinations, do it.
TRAINS
You can only buy one ticket per passport and you also need your passport to buy and pick up your ticket. Using China Highlights is the best and securest way to book your train tickets. They also have an app you can download to your IOS devise. You can buy it at the train station but keep in mind they sell out fast. The price depends on your preferred comfort and whether you take a regular or a bullet train.
METRO, TAXIS or BUSES
A lot of Cities have bus and metro apps you can use to get around. You should use the metro and taxis to get around locally, but be careful with taxi scammers. Inner-city buses are okay, but I wouldn't use travel buses. Once again, it's one of those things where if you don't know the language it's problematic.
10. Travel & Chinese holidays
Don't be afraid to explore other cities in China because of language barriers. Travelchinaguide.com is the best website to help you out with the exact information of a place you want to visit from sightseeing costs, times, how to get there, and all type of updates.
Never travel during a Chinese national Holiday! It's insanely crowded, hectic, frustrating, and just not enjoyable. Travel during the week instead of the weekend as well. Never go anywhere thinking it's going to be empty or less crowded. Trust me there are always people travelling.
Additional tips
Carry a portable charger with you. Many public places don't have outlets. Even airports don't. They only have charging stands which are always filled.
WeChat is widely used across China. It's like Facebook, apple pay and FaceTime combined in one app. They use it for everything such as book flights and trains, order food, and etc. Unfortunately, that app doesn't work with foreign credit/debit cards. Which is pointless if you are only visiting.
Many, many people smoke in China.
China has one-time zone no day-time saving, so no matter where you go in China the time is always the same.
China's traffic is insane which makes crossing the street a bit dangerous, so follow the crowd. You can follow the lights but the way traffic is set in China, you’re safer following a crowd.